The Mecca Cosmetica Beauty Blog

Beauty editor’s across the globe are buzzing about Bumble and bumble new Shine collection - a trio that will help hair sparkle, swish, shimmer and shine on…

Allure Magazine, US
“Bb.Shine Finishing Spray. Most shine sprays don’t do more than give hair a glossy finish, but this one calms frizz and adds definition on the ends, too.”
*The product was featured in the “Editors’ Favorites” page.
June 2011

NylonMag.com
“Bb.Shine comes as a shampoo, conditioner, and styling spray and can help achieve a messy ‘wet’ look, or the shimmery barrel curls of a movie star on duty.”
May 2 2011

Harper’s Bazaar, US
“Bb.Shine Finishing Spray contains light silicones to keep frizz at bay. Plus, the petite bottle packs easily in your beach bag for glossing touch-ups throughout the day. Mist it on dry hair to gain back luster and give your color a lift.”
May 2011

Style.com
“The next generation of Bumble’s well-loved shine products, Bb.Shine trio features a shampoo, conditioner and a light-catching Finishing Spray. The glossing mist provides an extra finishing step to help control flyaways while creating a slight, piece-y texture, which we love.”
April 29 2011

VanityFair.com
“Bumble and Bumble’s new Let It Shine collection, and we’re amazed by the effect it had on our locks. The shampoo and the conditioner spread easily through hair, so each strand is covered with the hydrating sunflower-seed-oil-and-lipid-blend formula. The shine-boosting products are safe to use on color-treated hair and don’t strip away natural oils. Once our hair was dry, we used the Shine On (and On . . . ) Finishing Spray to add even more luster. You can re-apply the glossing mist throughout the day to tame flyaways and keep hair moisturized.”
June 22 2011

Shop the Shine collection here.

Dubbed  ‘The Crease Cure’, Perricone MD’s Acyl-Glutathione has got everyone talking about this ground-breaking new discovery.

The Bazaar Report, Harper’s Bazaar’s daily blog, highlighted Acyl-Glutathione as a ‘Beauty Must-Have’ .  They were excited to find “a skincare product that will address the many signs of aging in one fell swoop”.  

Harper's Bazaar - The Bazaar Report, featuring Perricone MD's NEW Acyl-Glutathione

W Magazine is also just as excited as we are about Perricone MD’s newest anti-ageing revolution, Acyl-Glutathione.  

W Magazine featuring Perricone MD's new Acyl-Glutathione

Shop this new revolutionary product, Perricone MD’s NEW Acyl-Glutathione here.

Amoung a backdrop of gorgeous gowns, glittering jewels and gold statuettes, Nars shone like a beacon of beauty light at this year Oscar’s. Seen on some of our favourite on-screen starlets and rocking songbirds, we have the inside scoop on how to get your Oscar-worthy look…

Amy Adams

In a sequined-throwback to old-world Hollywood, ‘The Fighter’s’ Amy Adams shone on the red carpet at this year’s Oscars. The Best Supporting Actress nominee stepped out in a scene-stealing indigo L’Wren Scott gown, perfectly complemented by bold yet glamourous makeup – created by Makeup Artist Molly Stern and Nars. Amy was one of many to choose sequins for the night. Her indigo L’Wren Scott dress and curls is very reminiscent of Nicole Kidman’s red carpet looks circa 1997-99… which is a good thing.

Inspired by ‘old Hollywood disco’, Molly created a palette that centered on flawless skin, bold lips and of-the-minute blue-hued eyes.  Molly noted the gorgeous actress left the room ‘radiating’… and we can see why!

Try these products to get Amy’s Oscar-night style:

FACE: Sex Appeal Blush

EYES: Hollywoodland Soft Touch Shadow Pencil, Bateau Ivre Duo Eyeshadow

LIPS: Baroque Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil

Florence Welch

Nars worked with makeup artist Tasha Brown to create a soft and ethereal Oscars-night-look for songbird Florence Welch, of Florence & the Machine fame. From red carpet to the stage, Florence was glowing and gorgeous at the Award Season night-of-nights, featuring some of our favourite Nars’ products.

Tasha was inspired by the image of a beautiful English rose when creating Florence’s radiant red-carpet look. Warm shades and porcelain skin were the perfect complement for Florence’s delicate Valentino gown.

Get the look:

FACE: PRO-PRIME Pore Refining Primer (Coming soon to Mecca) – try Nars primer, Sheer Matte Foundation, Desire Blush

EYES: Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base, Lovejoy Blush (on her eyelids), Larger Than Life Lengthening Mascara

LIPS: Tzigane Lipstick

Tasha chose vibrant colour to balance Florence’s statement-making dress for stunning on-stage style. ‘Florence has such flawless skin so I added a bold colour to complement her copper dress,’ said Tasha about Florence’s performance look.

FACE: Gina Blush

LIPS: Heat Wave Lipstick

From the style-making pages of Harper’s Bazaar, New York Times, Tatler et al., to influential beauty blogs like Style.com, everyone’s a-buzz with excitement over this brand that is revolutionising what it means to be ‘Eco-chic’.

Sleek and modern on the outside, certified organic on the inside. Kirsten Kjaer Weis’ eponymous cosmetics line effortlessly fuses high fashion with ‘green living’, transforming organic makeup as we know it.

Kjaer Weis began with NYC Makeup Artist Kirsten’s idea that there was a niche for a brand that used green ingredients, paired with luxurious design and packaging. Enlisting the help of legendary designer Marc Atlan, who has previously designed for such famously original brands as Comme des Garcons and Helmut Lang, Kirsten briefed on refillable packaging that was built to last. The result is packaging made of Zamac (zinc, aluminum, magnesium, and copper alloy) that is heavy, weighty, and gorgeous. Housed inside: A range of lip tints, cream blush and eye shadows that are certified CCPB organic (Italy’s organic standard), completely refillable and beautiful to wear.

Featuring incredible, 95% organic formulas, classic colours that transcend all trends, and collectible compacts to treasure forever – it’s time to say goodbye to parabens, petrochemicals, synthetic colours, and fragrances….  And hello to Kjaer Weis.

17 years after he launched the eponymous NARS Cosmetics, Francois Nars has opened the doors on his first ever flagship boutique (February 10, 2011) . A long-time dream of the makeup master, Francois spent years searching for the quintessential location, he found it (of course) in the heart of the achingly hip West Village, New York City: 413 Bleecker St, NYC, where he will neighbour other such mouth-watering names as Marc Jacobs and Claudine.

Featuring a pre-war façade, the interiors fuse elements of modernity and artistry with the sense of personal space that feels inviting and uniquely NARS. Inspired by vintage Parisian and New York residences, the boutique was designed in collaboration with Fabien Baron (who is also behind the iconic NARS logo and other famed brand campaigns).

Other cool, typically-’NARS’ things to note:

• Helping set the atmosphere will be  a signature music mix, created exclusively for the brand by renowned French DJs Les Jumeaux.

• The store features floor-to-ceiling mirrors that feature hidden illuminated frames.

• AND a series of three screens rotate, showing short films created by Nars.

Want to know more? Read on as the Mr. Nars himself answers a few questions about his flagship boutique (and for some exclusive pics!)…

Image courtesy of NARS Cosmetics

What is the feeling of the boutique?
The boutique is me. I could live there. It’s the kind of aesthetic I love. It is modern but also vintage and very French. It looks almost like it could be a boutique in Paris.

Image courtesy of NARS Cosmetics

Why did you want to open a boutique in the West Village?
I love Bleecker Street because I think it’s the happening street. It’s a cool, fun area with great shopping. It is very intimate and chic. I love that Marc Jacobs is right around the corner and I especially like the little park across the street!

Why did you want to work with Fabien Baron on the design?
Fabien is intimately linked to NARS and to me. He has a great eye and has incredible visual power. He knows me so well and I knew he would come up with the right concept.

Image courtesy of NARS Cosmetics

What are your favorite elements of the boutique’s design?
It’s very sleek and very open. I love the lighting and the use of technology. We incorporated video screens which preview NARS films—it’s all very interactive. The colors are very basic, but strong. Everything is white and black, with touches of red lacquer. It reminds of Guy Bourdin.

Image courtesy of NARS Cosmetics

How do you want customers to feel when they enter?
First, they should sense they are being taken care of. I want them to feel like they are in my home, in a way. There are so many personal touches that I’m hoping customers can relate to me.

How did the exterior of the boutique entice you?
I love the window. It’s very “old” West Village, which is nice. The Bleeker Street storefronts are extremely charming.

Image courtesy of NARS Cosmetics

How did you incorporate personal touches into the boutique?
I always had the idea of bringing in personal touches. Since I’m the creative person behind the brand it’s nice to make it more identifiable. The cabinet above the fireplace boasts some of my favorite objects, books, DVDs and other things that inspire me, which rotate seasonally.

Image courtesy of NARS Cosmetics

So do you really need any more reasons to book that flight to JFK? Probably not, but just in case, click here for a few more…