INTRODUCING MELBOURNE’S NEW BEAUTY DESTINATION

When artist Rebecca Louise Law heads to Melbourne to create The Canopy – a permanent installation using 150,000 preserved flowers – Instagram goes into overdrive. #forrealz.

Law’s latest – and largest – effort was recently unveiled at The Beauty Garden, the latest shopping precinct at Eastland Melbourne. Suspended from the roof, Law used an array of local Australian flowers to create a stunning flower canopy that hangs over Eastland’s dedicated beauty precinct, The Beauty Garden.

The best thing about the permanent installation – other than the smell – may be the way it evolves over time. It looks a certain way now: freshly preserved and bursting with colour, but its exposure to sunlight from the arched glass roof will cause the flowers to transform, losing some of their vibrancy over time.

Changing the way us beauty babes experience shopping for products, Eastland has also broken down the walls to create a far more welcoming experience. Instead of closed-in shop fronts (boring!), you’ll find an open space of beauty brands, with beauty experts keen as mustard to have a chat and help you find the perfect eye cream or lip stick.

No stranger to big name brands—Eastland is already home to Victoria Secret, Scanlan & Theodore and David Jones—here are our top ten beauty picks from under the canopy:

1. MECCA

Founded in Melbourne by Jo Hordan, the #Kween of beauty, MECCA offers an exclusive edit of the world’s leading luxury brands such as NARS, Hourglass, Stila, Ellis Faas, By Terry, Chantecaille, Dr Dennis Gross Skincare, Kate Somerville, Frederic Malle, Diptyque, Le Labo, Urban Decay and hundreds more.

2. Napoleon Perdis

Australia’s leading make up entrepreneur is larger than life and his products are just as difficult to ignore. The Auto Pilot Pre-Foundation Skin Primer is an Aussie icon – a real life changer – and the perfect stepping stone to the rest of the bold and bright collection.

3. The Lip Lab

Ever had trouble finding that lipstick colour that is just right? Yeah, us too. Thankfully such painful missions are to be no more. The Lip Lab is a novel concept whereby you can create your own shade of lipstick. You can recreate your favourite lip colour a brand discontinued (whyyyyy?) or bring in a photo of the colour you’re currently lusting over. Hello Dolce K by Kylie Jenner. With The Lip Lab, the colour possibilities are infinite…. Take all our money!

4. Kiehl’s

Launched as an apothecary in New York in 1851, Kiehl’s has become the skin care go-to for many. Ultra Facial Cream, we’re looking at you. But, it’s Crème de Corps body cream that has been a top seller for more than 40 years and the Gritty Pretty team’s favourite. This brand has serious heritage. No wonder we put our trust in it and you should too.

5. Crabtree & Evelyn

Rebecca Louise Law might want to stock up on a tube (or two) of Gardener’s Hand Recovery cream. An iconic product by British beauty brand, Crabtree & Evelyn, this latest installment into Eastland brings more blooms into The Beauty Garden thanks to pink magnolia, rose and lavender, which features extensively throughout its products.

6. iKOU

Like a lot of great start ups, the idea of iKOU came to founders Naomi and Paul Whitfield while they were holidaying in Bali. Now, we can thank them for bringing the spa experience home with them and into our homes via iKOU’s  beauty philosophy to rest, relax and restore. Ahhhhh.

7. Goddess of Nails

A pampering session can start with something as simple as the perfect manicure. Goddess of Nails has – pardon the pun – nailed the salon experience (#sorrynotsorry). Forget dingy walk-ins, dirty tools and magazines back dated to 2002. Here, they know nails and this is the type of nail salon you will be happy spending time out for yourself or with a girl friend.

9. Inglot

Want cosmetics that have powerful pigment and pack a punch? Local favourite Inglo is a regular on runways and stages. With a whopping 1,500 colours on offer (spanning lipsticks, eye shadows and nail polishes), this is on your one stop for one thing: colour.

8. Jacqueline Evans Skin Care

Created by Melbourne naturopath and perfectionist Jacqueline Evans, this skincare range is created using certified organic ingredients. The Castille Cream Cleanser and Argan and Rosehip Moisturising Cream already have cult followings in the United States and Germany and we expect it will too in Melbourne. Discover it before the rest of the world does.

10. Pressed Juices

They (meaning we) say beauty often starts from within so when you’re busy shopping up a storm, drink up a delicious Pressed Juices. The Berry Glow 3 keeps skin glowing and hydrated with flavour combinations such as pear, blueberry and coconut. It tastes so good you’ll wonder how can it be healthy.

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