What to expect from the opening weekend at Mecca Dunedin; Chuan Spa wins Spa Of The Year; Tronque recognised for its premium body care in Oprah Daily Bath-O Awards and Billie Eilish launches a new fragrance.
Welcome to Viva’s Beauty Insider, our fortnightly column where beauty editor Ashleigh Cometti
Check back every second Thursday for the latest instalment, or keep your finger on the pulse by heading to our @Nzhviva Instagram for updates as they happen.
Read on for every important beauty announcement worth knowing this week.
Mecca Dunedin opens this weekend
Exciting news, beauty lovers! Mecca is expanding its New Zealand presence with the opening of its new Mecca Dunedin store.
It’s the second Mecca store to open in Otago, the first being the recent opening of Mecca Queenstown.
The country’s southernmost store will highlight a wide-reaching selection of Mecca’s most sought-after beauty brands, as well as in-store exclusives and beauty services.
Expect to see much-loved brands including Mecca Max, Charlotte Tilbury, Glow Recipe and Emma Lewisham line the shelves, alongside fine fragrance from DedCool, Maison Crivelli and Troye Sivan’s Tsu Lange Yor.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.Treatments aside, Mecca Dunedin will offer a selection of services to shoppers, including four makeup services, three fragrance consultations and three semi-private areas for skin treatments such as Express Facials.
The opening weekend celebrations kick off tomorrow, Friday, March 14, and run until Sunday, March 16.
Join the team for the ribbon cutting ceremony, try one of the hair, makeup, skincare and fragrance express services, or treat yourself to one of the following opening weekend services:
- Mecca Max Discovery (30 min, $60 redeemable, bookable) – an introduction to Mecca Max for new customers and brand loyalists.
- Meet The Mecca Icons (30 min, $60 redeemable, bookable) – showcasing Mecca’s most beloved brands.
- High Touch (15 min, Free, walk-in) – an expert-led hair demo.
- Emma Lewisham Express (30 min, $60 redeemable, bookable) – an introduction to New Zealand skincare brand Emma Lewisham.
- Express Agnostic Facial (30 min, $60 redeemable, bookable) – with one of Mecca’s Skincare Specialists that will leave skin feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.
- Discover Your New Perfumeria Favourite Fragrance (20 min, free, walk-in) – an interactive fragrance experience.
Shoppers in-store during opening weekend will receive a surprise gift which features a curated edit of trending makeup, skincare, fragrance, haircare and body care, available exclusively at checkout.
Chuan Spa awarded Spa Of The Year title
It’s been a month of celebrations for Chuan Spa at Cordis, Auckland, which has been recognised at this year’s Travel and Hospitality Awards as the New Zealand Spa of The Year for 2024/2025.
The prestigious awards aim to recognise and celebrate the best the travel and hospitality industry has to offer and is an exciting accolade for the luxurious urban sanctuary, which first opened in 2009 inside the former Langham Hotel.
Chuan Spa is known for coupling traditional Chinese medicine with modern wellness practices, offering guests a moment to reflect and reconnect with self.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.Every signature and holistic treatment is rooted in the five elements of Wu Xing - wood, fire, earth, metal and water - designed to restore harmony in both body and mind.
Treatments aside, Chuan Spa boasts a heated pool, herbal steam rooms, saunas and a well-appointed fitness studio, for an elevated wellness experience.
The luxurious surrounds make for an idyllic setting in which to try a rejuvenating skin treatment, feel pampered with a full day of relaxation, or escape to an inner-city wellness retreat.
Chuan Spa at Cordis Auckland, 83 Symonds St, Auckland. Cordishotels.com
Tronque wins Oprah award
New Zealand body care brand Tronque has received international attention for its luxurious Firming Butter.
The bright red jar of efficacious body care received an Oprah Daily Bath-O Award, with judges explaining how its rich texture and elevated ingredient profile set it above the rest.
" From its bold red jar to its bionic-sounding name, this cream, which was formulated to increase elasticity, means business. It’s fortified with heavy-hitters like ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide as well as ocean kelp and five kinds of oils,” says Jennie Tung, the senior director of wellness at Oprah Daily.
“It’s so rich it’s almost solid. You have to scoop some out, warm it between your hands, and then smooth it on. It feels luxurious and absorbs quickly into damp skin.”
It’s an exciting milestone for founder Tanne Snowden, who first launched Tronque back in 2022 with a tight edit of body care products crafted without endocrine disruptors which are said to interrupt hormone balance.
“I am beyond thrilled and deeply honoured to have our Firming Body Butter recognised as the Best Body Butter in the Oprah O Awards. As a New Zealand brand, it’s an incredible moment to see my passion for clean, results-driven beauty celebrated on the international stage,” she says.
“I pour my heart into creating luxurious, high-performance skincare, and this recognition from Oprah is a true milestone. I’m so grateful for this honour.”
Tronque Firming Butter, $130, from Tronque.com.
Billie Eilish unveils new scent with Your Turn
The Guess singer has revealed her fourth fragrance with Your Turn, a woody and fresh eau de parfum which comes housed in a reflective pair of stacked dice.
Her first three fragrances, the self-titled Eilish, Eilish No.2 and Eilish No.3, have proved popular with fans and fragrance aficionados alike, with the latter receiving a Consumer Choice Award from the Fragrance foundation.
Your Turn ushers in a new era for Eilish’s fragrance stable, a modern and sensual take on previous iterations.
The scent opens with zesty bergamot peel, spicy cardamom and fresh ginger, before unfolding into a delicate heart of velvety peach, night-blooming jasmine and coconut water, with Australian sandalwood, musk and upcycled ingredient Sylvamber at its base.
“Creating Your Turn with Billie was a journey of discovery,” says Frank Voelkl, principal perfumer at Swiss fragrance manufacturer Firmenich.
“We worked through countless iterations to develop a scent that captures the warmth and richness of sandalwood while layering in something unexpectedly fresh. It’s a fragrance that reflects Billie’s vision of individuality and uniqueness.”
Billie Eilish Your Turn eau de parfum is priced at $120 for 30ml, or $155 for 100ml and is available now from Life Pharmacies nationwide or see Lifepharmacy.co.nz.
More beauty and wellness
A behind-the-scenes look at this year’s Melbourne Fashion Festival, lipstick shades to don on your wedding day, plus The Cyclist is helping people self-advocate for their reproductive health.
8 Makeup Artists Share Their Go-To Lipstick Shades To Wear On Your Wedding Day. From long-wearing shades to essentials for a touch-up kit.
The Viva Team Test Drive The Newest Wave Of Hair Tools. Here Are The Ones Worth The Money. From wide plate straighteners to do-it-all stylers - we try, before you buy.
Backstage at Melbourne Fashion Festival With Top Hair & Makeup Artists. Go backstage with Viva beauty editor Ashleigh Cometti as she surveys the hottest looks at this year’s Melbourne Fashion Festival.
With New Website The Cyclist, Katherine Douglas & Jess Quinn Empower People To Take Charge Of Their Reproductive Health. Launching today, online platform The Cyclist aims to make expert health advice available to all.
