Got my hair done in Cocoon for the first time, and I was so impressed that I booked my next…read moreappointment straight away! I have been to numerous salons before and I have to say, this is one of the best. I got my hair done by Amelia and she was brilliant! I have quite long hair and trying to get me to cut anything off it is a battle. Amelia was really great. She made sure I was ok with how much was being taken off it, and made me feel so comfortable - she has a wonderful personality! The salon itself it lovely and relaxing, and the complimentary menu makes it feel like a spa. I will definitely be recommending this place to my friends.

Love this salon, the service was wonderful. Will recommend this to my friends. The dresser was…read morereally nice and will alway go back when I need a hair cut.

Mac Cosmetics is situated in House Of Fraser in a small corner of the shop. I have been there on…read moretwo occasions. On my first visit there it was fairly busy but not brimming with customers, nobody asked me if I needed any help when it was obvious I did as I kept trying to get their attention, so when I eventually asked someone for help and to try some eyeshadow on me, the girl said 'yes I can but I will have to be quick' this made me feel like she couldn't be bothered to and certainly didn't make me feel like a valued customer, so she rushed through applying the eyeshadow although it did look nice I felt more of a burden. I saw lots of customers look then walk off muttering that they were fed up with waiting. On my second visit today it wasn't busy at all most of the employees were talking to each other at the till or putting stuff away, when it was obvious I required help and needed them to get me a foundation. They aren't particually friendly, it's quite cramped and the customer service at the mac counter at Debenhams in Bristol is much better and its bigger.

Superdrug is a cheap and cheerful version of boots. It is…read morenot as good as boots but has the advantage of being cheaper in a lot of departments than boots, especially perfumes and home goods. Having said that, boots does have a good reward system with Advantage Points. Hhmmmm.. which one is better I hear you cry. Well, that all depends on your personal preference. Superdrug on the highstreet 0 Broad street is large and has a 3 Mobile store at the front of it, so you can get a cheap contract phone at the same time as your cheap toiletries.

I was recommended this shop by a work colleague who was given a gift pack as an Xmas pressie. She…read morecouldnt stop raving about how wonderfully she smelt & how soft her skin was blah blah blah..... Having checked out the products myself, Im actually rather impressed! They have a range of products from natural soaps, bath bombs, bath truffles, bath salts. I'm normally a fan of Lush, but having tried these products I think I might be converted to The Soapy Story!!! The soaps are not only beautiful but the range of flavours is huge! My favourite is the Strawberry Creme Soap which is made with Palm Tree and Coconut Oils and includes Poppy Seeds which have a great massaging effect! I also love the Coffee Creme Soap which is made with real ground Coffee Beans. The truffles are also fantastic, they are all handmade and include Cocoa and Shea Butter. Each truffle takes about 10 minutes to dissolve (well it did for me anyway!!), but when they do, the bath will be coated with a wonderfully creamy layer which will totally moisturise the skin. The bathroom will also smell great! My favourite is the Rose Bath Truffle which is made with real Rose Petals. Make sure you wash the bath out though, cos these petals tend to stick!! Take my word for it, these products are fantastic - you should definately give them a go!

Massive department store on Reading's high street, John Lewis has everything. No cheap knock-offs…read morehere, it's all name brands and it's all expensive. Similar in theme to Macy's or Dillard's or Bloomingdale's in the States, the John Lewis department store is carved up into various sections for menswear, ladieswear, boys, girls, housewares, electronics, jewelry, perfumes and more. Very good service, which is what you are paying for. The electronics department includes televisions, radios and computers, priced at what I think are above PC World and Argos prices. All that said, it's a lovely store and a pleasant shopping experience. If I ever win the lottery, this is where I will blow most of my winnings.

I like John Lewis and the Reading store is one of my favourite destinations…read more Until last Saturday when the shop staff made me feel like a criminal. I was looking at their Xmas decorations along with other shoppers. First I noticed one shop assistant shadowing my every step then i went to look at the table settings and another assistant tailing me again. I looked around several times at the other shoppers and none of them appeared to be receiving the same dogged attention. This continued even after I purchased some items and moved to the cooking utensils. As the only black female on the shop floor, I left the store feeling harassed and victimised. I am still upset reliving the horrible experience. I will not be visiting again for the foreseeable future.

A kiosk-sized Boots in the ground-side of the Reading Rail Station, this location is quite small…read morewith a limited selection. However, they've never not had exactly what I wanted and the location is way handy if you're popping off the train, or if you're taking the train somewhere else and you realized when packing that you were out of shaving cream. D'oh! Not just selling meds and suchlike, there is also a cooler of sandwiches and sodas. And a full-service pharmacy, but I can't imagine that in this small space they carry all the usual drugs. Very friendly workers, they've pointed out when I was overpaying and also helped me notice when there is a special, such as a bottle of Vitamin C for £1 when buying cold meds.