From The MECCA Group Chat: Last-Minute Gifts and Your Best Summer Body (Routine)
December 16 | 5 minute read
Words by Izzy Wight
Here’s my hot take of the week: while sticky heat isn’t always conducive to full glam, there’s nothing better than those dewy, sheen-y, balmy formulas you can buff out into the perfect glow come summer – plus they’re much easier to apply in the back of an Uber.
Ahead, more on the case for summer makeup, how to streamline your morning beauty routine and the best last-minute gifts…
Your best summer body (routine)
With more sun exposure, air conditioning and layers of SPF (and self-tan), summer is a good time to upgrade your body care. Smooth, glowing skin is the goal, and Frank Body is how we plan to get there. The Triple Threat Smoother Kit is a saviour for bumpy, breakout-prone skin – a skin-clearing wash to start, the much-loved Glycolic Body Scrub to exfoliate and a body lotion to soften. If firming hydration is what you want, try the retinol and niacinamide-boosted Purple Plump Kit instead.
Power couple
For that coveted summery glow in minimal steps, MECCA MAX’s Party Cheeks Contour & Blush Stick Duo is the one (or two). The ‘Medium’ Off Duty Contour Stick gives a buttery bronze that never looks muddy, while the limited-edition ‘Summer Sunset’ Off Duty Blush Stick is a beautiful, soft coral shade you’ll want everywhere. Take that literally and add a swipe to your lips for an effortless, monochromatic makeup look.
Avoid gift panic
If you’ve been procrastinating on your festive duties, take this as your sign. Wrap up your gift-giving now to avoid the “It’s still coming in the mail” speech (if you’re shopping online, check the shipping cut-off dates here). Feeling holiday decision fatigue? A few suggestions…
A gift set
With the product curation and half the wrapping done for you, a set is an easy way to look like you’ve put in significantly more effort than you really have. Your perfectly coiffed aunty will love being introduced to Emma Lewisham’s efficacious, skin-renewing formulas through The Heroes Set (tell her Margot Robbie and Naomi Watts are big fans!), while the MECCA MAX Keep Your Cool Refresh & Protect Skincare Kit will satiate your teenage cousin’s desire for active-packed skincare without damaging their skin.
A gift set
With the product curation and half the wrapping done for you, a set is an easy way to look like you’ve put in significantly more effort than you really have. Your perfectly coiffed aunty will love being introduced to Emma Lewisham’s efficacious, skin-renewing formulas through The Heroes Set (tell her Margot Robbie and Naomi Watts are big fans!), while the MECCA MAX Keep Your Cool Refresh & Protect Skincare Kit will satiate your teenage cousin’s desire for active-packed skincare without damaging their skin.
Something for home
A home gift is a foolproof option for the hard-to-buy-for. Richard Christiansen’s (the founder of Flamingo Estate) new book, The Guide to Becoming Alive, is a beautiful coffee-table addition for your green thumb or beauty-loving friends and Diptyque’s Holiday Candles (that smell like mountain pines, gingerbread and sandalwood-spiked rose, respectively) are a perfect festive touch for their space.
Let them decide
I’m a firm believer that a gift card is never a thoughtless gift. Give them the opportunity to pick up a product they’ve been wanting to try and save them the awkward gift receipt questions if you accidentally get the wrong shade.
A home gift is a foolproof option for the hard-to-buy-for. Richard Christiansen’s (the founder of Flamingo Estate) new book, The Guide to Becoming Alive, is a beautiful coffee-table addition for your green thumb or beauty-loving friends and Diptyque’s Holiday Candles (that smell like mountain pines, gingerbread and sandalwood-spiked rose, respectively) are a perfect festive touch for their space.
Let them decide
I’m a firm believer that a gift card is never a thoughtless gift. Give them the opportunity to pick up a product they’ve been wanting to try and save them the awkward gift receipt questions if you accidentally get the wrong shade.
Roll-out-of-bed beauty
I’ve harped on about the transformative powers of a MECCA brow lamination before, but adding a lash lift and tint has shaved serious time off my morning routine (i.e. more time to snooze). After skincare, SPF and some meticulously placed concealer, I just brush out my brows and lashes with the spoolie side of a MECCA MAX Brow Artist Brow Brush and go. No time for an end-of-year appointment? The Anastasia Beverly Hills Sculpted Brow & Lash Duo will give you the same results: long, voluminous lashes and fluffy, sculpted brows that stay put.
