Reviewing redeemable beauty services, so you don't have to
A new series
Okay so I’m certain absolutely nobody noticed, but yes – I’m a day late this week. But the delay is justified cause it’s to accomodate my new series, Redeeming Features, where I review all the best redeemable beauty services so that you don’t have to.
The inspiration for this series arrived, as most things do, from my TikTok. I attended Chemist Warehouse’s incredible annual brand showcase a few weeks back when my friend Alex, who does the PR, told me that the event was actually open to the public.
Tickets were $50, but all proceeds went to the Liptember campaign and attendees would get to enjoy all the activations, meet brands they love IRL and (maybe most importantly) score a whole heap of free sh*t. There was pizza, there were donuts, it was such a fun vibe, and with today’s cozzie livs? It struck me as a super-fun day out.
I posted it on TikTok, where it subsequently went off. I had a few messages from those that bought tickets, who reported that they had a wonderful time, but would’ve never known about it otherwise. It made me want to share these kinds of things regularly, where you can get more for your money and hopefully have some amazing experiences.
There’s something so unifying about beauty, but let’s be real – it’s all getting so expensive and for many, prohibitively so. I love the idea that you could book an appointment and indulge in the likes of a facial as a reward for a re-stock on your fave products.
So, let’s kick off with a very special (and very limited!) one, and let me know where you’d like me to review next.
Redeeming Features: MECCA Fragrance Lounge
Last night I was invited to experience MECCA’s new Fragrance Lounge pop-up in the retailer’s George Street flagship in Sydney. The pop-up invites guests to meet with a MECCA Fragrance Specialist for what is best described as an intimate wine and cheese tasting, but with fragrance (and much less lactose).
The MECCA team were kind enough to ask if I’d like to bring a guest with me, so I also brought my boyfriend along. We were sat in the plush private area and offered an array of libations, because such a sensory exercise is thirsty work. Obviously, we took them up on the champagne and cookies, and our consultation began.
Our Fragrance Specialist got a gauge on our appetites for different scents by asking us about certain notes and perfumes we’d picked up in the past. She then served up five unique scents from two different themes – or 'Fragrance Flights’ as they called them – which she had selected for us based on discussions of our previous tastes.
She spritzed each scent into a fragrance… cup (??) where we could take a generous inhale to see if it aligned with our individual scent-sibilities (sorry). As a beauty editor I’ve tried a lot of fragrances, so it was fun to experience brands I didn’t have as much experience with, or scents I wouldn’t otherwise imagine for myself.
Luke immediately fell for Dries Van Noten’s Rock The Myrrh scent, which should go some way in explaining why we’re together – at $520, it was one of the most expensive lol. Meanwhile I gravitated towards Frédéric Malle’s Promise EDP, a peppery rose. Our Specialist then took us through all the new fragrance arrivals at MECCA, as well as a deep dive on Diptyque’s gorgeous new Les Essences de Diptyque collection.
Our final selections were then wrapped up for us, and we both left with new signature scents – neither of which we’d ever have picked for ourselves. We both agreed it was a special experience that would be the perfect gift for a loved one, who you could also gift a MECCA voucher to select their new scent.
It was a really elevated, memorable experience that celebrates the most intimate, transportive aspects of fragrance, and I only wish I had a valid excuse to go back.
The details:
Where: MECCA George Street, Sydney
When: Thursday 5 September – Sunday 15 September
How: Appointment only, book here
Cost: $65, redeemable on any MECCA product post-consultation
What you get: A curated 'Fragrance Flight' based on your mood, style and scent preferences, all in the comforts of a private lounge with complimentary refreshments including tea, coffee and champagne. Plus purchase any fragrance over $85 to receive a gift from MECCA.
Redeeming Rating: 9.5/10 – it was honestly hard to find a fault, but I docked half a point purely because $65 isn’t the biggest dollar redemption I’ve seen on offer. However this also makes for a far lesser outlay by the customer, and there was also a wide array of price points amongst the perfumes I was shown.
Also, this: Libertine Parfumerie fragrance masterclasses in Melbourne
Libertine Parfumerie is synonymous with niche fragrance, housing some of the most coveted perfumes from around the world. If you’re into high-end fragrance, you’ll no doubt be familiar with a number of its luxury brands – including Creed, Trudon and Santa Maria Novella – and now the perfumery is hosting two exclusive masterclasses in Melbourne this Friday (!!).
Featuring a curated selection of the world's finest fragrances, the masterclasses will be held at Myer’s Mural Hall and guided by legendary perfumer sommelier Lucy Borland. You’ll head off on an olfactory journey to explore an array of innovative blends and handcrafted fragrances that you won’t find anywhere else.
Bonus? Your ticket for the event is fully redeemable when you purchase a 75ml fragrance or larger from a Libertine brand, and when you do, you’ll score a free 270g Trudon Candle (valued at $159) – and trust, the candle alone is so worth it.
Here’s the deal.
Luxury of Rose Perfume Masterclass – $99+bf
Friday 6 September 12pm – 1:30pm
An afternoon experience with complimentary high tea and bubbles that traverses the world's finest rose-inspired perfumes. Sounds like an ideal Friday arvo activity tbh.
Book your tickets here
Cocktails & Perfumes Masterclass – $99+bf
Friday 6 September 5:45pm – 7:45pm
A curated collection of 6 cocktail and fragrance pairings to discover the glorious harmony between spirit and scent. Honestly? You had me at 6 cocktails.
Book your tickets here
Other news of note:
Givenchy Beauty’s powder trip: ICYMI, Givenchy reformulated its iconic Prisme Libre and it has not been well-received. It’s always a nail-biting time for a beauty brand when an old favourite is evolved, but long-time loyalists of the setting powder say the new talc-free formula does exactly the opposite of what it shouldn’t do: where it once blurred and smoothed, it now amplifies shine and magnifies texture. As Rachel Strugatz reveals, this one product is said to be responsible for “a wildly disproportionate amount of the brand’s beauty sales”. Online backlash has been significant enough that Prisme Libre 2.0 has been pulled from shelves.
Estée Lauder’s ‘Night Night Club’ with Nicole Richie: In a perhaps unexpected move, the heritage beauty giant has provided a masterclass in a modern brand collaboration by partnering with former wild child Nicole Richie. Now better known for her produce-positive raps, Richie notoriously enjoyed many a night out in Hollywood throughout the 2000s. Many argue that she and her Y2K contemporaries, including Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, were the influencers of the era, which makes this collaboration so f*cking genius.
Per Glossy, “parallels are drawn between the club and the benefits of an effective night cream. Richie tells the camera: “People always ask me — don’t you miss going out every night? And I just smile and say, ‘Are you f*cking insane?’ The only VIP I care about these days is Very Incredibly Plump. … Skip the lines, get all of the bounce. … Make your skin bounce — no club required.’” As a member of the target demographic – elder millennials in their mid-to late-30s – it’s nostalgia that trades in the currency of today’s Brat, which makes it relatable to those who, like Richie, recall their clubbing days fondly… from the comfort of their couch.
See you next week!
KL x
I have so many things to book in for! 💞