Luxury brands including Chanel, Dior and Charlotte Tilbury - plus a Champagne bar - are on offer under one roof as Harrods opens a beauty shop for Gateshead shoppers.
The new H beauty has now opened at the Metrocentre where it has been designed as "an experiential playground" with a pick of top names to tempt customers. Also among them are Dr Barbara Sturm and cult favourites Huda Beauty and Vieve.
A stylish 48-seat Champagne bar, serving cocktails and patisserie, is an added attraction at the new store which is in the Gateshead shopping mall's Lower Town Square and bookings opened at its launch on Tuesday for upcoming time slots to enjoy a glass of fizz in the glitzy new environment. H beauty is just the fifth stand-alone store of its kind in the UK and it is described as offering "an unparalleled beauty utopia".
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Besides the likes of skincare and salon products, including a showcase for local brand Nursem, there is a blow-dry hair area; a Fragrance Bar with a wide range of scents and 'play tables' for consultations, testing and make-up demonstrations. The idea is to have somewhere that both beauty novices and experts can discover some of the industry’s top brands as well as stock up on their favourite products.
A spokesperson said: "The latest addition to the H beauty portfolio reflects Harrods' commitment to creating luxury shopping experiences to new communities across the UK. In keeping with H beauty’s ethos of inclusivity, empowerment and self-expression, the Harrods buying team led by Annalise Fard, director of beauty, and Mia Collins, head of beauty, has carefully curated a spectacular offering that delivers something for everyone." And the store ethos is to encourage people "to play, experiment and celebrate their identity through beauty".
Annalise added: “The launch of our fifth H beauty store in Gateshead marks another incredible milestone for Harrods. The expansion of our stand-lone H beauty stores showcases our commitment to bringing elevated retail beauty shopping experiences to communities outside of London."
Gateshead customers will find Nursem among the new brands which include the likes of Le Labo, Bond No.9, Monday Muse and Paula's Choice. This local name offers skincare products - developed with the help of nurses - to help combat the effects of relentless hand washing. And for every Nursem bought, the brand will be donating a month's worth of hand cream to a nurse or midwife, said the spokesperson.
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