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. And one of the few place in Bath that stocks it is Space.NK. 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. This store in Bath has exceptionally smiley, friendly shop assistant who will listen attentively to find you the best suited products.

Fantastic curation of beauty products including cosmetics, skincare, and fragrances from brands…read morelike Chantecaille, Hourglass, Emma Hardie, Sarah Chapman, By Terry, and more. Staff is attentive but will let you browse at your leisure, which I prefer. Being from the States, I was delighted to find brands not available there along with niche brands. Extra stars as the staff gave me plenty of samples.

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.

This place is basically a discount beauty store, stocking loads of makeup, hair extensions,…read moreperfumes, tights and various other random bits and pieces. I came in here last October to grab some face paints for my mime Halloween costume. They sell the proper stage makeup branded stuff you find in specialist shops, but for only half the price - it's really great. They also do a lot of stuff by brands I've never heard of - my girlfriend always buys her liquid eyeliner from here - she says it works better than any other brand she's ever tried and it only costs £1.50! It's also a great place for cheap (but not necessarily bad quality) gifts for female friends and relatives - and they also do a range of greetings cards and gift wrap, so you won't even need to go anywhere else. Sorted.

Are you in need of some false eye lashes, baby wipes and discount perfume? Then this is the place…read morefor you! They may not have the classiest range of products, but they do stock both the essentials and the more fun beauty products we all need. A great way of saving money, check them out.

I first got hooked on L'Occtaine when I was given a teeny tiny sample in my copy of Cosmopolitan…read moremagazine. Ever since I've sought out its rich, luxurious moisturisers and silky smooth hand creams. So when I discovered Bath had one slap bang in the middle of the high street - I was over the moon. Sadly when I realised how expensive the products were when they weren't free I realised I'd have to save my pennies before returning. But when you have the funds, you'll be able to sample their floral body mists, shower oils and shampoos which leave you feel pampered from head to toe.

Fantastic products that bring Provence to your bathroom!…read more Not cheap, but last for a long time - my favourites are the verbana hand soap (been going over a year now) and the aromatherapy pine and rosemary shower gel. Well-stocked shop, haven't needed to ask the staff very much so not sure of they know much about the products - they sort of sell themselves! Great presents.

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.

Ah, another beauty haven for all of us fanatics - only this brand isn't one my favourites, but then…read moreagain it's not the worst I've used, either. My friend and fellow beauty junkie gave me a bagful of samples to try, and I was pretty impressed with the staying power of the pomegranate body lotion (creamy without any greasiness), while the facial serum was hydrating, but nothing special, although I've been told it's difficult to determine the effectiveness of such products for at least eight weeks. Like Amanda, I found the Korres sales staff to be really helpful, but equally happy to let you browse the extensive amount of makeup and other beauty products on offer. This shop always has a sale on too, giving you no excuse not to try a new lip gloss or body lotion. I prefer other brands to Korres, but it's definitely worth giving their products a try, especially when you can secure a bargain!

Average Boots store with a wide selection of perfume and the usual stock of make-up (but not the…read moremore expensive brands such as Clinique etc.). This is really for stocking up on essentials whilst you're in the retail park clothes shopping. What it does have to make it stand out and good to remember is the late night pharmacy. Open from 7.30am - midnight Monday to Saturday (it is closed between 11.30 to noon so watch out for that), on Sundays open 10.30am to 4.30pm. If the store is closed you go to a hatch on the right of the store entrance to get prescriptions and medication.

Great store, lots of variety. I bought too much in UK and needed an extra suitcase for the trip…read morehome and found a very nice on sale at a very reasonable price. Sales people were helpful and polite as would be expected in UK. Last time I was in Oxford ('08) I also bought a bag so it is my place to go for luggage type purchases, although they have other things as well.

Boswells is a GREAT department store where you can find so many varying things that you can do a…read morewhole load of shopping all at once. From bed linin to plates, from shampoo to hankies, from alarm clocks to pen knives.... it really does have everything. The kitchen dept. is pretty large doing some really unique cutlery, place mats and odds n bobs. At christmas time it also sells alot of christmas decorations and candy goods etc. The staff are helpful and their are quite a few tills which is good as it can be quite busy. The goods are cheaper than most other department stores and so for that reason alone are worth a browse!

Salon Wills is an NHS-approved wig supplier, offering clinics at various hospitals around Wales, in…read moreaddition to a spacious shop that provides comfort and privacy to all its visitors. Situated on the balcony level of the Castle Arcade, Salon Wills offers Wales' largest stock of male and female wigs in a discrete and central location. All fitting rooms are private, and every consultation is free and provided by Salon Wills' qualified and experienced staff. I had a chat with one of the owners and walked away feeling extremely grateful that there's an establishment like this serving women and men with cancer and alopecia. I just wish we had a comparable service in the States! Salon Wills is not really a public-facing enterprise (there's no advertising apart from the sign and white curtains cover the shop windows), but anyone interested in their services is encouraged to arrange an appointment by calling 02920 224 475.