Australia’s leading purveyor of luxury global beauty brands and cosmetics, Mecca, holds a considerable monopoly on the nation’s beauty buying habits! Indeed, the brand itself has essentially become synonymous with Australian beauty today. Thinking of purchasing a new foundation to smooth out your complexion? Perhaps a brightening concealer to help minimise those dark undereye circles? Or even, a vibrant, colourful lipstick, lip stain, or lip gloss to add a touch of glamour for a special event or celebration? Undoubtedly, for the majority of Australian beauty consumers, Mecca Cosmetica comes to mind in times like these! 

But how did Mecca come to be our nationwide beauty go-to? To begin with — stocking internationally acclaimed, luxe skincare items and coveted designer makeup brands, as well as indulgent giftware and luxury fragrances, has certainly played its part in cementing the cosmetic retailer’s role as Australia’s one-stop beauty destination. Further, the brand’s marketing rollout — from the curation of Mecca’s tone and identity, to its hugely successful and ongoing brand awareness campaigns and loyalty program — has been extremely effective in positioning Mecca at the very top of Australia’s beauty marketplace.

Who owns Mecca?

When observing the overwhelming success of Mecca in the beauty space, one can’t help but wonder — who founded Mecca? Indeed, who is the mastermind behind this iconic Australian cosmetic retail brand? And, perhaps most importantly, does the person who came up with the brainchild that is now the dominant beauty retailer in Australia still own it? In short, the answer is yes! The founder and now co-CEO of Mecca is a powerful Australian woman named Jo Horgan. 

Of course, after launching the brand some 20 years ago in the late 1990s, Ms Horgan has seen Mecca continue to grow, expand, and come to completely dominate the Australian cosmetic retail industry today. The story goes that Ms Horgan started the brand after her own somewhat disjointed and frustrating experiences of needing to go from one retail destination to another to purchase different beauty brands. Fast forward to 1997, and thanks to Ms Horgan, the newly-introduced concept of a multi-brand, one-stop, all-inclusive beauty shop, was born.

Is Mecca cruelty-free?

In today’s increasingly socially and ethically conscious world, the question on many conscientious Australian beauty consumers’ lips is if Mecca is vegan, and cruelty-free? That is to say, does Mecca — or, more specifically, do the brands it stocks — test on animals? 

To clarify, the Mecca brand’s line of in-house, own-brand products – which include Mecca Cosmetica, Mecca MAX, and Kit, are all vegan and cruelty-free. While the same regrettably cannot be said of every product Mecca Cosmetica carries in its stores, the brand is doing its part to at least ensure that its home-based products are ethically-sound and cruelty-free. As such, products within the Mecca Cosmetica, Mecca MAX and Kit beauty lines contain only vegan ingredients and they are not tested on animals. Mecca does also sell plenty of cruelty-free and vegan brands, and you can filter using these categories when shopping online, or chat to the experts in-store for advice on which brands to shop.

Are Mecca Maxima, Mecca Cosmetica, and MECCA stores the same? 

While each of these two retail stores do fall under the Mecca brand, there are certainly some differences between the two. Mecca Cosmetica stores emphatically align themselves as luxury retail destinations by stocking the most luxe, high-end products that Mecca sells, which include globally-acclaimed, coveted designer brands. Mecca Maxima, on the other hand, offers shoppers a somewhat more accessible retail experience by providing budget-conscious consumers with access to ‘blockbuster’ and more affordable beauty options. These options often focus on trendy, viral products, and also tend to be marketed to a slightly younger demographic than the more luxe Mecca Cosmetica stores. MECCA stores are a combination of both Mecca Cosmetica and Mecca Maxima, bringing shoppers a well-rounded selection of beauty favourites to browse, try, and buy.

Does Mecca have Afterpay?

The answer is yes! While Afterpay was initially only available at in-store Mecca retail destinations, Afterpay is now also available online, via the Mecca website.

It is also important to note that Afterpay’s pay-by-four instalment options are just one of many payment methods accepted by Mecca Cosmetica. Mecca Cosmetica also accepts payments via Visa, Mastercard, Diners and AMEX, as well as Paypal. Mecca gift cards are also accepted, both in-store and online.

Mecca truly is the ultimate beauty destination for Australians — shop in-store or online for both your go-tos and exciting new products!