The countdown is on for The Rock’s five-day Style Your Summer event – a fashion and beauty showcase to help you get set for summer.
Style experts will be on hand to guide you on what colours and fabrics suit your body type and skin tone as well as showcasing the latest summer, holiday and occasion wear collections. The week will culminate with a series of fashion shows and there’ll also be entertainment provided by The Roc Squad hip-hop dance group.
Running from Tuesday 30th May until Saturday 3rd June it’s the perfect opportunity to Style Your Summer. For a full timetable of the week’s activities and to make a style appointment click here.
Children from across Bury and beyond stepped into the magical world of Alice in Wonderland at The Rock over the Easter weekend.
The centre hosted a range of free activities for families to enjoy – including the chance to meet and pose for a photo with Alice, the Queen of Hearts and the Mad Hatter.
On Good Friday and Saturday visitors to the centre were also able to enjoy free face painting, Easter egg decorating and a treasure hunt with a difference – where shoppers had to find the six alarm clocks hidden in shop windows to be in with the chance of winning a prize.
And, on Saturday customers were entertained by the popular Lancashire Fusiliers band. The fun culminated with a free Punch and Judy magic show on Easter Monday.
The Rock’s centre director, Arnold Wilcox-Wood, said: “We’re thrilled so many people came along to enjoy our Alice in Wonderland themed event over the Easter weekend. We know finding ways to keep the children entertained during the holidays can be a challenge – so this was a small Easter gift from us to our shoppers and we’re pleased to say everyone had fun.”
There’s free fun for all the family to enjoy at The Rock this Easter – including the chance to meet fairytale favourites from Alice in Wonderland.
Over the Easter weekend, the shopping centre will play host to the popular characters, run an in centre competition with great prizes up for grabs and stage a Punch and Judy magic show.
On Friday, April 14 and Saturday, April 15 children are invited to meet Alice and her friends in the colourful world of Wonderland, while there they can enjoy free face painting, Easter egg decorating and pose for a photo with Alice, the Queen of Hearts and the Mad Hatter.
And, for a treasure hunt with a difference visitors can take part in a ‘Rock Around the Clock’ competition – there’ll be six alarm clocks hidden in shop windows, each showing a different time. Families need to simply fill out a competition form for a chance to win a prize.
To add to the fun, on Easter Saturday, the popular Lancashire Fusiliers band will be entertaining shoppers, playing from 1.30-3.30pm.
And, between 12pm and 4pm on Monday, April 17 there’s a free Punch and Judy Magic Show.
Ahead of our Style Your Summer event taking place from 31st May – 4th June we thought we would let you in on our make-up must haves for this summer.
1) Hoola bronzing powder – Benefit (£23.50)
This is one of our old favourites and really is hard to beat, this matte bronzer comes with a handy brush perfect for chiseling out those cheekbones or dusting this bronzer along your forehead. Whether you’re looking to create the perfect contour or achieve a sun kissed tan, Hoola can do it all.
Although slightly pricier than other bronzers this product really does last as you only need a small amount of powder as it is so pigmented (we’ve used it every day for a year and still have half left!).
2) Chocolate Bar eyeshadow palette – Too Faced (£39)
As far as eye shadow palettes go Chocolate Bar is one of the most wearable in terms of shades and lasting power. Not only do the antioxidant-rich cocoa powder infused shades smell amazing (so much so you almost want to eat them) they are silky soft to apply and highly pigmented so you only need a small amount of product, they also last all day.
With a mix of 16 matte and shimmer shades, this palette can create an endless number of looks all year round and also includes a how-to guide with three looks to get you started. Our favourite summer look consists of Salted Caramel in the crease (transition shade), Creme Brulee on the lid and Gilded Ganache under the lower lash line and outer corners of the lid. Delectable!
3) Doublewear stay in place eye pencil – Estee Lauder (£16.50)
This long-wearing eye pencil comes in a variety of shades, it lines and defines your eye with an even colour that lasts all day and you will rarely need to re-apply. It’s lightweight, creamy formula glides on easily and it has a smudger on the end of the pencil to create a smokey or softer effect if desired. You can wear it alone or on top of eye shadow or liquid eyeliner, on both the lower and/or bottom lash line.
For a summer look we love Teal (a bluey/green shade) on top of dark brown powder on the lower lash line, also the shade Night Violet on it’s own gives your eyes a gorgeous purple pop of colour.
You can use a little or a lot of this product depending on just how glowy you want to go, it comes in three shades and our favourite is Sin (right) which is a pearly shimmer colour that would suit most skin tones. It has a soft creamy texture which is easy to blend.
Use above your contour (between your cheekbone and eye) where the light would naturally hit your face for a subtle summer glow.
5) Juicy Tubes lip gloss –Lancôme (£17)
Not only do they look great but these lip glosses taste and smell amazing! The tube-tip applicator helps you to apply the gloss easily and the result is a glamorous shine on your lips with a hint of colour.
They come in a range of sorbet colours with a fruity flavour perfect for summer, we love the shades Sorbet de Cerise (coral / pinky shade) and Fraise (a hint of bright pink – right).
All products shown above are available at Debenhams.
With Mother’s Day on Sunday 6th March we’ve scoured the stores at The Rock for the best gift ideas for your mum so you don’t have to. From perfume to pampering, there’s something to suit every mum.
For the fragrance fanatic mum
Looking for the perfect fragrance for your mum? Get the latest Dolce & Gabbana perfume from The Perfume Shop. The new Dolce Rosa Excelsa Eau de Parfum (from £49) captures the boldness and pure spirit of the rose with the essence of fresh petals in bloom. With notes of Papaya Flower, Turkish Rose and White Waterlily, this is a feminine fragrance which any mum is sure to love.
For mums who like to be pampered
A Lush Night In will take place on Thursday 3rd March, 6pm-8pm, the store will be closed for facial, foot, hand and arm treatments, to make anybody feel extra special this Mother’s Day. Pop into Lush Bury for more details and to buy a ticket for just £20, included is a £5 gift card to spend on the night. (This is an exclusive night with limited places so be quick and get your ticket in store while you can).
For mums who like a bit of sparkle
Swarovski have a range of gorgeous gifts if you’re looking to spoil her this Mother’s Day, we love the Stardust Deluxe Bracelet (£69) which comes in various colours, plus if you spend over £100 you’ll get a limited edition sparkling styling mirror for free.
The new collection at Pandora includes intricate knot ring and studs, embellished with hand set cubic zirconia, in addition to personalised charms. The Sparkling Love Knot Stud Earrings at £45 are simply stunning.
For those with a sweet tooth
Has your mum got a sweet tooth? Then why not treat her to a giant personalised cookie from Millie’s? From just £14.99 you can choose from a giant milk, white or double chocolate cookie with a personalised message of your choice. Or for just £16.99 get to a heart shape cookie in a heart shaped box! Call 0161 764 7199 to order yours ready for Mother’s Day now.
For foodie mums
If you want to treat your mum to a meal out then Pizza Express are offering three courses and a glass of Prosecco from just £16.95. Choose from starters such Dough Balls or Bruschetta, any classic or Legarra pizza, salad or Al Forno dish for main plus a range of desserts like Honeycomb Cheesecake. Call 0161 763 3655 to make a reservation.
Don’t forget we’ve got a special Mother’s Day event on Saturday 5th March, My Mum and Me will see 12 mums get a makeover from professionals. There will be free nail art, cupcakes, face painting and crafts. For more info click here
Have you already started weakening at the sight of a glass of wine, salivating over cookies or dreading the thought of a gym class?
Is 2016 already starting to feel a little… well… 2015?
Fail Friday, the third Friday of the month when on average we are most likely to break our resolutions, is almost upon us. But we’re NOT going to let that happen.
Now we’re going to tell you how to keep those New Year’s resolutions so you can reward yourself with the things you really enjoy.
Whether you’re after a new leopard print top from Primark, a Thomas Cook city break or you’re wanting to drop a dress size in River Island following your new body transformation, let us guide you on how to keep smashing your target right through 2016.
Practice your willpower
The more you say ‘no’ to things, the more natural your resolve becomes. It’s very much like a muscle. Steve Jobs, father of Apple, said: ‘People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are.’
Think about it this way. Saying ‘no’ to those few extra chocolate digestive biscuits in the office means saying ‘yes’ to that new figure-hugging little black dress you always wanted.
Outsmart your inner rebel
Don’t set yourself up for a fall. Rather than saying: ‘I’m giving up all chocolate’ or ‘I’m not going to spend on my credit card’, make your goals reasonable.
Saying something like I’ll only have a bar of chocolate as a treat on a Friday for example, reinforces that feel good factor after a long week at work. You deserve it.
Remind yourself of earlier victories
It’s only natural to beat yourself up about the muffin top or the way you gave up on the gym after the induction despite the cute instructor. Rejoice in the good times, no matter how big or small.
Remember how you built up a little nest egg for your trip to Disneyland; how you taught yourself how to bake a super duper chocolate cake the whole family loved; or how you finally cracked Facebook.
Write these accomplishments down on paper and read them back to yourself. You’ve set your sights before and you can do it again (and again)!
Power to the people
Being nice and serving the day with a smile will give not only you a kick but the people who surround you too. The comfort in great company will make everything seem all the more possible.
Better still, recruit more people to your cause, whether that’s in your office, at the gym or your school ground network. The power of many behind you will spur you on.
Tell your family and friends
Your family and friends are the best support network you have and will keep you going when that temptation to reach for a Galaxy bar strikes back (no Star Wars pun intended).
Share with us how you plan to keep up with those New Year’s Resolutions @therockbury.
We’ve picked our top products from stores at The Rock so you can fake that golden glow or extend what’s left of your holiday tan beyond the summer months.
The Self-Tanning Kit from Clarins is the perfect set for beginners, included is a cosmetics purse which contains Exfoliating Body Scrub, Body Lift Cellulite Control and Delicious Self Tan Cream enriched with aloe vera and a cocoa fragrance that creates a natural looking golden glow in just a few hours. (Clarins at Debenhams – £23)
Their Radiance Plus Golden Glow Booster (£19) is a made to measure self-tan, add a few drops to your daily moisturiser or night cream to create a healthy glow that slowly develops and is simple to apply. (Clarins at Debenhams – £19)
Black Stockings body tint bar from Lush contains a blend of brown and bronze pigments in a moisturising cocoa and shea butter bar. It creates a sheer glow with a subtle but stunning shimmer. Sweep the bar over legs, arms or the whole body, or build up in layers for a deeper tan. (Lush – £7.95)
Sally Hansen’s’ Airbrush Legs can makeover legs in seconds, helping hide imperfections such as freckles and veins while creating a flawless tan. The water resistant formula is easy to apply and creates an instant tan. Airbrush Legs comes in four shades of light, medium, tan and deep in both a spray on and lotion formula. (Superdrug £9.99-£13.99).
For a shimmery bronzed look try Rimmel’s Natural Bronzer powder, its waterproof, contains SPF15 and is available in three shades. It has a velvety soft texture and is long lasting, perfect for dusting along the edge of your forehead and contouring under cheekbones to create a natural sun-kissed glow. (Superdrug – £5.99)
Do the Hoola is a new kit from Benefit for skin, eyes and lips containing mini versions of some of their favourite summer products. It includes their best-selling Hoola bronzer powder, They’re Real mini black mascara, Benebalm hydrating tinted lip balm, Hoola Ultra Plush lip gloss and new Dew The Hoola liquid bronzer. (Benefit at Debenhams – £28.50)
So there’s no need to hit the sun beds this summer when it’s much safer to fake it!
With a heatwave upon us why not make the most of the warmer weather and get yourself outdoors? Whether it’s a meal out with the family, a BBQ or picnic, we’ve got it sorted
The perfect picnic from M&S
If you want to dine al fresco this weekend then head to Marks and Spencer where you can enjoy free wine when you buy four picnic items. They have a range of delicious options to make the perfect picnic, from handmade hog roast sausage rolls and coronation pork pies, to lentil and goats cheese salad and orange marmalade ham. And it’s not just food, M&S have a range of picnic accessories to choose from, their handy picnic rucksack (£36) comes with cutlery, wine glasses and plates for two people, while a separate compartment will keep your food and drinks cool. It even comes with a foldaway rug so you can sit down and enjoy your picnic in the park.
BBQ time at Trespass
Fancy a barbie? If you want to enjoy BBQ food while you’re out and about for the day or camping overnight, the portable BBQ from Trespass is the perfect solution and it’s a sizzling deal at only £16.49 (was £32.99). You can get 3 for £10 on BBQ items at M&S Food, with plenty of mouth-watering options to choose from such as juicy burgers and sizzling steaks, they’ve got everything you need to host a brilliant BBQ with friends or family.
Treat yourself to Pizza Express
If you don’t fancy cooking then let Pizza Express do the work, they’ve got some delicious additions to their summer menu such as the Romana Prosciutto Fichi. Their new summer pizza features mozzarella and gran Milano cheeses baked on a béchamel base finished with rocket, prosciutto crudo, shaved Gran Milano, fresh parsley, extra virgin olive oil and fresh balsamic figs. Or why not try the new Fichi Fresca Salad? This fresh summer salad uses creamy buffalo mozzarella with fresh balsamic marinated figs and cured Italian prosciutto crudo ham and is served with their famous dough balls. And what’s even better is that you can get a starter and a main course for just £11.95 from their set menu!
Cool down with a Costa
Costa serve a delicious selection of cold drinks perfect for a summer’s day for you to enjoy on the go, in St John’s Gardens or in their outdoor seating area. Try your favourite coffee shaken, blended or poured over ice like the Iced Caramel Latte or Iced Macchiato. If coffee isn’t your thing then they have refreshing range of Fruit Coolers, from Mango and Passionfruit to Watermelon and Strawberry, as well as Creamy Coolers such as Mint Choc Chip with blended mint syrup, chocolate chips and milk topped with cream and chocolate sauce.
With Father’s Day on Sunday 21st June it’s time to start thinking about what to get Dad, so we’ve taken the hassle out of searching for the perfect gift with our top picks from stores at The Rock.
Aftershave
Looking for the perfect Father’s Day fragrance? The Perfume Shop have some fantastic offers so you can treat Dad for less. Boss Bottled Night is a classic masculine fragrance full of elegance and depth, now only £42.99 for a whopping 200ml bottle (saving £33). Versace Eros has notes of mint leaves, lemon zest and green apple coupled with cedarwood, making it an intense and powerful scent. You will receive a free Versace men’s military weekend bag when you purchase a 50ml fragrance (£38.99) or larger. Diesel’s Only The Brave has a woody oriental scent, you can get a 200ml bottle for just £53.99 (saving £12.51) which also comes with a free weekend bag.
Skincare
Want to treat Dad to something special? Clinique in Debenhams have a free bonus time gift including travel size face scrub, face wash, cream shave, post-shave soother, moisturising lotion, anti –ageing eye gel and eye cream, all in a stylish travel bag. Simply buy two or more Clinique for Men products to claim your free gift until Saturday 20th June at Debenhams.
In store at Lush check out their ‘Say No to Socks’ collection of alternative Father’s Day gifts. The Happy Hippy shower gel has an uplifting fragrance with pink grapefruit and bergamot oil (£3.75 for 100g). While the Kalamazoo beard and facial wash contains fresh pineapple juice to cleanse the skin and zap away dirt, whilst almond and jojoba oil will leave his beard super soft (from £6.50 for 100g).
Socks
Marks and Spencer have a buy one get one half price offers on men’s underwear and socks from Sunday 14th to Sunday 21st June. Their Days of the Week socks set is just £12 and include seven different pairs labelled for each day of the week.
Food
Spoil Dad with the M&S Breakfast in Bed set which includes a cafitiere, two mini jams, classic ground coffee and a wooden breakfast tray (£20).
Or has he got a sweet tooth? Millie’s Cookies can personalise a double cookie for just £19.99. Choose from a milk chocolate, double chocolate or white chocolate cookie base and then have your own personalised message iced on top.
Meal Out
If you’re looking to treat your Dad to a meal out then Frankie & Benny’s are offering ‘Dad’s eat for free’ on Sunday 20th June which includes 2 courses from their specials menu.
Or if it’s Pizza Express you’d prefer then the whole family can enjoy a starter and a main for just £11.95 each, including the likes of dough balls or garlic bread followed by a pizza, pasta or salad.
With festival season upon us here’s our guide to the hottest festival essentials you can find at The Rock right now.
Festival fashion
This year there’s a boho festival vibe sweeping across the high street, from 70’s inspired prints to fringed tops and platform shoes. If your not really into high fashion for festivals then you can’t go wrong with denim shorts or dungarees paired with a plain tee or crop top and some Converse.
(Left to right) Motel Kimmy Lotus Skirt (£22) and Crop Top (£24), Hearts and Bows Daisy Trim Tee (£17), Juna Short Dungarees (£30), all available at ARK
Accessories are everything
Any chic festival look wouldn’t be complete without a few accessories, our favourites this festival season include fringed bags, metallic temporary tattoos and headbands.
(Left to right) Gold Coin Headband (£3) from Ark, Metallic Arrow Temporary Tattoos (£6.50) from Topshop, Fringed Shoulder Bag (£19.99) from H&M
Be prepared
You need to prepare for all weathers, this is the UK after all. A pair of wellies could be a life saver if you don’t want to risk ruining your brand new white Converse, while a fold away poncho will keep you dry in the event of a downpour. If it’s definitely set to rain and you don’t want to compromise your style get yourself a trendy printed mac.
(Left to right) Floral Mac (now £35 -was £50) from Topshop, Candis Womens Patterned Wellies (£17.49 – was £34.99) from Trespass, Lightweight Poncho (£1.99 – was £2.99) also from Trespass
Handbag essentials
If it’s sunny you might want to consider wearing some sun protection, there’s nothing cool about a red nose! Powdered sun protection will help avoid the mess that lotions and creams can create. A miniature fragrance that fits in your handbag will keep you smelling sweet all day long while a money belt underneath your clothes will keep valuables safe.
(Left to right) Powdered Sunshine with SPF 15 (£6.95) from Lush, Karma 10ml fragrance (£12) from Lush, Money Belt (£5.99) from Trespass
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r that lasts all day and you will rarely need to re-apply. It’s lightweight, creamy formula glides on easily and it has a smudger on the end of the pencil to create a smokey or softer effect if desired. You can wear it alone or on top of eye shadow or liquid eyeliner, on both the lower and/or bottom lash line.
their favourite summer products. It includes their best-selling Hoola bronzer powder, They’re Real mini black mascara, Benebalm hydrating tinted lip balm, Hoola Ultra Plush lip gloss and new Dew The Hoola liquid bronzer. (Benefit at Debenhams – £28.50)
picnic, from handmade hog roast sausage rolls and coronation pork pies, to lentil and goats cheese salad and orange marmalade ham. And it’s not just food, M&S have a range of picnic accessories to choose from, their handy picnic rucksack (£36) comes with cutlery, wine glasses and plates for two people, while a separate compartment will keep your food and drinks cool. It even comes with a foldaway rug so you can sit down and enjoy your picnic in the park.
summer menu such as the Romana Prosciutto Fichi. Their new summer pizza features mozzarella and gran Milano cheeses baked on a béchamel base finished with rocket, prosciutto crudo, shaved Gran Milano, fresh parsley, extra virgin olive oil and fresh balsamic figs. Or why not try the new Fichi Fresca Salad? This fresh summer salad uses creamy buffalo mozzarella with fresh balsamic marinated figs and cured Italian prosciutto crudo ham and is served with their famous dough balls. And what’s even better is that you can get a starter and a main course for just £11.95 from their set menu!
he go, in St John’s Gardens or in their outdoor seating area. Try your favourite coffee shaken, blended or poured over ice like the Iced Caramel Latte or Iced Macchiato. If coffee isn’t your thing then they have refreshing range of Fruit Coolers, from Mango and Passionfruit to Watermelon and Strawberry, as well as Creamy Coolers such as Mint Choc Chip with blended mint syrup, chocolate chips and milk topped with cream and chocolate sauce.
