The real gem inside the new H Beauty is the Dior concession – check it out with us
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Recently everyone has been talking about the new H beauty opening at Metrocentre Gateshead.
Our Instagram feeds are full of people sitting on the pink bear outside the bottom floor of the former House of Fraser. No doubt, it’s a beauty lovers dream, with over 30,000 sq ft of space filled with many brands we’ve haven’t been able to shop in any store in the North East. The idea behind it is to bring the experience of the Harrods Beauty Hall in Knightsbridge to regional communities – thanks Harrods!
There’s also a blow dry bar, play tables to try products, and a 48-seat Champagne Bar offering cocktails, patisseries and of course, champagne.
But if you like luxury beauty, the real gem inside (in our humble opinion) is the new Dior concession, offering an experience we haven’t been able to get before in the North East. Think facials in a private pod, skincare analysis and the entire La Collection Privée fragrance collection. As well as the opportunity to purchase candles, privee collection body care and accessories.
The skincare experience
Dior at H beauty has an entire skincare counter dedicated to examining your skin and advising the right products for your concerns at that time. But it’s not based on guesswork. This concession is one of the few homes around the world to the Dior dermal skin scanner. Place your chin and forehead in the cradle and the scanner uses three types of lighting – standard, UV and cross-polarised – to take photos of the skin both on and below the surface.
It provides results based on signs of ageing, dehydration, oil production and UV damage, as well as other elements including dark spots, pores and skin texture.
I was surprised to find out that underneath the surface of my skin I’ve got a lot of UV damage. This doesn’t show right now, but left untreated could lead to dark spots on my face later in life. The experts at Dior were able to provide recommended products to stop this from happening.
HLN’S TOP TIP: Check out the Dior Prestige skincare collection. The La Micro-Huile de Rose Advanced Serum has made a huge difference to my skin in just two weeks. It’s derived from the stem and flower of the Rose de Granville which has been developed on the Dior estate for it’s powerful skincare properties. The tiny micro pearls inside are four times more powerful that retinoic acid for skin revitalisation.
The facial pod
There’s more. This concession also gives us the opportunity to have a luxury Dior facial right here in the North East. The micro-peeling treatment promises new skin in just 30 minutes.
Head to the luxurious pod at the back of the concession and you would easily think you were lying in a Dior spa in Dubai rather than the Metrocentre.
After a luxurious cleanse, they use a special tool all over the face using a Sapphire Crystal head which exfoliates the surface layer of the skin to even out complexion and provides gentle lymphatic drainage to sculpt the skin.
The results are instant with no downtime at all. Literally glowing, perfect-looking skin in 30 minutes.
Price: £70.00
Book at the counter or message the concession via Instagram.
The make-up counter
In my opinion you won’t want to put any make-up on after the facial treatment – why cover up that glow?! But if the idea of walking around Metrocentre with a bare face isn’t your thing, the make-up team is on hand as soon as you step out of the pod to take you through the make-up collection.
One thing I’ll say, every member of the team at this concession are SO friendly, and obviously love their job. It’s the kind of place you can easily sit for a couple of hours testing products and chatting with no sales pressure at all. They clearly love their job and are passionate about the brand and it really comes across.
I was sitting next to two ladies from Ireland who were visiting for the day and had a lovely pamper session together trying new products. The team have been trained by Dior’s best global make-up artists, so they really know what they’re talking about.
The fragrance counter
Hands down my favourite part of the concession after the facial pod is the fragrance experience. You can buy the main Dior fragrances such as Miss Dior and Dior Sauvage from here, but the real star of the show is La Collection Privée which takes centre stage on a custom-made table, showcasing the entire collection.
The trained fragrance experts take you through a journey based on what you already like and wear, and what you might be open to trying. It’s such a fun experience and all of the scents are so unique and smell incredible.
Eden-Roc is the latest fragrance in the collection which has been designed to prompt the visual of arriving at this iconic Greek resort and all of the scents that come with it. Each fragrance prompts a mental image – from sitting eating figs in Greece to sitting in a luxurious lounge in Dubai.
This is really worth a visit if you’re looking for a unique fragrance and the prices aren’t out of this world. It’s £110 for a 40ml bottle of the fragrance, and you only need a couple of sprays to last all day. If you love Dior Sauvage I’d really recommend Ambre Nuit which is divine. I picked up a bottle of the Bois D’Argent which blends iris with a smoky incense that smells so unique and beautiful.
Take the opportunity to check out the accompanying body care collection and candles to bring the entire experience back to your home.
HLN’S TOP TIP: The fragrance, body care or candle make really beautiful gift ideas because the wrapping of them is insane. Each fragrance comes in a box on a silk pillow, with a small travel fragrance to accompany it (and lets the recipient try it to make sure they like it, or they can return it for something else).
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