The regeneration of Hulme in the late'80's and early '90's brought many invaluable businesses to…read morethis area and facing Hulme market, Afro World is one of them. I am a curly girl with tresses which vary from sleek and shiny on a good day, to a frizzy halo- depending on the weather. Although certain high street chains and chemists have woken up to the fact that yes, we are a multicultural Britain with a diverse population who have individual needs, their range of products for people of colour can be very limited. This is not a political rant, it is a cold, hard, consumer fact. Afro World is a saving grace and "limited" is not a word that applies here. Having entered its hallowed doors, you have never seen so many hair and skin products in your life! There are rows and rows stocking brands such as Soft n Free, Dark n Lovely, Ultra Sheen and Pink, to name but a few- seriously the shop sells hundreds of them. The name of this store is a tad misleading as this mecca also sells makes for European and Asian hair types. You can buy a good quality real hair wig for only £29, extensions, and curly or straight pony tails line the shelves and offer you the ability to alter your appearance every day of the week. Handy for Geminis or international spies. The owners really know their stock inside and out. This is an incredible talent, considering how many lines are sold there, and they are always on hand to give you help and advice. Not many men ( with the obvious exception of hairdressers) are able to discuss with you whether you suit a wavy weave or a head full of corn rows in a truly macho fashion. Afro World also sells a good range of make-up for Asian and Afro-Caribbean skin and various hair accessories . It is open Mon-Sat 9am-6pm and on Sunday from 11am-5pm. Be aware that the shop is closed for prayer on Fridays from 1.30-2.30pm. So if you fancy a wicked weave, exceptional extensions or just need to stock up on your Kirby grips then this shop has it all.

I don't have much to add here as I actually popped in to get something for my wife - no she isn't…read moregoing to be sporting an afro or dreads soon, but she did want some pink hair dye picking up! They sell fake hair, wigs, have a beauty and hair section and all sorts of beauty products - you can tell from this description that I'm not massively up on this theme... This is the newer store after the previous one was destroyed by fire and it does look very modern and well laid out. The staff were very helpful guiding me straight to what I needed - a very easy visit, in and out!

I like sweets. In fact I have something of an addiction. They're one of my few vices. I don't…read moresmoke, I'm fairly anti-drugs and I do try and take care with alcohol, although this doesn't always go so well. But sweets are something that I turn to when stressed. You won't like going to the cinema with me, I spend far too long with the pick n' mix. So imagine my horror when I discovered how badly designed this place is. A Tesco Metro, sure, they're useful to have on every other corner, but not one whose sweet aisle is impossible to stand in. They have banished the sweets to the narrow corridor through which you travel once you've completed your purchases. After being brushed past by ten people with bags I gave up my hunt for Rowntree's Randoms. It just wasn't worth the hassle. Refrigerated wine, nice, good offers, lots of varieties of sandwiches, all great. But I'm still focussed on that ridiculous sweet aisle. Are you in cahoots with that stupid Change 4 Life programme, Tesco? Is this your way of getting people to avoid sugar? Come here and receive a well-deserved slap around the chops, you traitors. I'm not having any of it.

Wow! Check out the window display! I would have taken a photo regardless of requiring a pic for…read moreYelp! Endless lotions and potions are stacked tetris-style on shelf after shelf covering all the available window space and making your head spin with the seemingly infinite hair pampering options available! If you have afro hair and like to coax it into any style of your choosing then I can't imagine you could go away empty handed! They also sell hair dryers and styling tools, hair dye, wigs, weaves, clip in hair extensions and a huge range of hair accessories. On top of this they have a huge variety of body lotions and skin creams and a selection of makeup. It would be easy to feel pretty overwhelmed by the vast array of products on display, but the staff are helpful and friendly and will point you in the right direction. Sihala provides many products to be used by all women but specialises in a range of products for black people that would not be found in most high street cosmetics retailers, which often tend to overlook the specific needs of black customers. Go Sihala!

Divine Beauty is a hair product supermarket with rows and rows of every hair mousse, gel, cream and…read moreshampoo you can think of. Selling predominantly Afro- Caribbean products, this shop also stocks a good range of high quality hair pieces, wigs and extensions. Displayed on lines of decapitated dolls heads, Divine Beauty has an air of looking slightly disjointed and morose. In the rear of the shop, a hairdresser Aimee is on hand to do weaves and extensions, but again, this looks an unfinished and unprofessional space. There are much better hair shops in the area and the staff are ill informed on their stock, so much so that I went along to purchase a pony tail for my brunette bonce on a bad hair day and the gentleman assistant tried to sell me a ginger piece! I would not make an appointment here for a hair do but I would come in to bag some bobbles.

Booots, my love. On Regent Road, we proudly present the biggest boots I've seen in Manchester. I'm…read morenot saying it is the biggest one, but it is for me, cuz I haven't seen any other so massive and full of stuff. When you get in there you feel like in Saisburys, only that all you can see is cosmetics and electronics, and all the stuff you need to make you happy. As a woman I suppose. I had to buy something for a friend's baby, that why I went in there in the first place. But after I've seen what it offers, oh dear, here I am, every week, shopping for feminine stuff, like body creams and weird smelly stuff to make your skin better and you know, they have all sort of stuff, that probably you don't need, but they look so colorful and cool, that you can't stop yourself. You need to buy lots of stuff. But yeah, if you want to walk around a good hour, to pick lots of cosmetics, come to our local boots.

Located on intu Derby's Albion Street, this Superdrug store does a good job in packing a lot into a…read moresmall store, and really does utilise space well to avoid the store becoming too claustrophobic. They had a decent selection of beverages, a small beauty bar area tucked away in the corner as well as a Pharmacy and ample selection of medication-related supplies. While the store doesn't sell a fantastic extended range of any type of products, it is rather good for a store of its size. If only the staff seemed a little more interested. 3*