Like many people this year, I have a Europe trip on my horizon. And in the past few months, I’ve justified a few too many purchases under the guise that I’ll need them when I’m having a pasta in the piazza.

But unlike some of these suspect investments (another cross-body bag, another lip liner, another pair of sneakers), Mecca Max’s new Serum Skin Tint is one I firmly stand by.

I recently returned from a quick trip to Broome in Western Australia, and it took a minute for my skin to adapt to the balmy weather – a far cry from the depths of the winter weather I'd just come from. While kayaking at Cable Beach and boating through the Kimberley, the new foundation-serum hybrid was a reliable companion. It’s lightweight and can withstand some of the most sweat-inducing conditions (yes, even Rome’s underground train stations).

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The new base product is 100 per cent vegan, cruelty-free and available in 20 shades. It’s packed with soothing and hydrating ingredients such as niacinamide and squalane. The tint gives the appearance of a 10-hour sleep on a silk pillowcase – even when you might be rushing to make a connecting flight at 2am. (It’s also great at covering the sunburn you might acquire after one too many hours turtle spotting.)

Despite the natural finish, the Mecca Max skin serum is buildable and can provide appropriate coverage for both a day at the beach and, dare I say it, a pasta in the piazza. “It really feels weightless on skin and the pigment can be built up seamlessly for those wanting more coverage,” Mecca’s head of artistry, Jennifer Horsley, said in a statement.

It’s why I won’t be packing any foundation this time. I don’t need it – and could do with the extra room in my toiletry bag (for another lip liner, of course).

Mecca Max’s Off Duty Serum Skin Tint retails at NZD$35 exclusively at Mecca and online at mecca.com/en-nz

The writer travelled to Broome as a guest of Mecca Max.