The Mecca Brand Managers’ secret product picks

Since its inception in Melbourne in 1997, Mecca has revolutionised the beauty scene in Australia and New Zealand. Under the visionary leadership of founder Jo Horgan, it has grown to become the largest prestige beauty retailer in Australia, serving more than four million customers annually through 100+ stores and online platforms. Mecca offers a curated selection of 200+ top global beauty brands. Retail Beauty chatted with the Mecca Brand Managers – the ultimate influencers –  to discover their top beauty picks.

Reine Vanwaelscappel – Brand Manager

• Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle – Musc Ravageur – Every perfume from Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle is a work of art. The scents are masterfully crafted and so unique – so you might not like all their perfumes but when you do find one you love it becomes almost like an extension of you (or at least an extension of who you want to be in that moment). I have a few Frederic Malle jewels in my fragrance wardrobe and I turn to Musc Ravageur, a magnetic soft amber fragrance with notes of vanilla, patchouli and sandalwood, when I want to channel my most confident self, and feel like everything is possible.

• Briogeo – Curl Charisma Chia + Flax Seed Coil Custard – I have textured hair and love a LOT of volume. Everyone with my hair type knows how hard it is to find the perfect product that hydrates your strands and defines your curl without weighing down your hair. This product does just that. Like all Briogeo products, this curl custard does exactly what it says, without the ingredients you don’t want in your hair routine. The result are soft, bouncy, happy curls. A tip: a little goes a long way!

• Paul Smith Sunseeker 3-wick candle – I first purchased this candle because I was obsessed with its two-tone colours – sunshine yellow and azure blue –  which suited my space perfectly. But I have now become obsessed with the scent: it is so fresh and bright, with notes of bergamot, basil, mandarin and musk. The scent is reminiscent of the Italian seaside and this “al-fresco” atmosphere is a real breath of fresh air. Another bonus: the Paul Smith candles are designed to be reused, so you can keep the beautiful vessel and coaster and use them in all sorts of creative ways…forever.

Estelle Foudoulis – Brand Manager  

• VIOLETTE_FR Twinkling Eye Paint in Scarabee d’Or – We recently launched the iconic French brand, VIOLETTE_FR at MECCA and ever since then, I have fallen in love with every single product. You will, however, always see me around the office sporting one of her Yeux Paints on my eyes. My favourite shade going into the party season is Scarabee d’or because it’s a shade that looks beautiful on all complexions and eye colours. I use it as a thin liner for a subtle pop of colour or applied lightly over my eye lids for that extra sparkle and impact.

• Kosas Revealer Concealer – There is not a day that goes by that I am not wearing my Kosas concealer, it’s a beauty bag must-have in my opinion. The formula is creamy and doesn’t settle in any fine lines or textured patches of skin. The formula includes ingredients such as caffeine and arnica which instantly brightens the eye area and complexion, as well as peptides and hyaluronic acid…what more could you want in a concealer!

• Maison Crivelli Hibiscus Mahajad EDP – I wanted to gatekeep this fragrance but I’m utterly obsessed. I sprayed this in-store and could smell it on my skin for the entire day. This fragrance smells like the perfect blend of a hot tropical summer’s night mixed with a warm hug with notes of vanilla, leather, cassis and rose. I have even been stopped in the street wearing this scent!

Ashleigh Price – Brand Manager

• Makeup – Hourglass: Voyeur Waterproof Mechanical Gel Liner in “Chestnut” – This has been my go-to eyeliner for a while now. I keep it in my bag as it’s the perfect one-hit-wonder to take my makeup from desk-to-drinks! A swipe of this on my water line and I’m ready to go. The colour I use is perfect on green eyes to make them pop!

• Allies of Skin: Peptides & Antioxidants Firming Daily Treatment – We launched Allies of Skin earlier this year and the whole office is converted. Any compliments of “You’re skin is looking amazing” are met with “It’s Allies of Skin, I’m obsessed!” I love so many products from the range so it’s hard to narrow down to just one, but I always come back to the Peptides & Antioxidants Firming Daily Treatment. It’s a perfect daily moisturised that can be used day and night. I’ve noticed a huge improvement in my skin texture and tone since using this.

• Maison Francis Kurkdjian: Gentle Fluidity Gold – This is my go-to date night fragrance, but I love it so much I also use it as my daily fragrance in the colder months. It is warm, radiant and romantic. The key notes are vanilla, amber and juniper. To me it is the definition of quiet luxury, bottled!

This article was first published in the Summer edition of Retail Beauty.