Beauty Queen Cosmetics is an expansive store for people of Afro-Caribbean descent on Stapleton…read moreRoad. It is nevertheless patronised by people of all nationalities and ethnicity, and stocks a phenomenal range of products. Shelf after shelf of beauty products and toiletries stretch from the floor to the ceiling, with everything crammed in so tightly that there's barely room for the aisles. What I like about this store is that if I can't buy something elsewhere, then I can pretty much guarantee that these guys will have it. I also love the fact that I don't recognise over 50% of the products. There are brands here that I've never heard of, and all sorts of stuff that I never even knew existed. Beauty Queen Cosmetics offers the shopper with an anthropological experience as well as the opportunity to indulge in a vanity induced bout of consumerism.

Beauty Queen Cosmetics stocks an amazing variety of hair care commodities and specialises in…read moreAfro-Caribbean hair products. Along with the shampoos and conditioners, you can find a massive selection of styling and moisturising products all at very reasonable prices. They also have a wig boutique and an enormous range of hair extensions. Scarves, scrunchies, dyes, combs and brushes complete the range of just about every conceivable hair product you can imagine. Service is very helpful and friendly.

Revolting fact about me #102 is that I have very dry lips - come rain or come shine. I've tried…read moresmothering them with Vaseline, Nivea and the like but nothing works. Annoyingly my face seems to have expensive tastes and the only thing that solves my woes is Kiehl's Lip balm at the staggering price of £12. The only store that seems to stock it in the whole of Bristol is Space NK * (* This is possible VERY incorrect - and I'll happily be proven wrong) Space NK is like a department store dedicated solely to lotions, potions and cosmetics and I LOVE it. Granted, 95% of it is completely out of my budget, but it's a great place to window shop. The shop is laid out well with bright white counters and shelves of beautifully decorated packaging. The shop assistants are good models for their products with clear, radiant skin and shiny sleek hair - very helpful and will listen attentively to find you the best suited products.

I wouldn't normally frequent such shops, muttering something about overpriced potions, however I…read morefound that this is one of two shops in Bristol that stocks the gorgeous Lipstick Queen brand. With the other being Harvey Nicks, which frankly I'm terrified of going into, this was the lesser of two evils. I had been cycling in the rain that morning so looked somewhat akin to a drowned rodent dressed in rags yet was helped out with a smile from one of the perfectly presented staff (but she wasn't orange like the department store ladies!). I couldn't decide between two colours so she offered to put them on me which is a very strange experience but helpful nonetheless. She knew her stuff about the product as well. I got my lipstick put into a cute little bag that reminds you you've shopped somewhere elegant.

Bristol isn't short on department stores, but top of my favourites list is House of Fraser. Since…read moreit changed location it's undergone a swanky makeover making it as bright and shiny as Cabot Circus itself. It may be that I don't cope well with change but I find the layout of the new store a little confusing, often meaning I walk past the same rail of clothes several times before finding a polite shop assistant to point me in the right direction. In-keeping with the ethos of Cabot Circus, this House of Fraser stocks high-end lines such as Vivienne Westwood and Lulu Guinness in amongst Miss Sixty and French Connection which can push it into a "looking not buying" category of department stores. I tend to come for the small but extensive Paperchase and Benefit stands, and a bit of a window shop in the ladies department. Not great for every day wear, but worth a look if you're looking for a "special occasion" outfit.

When it moved from the Horsefair to shiny new Cabot Circus, House of Fraser had a bit of a…read moremakeover. No longer the frumpy department store most people walked past to get to Debenhams, now this has an emphasis on the higher quality (and higher priced) brands. Over four floors, with cosmetics, accessories and Paperchase on the lower floor, mens on the middle, women's fashion on the third floor and home decor on the top floor, it is a sprawling space with indiscernible boundaries between the brand displays. It doesn't have a great flow for browsing round, but its not bad. I come here mainly for Mango and Ted Baker brands (although there is a Ted Baker shop in Cabot Circus their women's range is better here).

I got a Mani and Pedi voucher for my birthday & used it this weekend. Staff were super friendly,…read morebeautiful decor inside & I was extremely impressed with how my nails look :) definitely going back !

From the owner: Here at The Nailhouse our goal is simple, we wish to provide a high level of product…read moreand guidance whilst finding the perfect balance between health and beauty. Our specialist area of expertise is in the care of our Hands and Feet, we have a great team of experienced Nail Technicians and Health and Beauty Specialists who all feed into the great product and service that we offer.

They have a good range of false eyelashes in here, including my favourite one's at a reasonable…read moreprice. I was in London yesterday, came across my fave eyelashes and was going to stock up as I am always losing them but they cost £2 more than at Twilight Fashions. Decided to wait and support Bristol retailer instead ;-) Its also a great place to get some interesting tights. As for the fashion..well if you're into fairy wings or a moody hormonal teenager expressing goth angst you will love it. Happily the staff are not moody and angsty but helpful and friendly. Ever been to Cyberdog? The cyberpunk staff think they are so painfully fashionable and with it and not very friendly so its nice that I can rock up to this shop looking all normal in my work clothes and the staff are friendly and helpful.

It's very difficult to define a shop as wonderfully colourful and diverse as this one, especially…read morewhen the very pleasant lady who owns it expresses such a dislike for putting names on boxes. It is, I suppose, an alternative fashion shop, in one word. In another it is clothing predominantly for those who would be categorised as being a Goth. I think I've skirted around the title sufficiently avoiding any libel or stereotyping. Inside the crammed but enticing store expect to find a good array of leather coats (fitted to the ankle), generally black T shirts and tops and a good range of lipsticks and accessories. Two selling points that cannot go without being mentioned are the broad range of make ups (apparently incredible for the shop's size) and what I am told is the greatest selection of different tights (wo)man has ever seen. With over sixty pairs in a shop the size of a large garden shed - how can you possibly walk past? This is a wonderful little shop and well worth the visit if only once.

Creations is a small nail studio on Gloucester Road. Whenever I walk past there is always, without…read morefail people having intricate designs painted onto their nails so it's obviously a really good place to go! I like the fact that they do other things apart from nails such as facials and things. I personally think its a bit expensive for me, but I never splash out on things like this. My friends say that it's not badly priced considering the time they spend on you.

I am 22 and have been biting my nails since i was about 12 (disgustin habit, i know) and so yet…read moreagain my New Years Resolution was to give up the habit. I'd tried everything i could to stop, but i even got used to the taste of the horrible stuff you paint onto your nails which is meant to taste so horrible you won't even think about putting your lips near what was left of your cuticles. I was going strong for about 2 weeks, when i was walking past Creations with my boyfriend who said that if i kept it up for a month then he'd treat me. Perfect idea. I managed for over a month and took a trip to Creations to get my nails done professionally. I was so excited to finally have nails and there were so many other options, patterns, colours and styles to choose from that i was a bit overwhelmed and opted for the safe bet of the French Manicure. It wasn't terribly expensive, and there are great set deals in Creations which give you the chance to have four different parts of your body pampered for only £20.

I first went in here after a jolly looking sales assistant in a Body Shop apron and holding a…read morebasket full of tiny little pots tempted me in. What she was in fact doing was handing out small sample pots with a voucher. It was a PR ploy to entice new customers by offering them a sample of whatever they wanted in the store to take away with them. Enough said, they worked a treat on me. It didn't matter that the size of the sample pot would've only given me enough moisturizing cream for one application, enough lig balm for a day and not even enough shampoo for one wash. Nope siree, it was a freeby and I never knock back a freebie. And in a way it worked wonders for The Body Shop too. For not only did I rack up a sample of the most luscious smelling new strand of the White Musk scent (White Musk Breeze I think it's called) but I ended up buying some cocoa butter, lip balm and an eyeliner!

Despite the slightly above average prices I have to say I really like Lush. It's taken me a little…read morewhile to know what to buy from them and what to get in Superdrug, I find things like their moisturising cream can't be beaten while their clear skin exfoliates can be (the lack of chemicals just makes them a bit weedy!). I've been into this Broadmead store a few times, and the staff have also been very friendly and helpful. I sometimes enjoy playing a game by seeing if there's anything they don't know about a particular product, but I haven't managed to catch anyone out yet. Perfect for all sorts of presents, I happen to know that even men don't mind a bit of lush!

Lush is one of my favourite stores, and the Bristol branch is a good sized, well-stocked and…read morefriendly one. A lot of people say the scent is overpowering, but this is due to the minimal packaging and fresh, natural ingredients used in their products. The staff is friendly, knowledgable and helpful, and will happily do demos to show how various things in the shop work. A good portion of items are veggie and vegan friendly as well. They have staple soaps, ballistics, shampoos, shower gels, moisturisers, fragrances and gifts, but bring out new products during the year and have seasonal offerings too. Though a lot of men are a bit scared of the scent, many have been converted after trying the less girly items at home. My husband certainly has been! So, you can get everything from a lip balm to huge hatbox sized gift boxes there. And, some items, like Charity Pot, help various UK charities, and all are fresh, handmade and wonderful!

It might not be an Argos extra which is sometimes a bit annoying as some of the things in the…read morecatalogue are not immediatley available, but is is however providing you with space and choice... but still, you can add some life to the store! The staff are relatively lifeless, and sometimes quite brash and rude as they try to work through all the customers as if they are cattle being passed through branding. Aside from Saturdays you can always find yourself a catalogue without having to fight your way through the hords.

Everyone remembers that joy when the new Argos catalogue came out and you spent a day looking…read morethrough at all the things you wanted to buy, even though you were only 8 and you would struggle to put together the funds to buy just 1 thing one your wish list! Even though the excitment has wained slightly in recen years I still enjoy looking through the Argos catalogue, especially if I am looking for some household item that needs replacing. This Argos is more impersonal than most, you can almost go through your whole shopping experience without talking to anyone as they have an electronic purchasing point.