The Beauty Diary: The best Mecca Cosmetica buys

It’s easy to use and very effective at fixing a multitude of skin problems, but surprisingly it has a cheap as chips price-tag.

Australian beauty brand Mecca is known for stocking some of the world’s most popular high-end brands.

But the Melbourne-born store also has its own line of products, Mecca Cosmetica, which has been producing some absolute bangers recently.

I first noticed how good the range was when I discovered a lifesaver skin tint during lockdown – and I’ve long been a fan of the brand’s makeup-friendly sunscreens.

Then Mecca Cosmetica dropped a chemical exfoliant that left my skin gorgeous and glowy and I almost couldn’t believe the very effective formula (which literally melts excess skin away, but more on that later) only cost $40.

In fact, most items in the range sit around that same price point which, considering it isn’t deliberately affordable but instead Mecca’s “high-performing” range, is pretty impressive.

Mecca Cosmetica is Mecca’s signature brand. Picture: Supplied

If you’ve never heard of Mecca Cosmetica, it is Mecca’s “signature” own brand which launched back in 2007 with a small line of nail polishes.

Despite its humble beginning, it has grown massively over the last 13 years and now has over 80 products, including sun care, skincare and makeup.

What I love about these items is that just like a lot of the bougie brands you find in Mecca like Drunk Elephant and Tatcha, Mecca Cosmetica is very effective – but it doesn’t come with the same eye-watering prices.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s definitely a place for fancypants products – I have a jar of La Mer moisturiser that is specialbecauseof its value (and of course, how soft it makes my skin).

But right now as consumers we’re demanding more for our money – and Mecca is proving it is up to the challenge.

“What makes Mecca Cosmetica so unique is that the brand is a cumulation of millions of in-store experiences and the result of trialling and testing thousands (and thousands) of products,” Collette O’Neill, the head of MECCA’s signature line, told The Beauty Diary.

“Our collection truly is a line created by the beauty-obsessed for the beauty aficionado who wants it all.”

She said every product has “luxurious formulas” that do exactly “what they promise” which is the secret to its plethora of 5-star reviews.

“We’ve created the beauty solutions to the beauty problems before we were ever asked for them,” Colette said, explaining its sunscreen options had even earned a “cult-following”.

“Our lightweight formulas slip easily into skincare routines and create the perfect base for makeup – hydrating, priming and perfecting while they work,” she said.

“Not only will our sun care assist with the prevention of premature skin ageing, it also protects skin when using active skincare ingredients – it really is a game-changer.”

And I can definitely vouch for Collette’s claims. I’ve raved about the To Save Face SPF50+ Superscreen in the past (you can read my thoughts here).

But the brilliant sunscreen meets skincare hybrid isn’t the brand’s only item I am obsessing over lately. Here’s what I have been adding to my cart over and over.

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MECCA COSMETICA GLOW-GIVER EXFOLIATING SOLUTION

Treat your face to some of this. Picture: Supplied

Price: $40

Forget leaving the house for an expensive chemical peel at a salon. This baby gives you the same glowy results for a fraction of the price. Its formula might be a triple 10 per cent blend of exfoliating acids – AHAs, BHA and PHA – but it is actually super gentle on skin, probably because it also contains soothing witch hazel and blue lotus flower extract which is an anti-inflammatory. It’s also totally foolproof – you just need to swipe it over your face (preferably with a reusable cloth) two to three times a week and it gets rid of all that gross dead skin build-up. It doesn’t leave you with that horrible tightness other products do, leaving fresh, soft skin after application. So good. Some online reviewers have stated they don’t like the smell, which is fragrance-free, but I found it totally non-offensive. And it is worth pointing out overexfloiating can actually leave you with dry, flaky skin (no one wants that) so don’t overuse it.

MECCA COSMETICA NOURISHING CLEANSING OIL

This makes makeup melt off like warm butter. Picture: Supplied

Price: $44

This has a gorgeous light citrus scent and leaves my skin lovely and soft. If you’ve not used an oil cleanser before, it’s best on dry skin. Pump the product into your hands, warm it up in your palms and then massage onto your face and watch as your makeup literally melts like butter. This is super effective, lifting off even stubborn products without any excessive rubbing. To wash away I use a wet Face Halo pad and voila. Your makeup is gone and you’re left with lovely soft skin. This formula has some uber lush moisturising ingredients, including avocado and hemp seed oil – and Nigella Lawson’s fave, prickly pear seed. It also smells like a citrus orchard which is a total delight in my books.

MECCA COSMETICA ANTIOXIDANT SERUM

This makes my face – and my bank balance – very happy. Picture: Supplied

Price: $46

I’m obsessed with serum, even on days when I can’t be bothered to do anything because I’m not seeing anyone or going outside, I’ll never skip my morning and nightly dose of a good serum – and this lightweight delight has been my go-to lately. It freshens and brightens my face in the mornings, even on the gloomiest of days. It is also super quick to absorb (something I look for as I am time-poor) and gives skin a lovely sheen that makes me feel a lot better about myself. Afterwards my skin feels moisturised and happy – what more can you ask for?

MECCA COSMETICA WEEKEND SKIN HYDRA SKIN TINT

It should cost more than $40 – but it doesn’t. Yay. Picture: Supplied

Price: $40

During lockdown I really couldn’t be bothered to wear makeup. Even though here in Sydney we’re currently not in that position anymore, my attitude to putting on a full face hasn’t changed so I am loving my “lockdown lifesaver”. This skin tint has been the perfect halfway point, giving me enough coverage that I feel as if I’m wearing foundation, without having to go through the whole process of wetting a Beauty Blender, dabbing it in and blending it out. Literally, I squirt a blob of this in the palm of my hands and rub it on like I do my face creams. It gives me a smoother, more even complexion in a matter of seconds which wins a dozen big ticks in my book. As well as giving my face a bit of a filter, it is super blendable and the formula has “drops of activated water” (fancy talk for moisturising ingredients) that give my skin an extra boost of hydration. It is so good, I am shocked at its price. How does it only cost $40? I don’t know, but I like it.

This column is not advertorial content. Every review is independent, honest and ad free.

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