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My grandpa reviews Mecca’s new releases

WORDS AND IMAGES BY Sienna Barton

If there was ever anyone who needed some TLC, it’s my Poppy.

It’s no secret that my grandpa is one of my favourite people in the world, another being my grandma. A jack of all trades, and a master of quite a few of them, Poppy (also known by some grown-ups as ‘Michael’) started his adult life playing professional footy for Richmond before establishing a career as a builder.


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He’s an incredibly hard worker, and it definitely shows on his skin. I say this in the most loving way possible, but his hands look like they have been whacked repeatedly with a meat tenderiser and he perpetually has a scab on his head from walking into things (he’s 6’5” and has no hair, poor darling).

If there was ever anyone who needed some TLC, it’s my Poppy, so we decided to try some of Mecca’s new releases. 

Too Faced Major Love Eye Shadow Palette, $40 AUD

 

Mecca says: A palette of confident, bold colour, Too Faced’s mini camouflage-inspired palette of eight high-performance eye shadows is worthy of Major Love. With a mix of matte, shimmer, metallic and satins, the palette smells like fresh pears.

Poppy says: The colours blended really nicely and easily. I created a bolder look for Sienna, and I think I did a pretty good job even though she says I wasn’t supposed to put the eyeshadow that far under the eye. I’ve done her up so that she’s ready for Priscilla Queen of the Desert – all she needs is big hair and an even bigger frock.

Sienna says: As someone whose go-to look is ‘no makeup makeup’, I tend not to fuck around with eyeshadows or eyeliners. This is a great set because there are a few neutral colours, like tan and soft pink, but bolder golds, bronze and a standout metallic green. Like all of Too Faced’s other products, the packaging is super cute and I can’t wait to have a play with the eyeshadows by myself. I love my Poppy, but eyeshadow should not exacerbate one’s dark under-eye circles.

Get it here.

Floral Street Sunflower Pop EDP 100ml, $201 AUD

Mecca says: British fragrance house Floral Street has collaborated with the Van Gogh Museum to create a scent inspired by the late Dutch painter. Choosing the painter’s iconic Sunflowers (1889), the yellow-tipped sunflowers from the brush of Van Gogh inspire this bright blend of crisp amber plum blossom and orris, with a burst of bergamot and fresh mandarin. A true masterpiece in a bottle.

Poppy says: I can smell citrus, like mandarin or lemon. It’s nice, I like it. It’s quite feminine but fresh and not too sweet. The bottle is very pretty too, it’s like its own piece of art. Don’t you think the bottle should have been in the shape of an ear?

Sienna says: Van Gogh’s ear aside, the man can paint a flower scape. The use of his painting on the bottle is gorg. I don’t typically go for fruity or citrusy scents (I’m more of a smoky gal), but I loved this perfume. It starts off smelling very fruity and fresh but it gets sweeter throughout the day. For me, it’s sunshine in a bottle, which is nice to have around as Melbourne gets colder and gloomier.

Get it here.

Goop GoopGlow Exfoliating Jelly Cream Cleanser, $50 AUD

Mecca says: This multitasking cleanser is formulated with fruit enzymes and physical orange peel exfoliants to thoroughly remove impurities, leaving skin silky-smooth and radiant. Arctic cloudberry and apple provide soothing hydration. The innovative jelly hybrid texture is gentle enough for everyday use.

Poppy says: Whenever I think of Gwyneth, I think of the movie Se7en – her face looked lovely in that (though, I suppose that’s all that was left of her in that box). I usually wash my face with just water, so this was a bit different. My face feels clean, but I think I might be too old to start changing my routine.

Sienna says: I feel like it’s almost impossible to talk about Goop without talking about Gwyneth Paltrow. Many people shoot down her products without even trying them, I think because they think it means they’re supporting her ideals? Anyway, that’s irrelevant to me, because girlfriend has a great selection of products in the Goop range.

I had expected this cleanser to be a bit more jelly-like, but I’d say it’s like a cross between a gel and a scrub. I’m usually hesitant to use physical exfoliants because I have very sensitive skin, but I’m glad to report that after a few uses, my skin feels soft and clean but not irritated. Honestly, I love to see a girl boss winning.

Get it here.

Ren Clean Skincare Radiance Glow and Protect Serum, $102 AUD

Mecca says: A lightweight vitamin C serum rich in antioxidants to help protect from free radicals, provide a more even skin tone and a glowing radiant complexion to visibly reduce the signs of photoaging. Results: Complexion is illuminated and brightened for a natural glow and healthy-looking skin. Smoother and more refined skin texture.

Poppy says: I have high hopes for this product, is it going to fix my face after using it today? [He says this while gesturing to the plethora of scabs on his head]. It smells citrusy and the texture is nice. It’s easy to massage onto my face and it didn’t sting. Rubbing a translucent fluid on my face was a bit weird, and I’ve been repeatedly told not to say what it felt like but it rhymes with ‘dreamin’.

Sienna says: A lot of vitamin C serums can have a bit of an offensive odour, kind of reminiscent of ham but this one doesn’t! My skin can be reactive, but I’m happy to report that after using this every day for a week, my skin seems to be calm. I can also say that it definitely does not feel like ‘dreamin’, as someone who has had a bit of it come into contact with my face. This serum is light, citrusy and it doesn’t toss a box of tissues at me when I’m done with it.

Get it here.

Mario Badescu Brightening Eye Serum, $37 AUD

Mecca says: This multi-tasking brightening eye serum has a lightweight, fast-absorbing texture to revitalise tired eyes. The serum is infused with caffeine, squalane, niacinamide and skin supporting botanical extracts to help brighten, smooth and de-puff the look of the delicate eye area.

Poppy says: I just learned how to put eye cream on: you use your little finger and you go tap-tap-tap – it’s quite fun. I reckon my eyes are beyond saving, they flutter in the wind if I drive with my car windows rolled down, but they do get dry in the colder weather. This eye serum felt like it soaked in nicely, and the skin around my eyes doesn’t feel dry and itchy anymore. They reckon your eyelids are made of the same kind of skin as on your elbows and your genitals but I’m not wasting it on those.

Sienna says: Poppy’s right, his eyes are beyond saving. I’ve seen the man stretch his upper eyelid so that it covers his entire eye more times than I can count, and because the elasticity has gone from his eyelids, they stay shut until he physically pries them open. I, however, am in my late twenties and the skin around my eyes has a lot of good years ahead of it.

I’ve made my peace with my dark circles, but the skin around my eyes gets very dry. Even though this is technically a serum, I found this product to be really hydrating thanks to the squalane. After wearing it for the day, I didn’t get any of the signature stinging around my eyes that tends to happen when I forgo a rich eye cream.

Get it here.

Dr Dennis Gross Advanced Retinol + Ferulic Intense Wrinkle Cream, $112 AUD

Mecca says: An intensely hydrating wrinkle treatment powered by phyto-retinol blend™ to visibly transform skin and repair the moisture barrier for a visibly lifted, ageless look. 

Poppy says: This cream looks and feels buttery, but it smells kind of zesty. I don’t usually put moisturiser on so the skin on my face is pretty dry and rough (particularly on my head). The next day, after putting the cream on, my skin did feel a lot softer and looked less flaky. If I used this on my body, do you think it would fix my saggy bum? 

Sienna says: I usually use a retinol serum at night, to help with scarring and blemishes. I also have impossibly dry and sensitive skin, which means that to counteract the drying nature of retinol, I have to slather on a thick layer of moisturiser. But a product that can do both? Colour me intrigued… I used this at night, in lieu of my usual retinol and moisturiser and my skin drank it all up.

After one night, I noticed that my face was a little bit dry because I didn’t apply my usual face oil. I think this cream would be perfect to use alone if you had normal-combination skin, but if you’re a bit drier like me, then you might need an oil too. Then on the second night, I finished my routine with a couple of drops of Go-To’s Face Hero and that seemed to help. I repeated this routine for the next few nights and my skin seems to be loving it. 

Get it here.

To explore more of Mecca’s new releases, head here.

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