My Tiny MECCA Haul!

THE UNBOXING

Gasp! I actually did the unthinkable! I actually bought something for myself from Mecca! As someone that's always lived on a budget and barely ever treat myself to something as expensive as an eyeshadow palette from Too Faced. In fact, I've always settled for less, paying as little as I could on clothes, makeup, skincare and so on. The only thing I would let myself go is food and mineral specimens, even though I haven't bought a specimen since last September. That's saying something when week after week, something new would go into my cabinet to sit on the shelves next to my other rhodochrosites, dioptases, wulfenites and pyromorphites.

Makeup has really done a whopper on my shopping habits, I'll tell you that!

Technically, I did buy the Too Faced Shadow Insurance, as some of you may remember from my little lunch date with Kinnaly, the face of DownUnder Cosmetix. If you haven't read the post yet, then here you go. I ended up returning the Shadow Insurance because it turned out to be absolutely sad and defenceless against my notoriously greasy eyelids. I've since found something even better, and for much cheaper too, and you can find out what I discovered by reading this post on my honest review on eye primers.

Ever since Too Faced announced the release of the Peanut Butter and Jelly palette, I really, really wanted it. It wasn't just because it was so freaking cute, but the colours looked right up my alley. Too Faced was a brand that I had always wanted to support for their cruelty-free standing, and they also produce vegan-friendly products. It only made sense that they be my second first high-end purchase.

I had to buy this one online, as apparently this was an online-exclusive product and I only found that out after I had visited the store nearest Mum's house. Impatient, I went and bought the palette online and waited (impatiently) for it to arrive. And yesterday, when I got the message that it would be arriving, I waited (impatiently) in front of the bedroom window for the truck, and then I came barrelling out of the bedroom to greet the postman (who turned out to not be usual gentleman that I was familiar and friendly with, bummer).

This came in an ordinary white cardboard box, which didn't strike me as weird and I expected the product to be protected by shitloads of paper or bubble wrap so that it didn't shatter. However, it was a box within a box, and the box inside was adorable! Like, Mecca, I was seriously not expecting this but, girl, I feel loved! The geometric gold stamping is gorgeous and I just know I will keep this box forever and ever, on display and holding some of my back-up goodies.

Open it up and ah~ printed tissue paper. These people really know how to play the packaging game. No popcorn, no bubble wrap and no fuss, just paper, a box, and a sticker. Simple and clean.

And then...there's my baby! Lookit the cute little face on the little toastie-woastie!

This came with three complimentary samples of skincare products, and they include the Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil, Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip Cleanser and Kate Somerville's Age Arrest Anti-Wrinkle Cream. The website offers the opportunity to choose the samples you'd like to try, and all of the ones that I chose were on a list I found that contained all of the cruelty-free brands at Mecca. I didn't want to waste time doing my research to verify their cruelty-free status when I wanted to order the damn palette already, but the list did point out which ones had parent companies that tested, and they removed all the brands that sold products in China and other countries with the same testing law. I was actually rather surprised by the number of brands at Mecca that were definitely cruelty-free, including Mecca's own brand, so a big A+ to the company! *Applause*

I haven't gotten around to trying on the eyeshadows yet, because I want to be able to wear them out and about and let them shine, rather than hiding them in the shadows (ha! See what I did there?) in my humble abode. I did indeed swatch them rather frugally on my fingertips to see their colours. I was expecting really poor colour payoff with the Jelly shade, but I am surprised that it is more pigmented than everyone said. I might have initially lowered my expectations so much so that I didn't end up being disappointed when I got the palette...

Have I ever told you that I really love puns and make them whenever I can?