Mecca Maxima Haul!

Hi guys! Today I have a Mecca Maxima Haul for you. A bit of background; up until October last year, Adelaide didn't have a Mecca Maxima (and we still don't have a Sephora!). In the past I've bought some bits and pieces from Mecca Cosmetica in the city, but their range is very limited. I've also made a point of hauling on every Sydney or Melbourne trip I make. So I was very excited when Adelaide got its very first Mecca Maxima, located right near me at Westfield Marion, no less! But then something very strange started happening and I just had no desire to visit the store or purchase anything beauty-related. I got totally overwhelmed with the amount of makeup and skincare I owned and became focussed on using up my beauty stash. I did a Project Pan at the end of last year and have another one planned starting next month, and put together a Sample Challenge, which I'm currently doing.

On the weekend, however, I finally got excited enough to visit, four months after the store opened! Hubby had taken Mr 10 to see a movie in Gold Class at EVENT Cinemas, and I had no time constraints or pressure to hurry, so it really was the perfect time to check out the Mecca goodness. Here's what I hauled!

Too Faced Sweet Peach Palette
Here's how out of the (Beauty) Loop (haha, sweet pun) I am; I went into Mecca Maxima hoping to get the Huda Beauty Desert Dusk palette, not realising that brand is stocked at Sephora. So then I was all like 'I'm getting a palette today, damn it!'. I was eyeing off the new metallic Too Faced Chocolate Gold palette, which did swatch beautifully, but I started questioning how much wear I'd get out of it on a day to day basis. Which drew me to the pretty Sweet Peach palette. I gave into temptation and bought it! Guys, tell me what you think of this palette below, I know it's been out for a while and I'm keen to get your thoughts!

Mecca Max Pout Pop Lipstick in Mean Girl
I'm such a huge fan of nude lipsticks and after swatching a few different ones, including a similar shade with a sheer finish from the Mecca Max range, I settled on this gorgeous Mean Girl shade with a high-def finish. This is right up my alley and was only $20, so even though it's not a trendy brand, I'm hoping the quality is good and I'll get a lot of use  out of it.

Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Cucumber and Green Tea
I've been wanting to try this facial spray for quite a while, because I love my Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater. So now I have the pink one and the green one! I love that these little sprays are only $9 each, and in fact my Rosewater one has lasted me forever. Hopefully I like this calming scent just as much!

Kitsch Hair Ties
I'd been wanting to get hair ties like this for ages, so when I saw them for $12 at the Check-Out Aisle Of Doom (lol) I of course picked them up. I wear my hair up a lot, so as long as these pretty, sparkly ties actually work and are comfortable to wear, I should be good to go.

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You may be interested in LUSH 50% Off Haul

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Have you hauled lately? Link it up in the comments below so I can check it out!

Makeup Haul Part 2: Mecca Maxima!

Well hello again! Today I'm featuring Part 2 of my Makeup Haul, all the goodies I bought from Mecca Maxima during my recent Melbourne trip! If you missed Part 1, you can check that out here: Makeup Haul Part 1: Sephora!

Even though Sephora is huge, I must say I prefer shopping in Mecca Maxima, because I find the staff super-friendly and helpful. Case in point: when a certain creamy nude lipstick was unavailable, one of the Sales Assistants spent ten minutes looking for alternatives, even getting a few other staff members onto the task as well. In the end, she had about 20 creamy nude lipstick swatches all over her arm, haha! Also, Mecca Maxima stock two of my favourite brands, Too Faced and Soap & Glory! I had such fun hauling this lot of goodies over two visits. Hope you enjoy!


Too Faced Sweethearts Perfect Flush Blush (Sparkling Bellini)
Too Faced Love Light Prismatic Highlighter (You Light Up My Life)
NARS Blush (Orgasm)
Stila Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadow (Rose Gold Retro)
Urban Decay VICE Lipstick (Manic)
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
Soap & Glory The Breakfast Scrub
Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker XL (Clear)
Soap & Glory Smooch Operator Lip Butter Balm
Origins Mega-Bright Dark Circle Minimizer {free sample}
GlamGlow SuperMud Clearing Treatment {free sample}
GlamGlow GravityMud Firming Treatment {free sample}
GlamGlow ThirstyMud Hydrating Treatment {free sample}
Perricone MD Pre:Empt Brightening Eye Cream {free sample)
Perricone MD Firming Eye Cream {free sample}
Perricone MD Cold Plasma Eye {free sample}
Perricone MD Advanced Eye Area Therapy {free sample}

I have to say I completely stuffed up with the Too Faced Love Light Highlighter! I wanted the rose gold shade Ray Of Light, but it had been put back in the gold You Light Up My Life tester position and I totally second-guessed myself and got the wrong one! Then I had time to exchange it as I was still in Melbourne but forgot to take it with me the day we went back into the city. So now I have the gold one (which I don't like the look of), when I was actually after the rose gold one. At least I got my Perfect Flush Blush shade right!

I finally caved and bought the cult classic Orgasm blush from NARS, and the stunning Stila Magnificent Metals liquid shadow in Rose Gold retro was a no-brainer. It's just so pretty! I hope it looks just as good on the eyes!

I eventually settled on an Urban Decay VICE lippie after a long swatch-fest of most of the lipsticks in-store, and picked up the Primer Potion as an afterthought when checking out the cute minis near the checkout. I'm currently using a Too Faced Shadow Insurance mini but it's nearly gone and this will be a good way to compare them.

I had to pick up a tub of my Holy Grail body scrub, Soap & Glory's The Breakfast Scrub, which smells like freakin' pancakes and is a must try in my opinion! And then came some disappointment, when the raved-about $6 Sugar Crush Body Spray was out of stock and my beloved Sexy Mother Pucker lip plumper had changed packaging and was only available in Clear, not my preferred Half-Baked. I got it anyway, but I really wanted the tube with the doe-foot appplicator instead of the squeezy-tube bullshit I bought. I discovered the Soap & Glory Lip Butter Balm near the counter and hot damn, guys, it smells like coconut ice! Sweeeeeet!

I gotta say Mecca are so generous with the samples! I was discussing a GlamGlow mask set I saw online, but unfortunately it was no longer available, so the Sales Assistant took it upon herself to make me up some samples instead (I didn't even ask). And on my other visit, another lovely staff member took my list of samples I was interested in trying and said she'd prepare as many of them as were available while I continued to shop. (They probably knew I was hardcore haulin' from the fact that I had half the store in my basket. LOL).

Linking up with Monday Makeup Madness Open Slather and All Mum Said link ups!

You may be interested in Makeup Haul Part 1: Sephora!

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Have you tried any of these beauty products? What's your favourite? If you have a recent haul post link it up below so I can have a read!

April Favourites!

Time to talk about the products I absolutely loved in April! These are the special beauty finds I've been reaching for frequently, because I'm downright enamoured with them and the results they produce. Here we go!

Soap & Glory The Breakfast Scrub
This gives the Natura Siberica Oblepikha and Honey Body Scrub, raved about here, a run for its money in the body scrub stakes, and may have just reached Holy Grail status, along with the aforementioned NS one. I picked this up in Mecca Maxima on my Sydney trip (see the massive Beauty Haul here). It was a Staff Favourite, and it's not hard to see why. The Breakfast Scrub is the perfect consistency. It's thick, so when you grab a handful it ain't slipping off and wasting down the drain. The formula is just right if you're into super-scrubby exfoliators and the smell.... oh my! One word: PANCAKES! This has oat, shea butter, sugar, bananas, almond and honey extracts and a maple scent that has to be smelled to be believed. Highly recommended!

Bioderma Sensibio H2O*
Up until about a month ago, my go-to had been the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water (in the pink bottle). And I thought it was pretty good. Then I was sent this, and honestly Bioderma blows it out of the water! I'd avoided this one because it was dearer, but my gosh is it gentle and super effective. My skin is left soft, clean and feeling comfortable. There's no drying and no need to wipe firmly, as Sensibio H2O is just so good at what it does. I love how this feels; it's a pleasure to use and I can't really see myself going back to the Garnier one after this sample bottle runs out. Recommended!

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette
I don't own too many high end palettes, so it was quite a treat for me to pick this up! I was tossing up between the original, Semi-Sweet and Bon Bons Too Faced palettes, but I'm so happy I decided on this one. This is honestly so wearable on a day-to-day basis and the shades are really pigmented. I don't know why I hesitated dropping $78, because it's worth every cent and I'm getting a lot of use out of it. Also, it smells like chocolate. Winning!

Skin Doctors Beetox
I bought this on sale at Priceline, and I pretty much use it every morning now! Beetox is an anti-ageing bee venom treatment with manuka honey that works to firm, tighten, lift and plump out your skin, making it appear fuller and more youthful. I'd already had great success with other Skin Doctors products, Eyetuck being my favourite, followed by Instant Eyelift and Eyecircle, so I was keen to give this a go. It says to avoid the eye area, however that's where I start applying this (carefully and not too close to the actual eyes!) as under my eyes is the only place I have fine lines. Also, depending on Christ knows what, this area can appear hollow from time to time, and I've found Beetox has really helped to eradicate this annoying problem by plumping it out, giving me a 'normal' instead of 'fresh corpse' look. This product claims to triple the formation of collagen in 7 days and increase cell renewal by 80% in 15 days. I'm not sure if that's accurate, but it's working for me so I'll continue to buy it. Side note: this smells really nice, too!

Natralus Natural Paw Paw Lip Butter*
I was kindly gifted a handful of Natralus Lip Butters at the Bloggers United Adelaide Event, and I'm really glad, because they are quite a find! These are made with organic Australian papaya, contain shea butter and vitamin E and just as importantly, absolutely no parabens or petrochemicals! I've worked my way through the Honey & Vanilla one and now that I've started on the Strawberry, my eight year old son has declared it his new favourite (seyanora Smiggle watermelon lip balm!). I love applying this nourishing formula before bed so I wake up with soft, smooth lips in the morning, and I know I'll be throwing one in my travel bag for my trip interstate next month. Can't wait to give the Coconut lip butter a go, too!

Maybelline Master Graphic Eyeliner
I'm already a huge fan of Maybelline Masterliner (it's my everyday eyeliner), however a drawback is that the rounded tip is not designed for creating on point wings. Cue my magnificent idea to pick up this baby. This looks like a felt tip/magic marker  type pen and has a slanted, pointy end perfect for adding cat's eye flicks to the ends of my top eyeliner! If you have trouble drawing on your wings, I'd highly recommend giving the liquid Master Graphic Eyeliner a go, because it turns a potentially tricky process into a piece of cake. I've cut my eye makeup application time down by a third since incorporating this into my routine, because as soon as I learnt my desired angle, my flicks went on quickly and easily and stayed put throughout the day!

Davroe Volume Senses Shampoo* and Conditioner*
Like the lip butters, I generously received a set of Davroe hair care products at the Bloggers United Adelaide Event. Having such fine (hey, girlfriend!) locks, I made a beeline straight for the volumising products. I've been using the Volume Shampoo (which I've just finished) together with the Volume Conditioner and the results are healthy-looking, soft hair that still has body. I've used so many volume shampoos and conditioners over the years, and although they give my hair volume, they also often strip my hair or leave it squeaky clean, with the intention of creating some grip, like when you spray dry shampoo into your roots and rub it around. This does create volume but it's not very good for your hair. Anyhoo, with these Davroe products, my hair actually looks fuller, but also soft, healthy and swishy. I love this brand, and am keen to try out the rest of the range.

Lush Ayesha Fresh Face Mask
Oh my. I said on Instagram this stinks like a mofo and I wasn't kidding! I guess if I liked the main ingredient, asparagus, I might feel differently. But the thing is, this mask really lifts and firms my skin. You know it must be good if it's in my favourites even though it pongs! I was so surprised after my first use, and now I use this before any event or night out where I want to feel extra confident, because the firming effect makes me appear years younger. My all-time favourite Lush mask (so far!).

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I'm linking up to the Midweek BeYOUty Bonanza! Also linking to the Fabulous And Fun Life Monday Makeup Madness Linky Party! Click through for great beauty posts!

Disclaimer: Products marked * were provided for editorial consideration, however reviews are my honest and unbiased opinion. Please see the Disclosure page for further information.

Got a Favourites post? Link it up below, I'd love to have a read!

Mecca Beauty Loop Level 1 Box!

Hi guys! I'm pretty excited, because today I'm blogging about the Mecca Beauty Loop Level 1 Box! This is my first ever box as part of Mecca's Beauty Loop program, because I only just reached the qualifying spend ($300 in a one year period) last month! I am officially a 'Beauty Discoverer'. LOL! I went in-store and picked this up yesterday, although you can order online and add it to your order, if you're eligible to receive one.

Now that I've reached Level 1 status, I'm eligible for four complimentary Beauty Loop sample boxes per year (this being the first) and complimentary makeup application for my Birthday. Let's take a look inside the box.....

Contents:
~ Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil mini bottle
~ Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Cleanser sachet
~ Too Faced Shadow Insurance Eyeshadow Primer sachet
~ Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer sachet

Also included is a card explaining each product, why Mecca love it and how to use it. Handy!

I have no complaints about this box! I love my Hourglass lipstick and Ambient Lighting Powder so I'm keen to try the much-hyped Veil Mineral Primer. The Too Faced Shadow Insurance will be the perfect prep before I use my new Chocolate Bar palette (so far I've been applying it without primer). I've tried a few other Kate Somerville samples in the past and loved them, so I'm also keen to give the cleanser a go, and I haven't tried anything from Josie Maran before, so will be excited to trial a new-to-me brand!

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Disclaimer: I earned this Box by spending my own (and hubby's!) money at Mecca. Links are for information purposes only and are not affiliate links. Please see the Disclosure page for further information.

Have you picked up your Beauty Loop Box yet? Are you happy with it?

Beauty Hauls: Sephora, Mecca Maxima, etc!

As you may know, I recently enjoyed a fantastic trip to Sydney with my family. I was incredibly patient, enduring two full days of non-shopping related activities such as playgrounds, the beach and amusement rides, before I even saw the shops. I basically waited until the third day of the holiday to shop like a Mofo visit Mecca Maxima and Sephora, because I'm just that considerate. LOL. You may see a product theme in the form of MASKS. I went batshit cray-cray for masks for some insane reason (I'm still trying to work it out?) and decided I needed every mask known to man. Check out my beauty hauls below!

For starters, a tiny lip mask haul from Cosmo Cosmetics, a small store selling luxe brands (eg SK-II) at heavily discounted prices, immediately rendering me 100% suspicious. I steered clear of those and got these fun-looking lip masks, because I've never tried a lip mask before and by gosh they look like a good time! Besides, all the packaging is in Asian symbols, adding to the excitement, because I don't know what any of it means! Also, you can put them on your boobies (I asked WTF the cartoon meant and she said you can put them on your nips, and I burst out laughing and went red).

This is perfectly normal

Items Hauled:
Pure Smile Choosy Fruit Lip Mask
Pure Smile Choosy Gold Pearl Lip Mask

Oh My God, you guys.........

Wall to wall makeup in Sephora *dies*

Next up, Sephora. Oh how I was looking forward to this experience! It didn't disappoint, even though they didn't stock Sleek or Leaders InSolution (online only, apparently). Still, it was two floors full of makeup and skincare goodness, a beauty lovers dream! I was served by a lovely man wearing a full face of makeup (you don't see that in Adelaide!) and he kindly gave me some free samples with my order, although I did have to ask. I kept the purchases to a minimum (lol, see below) since I'm better off getting the Stila, Too Faced, etc from Mecca because their rewards system shits all over Sephora's. Here's my mask-heavy haul...

Items Hauled:
Dr. Jart The Book of Masks
Sephora Green Tea Face Mask
Sephora Lingzhi Face Mask
Sephora Lingzhi Sleeping Mask
Sephora Lingzhi Eye Mask
Sephora Pomegranate Eye Mask
Sephora Lotus Eye Mask
Sephora Ginseng Eye Mask
Sephora Multi-Texture Sponge
Sephora Rouge Cream Lipstick in Sexy Game
2 x Clinique Foaming Sonic Facial Soap (free sample)
SK-II Facial Treatment Essence Eye (free sample)

This was a spontaneous haul because my son wanted a nice bath in our hotel room, so we needed some bath bombs. Of course, being a huge Lushie, I don't need much convincing to visit a Lush store! The Sales Assistant let him push the buttons on the cash register and stick on the labels, so that was pretty cool, too!

Items Hauled:
Blackberry Bath Bomb
Intergalactic Bath Bomb
FUN Green
Mint Julips Lip Scrub

Swatch Til You Drop, right?

Mecca Maxima time! I was expecting the QVB store to be quite large, but it actually isn't! Anyway, I had my list ready (as I did with Sephora) and had a grand old time swatching, smelling and putting everything in my basket! I tossed up between the Too Faced original Chocolate Bar palette, the Semi-Sweet and the Bon Bons one, but I'm pretty happy I went with the original. Again, the customer service was phenomenal; I had multiple SA's helping me, discussing beauty and explaining the difference between the palettes and how to use each of the free samples.

Someone has a Soap & Glory addiction

Items Hauled:
Origins GinZing Eye Cream
Korres Lip Butter in Wild Rose
Stila Color Balm Lipstick in Evangeline
Too Faced Chocolate Bar eyeshadow palette
Soap & Glory SoaperHeroes set
Soap & Glory Sexy MotherPucker Lip Plumping Gloss
Soap & Glory The Breafast Scrub
Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter Body Moisturizer
GlamGlow Brightmud Eye Treatment (free sample)
Ren Keep Young and Beautiful Firming and Smoothing Serum (free sample)
Perricone MD Neuropeptide Face Activator Serum (free sample)
Perricone MD Advanced Eye Therapy (free sample)

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What would you have picked up?