Our Beauty Editors’ Guide to the Best Limited Editions of 2026
October 13 | 4 minute read
Words by Julia Lubitz and Madeleine Boles de Boer
You've been waiting all year for this!
You're number one on the gift list – and it's time to treat yourself like it with these exclusive limited editions. The biggest and brightest launches set you up with decadent skincare routines, festive scents and hair that’s the shiniest it’s ever been.
Here, two MECCA beauty editors reveal the never-before-seen shades and sets packed with everything you love (and a little more). They’re almost too good to give away.
If you collect Balm Dotcom as religiously as we do, you will not pass up on a limited-edition, packaged-for-hanging new flavour. The latest seasonal scent, ‘Toasty Nuts’, has us transported to roasted chestnut vendors on the streets of Manhattan, Glossier’s birthplace.
What’s more valuable than locking in the makeup look you’ve worked so hard to perfect? Locking it in for less with a value-packed double serve of MECCA MAX’s Life Proof Setting Spray. This formula uses fast-drying, film-former particles to reduce shine and prevent foundation from smudging, fading or separating, particularly around the T-zone – a summer season must-have if ever we’ve heard one!
Four finely milled powders in one palette. It’s all you’ll ever need to blur, bronze, blush and brighten your face in a few simple sweeps. ‘First Sunlight’ mimics the radiance of your skin as you open the blinds, sun streaming in, birds chirping. These palettes are so popular, they’ve been known to sell out in a flash – and we have a feeling the latest drop, in limited-edition packaging, will follow suit.
A trio of hair necessities, all powered by Mirsalehi Honey. The Honey Milk 5-In-1 Styling Cream preps hair for styling and holds it for up to three days, the Honey Infused Hair Oil has hydration, shine and frizz control in every drop, and the Honey Infused Hair Perfume instantly uplifts. Bundled together, it’s the best treatment you could give your hair. How sweet is that?!
If you’ve ever been tempted to try a little Charlotte Tilbury magic but didn’t know where to start (or you’re already cast under her spell and need minis to take with you everywhere), here’s your sign. This set combines two blushes and one highlighter – in shades ‘Rosy Glow’, ‘Berry Glow’ and ‘Glazed Goddess’, respectively – to layer, blend and look like your glowiest self at every angle. The brilliance of these sticks: they glide onto skin without disrupting any base makeup underneath. Abracadabra!
What does the holiday season smell like? If you’re Jo Malone London, it’s spiced cookies, tangy citrus, a drink by the fire and sweet, smooth honey. This set of four celebratory scents combines three of the British maison’s classic holiday fragrances – Orange Bitters, Ginger Biscuit and Whisky & Cedarwood – alongside the newest addition, Tangerine & Honey. Designed to be layered to create your own signature scent, the combinations are limitless – truly the (self) gift that keeps on giving.
Whether you’re prepping for a summer getaway, or just a fan of really, really good skin, this is the set for you. Consider your complexion plumped, evened and brightened with a trio of skin-loving products from MECCA COSMETICA. The hydrating serum replenishes and soothes thirsty skin morning and night with niacinamide and hyaluronic acid, while SUPERCREAM locks it in with heavy-hitting hydration thanks to hardworking sodium PCA and peptides. Topped off with a luxe, gold-flecked sheet mask, it’s your quickest shortcut to a ‘just had a facial’ glow. Oh, and did we mention the best part? It all comes inside a limited-edition cosmetics bag adorned with the cutest collectable characters.
One of everything, please! When in doubt, just take the lot – at least when it comes to kit:’s skincare range. Minis of the some of the brand’s most beloved products will have your face well-nourished through the holiday season and beyond. A botanical-led cleanser, vitamin-packed serum and lightweight moisturiser give you one less thing to think about when it comes to skincare, and why not sort out your body wash and hand cream while you’re at it? All boxed up in a tin with original artwork by Naarm/Melbourne artist Louis Howcroft, it’s a far better storage option than your boring bathroom shelf.
If your house is anything like MECCA HQ, there is a black hole that swallows up every second lip balm you buy – never to be seen again. If you, too, adhere to our ethos of one for the handbag, gym bag, bathroom, bedroom and car, then this will help boost your collection: four minis of the beloved Lip Butter Balm from Summer Fridays. In good-enough-to-eat flavours like ‘Birthday Cake’, ‘Strawberry Soft Serve’, ‘Pink Guava’ and ‘Cherry’, plus nourishing shea and murumuru seed butters, your pout will be deliciously conditioned, wherever you are.
