Natural SkinCare Podcast with Whole Foods

With 195 stores in North America and the United Kingdom, Whole Foods Market is dedicated to being a leading retailer of natural and organic foods. Having recently made a very conscious effort to eat healthier and read food labels more carefully, I was surprised to learn of some other great things that Whole Foods is doing.

Whole Foods has devoted a large section of their website to Whole Body. What's Whole Body about? Well, their website says that:

"We believe that the quality of body care products and wellness supplements is as important as the quality of food. So every one of our stores includes a Whole Body department and — just as for our food — all our thousands of health and beauty products must meet stringent standards before we let them in."

I loved browsing this section and learning so much about taking better care of myself. But one item that was of special interest to me was their podcast. Each month, leading experts discuss topics concerning taking better care of your body, starting from the inside!

As any beauty junkie worth her weight in moisturizers knows - beauty starts from the inside! But your internal beauty regime should consist of more than just drinking 8 glasses of water a day. Taking better care of what you eat definitely affect the health of your skin and hair, which in turn, affects the products you need to use.

Especially relevant - this month the Whole Foods Market podcast focuses on Natural Skin Care.

The first few minutes of the podcast already caught my attention - the skin absorbs anything that we put on it and the average consumer uses 7 different skin care products every day, which means *gulp* our bodies have just absorbed a myriad of ingredients in just 24 hours?! Time to read those labels more carefully!

I found this podcast really informative..at least it definitely made me think twice before grabbing any old moisturizer (okay, okay, I would never grab "any old moisturizer" but you know what I mean).

Just listening to the podcast, I've learned a lot of tips on how to take more care in looking into the ingredients of the products I'm using. Check out the podcast yourself by clicking here.

This podcast is definitely going on my list of things "to do" every month. I hope you'll join me!

Product Review: L'Oreal Endless ShineWear

Brand: L'Oreal
Name: Endless Kissable ShineWear
Size: 0.44 fl oz / 13 mL
Approx. Price: $13.99 CAD

Colour Tried:
- Wine & Roses

The 2-in-1 formula provides full colour coverage and zero-transfer that L'Oreal says will last up to 12 hours when used with the top coat.

The first part is the Vitamin E-enriched lipstick. After applying the lipstick and letting it set (1-2 inutes of no-contact) you apply the second part - a high-shine top coat that seals in the colour and adds a brilliant shine.

This product is available in 18 shades.

The second zero-transfer lipstick I've tried, the lipstick part of this duo-set is in the same packaging as L'Oreal's Endless Kissable Lipcolour (see that product review here).

To Purr About:
- easy to apply, relatively smooth formula
- after letting the product set, I took my fingers and tried very hard to rub the lipstick off - there was absolutely NO colour transfer at all! I was shocked
- top-coat adds a ton of shine, but makes my lips feel almost shellacked and not very kissable
- more colour choices than the L'Oreal Endless Kissable Lipcolour

Claws Out:
- as with many lipsticks that don't budge, this lipstick is slightly drying on the lips, although not as bad as I had expected
- there is a really strong smell, not completely unpleasant, but definitely noticeable

Rating (out of 5):




If you have a product that you've tried and would like to write a review, send me an email! Details on how to submit a review can be found near the top of the right-hand sidebar.

image: lorealparis.ca productreviewloreal

Product Review: L'Oreal Endless Kissable (Kissproof) Lipcolour

Brand: L'Oreal
Name: Endless Kissable Lipcolour
Size: 0.07 oz / 2 g
Approx. Price: $10.99 CAD

Colour Tried:
- Be Blushed

Note: On the website, this product is called Endless Kissproof Lipcolour but on the box I bought, it's Endless Kissable Lipcolour.

Promising zero-transfer and extreme wear lipcolour, this lipstick states that it's "like a tattoo on your lips."

Available in 12 shades, the formula includes Vitamin E to help the lipstick glide on smoothly. You just apply the lipstick to clean lips and let it set before rubbing lips together.

Considering I currently have over 65 lipsticks in my train case, I have definitely tried my share of lip products. As with most girls, I have a problem with lipstick coming off and the constant need to re-apply. So I finally took the plunge and tried a few of the lipsticks that promise zero-transfer (the other 2 reviews will follow in the next couple of days).

To Purr About:
- easy to apply, relatively smooth formula
- after letting the product set, I took my fingers and tried very hard to rub the lipstick off - there was absolutely NO colour transfer at all! I was shocked

Claws Out:
- as with many lipsticks that don't budge, this lipstick is slightly drying on the lips, although not as bad as I had expected
- there is a really strong smell, not completely unpleasant, but definitely noticeable

Rating (out of 5):




If you have a product that you've tried and would like to write a review, send me an email! Details on how to submit a review can be found near the top of the right-hand sidebar.

image: lorealparis.ca productreviewloreal

Oh my - I'm in grapefruit heaven!

Ever since I picked up Sephora's Whipped Body Delight in Pink Grapefruit I have been IN LOVE with the smell of this delicious citrus.

And today I was tempted twice - once while in Williams-Sonoma where they had a line of Pink Grapefruit soaps, lotions and even a candle...but then I hit The Body Shop and was tempted even more!

This super-yummy smelling line includes:

Pink Grapefruit Bath and Shower Gel, 250 mL, $12.50 CAD
- a soap-free shower gel that creates a nice lather in the bath or shower and leaves your skin clean, soft and subtly scented

Pink Grapefruit Soap, $4.00 CAD or 5 for $16.00 CAD
- a gentle glycerin soap that leaves your skin clean, refreshed and subtly scented

Pink Grapefruit Body Scrub, 200 mL, $20.00 CAD
Pink Grapefruit Body Scrub, 50 mL, $9.50 CAD
- a gentle exfoliating scrub that helps to remove dead skin cells and leaves your skin soft and smooth. The massaging action also helps to invigorate skin and boost circulation


Pink Grapefruit Lip Butter, 10 mL, $8.00 CAD or 2 for $14.00 CAD
- a nice, rich lip moisturizer
- the creamy butter-like moisturizer melts onto the lips and helps to prevent dryness, leaving them soft, smooth and kissable

Pink Grapefruit Body Butter, 200 mL, $20.00 CAD
Pink Grapefruit Body Butter, 50 mL, $20.00 CAD
- an intensely rich body moisturizer
- absorbs easily and helps to condition, soften and smooth your skin

Pink Grapefruit Puree Body Lotion, 250 mL, $16.00 CAD
- a cool, lightweight, refreshing moisturizing gel that instantly absorbs into skin, leaving it conditioned, softened and smooth

Mmmmm, I'm in pink grapefruit heaven! These will be perfect scent layering tools for the hot summer months!

images: thebodyshop.ca

NEW Product Line: L'Oreal De-maq'

L'Oreal has created a new line of make-up removers. Each product is specifically designed to be gentle and effective for a specific purpose.

Cashmere Milk Expert Make-up Remover
- for those who find water too harsh for their skin, but are looking for maximum make-up removing effectiveness and comfort
- combines optimal make-up removing effectiveness with total comfort for your skin

Velvet Creme Wash Expert Make-up Remover
- for those looking for a foaming wash without compromising on make-up removing effectiveness, even around the eyes, and without drying the skin
- rich, creamy texture
- removes all make-up, including mascara and rinses off in an instant

Milk-to-Toner 2 in 1 Make-up Remover
- for those looking for effective make-up removal and the fresh sensation of a toner in just 1 step
- an ultra-effective make-up removing milk which then transforms into an ultra-fresh toner

Elixir Concentrate
- for those who use long-lasting and waterproof make-up and are looking for optimal make-up removing effectiveness
- gives a non-greasy result and leaves skin with a luxurisou satin touch
- good for those that use long-lasting cosmetics - waterproof mascara, non-transfer lipstick and long-lasting foundation

Rich Make-up Removing Cloths
- for those looking for an ideal wipe, 1 that perfectly removes make-up and doesn't dry out
- removes make-up with no need to rinse your face afterwards
- you only need 1 to perfectly remove make-up from the face, eyes and lips, even waterproof and long-lasting make-up

This looks like a great product line, giving people the ability to adjust how strong their make-up remover is, whether they need a light one (for light make-up wearers) or a really strong one (for those that use water-proof and ultra-stay products).

image: lorealparis.co.uk

GUEST Product Review: Neutrogena Light Night Cream

Guest Reviewer: S.K.Y.

Brand: Neutrogena
Name: Light Night Cream
Size: 2.25 oz
Approx. Price: under $20 CAD

Among Neutrogena's notes about this project:
- non-greasy
- dermatologist-tested formula absorbs quickly into skin
- doubles skin's moisture level for 8 hours
- hypo-allergenic

I started using night creams due to my extremely dry skin. I was having major issues and finally someone suggested I try night cream just to combat the rashes I was getting as a result of dryness.

To Purr About:
This product is very affordable. It has the richness of a night cream AND absorbs quickly which is great. I didn't have any allergic reactions to it (I have very allergy prone skin) and it worked well to keep my skin nice and soft and hydrated for the next day. All-in-all it's a good rich night cream for the price. It's nothing Earth shattering, but it works well for what I want it to do.

Claws Out:
None really.

Rating (out of 5):




Thanks for the review, S.K.Y.!

Just an extra note that I'm (Cinnamon Kitten) adding to this Guest Review - this is my current night cream of choice as well and I absolutely love it.

If you have a product that you've tried and would like to write a review, send me an email! Details on how to submit a review can be found near the top of the right-hand sidebar.

image: neutrogena.com productreviewneutrogena

Beauty Buys: June 17-23, 2007

Shopping Date: Saturday, June 23, 2007
Store: Shoppers Drug Mart
Purchases:
- Boots No 7 Sheer Temptation Lipstick in Excite - $13.00 CAD
- Sunsilk 24/7 Creme in Anti-Poof - $3.99 CAD

WEEKLY GRAND TOTAL (including taxes): $19.37 CAD

So much for my "no buying things for a month to recover from the Estee Lauder warehouse sale" vow! Well, my only excuse is that this is my very first Boots product purchase. My excitement at finding a No 7 display at the new Shoppers Drug Mart by my house couldn't me contained (for some bizarre reason I didn't pick up anything when I was in London last year).

See something I bought that you want to know more about? Did you see a product for a better price? Post a comment!

GUEST Product Review: Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipcolour

Guest Reviewer: Rachael

Brand: Maybelline New York
Name: Moisture Extreme Lipcolour
Size: n/a
Approx. Price: $6.99 USD

Colour Tried:
- Desert Sunset

To Purr About:
This lipstick had a very nice smell, great texture, and it moisturized my lips wonderfully. When I went to the store to buy it, there were many shades to choose from. Because of this, I could find a shade that I truly loved without spending forever ho-humming over a shade that was just ok.

Claws Out:
Once I applied the colour to my lips, there was no depth and it acted just like a lip balm. This made me feel like I could have saved a few bucks by buying a jar of lip balm instead of buying a lipstick.

Final Comments:
Overall, it was ok. I'm not much of a lipstick person, and I usually wear lipgloss. I decided to make an impulse buy, not knowing anything about the product initially. I wouldn't say it was a waste of money, but I now realize I could have bought something better for my money.

Rating (out of 5):




Thanks for the review, Rachael!

If you have a product that you've tried and would like to write a review, send me an email! Details on how to submit a review can be found near the top of the right-hand sidebar.

image: maybellinenewyork.ca productreviewmaybelline

Happy Birthday E.L.F.!

To celebrate their 3rd birthday, E.L.F. Cosmetics is having a great sale.

I love E.L.F. products - not only do you get full-size, high quality, you get them for $1 USD each!!! How great is that?

And to help them celebrate, just enter the coupon code birthday when you checkout and you'll get:

- 30% off cosmetic cases
- 40% off all Elements products
- 50% off all Brightening Eye Shadows, Eye Pencils and Mascaras

I've already placed my order (I knew I was saving that E.L.F. gift card for a special occasion!), don't miss out on this offer - it ends this Sunday, June 24, 2007 at 11:59 pm EST.

Click here and start shopping!

Trying to hang on to some of my paycheque

Just like many other beauty addicts and compulsive shoppers that I’ve met talked with, I'm always looking for ways to save money, whether it’s through coupons, sales, price comparing or shopping online.

Well, I’ve just learned of another way to find out about thousands of online deals. Recently I've learned about the KeepCash web site. Updated daily with the latest coupons, online deals and promo codes, this is a great place to find out how to save some of your pennies. There are tons of categories to browse and over hundreds of retailers are listed, including Best Buy, Overstock.com, Adidas, Eddie Bauer, Kohls and the Disney Store (there are just too many to name). For the beauty obsessed (like me), a quick browse in the Health and Beauty coupon section showed deals and codes for popular beauty online retailers such as The Body Shop, SpaLook, SkinStore, Avon and Beautytrends.

After some longer surfing on the KeepCash web site, I even discovered a new cosmetics online retailer that looks very promising. It’s called StrawberryNET. A Hong Kong based company, StrawberryNET has been operating since 1996 and currently supplies customers in over 200 different countries. They have some great prices on a huge range of beauty products. Brands they carry that I’m familiar with include Bobbi Brown, Estee Lauder, MAC, Smashbox and many others. But there are interesting brands that they have that I’ve never tried (or even heard of) before – brands like Kose, Fiji Blend, Pupa and Payot.

StrawberryNET sources products from around the world so they carry brand names from all over – it’s a great place to look for items you’ve read about online but can’t find in-store. I have definitely spotted a few brands I’d like to learn more about.

You can check out the StrawberryNet deals here!

KeepCash is a great site that has hundreds of deals for online retailers in every category, not just beauty, so if you're into saving money, check out the coupons here!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.

NEW Product Line: MAC C Shock

Not for the faint of heart, MAC's new C Shock line is vibrantly colourful and perfect for experimenting with. Full of energy, there are 3 different products in this collection: lipsticks, lipgelees and eye shadows.

If you're not shy and love wild colours, then you should definitely head to MAC and check these out!
Lipstick
- Colour and texture for the lips
- Colours: Blast O' Blue, Overrich, Out To Shock, Vivacious, Pomposity

Lipgelee
- A soft jelly-textured lip gloss. Distributes evenly and easily through a slanted tip. Moisturizes and conditions and makes them look wet, shiny and super-slick.
- Colours: She-Boom!, Lil' Sizzler, Sugar Shock, Mega

Eye Shadow
- A highly-pigmented powder, this eye shadow applies evenly and blends well.
- Colours: Going Bananas, Eyepopping, Wondergrass, Big T, Fab & Flashy, Bang on Blue, Romping, Passionate

images: maccosmetics.com

Estee Lauder Bonus Time at Sears

It's Bonus time at Sears for all the Canadian Estee Lauder fans!

Retailer: Sears
Minimum amount you need to spend: $35 CAD (before taxes)
Duration: Saturday, June 16 - Friday, July 6, 2007


What you get:
- your choice of one Pure Colour Long Lasting Lipstick (4 shades to choose from)
- Bronze Goddess Soft Matte Bronzer
- More than Mascara
- Artist's Eye Pencil
- DayWear Plus Multi Protection Anti-Oxidant Creme
- blush brush
- striped tote bag
- red cosmetic bag

image: Sears e-flyer

Beauty Buys: June 10-16, 2007

No Beauty Buys this week readers!

I have to curb my spending to recover from the Estee Lauder Companies warehouse sale. That actually should be included in this week's Beauty Buys, so if you want a rundown of what I bought there, click here.

GUEST Product Review: John Frieda Luminous Colour Glaze

Guest Reviewer: Stina R

Brand: John Frieda
Name: Luminous Colour Glaze
Size: 6.5 fl. oz. / 192 mL
Approx. Price: $14 CAD

Colour Tried:
- Brilliant Brunette - Chestnut to Espresso

To Purr About:
- I liked that my hair was slightly more saturated with colour after a week of use

Claws Out:
- every time I showered I had to spend an extra 4 minutes with my hair wrapped up waiting for the colour glaze to set in. Very time consuming
- the glaze was a type of dye, so if it got on anything (hands/face/shower wall) and was there for more than a minute, it would temporarily dye things
- it wasn't any shinier than if I had just used the John Frieda shampoos and conditioners
- it smelled like dye with coconut. Not very flattering
- the price, not worth it for this product

Final Comments:
This product is a good idea, but definitely not user friendly. Waiting around for a dye to set in that doesn't even really do anything in the long run is a waste of time, and I was sick of getting dye everywhere. Just go out and use a shampoo and conditioner combo for dyed hair, it would probably do the same job.

Rating (out of 5):




Thanks for the review, Stina R!

If you have a product that you've tried and would like to write a review, send me an email! Details on how to submit a review can be found near the top of the right-hand sidebar.

image: johnfrieda.com productreviewjohnfrieda

Lancome Bonus Time at Holt Renfrew

For those Canadian Lancome fans that are passing on the current Lancome bonus offer from Sears - how about this one from Holt Renfrew?

Retailer: Holt Renfrew
Minimum amount you need to spend: $45 CAD (before taxes)
Ends: Sunday, June 17, 2007

What you get:
- Nutrix Royal tube, 5mL
- High Resolution Eye, 3mL
- High Resolution Collaser-48 tube, 10mL
- Definicils Mascara Black, 2.1g
- Colour Design Lip in promo size
- beige with trim tote bag

image: Holt Renfrew e-newsletter

Where Science and Beauty Click

As I grow older, I find that I'm taking better and better care of my skin, and that often means doing a little research before blindly buying the product with the flashiest packaging. Products that actually have substance appeal much more to me now as opposed to the "cute bottle" in the corner.

Which is why I love the tagline of SkinStore.com - "where science and beauty click."

This site was physician founded and directed since 1997 and has a wide selection of skincare, health and beauty products that are usually found in doctors' offices, spas and department stores.

Right now, you can get 5% off any SkinStore.com purchase by entering coupon code FAV5 to your order at checkout. You can get more information on SkinStore.com coupons at couponchief.com. Couponchief.com is a great site that lists hundreds of online retailers, including beauty-related stores, and current coupons, promo codes and deals. Click here to check out more Coupon Chief.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.

Oh, my wallet hurts...

I was lucky enough to get an invitation to the Estee Lauder Companies warehouse sale in Toronto. This was my first time at this exclusive sale so I went in with high hopes. I had two things on my mind - MAC makeup, which I love, and possibly getting my hands on a couple of Estee Lauder solid perfume compacts, which I've always wanted to start collecting (check out my blog post about these compacts here).

Well, the final damage (including taxes) was $559.74 CAD. Yes, you read that right. I spent THAT MUCH MONEY on makeup. I don't know whether to laugh or cry. I did manage to get a few gifts, but most of the stuff was for me. Oh, and yeah, I did manage to snag NINE perfume compacts (which accounts for a large chunk of that spending)! :D


Here's the lowdown on what I bought (and their CAD prices):
- Clinique extra large red tote bag - $20
- Clinique small red & white makeup case - $2
- Clinique small, purple makeup brush round box $1
- Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion with pump - $18
- Clinique double ended blush brush - $5
- MAC Eyelet: 6 Cool Lips compact - $15
- MAC Blot Film (x3) - $5
- MAC Studio Moisture Fix Liotion - $18
- MAC Select Sheer Loose Powder in NC20 (x2) - $12
- MAC Bronzing Powder compact in Refined Enriched Bronze (x2) - $12
- MAC Eye Shadow in Rite of Spring - $8
- MAC Eye Shadow in Suspicion - $8
- MAC Cream Colour Base in Fantastic Plastic - $8
- MAC Cream Colour Base in Kool - $8
- MAC small eyeshadow brush (x4) - free gift for attending
- MAC Lipgelee in Saplicious (x2) - free gift for attending
- Tommy Hilfiger Tommy mini cologne set of 5 - $18
- Estee Lauder Pleasures gift set (Eau de Parfum spray & body lotion) - $30


And then there were the solid perfume compacts, which I bought as empties. Reason? I didn't really want the perfume, just the compact and it was cheaper to buy the empty compacts than the ones with product in them (they had both available for purchase):
- Cameo 1999 - $12
- Petite Four 1999 - $10
- Playful Kittens 1999 (x2) - $10
- Pink Lady 2005 - $45
- Coliseum 2006 - $60
- Eiffel Tower 2006 - $55
- Snow Globe 2006 - $20
- Sydney Opera House 2006 - $50

This was by far one of the most organized warehouse sales I've ever been to and I can only keep my fingers crossed that I manage to get an invitation to the next one! Although, it may be awhile before I can afford to buy anything for a few months! Yeesh!

I definitely know that my beauty buys will be curbed for the next several months, but it was totally worth it!

images: Cinnamon Kitten

Beauty Buys: June 3-9, 2007

Shopping Date: Monday, June 4, 2007
Store: PharmaPlus
Purchases:
- Annabelle Rouge Velour Lipstick in Angel - $5.61 CAD
- Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Sandstorm - $5.61 CAD

Shopping Date: Saturday, June 9, 2007
Store: Aveda
Purchases:
- Energizing Body Cleanser - $18.50 CAD
- Foot Relief Cream - $28.00 CAD

WEEKLY GRAND TOTAL (including taxes): $65.81 CAD

See something I bought that you want to know more about? Did you see a product for a better price? Post a comment!

GUEST Product Review: Clinique Superbalm Tinted Lip Treatment

Guest Reviewer: S.K.Y.

Brand: Clinique
Name: Superbalm Tinted Lip Treatment
Size: n/a
Approx. Price: under $15 CAD

One of their best sellers, Clinique claims that this product is "deeply hydrating repair for lips. Instantly provides comfort, cushion. Leaves lips with a healthy, dewy, finish and just a hint of tint.

This is an awesome product. I've been using it for a few years now and I still love it. I was frantically looking for a product to relieve my pain. I was reacting badly due to allergies to almost everything and I needed a lip product as my lips were super dry and peeling. Cinnamon Kitten gave me a sample of this product to try out as I was at wits end and I've been hooked on it ever since.

To Purr About:
It leaves the lips really hydrated and glossy/shiny looking. The slight tints are great. I've tried almost all the colours (thanks to my friends that got me the sampler kit) and they're all great. My favourite is the Mango Tint as it's not as dark and great for an every-day look.

Claws Out:
None really. I guess some people might want SPF in it, but SPF bothers my lips, so it's all good. :)

Rating (out of 5):



Thanks for the review, S.K.Y.!

If you have a product that you've tried and would like to write a review, send me an email! Details on how to submit a review can be found near the top of the right-hand sidebar.

image: clinique.ca productreviewclinique

NEW Product: M·A·C Tendertones

Brand: M·A·C
Name: Tendertone Lip Balm SPF12
Size: 6 mL /0.2 fl. oz
Approx. Price: $14.50 USD

Product Notes:
- combines the shine lay down of a gloss with the soft emollient feel and nurturing capacity of a balm-style conditioner
- non-sticky
- soft, satiny shine finish
- formulated with petroleum and SPF 12

Colours:
- Deep Sigh
- Softnote
- Hush, Hush
- Warm Smile
- Purring
- Tender Baby
- Shush!
- Take a Hint
- Pucker

images: maccosmetics.com

Product Review: Clinique Cream Shaper for Eyes

Brand: Clinique
Name: Cream Shaper for Eyes
Size: 0.04 oz / 1.2 g
Price: $17.50 CAD

Colour Tried:
- Starry Plum

I'll admit it, one of the reasons I bought this eyeliner was because I needed something to buy so that I could get the Holt Renfrew Clinique bonus that was offered in May/June 2007.

I've read in several books and magazines that most eyeliners are the same, so whether you're paying $0.99 or $9.99 for an eye pencil, you're basically getting the same thing. So it's hard to pay $17.50 for one.

The Clinique site says that this "creamy-smooth pencil defines with a hint of shimmer. Glides on intense, long-wearing colour. Non-smudging, water-resistant."

To Purr About:
- the first day I tried this product, my allergies were raging something fierce and that meant my eyes were watering all day long. But this eyeliner stayed put through the entire day
- colour didn't fade even through my watery eyes and the humid weather
- very smooth pencil glides on without pulling my eyelids at all
- dark, vibrant colour
- pencil is longer than most other eye pencils so it'll last longer

Claws Out:
- I haven't tried to sharpen this yet, although it's not a pencil, but more of a plasticky material, can't foresee any problems though
- for the average consumer (me), considering I use eyeliner on a daily basis, I don't know if I can afford constantly buying them at $17.50 a pop
- only 4 shades are available, which isn't a good variety - Egyptian (which is a dark, mossy green), Brown Sugar (medium brown), Chocolate Lustre (dark brown) and Starry Plum (deep purple)

Final Comments:
Oh, I hate it when this happens. I bought this product just to fulfill my Clinique bonus requirements and now I'm in love with this pencil. It may become a regular product in my makeup case. It's fade-proof, water-resistant and silky smooth. I also sampled the Chocolate Brown shade while I was at the Clinique counter, but found the chocolate brown not as attractive as the purply Starry Plum.

Rating (out of 5):




image: clinique.ca productreviewclinique

Lancome Bonus Time at Sears

Canadians - It's Lancome Bonus Time!

Retailer: Sears
Minimum amount you need to spend: $45 CAD (before taxes)
Duration: Saturday, June 2 - Friday, June 15, 2007

What you get:
- Le Rouge Absolu Lipstick
- Bi-Facil, 50 mL
- High Resolution Collaser-48 tube, 15 mL
- L'Extreme Mascara Black
- Juicy Tubes
- trendy black & white summer bag

image: sears.ca

Estee Lauder Bonus Time at the Bay

Canadians - It's Estee Lauder Bonus Time!

Retailer: The Bay
Minimum amount you need to spend: $35 CAD (before taxes)
Duration: Saturday, May 26 - Sunday, June 17, 2007

What you get:
- I can't seem to find a list of the products you get with the promtion, as the flyer doesn't list the details. The only products it mentions are:
- Pure Colour Long Lasting Lipstick
- Hydra Complete Multi-Level Moisture Creme for Dry Skin
- standing mirror
- set of 3 makeup brushes
- a brush roll

image: hbc.ca

Product Review: Physicians Formula Eye Definer Felt-Tip Eye Marker

Brand: Physicians Formula
Name: Eye Definer Felt-Tip Eye Marker
Size: 0.028 oz / 0.8 g
Price: $11.49 CAD

Colour Tried:
- Ultra Black

When I read about this new product I knew I just had to try it. I had been looking at liquid liners lately (I've never used a wet liner before, preferring my tried and true kohl pencils) in order to get the sleek black-lined eye that's popular right now.

This product claims that it's as easy to use as a marker.

To Purr About:
- incredibly long-lasting product that stays put and the colour doesn't fade throughout the day
- contact lens safe
- fragrance free & hypoallergenic

Claws Out:
- the felt tip was so hard that it scratched my eyelid when I pressed down on it in an attempt to get some product out
- it's hard to regulate the flow of "ink" that comes out of the tip. If you press to hard, it squirts out too fast (just like a real marker! yeesh!) but if you don't press hard enough you just scratch your eyelid and get nothing

Final Comments:
There are a lot of liquid eyeliners out there that are probably much easier to use than this one. It's a novel idea, but they need to work hard on somehow regulating the flow of "ink" and also making the applicator softer. Currently it's so pointed and hard that it scratches my eyelid. Considering your eye area skin is so sensitive and thin, this isn't a good thing.

Rating (out of 5):






image: physiciansformula.com productreviewphysiciansformula

Beauty Buys: May 27-June 2

Shopping Date: Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Store: Holt Renfrew
Purchases:
- Clinique Touch Base for Eyes in Canvas Light - $17.50 CAD
- Clinique Superbalm Lip Treatment - $15 CAD
- Clinique Cream Shaper for Eyes in Starry Plum - $17.50 CAD

WEEKLY GRAND TOTAL (including taxes): $57.00 CAD

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Product Review: Rimmel Underground Loud Mouth

Brand: Rimmel Underground
Name: Loud Mouth
Size: 0.14 fl oz. / 3.9 g
Price: $7.99 CAD

Colour Tried:
- Pout

This was the first product I tried in the new Rimmel Underground line and I bought it because the idea of a new Rimmel product line was intriguing (I'm a big fan of Rimmel products) and this cute little pot of lip colour was hard to resist).

To Purr About:
- the colour I tried, Pout, has a shiny, reflective colour that did make my lips look fuller and poutier
- has a slightly soapy smell that I find oddly attractive
- creamy texture with a very light feel that isn't greasy or sticky and doesn't cake in the corners of my mouth
- adorable little container
- 6 varied shades makes it easy to find something that fits most skin tones

Claws Out:
- little pots of lip colour always annoy me because I hate using my fingers to apply colour, especially on the go as then you have to find something to wipe your finger on
- same soapy smell can be annoying for others

Final Comments:
I like the feel of this product and the colour I chose gives my lips the appearance of looking fuller. However, because the product is in a little pot, I generally leave this at home as I hate fumbling with pots when re-applying my lip colour, which means I can't re-apply this during the day.

Rating (out of 5):





image: ulta.com productreviewrimmel

Product Review: Softlips Lip Balm

Brand: Mentholatum
Name: Softlips Lip Balm
Size: 2 g
Price: $2.77 CAD

Flavours Tried:
- Ravishing Raspberry

Everyone loves to have soft, supple lips which means we should always have some form of lip balm around. I usually stick to a small tin of Rosebut Strawberry lip balm, but it's not always the most convenient thing to tote around, especially when you want to quickly put on some lipbalm without using your fingers.

For some reason I've always been attracted to the packaging of the Softlips lip balms. I don't know why, they're not particularly flashy or spectacular, but maybe it's the simplicity of the clean white tube that's appealing. So I picked one up a little while ago and here's what I thought:

To Purr About:
- very light, non-medicated feel that glides on easily and makes my lips feel instantly soothed
- SPF 20
- light, thing tube is easy to slip into a pocket or purse
- great price and value

Claws Out:
- no real complaints except maybe that the lasting power of this lip balm isn't as good as some other lip balms I use (ie. Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm or Rosebud Strawberry Lip Balm)

Final Comments:
I'm still curiously attracted to the Softlips tube and like the light feel of the lip balm. The added SPF 20 is a great bonus and for the price, it's so much more affordable than most other comparable lip balms.

Rating (out of 5):




images: londondrugs.com productreviewsoftlips