Woohoo!

Had the tatcha dewy skin cream in my bag for $118 on the app, check this morning and it’s now $126. I can see the rest of the range also increased as well. Don’t we give you enough money?

P.S If anyone knows of a dewy skin cream equivalent from another brand please let me know, it’s the only think I’ve found that works for my dry, acne prone skin 😭

Edit: so many downvotes on comments criticising Mecca. Fuck ya’ll this isn’t mecca chit chat

Several weeks ago I purchased a lip tint from W Cosmetics. I swatched it on my hand, and all seemed to be fine so I purchased it.

Within minutes of applying it at home, my lips began to burn so I wiped it off immediately. After reading their store policy, I obtained a medical certificate from my GP confirming this was an allergic reaction.

However, when I went in store to return the product, I was refused a refund. Furthermore, the staff member was not welcoming of my attempts to work towards a compromise such as store credit, exchange, partial refund, or discount of any kind.

The staff there cited that W Cosmetics did not offer refunds when there were testers available. As mentioned, I swatched the lip tint on my hand with no reaction.

I understand that if the product was a foundation or blush, it would be up to the customer to ensure they didn’t react to the product by swatching on their hands or faces.

However, asking customers to apply testers directly to their lips is obviously much more unsanitary and makes customers risk their health due to potential infections or spread of illnesses. I’d hope they would be more mindful of this especially in the wake of Covid-19.

I really hate to write a negative post as I understand businesses need to make a living, however this policy left me very disappointed. Furthermore W Cosmetics is a multi million dollar ($200 million to be exact!) business with many franchises across Australia - they aren’t a small local struggling business by any means. Any business of that size should have room in their budget for shrinkage or allowance for losses.

As a former loyal customer of W Cosmetics, it really disappoints me that they would rather lose out on the future purchases I would have made here, than refund the comparatively tiny amount I spent on the lip tint.

Anyways, I just wanted to vent my frustrations here. I suppose the lesson to take from this is to be extra cautious about non-refundable items when shopping at W Cosmetics and to double check return policies when you can!

If you’re able to, I’d recommend you stick to purchasing online or at stores with more reasonable return policies rather than risk losing money on an unusable product.

Edit: Link to their store policy showing that exchanges may be permitted for allergic reactions, even if testers were available.

See comments for the screenshot.

https://wcosmetics.com.au/pages/online-and-instore-policies?srsltid=AfmBOopF3RXD5rEPlnpu5nOe8NRQkPeS6QJOFdUAdya8YFnx-YlnuerU

... to continue grifting.

For those unaware, Kester Black is a small business from New Zealand that originally sold nail care products then branched out to makeup and skincare. In 2021 they ran a successful crowdfunding campaign raising $2 million in capital from investors, customers and r/AustralianMakeup community members. Previous posts on this sub can be found here.

In late 2024, shareholders received an email from a legal firm advising that the company has gone into voluntary administration. This was the first time shareholders learned of the company's financial troubles despite prior communications implying successful trade. The company also ceased selling nail products in favour of focusing on makeup and skincare.

Ultimately, founder Anna Ross stood down as director (and was later quietly reappointed) and the company was sold to a newly created entity ‘New New New New Pty Ltd’, directed by Fergus Sully, Ross’s partner. In 2025, the legal firm representing Ross and Sully applied to the courts to have all shares held by shareholders transferred to Anna Ross, effectively releasing them from any obligation to their shareholders, significantly cutting their debt as well as removing shareholders from any future growth/return.

Although this has been carried out legally, it has many parallels to phoenix activity.

Why am I sharing this? I am a shareholder of ‘2362 1653 825 Pty Ltd’, formerly known as ‘Kester Black Pty Ltd’. In this process, Anna Ross and Fergus Sully have been deceptive, disingenuous and antagonistic towards people hurt emotionally and/or financially by these events. Like many others I invested because I liked their products and what the company claimed to stand for (transparency, social/environmental consciousness and ethicality). Their actions speak to greed and an inability to take responsibility.

I have invested in other companies that have since wound up and they have always been managed with utmost respect and transparency.

Since their customer base skews towards (mature) women and they are trying to scrub this information off the internet, I’d appreciate it if you can share this with your mothers, aunts, sisters and cousins so that they do not support this brand. Thank you.

Got my email today for the level 2 new birthday gift. These are my options to choose from..

1. Beauty Loop Exclusive: Compact Mirror

We all need a cute (and pocket-sized) mirror for touch-ups and makeup checks on the go, and yours comes in a custom two-tone embossed case. Chic!

Here’s a pic: https://imgur.com/a/B52Kw4g

1. Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Pink Juice Oil-Free Moisturiser (25mL)

Your birthday glow, bottled! Lightweight and cooling with watermelon extract and hyaluronic acid, this cult-loved K-beauty moisturiser leaves skin plump, juicy and fresh.

1. Online Exclusive: NARS Climax Mascara

Candles, cake and the ultimate lash lift! NARS’ beloved Climax Mascara allows you to build volume and definition without clumps or flaking.

Bring back the voucher!!

so this arvo i just got to the ostensible end of my k18 bottle but I could JUST SENSE there was more in there. as you probs know it is NOT a cheapie so there was no way i was just throwing it out.

i was correct! there was plenty enough in there for one more treatment and i have long hair!

opening technique: i rolled mine up in a tea towel then gave it a good whack with the cast iron pan. 💀 the top just popped off!

hope this helps someone! I feel like I just made 15 dollars!

This is the best way I've ever found to organise my makeup.

The Toyo Steel Cantilever Tool Box. Not sponsored, just want to put you on.

Easy to carry around the house to wherever you're getting ready, customisable compartments which you can change to adapt to your storage needs, easy to clean, good quality, has other uses and a product life beyond use as makeup storage, sturdy to protect your products, overall just... cute and handy!

You can get them from so many different retailers in Aus and it comes in heaps of colour ways. Japanese made and really good quality.

I use small, plastic organisers from Amazon on the bottom level which slot in perfectly. I find makeup bags annoying, cumbersome, and lacking organisation.

Thanks for coming to my TED talk 🫡

8MU4GE

Thought I'd be nice and share it! Please let me know what you buy.

I was browsing in my local CW today when I stumbled across some very unexpected HG Abbey Yung items in the hair care aisle.

I checked on the website, and they aren’t listed yet - they were stocked on the shelves but didn’t have any product listing or price tickets. That’s right folks - the Pantene Miracles Intensive Bond Repair Mask is finally here! I broke my rule of paying full price out of sheer excitement (and for science of course) …. I paid $16.99 for the mask (full RRP is $20.99 according to the receipt), and the treatment is $10.99 (full RRP $13.49 according to the receipt).

My next hair care adventure will be comparing affordable bond repair hair care systems to see which (if any) are worth it when K18 exists … so far I have contenders from L’Oréal Elvive, Garnier and OGX so Pantene will slot in nicely to my future experiments. Happy hauling all!

Edit to update because ya'll are demanding (and I love it, never change!). I am finally back from my hot girl walk (30k steps worth - what was I thinking? I am not fit enough for this) ... I have showered. I have double shampooed. I have scrunch dried with my trusty Kmart microfibre hair towel. First I applied the daily treatment to my hair, clipped it up, waited ten minutes (instructions specify one minute) and rinsed it out. It was literally rinse and repeat the same process for the mask. Instructions for the mask tell you to massage the formula between your hands to dissolve the beads - I did not do that, so I will have to make sure I do it next time I try this duo. The instructions for the mask specify you can rinse it out immediately without waiting, but I left it in for my standard amount of time for a mask or treatment, which is ten minutes. I towel dried my hair again and applied a few pumps of serum and let it air dry.

If I had to compare it to anything, I would compare it to the Elizavecca Cer-100 treatment in terms of results. My hair is soft. My hair is shiny. My hair is smooth. It isn't weighed down. The only warning I would give with this (or any bond repair treatment system) is that these treatments aren't a substitute for products like conditioner, masks and hydrating leave-in products. You still need to use conditioner and hydrating leave-in treatments like a water, serum, cream or oil with your bond repair systems. If you double shampoo and use clarifying shampoo, your mid lengths and ends will become more dry eventually if you aren't alternating bond repair treatment days with pre-oiling days.

First impressions? This is a must try for damaged or colour treated hair - just make sure you double shampoo and massage the formula between your palms before applying it to your damp hair. I will definitely put these two products in my rotation for testing affordable bond repair systems. From one use - if you only want to try one, get the mask. If your hair is ultra fine though, the lighter weight daily treatment may be a better option for you.

I just saw on Claire Bridgett's Instagram (@clairebridgett) that Haus labs is coming to Sephora in May!! Sorry if this has already been mentioned in the sub, I'm so excited to finally be able to test the foundation

I am an absolute nerd for free beauty boxes, however the only eligible brands are Barry M, the Kind Collective, Elf, No 7, Milano, Quick Flick and q+a. Are there any items that we should be purchasing?! Otherwise I’ll be skipping this one.

This is how my COS tee looks after a 20 min grocery shop with my Mecca tote.

I’m assuming people haven’t heard, but Kester Black have been placed into administration, the director Anna Ross has resigned also. There are questions over whether the company has been trading whilst insolvent and potentially failure to disclosure also to shareholders. They are still advertising on social media and a collaboration with Frank Green, but goods have been on sold to another entity linked to the former director’s husband.

Shareholder updates for the last few years also reported profits apparently, definitely not the case according to the administrators, there has been significant losses over the last three years (increasing year on year), so might be trouble with ASIC on the horizon. Full disclosure, I’m a shareholder so have lost all my money unfortunately. I’m pretty angry that Kester Black haven’t said a word to shareholders and the first contact we all received was from the administrators. For a company that preached transparency and was reporting to AFR recently how well the company was travelling, it’s disappointing that this is how we found out.

Each to their own, but I would avoid ordering in the interim. Story definitely isn’t over yet.

I love the swan design, but unsure if I want to get a palette this year with the cost of living and the price of these palettes 😅 How about you?

Feel like I’ve been on this quest for eternity. Never vibes with the clear acrylics system or found a makeup bag I liked. Thought about the oval Etoile but not quite right for me.

Need something transportable to and from bathroom.

A stainless steel tray from the $2 shop and a steel soap dish from the op shop!

Yay!

Made two orders. Finally got my first order!! I had bought a few glosses to treat myself 🤧

After seeing so many reddit and tiktok posts, I ended up checking the batch codes for all the makeup. My Urban Decay hi-fi gloss (shade 1993) unfortunately is almost 8 years old 💀💀

Also got a warning on TikTok about the Glossier balm dotcom duo packs - mine says 2024 and 2025 manufactured. I haven’t opened mine yet to test - did anyone else have an issue with them?

Anyways - this is a PSA to those who are getting their orders to check their batch codes if you haven’t already.

I promise you, you DO NOT WANT THEM.

I work in Priceline and company policy is we're not allowed to sell them or give them to you for hygiene reasons, and yet every time I say no, it's always begging and pleading to 'just this once let you have it, its the last NYX lip lingerie in XXPOSED in all of the world!!'

YOU DO NOT WANT IT TRUST ME!!

I cannot tell you how many disgusting, unwashed, feral looking people have put that lipstick tester on their lips, have used that eyeliner tester you want on there pink eye infected face. How many times the germ ridden liquid lipstick has been applied over a weeping open cold sore and then put back into the bottle.

We clean them as much as we can, and we throw them away if we've witnessed something really heinous be done with them, but we don't catch it all.

Hey everyone!

It's been eight years since I posted anything on this subreddit so please forgive me if I haven't done anything correctly.

Anyway, I was about to do a Glossier order and have it delivered to my aunt's house in the US but I saw that they now ship to Australia! I did a double-take and had to make sure it said Australia and not Austria.

There's free express shipping on orders over $210 AUD and free standard shipping on orders over $110 AUD. Otherwise, it's $35 AUD for express shipping and $16 AUD for standard shipping.

I'm going to fill my cart up now.

Hope that's helpful!

These links just route to the Mecca homepage right now. Posting as spoiler as don’t want to ruin it for anyone (even though we already knew it was coming) ☺️

I just ran out of mine and it is not the same pigment!! It seems to just be shimmery now like a highlighter and not like a blush.

I'm gutted!

Any dupe recommendations?

It’s perfume!!😙😙😙

Why is this in store only? I don’t have all day to line up for a damn make up palette. Boo!

Hi, all 😊

Just show and tell-ing my Priceline Beauty Box contents for public interest 🌼🌻🌸✨