I love the wide range of products with all natural ingredients here, from the vitamins and…read moresupplements to the beauty products. Some of my favorite products here are the Coconut Foot Cream by Burts Bees, the After Sun Lotion by Green People (it smells amazing and it works like a charm on my fair skin), and the huge range of nutritional supplements and minerals from Viridian. So much selection in one place is amazing, and the offer free shipping on orders of over 10£. They ship fast and I've not had a problem with an order yet - great place to buy from!

This is a follow up to the problems I was having with Nature's Concept (aka Discount Vitamins and…read moreHerbs) in Cardiff. Having emailed them and phoned many times, to no avail, I contacted Citizens Advice Bureau and they advised me to write to them, telling them everything I had tried to do to contact them and that they were in breach of contract by either not providing the goods I ordered or refunding my money. This I did, and I have now received the goods I ordered. What a way to run a business! There doesn't appear to be any form of Customer Services, so be warned, if you order from this company, you will have problems contacting them and may not receive your goods or get your money back without hassle!

St David's is a very large shopping mall in the Cardiff city centre. It is easy to go in and…read morebecome disoriented while searching for a specific shop, or just wandering about. Everything one is searching for can be found here. If you're hungry, no problem! There are plenty of places to eat and drink, the toilets are clean, and there are shops available for every price range.

St David's is a large mall in the centre of Cardiff, I was quite a regular here, coming here…read moreevery-day on my weekend in Cardiff, mainly because of the large selection of shops to browse, and even places to grab something for eat to drink and it being just minutes away on foot from the Hilton hotel, which I stayed at throughout my trip to the welsh capital. This mall is huge, it is split into two parts including a bridge to a large John Lewis store, which is over 4 floors in this mall, with two having direct enterences into both floors of the mall, although just being attached by a bridge in some aspects, it is its' own place, so it is able to have more floors than the mall itself and is one of the anchor stores for the mall. The mall did open in 1991, but does feel more modern than that, apart from a few aspects, such as the lifts which are well hidden down a passageway which doesn't seem very nice, and does feel one of the older parts of the mall, which is very different, in a negative way compared to what other malls do, such as Manchester Arndale and The Trafford Centre which both have nice, glass lifts in the middle of the wall, making it seem welcoming and not the opposite. There are 203 stores here, with a whopping 5 anchor tenants, which include a large Primark store, which is also over 4 floors as I recall, John Lewis as previously mentioned, a large Debenhams store, at the other side to John Lewis as well as Marks and Spencer, and Boots. An interesting fact is that the John Lewis located here, is the largest branch the company have outside of London and was the first ever branch to open in Wales, back in 2009. Its' also worth noting, that both floors are quite big, with the upper floor being a little smaller, however the upper floor seems to be filled with larger stores such as H&M, Apple and Paperchase, to name just a few. These stores just seen huge stores, you wouldn't normally expect to find in a mall. This mall is really nice, and is huge and is really nice to go with the Cardiff high street, I can't help but notice a supermarket of some kind would fit into to this store such as a Waitrose store, which is owned by John Lewis to join the anchors of this mall however I sadly feel I can't go over 2 stars, with two big issues stopping me, such as the mall being split into two parts making it confusing, and hard to navigate around even after multiple visits, another big issue is the problem with the lifts, not seeming nice and seeming one of the old things about this mall, there is a small food-court on both floors called "East-side" with many cuisine types, but this doesn't really stand out and is just average its-self.

Like nearly all charity shops, Scope offers your usual selection of second-hand clothes, books, CDs…read moreand knick knacks. Scope stands alone among Churchill Way's solicitors' offices, night clubs, and beauty therapy salons; you normally find clusters of charity shops in the Cathays/Roath sections of the city, or by the street leading to Cardiff Central Railway Station, so Scope is a welcomed good-conscious shopping retreat in the Queen Street area. It's worth mentioning that this particular location is one of most tidy charity shops around and a pleasure to browse through. The shop assistants are always lovely and up for a chat. As it's located right next door to my occasional hairdressers Toni & Guy, Scope is one of my favourite spots to spend a few minutes browsing before I get my locks chopped.

Psst... Pssssst... Would you like to know a secret?…read more This is one of the best charity shops in Cardiff. Which charity shop is the best in a given city is a pretty nebulous thing to try and gauge; given the nature of the business, their stock and the quality of the goods changes all the time. There are rarely any consistent staff members and there is no guarantee you'll ever get what you've been looking for. However, thanks to the location, this one is one of the better ones. It has the advantage of being where no one expects it to be, and because of this the people who already know about it, know about it and the people who don't are unlikely to amble in by accident. It actually has a rather regular customer base for its location; I've been in there a few times and seen the same people again and again, and I think this is due to consistency. Whereas the shops in Roath and Cathays are a constant bustle of activity, with people hunting out the best deals all the time, this Scope is a more relaxed affair, where you have more chance of actually getting something worth getting.

The House of Fraser is a British department store with over 60 locations in the UK and Ireland,…read morethis location its-self is quite big, located on St Mary's Street in Cardiff and even has a Caffe Nero attached, which is a coffee shop which seems to be all over Cardiff, yet interestingly I didn't seem to visit on my recent trip to Cardiff, so this review focuses on the House of Fraser Department store in general, and not a Caffe Nero inside it, despite confusion I can confirm I have been to the branch of the listing in question, where I offer feedback in terms of a review here today, which I'm pleased to add, with it being nearly 6 years since HOF's last review, which once again for a busy location in a city centre, of a capital City (of Wales) nonetheless, this is quite shocking and in a way it is sad. As mentioned above, this location is on St Mary's Street in Cardiff, fairly close to Cardiff Central Railway Station, and of course right in the Cardiff City centre, which was also close to my Hilton hotel and Cardiff Castle, from my recent weekender in Cardiff. The store did seem quite nice, and was a typical high-end department store, although it seemed to lack the class I have seen in other branches of House Of Fraser, such as in the branch in Manchester, which has a lot of history to it, meanwhile this branch seems newer and the only history I'm aware that this branch has, is Cardiff Castle not far from here. This did pretty much seem to be your average department store with high-end labels and high-end prices, as a fan of the Hugo Boss brand it was a shame not to see them having a selection here in Menswear. Here is a full list of there in-store brands here, in Menswear, which is the only part of this review copied from the House of Fraser website, which I feel is useful to add a more in-depth analysis and conclusion to this review Alexandre Armani Jeans Barbour Berwin & Berwin Bjorn Borg Bugatti Calvin Klein Corsivo Criminal Diesel Dune Emporio Armani Failsworth Farah Fred Perry Fulton Gant Hilfiger Denim Howick Howick Tailored Hugo Boss Jack & Jones Kenneth Cole Label Lab LACOSTE CN Levi's Linea Lyle and Scott New & Lingwood Original Penguin Paul Smith Jeans Paul Smith London Peter Werth Polo Ralph Lauren Polo Ralph Lauren Golf PRETTY GREEN CN Pringle PS By Paul Smith SIMON CARTER Sloggi Ted Baker Tommy Hilfiger Tommy Sport Turner & Sanderson Overall, this department store is okay, although it just feels like something is missing, a bit of class, that added sparkle, and it isn't the nicest places to shop, and I would much prefer John Lewis, a similar nearby department store which even has an Opticians, and friendlier staff, so sadly I feel HOF deserves two stars and as Ofsted would say "Requires Improvement".

I absolutely love the James Howell & Co. building that is presently the home of House of Fraser in…read moreCardiff. It is just utterly beautiful and displays a number of different styles that chart the rise of its once formidable position as an independent Welsh store, founded by a homegrown entrepreneur. Occupying a prominent position on St Mary Street, it does a lot to maintain appearances amid the decaying grandeur and decadence of this once fashionable and up-market strip. The original structure was built in the late 19th Century, and lends the place its unmistakable ornate façade that sits proudly, in gorgeous symmetry on St Marys Street. In the 1920s a large and well-proportioned neoclassical extension was built reaching to the end of the portion of St Mary's Street that meets Heol-y-Cawl. A unique result of this extension was that Bethany Chapel was absorbed into the design of the building, with its fascia being incorporated into the interior of the new building. Further extensions were added throughout the 1930s, 1950s and 1960s, bridging the gap between the more ornate Victorian style of architecture, and the ground-breaking, Modernist movement, with is minimalist style, of the '60's. Howells Department Store was originally a family run business, but was sold out in the 1950s to Welsh banker Sir Julian Hodge, who subsequently sold the store to Mohammed Al-Fayed, the then owner of House of Fraser, ultimately causing the loss of its Welsh independent business status. It was then sold onto the Icelandic investment company, Baugur, at the end of 2006, around the time when Iceland decided it was time to buy up the rest of the world, and, as we know now, to somewhat disastrous effect!

I've been a loyal customer of this shop since the age of 14, right at the beginning of what my…read morefamily would later call 'the Goth years', eccentrix provided the most bizarre and macabre footwear imaginable. Consistently it's been an independent shoe shop run by an unassuming middle aged Asian bloke and a few shop assistants. It's not exactly a hotbead of depravity and wackiness but the shoes, oh god the shoes are insane. If you've ever wondered where the strippers of Cardiff get their shoes then wonder no more, this place has a huge selection of clear heels, PVC boots and shocking stilettos. They're probably supplying footwear for every torture garden within a 10 mile radius. If you're not a Goth or a stripper, there's a great range of shoes, from the generic ugg/crock type thing to completely insane heels that will have people asking "Where on earth did you get those...?"

This is an interesting locally run shoe shop in the centre of Cardiff, which cannot help to grab…read moreyour attention as you wander past and scan their shop windows in you peripheral. As the lovely Tiffany has already mentioned, this store provides something just a little bit different. These are shoes for people who have toes with attitude. A friend of mine in high school bought a big pair of metal-capped black boots from here, which we referred to ever after as his F**k Off Boots. Although there is certainly an influx of the slightly perturbing in terms of the footwear on sale here, there is also a good range of other shoes available, some of which are even bordering on the respectable. A good place to take a gander at if you're bored of other shoe shops.

Shoes, glorious shoes! How happy I was to hear that…read moreSoletrader would be opening in Cardiff. Incase you don't know they sell branded shoes, like Uggs, Converse, Diesel, Paul Smith, Hush Puppies ect ect. My prefered choice of shoes are Converse- I know I should of grown out of them by now but they are so reliable and go with everything. Anyway Soletrader always has a good selection, and also Birkenstocks, the most comfy sandals ever. Staff are a bit hit and miss here and the service lets them down a bit.

Come here for boots…read more They sell a variety of other brands, like Converse and Blowfish, but they're cheaper elsewhere, and their range of Converse isn't that great. But this shop excels when it comes to boots. Whether you're an Uggs fan, or you're more of a Dr Martens person, there are plenty to choose from. This is the ideal place to come when winter kicks in because you can go straight to the boots and immediately find what you need. This isn't the most colourful of shops, in its shoes or the shops personality in general (or the staff's personalities for that matter) but it's all about practical, everyday footwear. Great for browsing in that everything is clearly and spaciously displayed, however, it's worth checking the prices of some shoes in other shops before you buy them here, as Soletrader tends to be more expensive.

Even when I was a teenager going through my alternative phase, I was aware that this place was kind…read moreof grotty, for want of a better word. They deal in gothic clothing, incense, jewellery, tarot and smoking paraphernalia. Many of their products I simply do not understand. To cut a long story short, it's the kind of place your grandmother shudders to think about you going into alone. The staff here are often rude, and give you quizzical looks should you not be wearing black which is blacker than the night. Or a band t-shirt; that might do. I've little more to say on this place really.

Back when I was in school their was a crowd who appeared to worship at the alter of both Blue…read moreBanana and Rebel Rebel. I on the other hand have never really been "got" this place, and share Tiffany and Tanya's sentiments that it is both dingy and grotty. As mentioned the staff are rather rude, and I get the impression that they're trying to come across as intimidating to those who aren't their mirror images (don't worry they fail). They sell a lot of "hippyish" items such as dream catchers and bongs. I will point out that they do have a large selection of alternative jewellery, which is quite hard to come by in Cardiff shops, if you're not in the know. So for that I'll give them 2 stars rather than 1.

I'm surprised I'm only getting round to reviewing TK Maxx in Cardiff, having visited around a month…read moreago now in Mid-August but I'm pleased to make this a landmark review in my way, which is my 443rd this year of 1099th in total, finally beating my review total of what I conducted in 2015, just 270 days into 2016. Moving on to my review now, away from all personal statistics, this TK Maxx store is located in The Hayes in Cardiff, one of the welsh capital's main shopping streets, really close to the St David's shopping complex. This branch is set over 4 floors, but in some ways the layout is quite confusing, with the ground floor and a slightly raised level on the other side, accessed by a total different lift which is both quite unusual and confusing. It is worth noting that the Men's section is on the top or second floor, with home in the basement. As mentioned in other reviews, it is in a way like a "treasure hunt", with mainly one of every product in each size or at least very few, at least in the clothing, so if you see something you can only pray it is your size, which is really annoying. I class myself as a lazy shopper, I like things being done for me so I strongly dislike the format of TK Maxx, and the staff didn't seem too helpful either, and other than on the ground floor, they basically were so few in number. The store in general was quiet, it felt like a jumble sale due to the layout and didn't have a good vibe. It was also frustrating one of two lifts was out of order, which would cause a slight delay if you needed to use it. Another unusual practice used was that the store opened earlier than it should, I entered on a Sunday and I wanted to checkout and buy something, limited on time as I had a train to catch in a few hours, I was shocked when he said he couldn't serve me, probably due to the Sunday Trading hours (Big shout-out to the SNP who voted against Sunday trading hours being lifted in England despite being able to open when they want in Scotland) - This probably isn't the store's fault but there was no sign for this, and for someone who wants to get in and out of the shop, this was just a stupid policy to have, and with no prior warning was misleading. Sadly due to unusual practices of both this store and the brand in general, I sadly feel this store deserves a single one star.

I came here with my partner to get him a new and affordable winter coat as his had a huge tear in…read moreit. After browsing for 10 minutes, we managed to purchase a very warm wind-proof coat at a great price! ~ Atmosphere: TK Maxx is HUGE but despite its size, it's also very crowded. Granted, we did come during a weekend close to Christmas-time. Still, I can imagine TK Maxx being constantly crowded as I'm sure it's a very popular place to shop given both its location in the heart of Cardiff's city centre as well as the prices. ~ Variety: There's plenty of variety here in TK Maxx. Their section for mens coats was MASSIVE in itself and could amount to a small retail shop on its own! Combined with the fact that it has multiple stories, you'd probably be hard pressed to find something you *don't* like here. ~ Customer Service: Not bad at all. Despite how busy it was, it still didn't take too long to queue up and pay. The employees were decently friendly and efficient as well. --- TK Maxx definitely does the job if you're looking for fashion on a budget, without skimping on quality either. My partner loves his coat so much that it's hard to believe it only cost £50!

I used to be handbag obsessed, but I've calmed down a bit since I've realised I need money for more…read moreimportant things like food and rent. But naturally I still flock to any store like Harding's that showcases a bit of leather arm candy. Before I even had a chance to look around, I warmed to this store once I heard Jackie Wilson's "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" wafting through the shop floor. My shopping experiences are inexplicably influenced by the kind of background music shop owners choose to play. Harding's offers a selection of handbags, luggage and travel accessories to customers with a range of tastes and budgets. Most of the handbags were on sale when I went in there, some priced as low as £15. Suitcase, coats, purses and travel kits were also on display, from brands like Antler and Revelation. The cheerful shop assistant greeted me when I walked in and allowed me a no-hassle browsing opportunity, to which I'm always grateful.

Luggage is one of those items that, upon discovering that I had accidentally become an adult, I…read morefound I didn't have a clue where to get it from. I went through my childhood considering luggage to be just one of those things that appears when you need it, and goes away when you don't, much like spatulas. I could never have conceived of a world where there was such a high and constant demand for luggage to necessitate dedicated shops. It seemed insane to me. However, after the shock of adulthood had passed and I realised I did actually need to purchase luggage, I was eternally grateful for this shop. Before discovering this place, I was faced with the terrifying prospect of maybe, just maybe, having to go to Argos and using their infernal system to purchase my suitcases. I object to Argos on two grounds; firstly, you usually can't see what you're buying before you buy it, and secondly, it just seems so uncouth to get your goods brought to you by number,. So, just before I headed off to Argos, I had a fateful chat with my dad. I mentioned my destination and the reason for it, and he called me an idiot and told me to go to Harding's, where you can actually see the suitcase before you buy it so you have a proper idea of the size. So God bless you, Harding's. I didn't know you existed until I needed you, and when I did, there you were.