Beauty news: MECCA Auckland opens its doors

MECCA Cosmetica founder Joanna Horgan once told me that every day feels like walk into what can only be termed a “beauty wonderland” for her and her team, and she’s not kidding! Her vision for a retail beauty experience that  “brings together under one roof, the most comprehensive and unique selection of cutting edge brand names in colour cosmetics, skincare, haircare, fragrance and body care, paired with the in-depth expertise of resident makeup artists and skincare specialists” now occupies numerous amazing stores across two countries, and its progress shows no sign of slowing down in a hurry. I for one can’t walk through the door of a MECCA without discovering something new and unusual that I simply must have, and when the first New Zealand store opened many years ago just minutes’ from my house, I knew I was in trouble!

Two years ago Auckland got it’s very own MECCA Maxima store - a beauty superstore that already had glamorous incarnations in Wellington and Christchurch - at 191 Queen Street, and now, the all-encompassing beauty destination simply known as MECCA Auckland has opened its very glamorous doors just a few metres away at 203 Queen Street. If MECCA Maxima is the dancefloor then MECCA Auckland is the very fabulous dinner party beforehand, and what a party it is.

The new 500+ square metre space on Queen Street (formerly the site of Topshop) melds MECCA’s existing Cosmetica and Maxima concepts into one large-format standalone beauty bazaar that had me entranced from the moment I stepped through the door. MECCA Auckland delivers some of the world’s most luxurious and coveted beauty finds, as well as blockbuster brands customers know and love. “Housing over 100 brands that are exclusive to New Zealand in one shopping destination is a dream come true for a beauty fanatic like myself, and I am thrilled to offer up this concept to our Auckland shoppers too,” said Jo Horgan of the new space. I personally love that it encompasses several “zones” that you can happily lose yourself in, and covers off so many of the niche brands I follow and love.

The makeup offering includes MECCA-exclusive cult-classic brands including NARS, Hourglass, Chantecaille and Stila, alongside Maxima favourites Urban Decay, Too Faced, Smashbox and MECCA MAX. Skincare lovers can explore a dedicated skin area with a compelling line-up of revered brands including Eve Lom, Drunk Elephant, Tatcha and Kate Somerville, whilst the MECCA Perfumeria,is a space devoted to the world’s most remarkable fragrance brands like Le Labo, Byredo and Diptyque. Lastly, the amazing MECCA Trove lets you discover the most sought-after new brands like skincare and rose gold rollers (WANT!!!) from leading Hollywood facialist, Angela Caglia.

MECCA’s dedicated Fragrance, Skin and Colour specialists are available to shoppers looking to

unearth new beauty favourites, and the inclusion of MECCA’s Beauty Lab and Play Bar concepts will provide customers with spaces to experiment with the latest products and learn new techniques. The MECCA Beauty Lab provides customers with the opportunity to book a seat and participate in complimentary scheduled beauty workshops hosted by MECCA experts from Thursday–Sunday, and outside of the scheduled workshops, customers can book in for a one-on-one 15 minute “flash” appointment with a MECCA expert to answer all of their beauty questions.

An additional 10 makeup stations are available for makeup appointments, alongside a dedicated space for skincare consultations and treatments. That means room to move and then some, which is so appreciated by beauty freaks like me!

The new MECCA Auckland is open now at 203 Queen Street.

www.meccabeauty.co.nz