Mecca Max by Mecca Maxima

In my hands this week I'm lucky enough to have the brand new makeup range by Mecca Maxima, called Mecca Max. I was sent a selection of products to try which I was excited about, as it's always interesting to try a new makeup brand to see what it's like and whether it's one I'll keep going back to.

I didn't have any expectations of this range when I first heard about it's release, as I haven't tried any house-brands of retail stores. I assumed it would be similar to Sephora's own label, which I'm yet to try and haven't really heard much about on social media or youtube. It's been hard to miss the new Mecca Max range while scrolling through Instagram though, it's definitely everywhere!

There are so many new products in the range to try, but for now I'll share my thoughts on the ones I have here in front of me which I've been trying out over the past week.

Thoughts on... Packaging

The first thing that caught my eye about this new makeup range when I saw the products for the first time on social media was the packaging - it really stands out. With a mixture of luxurious black and gold, the fun aspect is brought in with a bright splash of pink and a bold shade of red. I'm not a big fan of red myself, however I can see why it was included. It's the 'ultimate shade of red lipstick' type red and combining it with the candy pink really makes a unique statement that I haven't seen on other makeup packaging. They've done really well at creating something different.

In person, the packaging of the products is even better, not only in appearance but in functionality as well, which I'll talk about below.

Sunlit Skin Bronzing Powder

Shade: Medium

The first product I tried was their bronzing powder in a medium shade. The colour of it is spot on, it's that perfect mix of cool and warm toned brown. It has the very slightest bit of shimmer in it, however not too noticeable. It blends really nicely, has a mirror inside the compact and is just the right size for a bronzer brush.

I'll have to be a bit light-handed with this one as I'm sure the light shade would be better for my skin tone, however this will be perfect in summer when I start tanning again.

Shimmer Shot Highlighting Wand

Shade: Pearl

I haven't seen a highlighting product like this before, so I was really interested in trying this one. Their liquid highlighter is available in Pearl, Soft Gold and Bronze, three different shades for three different skin tones. On one end of the product is a white flat brush and on the other, a push button to pump the product into the brush.

I have the shade Pearl and when I first pumped the product out, it looked really golden. When applied to the skin though, the colour lightens to a pale champagne pink then when blended out is a really pretty shimmer. I feel like this colour could have been made a little bit lighter for pale skin as it has that golden cream undertone, but it's still good.

Eyephoria Eye Palette  

My favourite! This is their first larger eyeshadow palette (there are quads as well) yet it's still quite compact in size. It's the most expensive product in the range, coming in at $45 but I truly think it's worth the money! It has all the colours I love wearing and it will be very easy to travel with.

It has two matte shades - a warm brown for the crease and a cream for all over the lid. The rest of the shades are foil/shimmers, some more shimmery than others. The coppery/bronze shades are perfect, the shimmery white is way more pigmented than I expected. My favourite shade though is a champagne foil (the long section bottom right). The purples are very warm-toned as well, making them slightly more on the burgundy side.

All the colours are much more shimmery on the skin than what they look in the palette. The only negative I have about it is the two copper shimmers are very similar - one probably could have been replaced with a richer foil.

Eye Max Power Couple Mascara

There are two mascaras in the Mecca Max range, one volumizing one and this one I have here which is double-ended. On one end is the mascara wand which is good, works well but I can't say it's as good as my Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes. It does separate the lashes, darkens and doesn't smudge, although despite the thick, fluffy brush it doesn't give over-the-top length and volume that I personally go for. It may just be how wet it is when you first open it, so I'm going to keep using it to see if it's better once it starts to dry a little. Probably a good one for anyone who wears false lashes on a daily basis.

On the other end is the part I love about it - another wand, specifically for the lower lashes. This is a little life saver for me, as regular wands tend to smudge my under-eye no matter how careful I am. The packaging of this mascara is the most luxe out of all the products I have from the range.

A-Lister Liquid Lipstick

Shade: Skinny Latte

With this product in particular, I can't say I like it. The packaging is a lot more plain than the other products and at the price of $28, I have found better, more affordable liquid lipsticks.

The applicator is quite long and flat, very similar to my NYX liquid lipstick but a little more messy, with the product getting all over the stick of the wand and somehow ending up on my fingers. A few little drops ended up on my desk as well when opening it up 😕 It's a very watery liquid formula. I have the shade Skinny Latte which is a deep rose, verging on a burgundy.

As the formula is so watery, it was difficult to apply neatly, especially on my bottom lip - it ran a bit. It took up to a minute to dry whilst waving my hand in front of my face. It dries matte and is comfortable to wear, however it continues to transfer slightly once dry.

This is probably the only product I wouldn't recommend at this stage, just from personal experience.

Pout Pop Lipstick

Shade: Freedom Fighter

Now the packaging of this lipstick is definitely different - no more lids falling off in your bag with this one. At first sight it looks like a regular lipstick bullet without a lid. At the top is a push button with the shade name (no stickers) that when pressed in, releases the base of the lipstick from the bullet. You then pull it out and you're holding the lipstick!

I have the shade Freedom Fighter which is a bright almost-coral red. I tried it out for a day and it was creamy, comfortable and the colour was really fun to wear.

Thoughts on... Quality

I think you'll be surprised by the quality of most of the Mecca Max range. It's a range of products worth getting in to store to swatch for yourself and hold the packaging in your hands. You can tell that they haven't been rushed - all but one of the products I've tried seem to have been planned, designed and carefully created, from the colours to the formula to the packaging. I love when you can visibly see the work that's gone into a product, it's evident.

There are a few products that I'm definitely interested in trying out next. They have their own sponges (there's a pink one!) and these little metallic eyeshadow pots which look amazing. Let me know if you've tried either! From the products I've tried, I definitely recommend the eyeshadow palette the most.

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