8 Mecca employees share their most underrated beauty products
Image via @meccamax/Instagram
Words by Emma Roberts
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If you’re anything like me, advice from a Mecca employee is taken as gospel. I’m never more eager to tap my card and spend my paycheck than when an apron-adorned shop assistant is advising me to overhaul my beauty routine.
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With so many products out there, it can be tricky to know which ones are worth our time. To help you out, we headed straight to the experts who know best. Read on to hear from eight Mecca employees on the underrated beauty essentials they can’t live without.
Steven Cutajar, Influencer Relations Manager
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Mecca Cosmetica’s To Save Face SPF50+ Brightening Sun Serum is my everyday holy grail. It’s where sunscreen meets skincare and has a serum feel that’s lightweight and ultra-absorbing. I’ve tried many SPF products and the Mecca Cosmetica is one that everyone needs on their shelf.
I entered my curly boy era this year and the Briogeo Curl Charisma range has been my staple to help my curls look bouncy, shiny and lush – my top picks from this range include their Leave-In Defining Crème and Gel.
Last but not least, Vyrao Witchy Woo has already been on heavy rotation this winter. This scent is a woody floral musk spiked with a rare Moroccan Orris to enhance my courage and creativity.
Sophie Hodges, Brand Marketing Lead
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Okay, it may not be a secret, but the Dr Dennis Gross Spectralite LED mask is a game-changer and my daily non-negotiable! I start every morning with three minutes of the blue and red-light combo. I find my makeup sits so much better on my skin when I’m consistently using it. In my opinion, it’s a very worthy investment, and my pick is the limited-edition Mecca pink colourway, obviously.
A few months ago, I went a little hard on the actives and my skin freaked out. Enter Charlotte Tilbury’s Collagen Superfusion Facial Oil. It’s calming, nourishing and non-greasy, it truly ticks all the boxes. Most importantly, it sits so beautifully under your makeup base (my pick is of course Flawless Filter) and gives you the most incredible glow.
Lastly, Glow Recipe’s Watermelon Glow Ultra Fine Mist has been my holy grail for many years now. It’s super refreshing, packed with watermelon, hyaluronic acid, and hibiscus AHAs – I use this as a refresh on bare skin or over makeup. This mist is perfection, it’s the finest, most delicate, gentle mist, it hits your skin perfectly and covers every inch of your face evenly. Chef’s kiss!
Allie Creevey, Concierge Customer Service Lead
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Having worked in-store at Mecca before moving to my current role in the Support Centre, there are three things that I consider non-negotiable. The Omorovicza Gold Cream is the gold standard of hydrating and skin-cocooning moisturisers. Having relocated from Brisbane to Melbourne, the only thing that soothed my moisture-deprived skin was something with colloidal gold. It’s super rich and needs to be warmed up on your hands before being applied.
Once you try an ergonomic, hand-crafted makeup brush that’s been designed by a calligrapher in Japan, it’s hard to go back. Each one of Rae Morris’ brushes has a distinct purpose and applies makeup like a professional makeup artist. The Personal Set from Rae Morris has eight essential brushes that both look perfect on a bathroom vanity and apply makeup like you have never seen it applied before.
Lastly, Gucci Westman’s Super Loaded Tinted Highlighter in Peau de Soleil is the perfect hybrid of a bronzer, highlighter and skin-perfecting balm. This is the perfect bridal skin in a compact.
Joel Molinari, Head of Digital Customer Engagement
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For my skin, I needed a reset and the Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Peel Daily has been a crucial addition to my skincare routine. They’ve truly transformed my skin and are so underrated for the treatment they offer. It’s no surprise that they won the category of Under-The-Radar in this year’s Mecca Beauty Election.
Another product that I’ve become wildly obsessed with is the Kit (F)A.C.E Serum, a superpower of multivitamins that makes my skin feel healthy the moment I apply it. It’s light, absorbs beautifully into the skin and is great for an everyday boost.
Finally, Musc Ravageur from Editions de Parfums By Frédéric Malle is my recent guilty pleasure. This bougie fragrance is one of Mecca’s best-kept and sexiest secrets, in my opinion.
Frankie Buffon, Team Experience Specialist
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Earlier this year, Gucci Westman visited us to launch her new Westman Atelier Vital Skincare Complexion Drops. She told us that it was a foundation that worked like skincare and after seeing Gucci’s skin IRL, I didn’t need much convincing that these drops had to be part of my everyday make-up bag. This serum is true to its name. It’s vital in my routine for that glowy, natural, lightweight base.
2023 was the year I decided to pay more attention to the ingredients I was putting on my skin and now, I mainly use products that are organic and vegan. Flamingo Estate’s Garden Essentials Wash is my favourite and deserves more hype. Made from garden ingredients, this body wash has a natural herbal scent and leaves my body feeling amazing.
Jessie Choi, Visual Merchandise Creative Specialist
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The Goop G Tox Himalayan Salt Scalp Scrub Shampoo is a game changer – I only need to use it once or twice a week. It deep cleanses my hair and scalp, leaving them refreshed and clean. My hairdresser noticed a remarkable improvement in my itchy and red scalp.
When it comes to my beauty routine, I lean more towards skincare than heavy makeup. For special occasions like dinner parties or formal meetings, a dab of cream blusher on my cheeks and the Tom Ford Lip Blush are my go-to choices. This combination gives me a polished ‘no makeup makeup look’ effortlessly enhancing my natural beauty.
Lastly, the DedCool Taunt Room and Linen Spray is a staple in my scent closet. I love spraying it on my bed linens, cashmere knits and even curtains. This non-toxic, vegan spray surprisingly has a long-lasting scent while being gentle on garments. Plus, the packaging looks cool so I don’t have to hide it. It’s the perfect housewarming gift too.
Francesca Hyde, Customer Education Manager
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My vote for most underrated goes to the low-key beauty must-haves that make my everyday easier like Cultured Biome One Serum. My easily stressed-out and breakout-prone skin has finally found a solution – a balanced microbiome! Brand founder Rob Calcraft recommended trying it alone as it hydrates like a moisturiser. I was sceptical at first as I love to layer but now my skin is happy, calm and glowing from within!
I like to keep the multitasking theme going when it comes to makeup and firmly believe every pocket should be home to Kosas LipFuel Hyaluronic Lip Balm in Pulse. It’s hard to innovate when it comes to lip balm but Kosas has done it! It ticks the box on hydrating, plumping and perfecting your lips but the unique slimline shape is what makes LipFuel a must-have. It’s flat and compact – you turn the bullet on its side to carve out the corners of your lips, a quick swipe on the cheeks at 3pm works wonders when you are looking tired too!
Durdashi Nemchand, Assistant Brand Manager
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The Briogeo Scalp Revival Shampoo is an absolute must. It is a multi-tasking product with a unique blend of charcoal and coconut oil, it exfoliates the scalp, removes impurities and nourishes hair. This formula offers a refreshing and cooling experience, promoting a healthy scalp and it smells like choc-mint ice cream.
Corpus Natural is the quarterback of all deodorants. The natural formulation combines gentle cleansers with nourishing botanical extracts, leaving your skin refreshed and hydrated. My favourite scent is No Green as it’s a combination of woody, citrus and floral notes giving you the ultimate spa experience.
For a touch of glam, the Smashbox Be Legendary Line & Prime Pencil (in shade Medium Neutral Rose) has the creamiest formula and glides on effortlessly while being long-lasting. The Medium Neutral Rose compliments tanned skin tones so well! Add in the Jouer Essential Hydrating Lip Oil on top and you have the perfect glossy lip combo.
For Mecca’s tips on combatting dry skin in the colder months, head here.
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