A lot has changed in the makeup industry since makeup retail giant Mecca first opened its doors in New Zealand in 2007.
Mecca’s New Zealand Country Manager, Nicky Shore, said perceptions of beauty, how customers shop, and the categories that dominate the market have changed over time.
The makeup outlet recently opened its second Ponsonby store and has expanded into a full-service beauty destination.
Shore expressed that when Mecca opened its first Ponsonby store, beauty was largely about aspiration. That meant looking a certain way and following a rule book.
Since then, there has been a fundamental shift in understanding, and customers now use beauty as a form of self-expression.
“It’s become much more personal,” noted Shore.
Now, the New Zealand beauty customer was incredibly knowledgeable. They understood ingredients, had a point of view and did their research before shopping.
As a result of social media, customers were coming into the store more informed than ever. They had watched reviews, seen the results and read ingredients for products. However, that did not always create confidence and often created more questions. The role of the team at Mecca had shifted from introducing products to helping customers make sense of what they already know.
Shore loved that people were curious and liked to experiment.
“They’ll ask questions and try something completely new,” added Shore. “They’re confident in what they know, but they’re still open to discovering something new. That combination is what makes New Zealand one of the most exciting beauty markets I’ve worked in.”
Presently, one of the biggest trends among New Zealand consumers is in fragrances. It used to be a gift category, but now, customers were building a wardrobe of scents that reflected different moods, moments and occasions.
“It’s become a genuine form of self-expression, which is why we’ve significantly expanded our fragrance offering in Ponsonby,” explained Shore.
There had been a major shift in the Skin category as well. New Zealanders have always had a “wellness-first” mindset, and an interest in skincare has grown organically out of that, said Shore. Customers sought consultation and education, and were proactively thinking more about their long-term skin health.
New Zealand customers were also looking for in-person beauty experiences. They wanted to go into the store, try new things, learn new things and be looked after.
The secret to keeping returning customers has been building trust in Mecca, its products, and its service.
“When you consistently deliver that kind of experience, customers come back because they know they’ll be looked after,” Shore said.
The new Ponsobly Store introduced about 30 new brands to the make-up retailer’s catalogue.
The process of curating the products began with the customer and their needs, and with partnering with brands that deserved to be known. Mecca was always listening to what customers wanted from the global market, but never chasing what was trending.
Skincare brands like Hailey Bieber’s rhode and Glossier had a lot of cultural momentum, and fragrance houses like DS & Durga, Ormaie, and DedCool offered a personal experience that customers wanted.
The new Ponsobly Mecca store, designed by Hecker Gutherie, preserved the building's features, including its original tiles and pressed-metal ceilings. Shore said the layout felt less like a retail store and more like a beautiful house. The standout area was the perfumeria, lit by a chandelier that set the tone for a fragrance experience.
Fragrance was a major focus of the store. Shore suggested that fragrance was having a moment with customers because it was deeply personal.
“There’s something extraordinary about the connection between scent and memory,” continued Shore. “A fragrance can take you straight back to a moment, a person or a place.”
Mecca had grown from one New Zealand store to 15 locations nationwide. It had opened and expanded seven stores since 2020 alone, and the staff had doubled in size. Shore said the response from customers in new locations, including Dunedin, Hamilton, and Queenstown, had been fantastic.
Looking ahead, Shore believed customers would continue to expect more from beauty retail; they’ll want expertise, experience and connection. She also thought the line between beauty and wellness would continue to blur, and that skin and health would merge into a single category.
Finally, physical retail will become more local, and stores will reflect what the community wants. Mecca’s Ponsonby store was an example of that.
“We’re not just on Ponsonby Road. We’re part of it.”
