From The MECCA Group Chat: Euro Summers, Glossier Goss
June 10 | 2 minute read
Words by Christie Sinclair
From the makeup everyone's obsessing over in the MECCA team group chat to the cleanser that changed our lives and the best brow gel you’ll ever try (imagine the effect of a brow lamination in a small orange tube).
Consider this your ‘in’ at MECCA HQ; the next best thing to chatting to your local store host. Here’s what you need to know this week…
Scents for bon vivants
With the arrival of winter I start obsessively checking Skyscanner, lest by some miracle airfares to warmer climes drop to pre-pandemic prices. I also hold out for the release of Diptyque’s annual summer collection, a scented celebration of Mediterranean sunshine (think: orange blossoms warmed by the sun, bronzed bodies and the easy glamour of life lived on the Riviera) brought to life with illustrations by a new artist each year. Alexandre Benjamin Navet’s cheerful brushstrokes adorn the 2024 ‘Hedonistic Summer’ assortment, spanning candles, personal fragrance, hair mist and a cute advent-style calendar with 10 travel-sized surprises.
It’s easy to scoff when a scent claims to take you to someplace sunny with a mere whiff, but the two hero scents – Ilio and Citronnelle – really are your passport to the heart of European summer. If you’ve ever cavorted along the Amalfi Coast, you’ll know exactly what I mean when I say that with one deep inhale, these will place you on the side of a cliff, with the Tyrrhenian Sea twinkling like a disco ball beneath you and the faint, citrusy effervescence of a limoncello spritz still lingering on your tastebuds.
Next time you find yourself in a MECCA store, be sure to spray the stunning Ilio liberally.
Eyes wide open
I recently discovered that I have something in common with Gigi Hadid, Kylie Jenner and approximately 189.5 million people on TikTok – a newfound love for brown mascara. I’ve often wondered whether there is actually anything Better Than Sex, Too Faced’s iconic mascara. Turns out the ‘Chocolate’ version is it, and it could be the missing piece in your ‘no-makeup makeup’ look.
Coating your lashes in a softer brown hue is the easiest way to look bright-eyed and put together with the least amount of effort – it will give you the same volume and doe-eyed definition, without the harshness of a black mascara. If you like compliments, try it with Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk Eyeliner.
Heavy metal hair
Is it just me, or is hair having a moment? The arrival of Crown Affair, Act+Acre and Dyson has certainly sparked a new obsession with ultra-glossy, voluminous hair within MECCA HQ – and I want in. According to my hairdresser, I’m not going to get it unless I address my hard water situation, which has left an impenetrable barrier of build-up from scalp to strands and a tell-tale yellowing of my ends.
I’ve since learnt that reversing the effects should begin even before my shower and have been trialling the Act+Acre Cold Processed® Scalp Detox Oil, the L’Oréal Professionnel Metal Detox Shampoo and Metal Detox Masque. With a softer texture and noticeably creamier blonde, I’ll be joining the glossy-haired posse in no time.
A savvy new beauty strategy
No matter how dire my finances are, there are two things I refuse to go without: coffee (for obvious reasons) and beauty, because I simply will not sacrifice the ingredients and formulas I slather on my skin and hair twice (or more) each day. If you’re clever, though, there are strategies to help you get maximum beauty for minimal spend.
High-low beauty is a favourite around MECCA HQ. Not to be confused with ‘high-maintenance things I do to be low-maintenance’ it involves a careful mix of luxury formulas with more savvy options. For me, my investment goes into foundation, primer and/or a multitasking moisturiser that works for day or night. Meanwhile, trend-based purchases or items that need to be replaced more frequently fall within the ‘low’ category, like eyeliner and lipstick.
My everyday makeup bag looks something like this: Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream, Westman Atelier’s Vital Skincare Complexion Drops (bonus points for a base that works like skincare), MECCA MAX Off Duty Blush Stick in shade ‘Pinch’, MECCA MAX Whip Lash Tubing Mascara in shade ‘Brown’ and the best hydrating everyday lipstick I’ve tried – MECCA MAX Pout Pop Sheer Lipstick in shade ‘Keeping Tabs’.
The big G
Finally, it would be remiss of me to neglect the biggest beauty news ever – the impending arrival of Glossier at MECCA. Do make sure you’re in the Beauty Loop to be the first in line to shop it when it drops in less than a month. I’ll be hip-and-shouldering my way through my local MECCA to get my hands on the You EDP, seeing as customs have appropriated my past two international orders.
