It’s New. At MECCA. In July.
January 1 | 4 minute read
Words by Kerri Gordon
Originally published on | July 1
Because I am. So, to keep you warm while you consider the new home fixture; here’s the new beauty keeping me hot on my toes at MECCA in July.
Groceries First
The collective beauty industry’s tummies are rumbling, or so it seems, as a slew of food-inspired favourites hits our shelves. Pop these on the shopping list magnetised to your fridge.
Coffee: Summer Fridays dropped their officially zeitgeisted Lip Butter Balm in a new Iced Coffee flavour, and it just might be the one product you need to curb your caffeine addiction (or to get really soft, sheeny, moisturised lips). I’ve overheard this product being referred to as the ‘emotional support lip balm’ in the MECCA office; IYKYK.
Chocolate: I’ll hand it to Too Faced, who created the blueprint for foodie beauty. Their iconic Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer is coming to life in new form, with the launch of the Chocolate Soleil Melting Bronzing & Sculpting Stick. I’ve heard nothing but good things (melty, glide-y, blend-y things), and boy do I love a stick bronzer.
Juice: The new Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 48 Perfume mist is a tropical concoction of guava nectar, coconut water, pink musk and lemon. It’s sweet and juicy, and if you close your eyes and mist liberally, you might fool yourself into the depths of a high summer.
It's Serum Season
Winter is the best time to play mad scientist with your skincare routine. Firstly, your skin is often the worst version of itself - drier, redder, flakier; unafraid to show you how it really feels. And secondly, UV exposure is generally lower, so cell-renewing actives that might increase sun sensitivity can be trialled at a lesser risk (though we would, and always do, recommend SPF every day regardless). A serum will help to supercharge your skincare results with a high concentration of active ingredients, layering underneath your moisturiser to do god’s work. As far as new additions go, there’s something for everyone.
For those few extra lines that have crept in (don’t make yourself too comfortable) Kate Somerville’s Mega-A Skin Transforming Serum is the latest in a slew of formulations heroing retinal, the gentler, over-the-counter retinoid that’s as close to prescription as it gets.
For the breaker-outer-ers, Kiehl’s Truly Targeted Blemish Solution is like a liquid pimple patch in a bottle. Use it and you’ll notice a reduction in the angriness of a spot in 24 hours (as say the clinical trials). Boy do I wish this existed when I was in high school.
For the driest of dry skin, sandwich Dr Lara Devgan’s Hyaluronic Serum between an essence and a moisturiser. The new-to-MECCA brand by the eponymous and esteemed plastic surgeon has created a serum so good it’s won a number of global awards. In just a few days, it will transform your skin from sand into glass. And glass skin is in!
When all hell has broken loose; retreat to Allies of Skin’s Copper Tripeptide & Ectoin Advanced Repair Serum, a concentrate starring two little-known ingredients on the cusp of global obsession, clinically proven to repair the skin barrier and help reduce the appearance of past damage (think over exfoliation and sun damage).
Hot to G(l)o(w)
H-O-T-T-O-G-O, if I had a dollar for every time I answered “Chappell who?” I’d have at least fo’. As the dance routine for the drag-fluenced pop star’s cult hit penetrates the TikTok FYP (though apparently not yet the halls of corporate Australia), the beauty world screams it’s hot to glow, but in a natural, non-blinding, pink-hued, me-but-better kind of way.
This leaves us with universally appealing new arrivals from blush icons like Westman Atelier (new shades of their iconic Baby Cheeks Blush) and Charlotte Tilbury (their Pillow Talk Lip & Cheek Glow creams are sheeny, dewy, hydrating and mimic a natural flush); plus a new take on nails from Manucurist with their Active Glow treatment, and perhaps one of the most interesting launches this year. Think of it as a blush/highlighter for your nails, formulated with soothing sweet almond oil and with a slightly glittery, slightly pink finish that swipes on for an instant ‘clean girl era’ effect.
