'I had a first look inside Sephora's newest UK store and here's what I'll be buying'

Beauty fans – and especially those that live in the northwest of England – will be excited to hear that there are now even more places to try and buy their favourite products from in real life, as beauty giant Sephora has just opened its tenth UK store.

Following on from the success of the Trafford Centre shop, Manchester now has a second Sephora store, as another opened its doors in the city centre's Arndale shopping centre at 10am today. This makes it easier than ever to try before you buy trending brands that you'd perhaps previously only been able to buy online, such as Merit, Glossier and Makeup by Mario.

I was lucky enough to get a look around the Manchester Arndale Sephora store yesterday ahead of its opening and, despite being a beauty editor with a cupboard full of products, there was so much in store that genuinely excited me, either because it was a brand I'd never heard of before or was one I'd been desperate to try. Here's what I'll be going back and adding to my basket, either online or IRL...

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Clomana Beauty Marshmallow Sponge Shape 2

£10 here

I'd never heard of this brand before, but it was displayed right by the door in the Manchester store and my attention was immediately grabbed by these cute little meringue-shaped make-up sponges, packaged up to look like luxurious sweet treats.

Latex-free, this chubby sponge expands to three times its size when wet, and helps to perfectly blend your face base. I'll be trying this when my current go-to Beautyblender needs replacing.

Haus Labs by Lady Gaga Triclone Skin Tech Medium Coverage Foundation

£42 here

Haus Labs isn't a new brand to me – I've already reviewed its super-lengthening mascara and balmy highlighter stick – but I've yet to try the brand's foundation, a favourite with Molly-Mae Hague, and so here's the chance to find my perfect shade (I reckon I'm 100 Light Neutral).

When swatching it in store, I was impressed by how weightless it felt on the skin, and the 'middle ground' type of finish it gave – not too matte, not too dewy – which reminded me a little of the cult classic Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation.

Merit Beauty The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick

£34 here

Again, a product that there has been much hype about, but one I'd never tried – and I could immediately see why it's so popular. It's so creamy and blends beautifully, allowing you to add as much or as little coverage as you like, exactly where it's needed.

I was surprised to find that I was a lighter shade that I had anticipated – Ceramic, the lightest one – so it's worth bearing in mind if shopping for it online that the colours are a little deeper than you might think.

If it's glow rather than coverage you're after from your stick foundation, Charlotte Tilbury's Unreal Skin Foundation Stick, £35, certainly delivers that – in my full review I say how it basically made me look 10 years younger.

Sephora Collection Bubble Bath & Shower Gel

Currently £7.59 here (usual price £7.99)

These unusual-shaped giant, round bottles stopped my in my tracks – and then once I sniffed them, I was totally converted. These cute bubble bath/shower gel formulas from Sephora's own brand come in five different scents and make a lovely treat that won't break the bank. Coconut and Monoi get my vote.