For a foreigner to the Moorooka area, stepping into this store is like entering another world. In…read morefact, I recently spent some time in the Caribbean and this is the closest I've come to being transported back there. Naune Universal Cosmetic Shop is packed from floor to ceiling with products for the African head of hair. Dark and coloured hair extensions, shampoos with bases of things like olive oil, beeswax for dreadlocks and a whole range of creams for coarse hair, containing things like cocoa butter, hemp seed oil and coconut oil. As a blonde-haired individual, I'd probably look a bit slick wearing any of these products, however, I find that a lot of these hair moisturisers work just as well on the skin. Whichever type of hair you have, take a wander in this store--it's fascinating and you never know what you'll find.

Mecca Maxima, the monster version of Mecca Cosmetica, has opened in Carindale and I couldn't be…read moremore delighted. The store brings a range of hip and brilliant cosmetics and skin care products like Kit, Stila, Smashbox, NARS, Mario Badescu and Too Faced to the 'burbs, so I no longer have to make a trek into the city (or shop online without the opportunity to cover my hand in testers) to get my killer make-up fix. I dropped in to Mecca for the first time recently when I decided to be indulgently lazy and see if I could get my face done up for an event that night. I didn't have a booking, but they managed to squeeze me in. Apart from the girl who reacted with a bit of a "1-2-3 NOT ME" attitude when I asked about a makeover, the girls at Mecca Maxima Carindale are all really friendly and personable - a couple of them kept coming over to check up on my "work in progress", and I was given a bottle of delicious Schweppes Agrum to drink while I was in the chair. When I'd first entered the store I was greeted warmly by one girl in particular, and I complimented her awesome eyebrows. She ended up being my make-up artist, so I was more than happy with how my eyebrows turned out! We had a great time and she did an excellent job with my insane eyeshadow. The deal with in-store makeovers is that you then have to spend a minimum of $90 on any product/s. I was more than happy to do that, picking up a couple of the products that Emily had used on me - if anyone sees me out and about in the next few weeks, I'll probably be wearing a Stila sparkle liquid eyeliner because I just about lost my mind over how brilliant they are. So I guess the deal works in reverse, too - if you go into Mecca Maxima and spend over $90, do yourself a favour and see if they can fit you in for a makeover while you're there! Or if you have plans to do a bit of spending, call ahead and book in to get done over while you're in there. It was a heap of fun, I felt like a bombshell all night, and I have some shiny new products that I know do a good job.

From the owner: Shop the exclusive edit of over 100 beauty brands across makeup, skin care, body, hair, nail &…read morefragrance at MECCA, Mecca Cosmetica & Mecca Maxima.

Great quality products range. The staff are friendly and helpful. Great store and great customer…read moreservice!!!

From the owner: Shop the exclusive edit of beauty brands across makeup, skin care, body, hair, nail & fragrance.read more

I've got mixed feelings for this place--I've come here three times for my three lobe piercings and…read morehave had a different experience each time. The first time was good, though I was seven so don't really remember much, just that everyone was quite friendly. My second time was not so great--the lady who pierced me had to redot my ears several times and they still ended up being uneven. Also the gun got stuck in my ear on an angle so she had to fiddle with it and pull it out; it was painful and my ears were also throbbing for hours after. My third time was amazing though--the lady was clean and professional, friendly, and only had to dot my ears once. When she pierced it was nice and clean; straight and just a quick in-and-out, and she somehow managed to align it to make the muck-up of the second piercing look good. No pain during or after the piercing either. Something consistent with this company though is the good customer service--the staff build a great relationship with the customers; they are always really nice to you and do their best to make sure you feel good and comfortable.

A piercer there named alex absolutely FUCKED UP my piercing. She pierced my second ear piercings…read moreway too close to my firsts to the point where i cant even wear studs in both holes without them literally sitting on top of each other and by the way this BULLSHIT was NOT worth $30 for the piercing WITH A GUN plus another $10 for the shittest studs i could have ever been given which literally grinded into my skin causing it to bleed. In conclusion this was the worst piercing experience ive ever had and please just go to a professional and pay $80 instead of risking infection for a shitty and fucked up piercing.

I do like to smell delicious at all times (so hard in this dreadful Brisbane humidity), so imagine…read moremy delight when I stumbled upon this perfume utopia. It has most of the big name brands for cheaper than you see elsewhere (and if you do see it for a more bargainous price in another shop, they'll beat that price by 5%). How kind of them. And yes, they do sell only authentic designer fragrances. It's definitely not a store that stocks those strange, fake perfumes you see around that say "smells similar to Chanel No. 5" but after 5 minutes you reek like you've rolled around in cat pee. I am now practically bathing myself daily in my prized bottle of Dolce and Gabbana's La Lune scent (only $69 for a huge bottle). So many scents, only one nose...

I absolutely LOVE Perfect Potion! It's such a shame I can't get this in the US of A. The stuff is…read morekinda like The Body Shop but better, kinda like Jurlique but cheaper. Whenever I get the chance when visiting Brisbane, I try to book a massage here The smells of the natural oils are intoxicating and I know it just soothes me whenever I enter the store. I usually buy some sprays and products for my skin to bring back with me. I also like the fact that their packaging is still in glass bottles (not great when you're transporting it across the ocean) and the dark glass helps the product on the inside keep better. Because the stuff is so natural, they do tend to expire and when they do the smells and aromas change, so use them up before the expiration date!

I absolutely love this beautiful little store. The design and layout are flawless, their products…read moreare fantastic and the staff are incredibly friendly. Instead of the run of the mill, 'let me know if I can give you a hand' speech, one of them said 'if you want any help or some herbal tea just let me know'. I was a bit taken aback by her offer of herbal tea. Was she serious? I love herbal tea, why did I say no? As I pondered the logistics of such a service in a store with no apparent seating and numerous 'testers', I continued to browse through their huge selection of bath and body products. It really is great stuff that I highly recommend, and what a lovely environment to purchase it in.

I have had the best experience with Latonas. Not only do their staff know their product but the are…read moremore than helpful with industry knowledge and new products. I especially want to give a shout out to one of their products. Latonas Makeup remover, just recently on the Set of "Lost and Found" in Rockhampton CQ, someone was doing a no no and eating with their costume on. Well, you can guess, any who; I grabbed the makeup remover and 2 cotton cloths and applied a little to the inside as I didn't know what this would do to the fabric. It was amazing! I gently rubbed the remover on in little circles and it got the food stain off the front of a shirt. With so many makeups in this film we were eventually going to get makeup on a collar or 2 but your make remover kicked butt not even leaving a shadow of the offending makeup. Big thanks to Celeste for her information with your products info and general great help.

From the owner: The exclusive Latonas range of luxury cosmetics, including foundations, eye shadows and lipsticks…read moreare renowned for their quality and flawless finish. They have been an essential inclusion in professional makeup artist kits, and home users wanting the very best, for many years as they glide on easily and blend seamlessly. Our makeup artists are able to offer you a shade consultation to ensure your purchase is precisely matched to your skin tone. Latonas Makeup has been providing quality makeup products, tools, accessories, services and advice to all sectors of the makeup industry and the general public since 1998. Our extensive range of makeup and special effects supplies ensures the professional artist need only look to one place for all their needs; be it film & television, photography, theatre or weddings. Should you require the services of a makeup artist for your next project, wedding or a special occasion, our award winning team are here to help, whether it is on location or at our store. Our team are actively operating in all facets of the hair and makeup industry, ensuring we are up to date with the latest trends, techniques and products. We specialise in airbrush makeup application and training, and have developed our own label of airbrush foundations and special effects inks.

Handmade Naturals is a quaint cottage store that looks like it belongs way out there, hidden in…read morejungle green of the mountains. Painted and pinned onto different panels of the shop's facade are phrases that encompass Handmade's values and principles. "Toxic free paint", "Organic Eating", "Ban Live Exports" are just a few of many signs that greet you at the door. Enter through the beautifully rustic door made of branches, and be surprised by what you find. In some ways, Handmade Naturals has the feel of some cooperatives that I've been to. For example, they had large free pour tubs of lavender water ($6/100gms), rose water ($9/100gms) and vegetable glycerin for sale, for those who want to venture into soap making and such. They have preserving jars and all sorts of containers for home made lotions, potions and wonderdust (priced between $1.30- $5.00 each). They even sell unbleached beeswax in bulk blocks for $20 per kg. Corinne, the mastermind behind Handmade Naturals claims that often, what is labelled 'natural' or 'organic' isn't entirely so. In response to this, she has made her own range of natural and organic beauty and well being products. She also stocks a range of ethically produced foods. There's some interesting and rare stock in there too. I couldn't leave without the kamut fettucini begging to come home with me. Handmade Naturals is probably best known for their range of bio paints. A small tin will set you back $22.95 and a large tin can cost up to $135.00. The staff are quite friendly and informative if you want to pick their brains about making soaps, or oil blends, or some other related topic. As far as price goes, I've been to health foods that have far less range that are more expensive. Handmade Naturals seems to price goods fairly. The shop's facade has so much character it'll draw you in automatically. Go in, even if doesn't seem like your kind of thing. You might be surprised by what you find. I was.

If you're looking for some incense for your meditation corner, a couple of ear-candles (no, they…read morearen't candles made of ear wax) or some handmade soaps, then this is your place. Sound a little New Age? Well it is, and it's found a good home in one of Brisbane's more 'third-eye-inclined' localities. They also have a coin-operated machine at the front door which dispenses spring water into your refillable bottle. You can access it 24/7, which is pretty cool.