Product News: beautyADDICTS BeautifullLIPS Lipstick collection

Brand: beautyADDICTS
Name: BeautifullLIPS Lipstick
Price: $18.00 USD each

Where to buy: www.beautyaddicts.com


What it says in the press release:
These 8 rich and creamy colors are infused with intense hydration so your lips are always protected and nourished with enduring beautiful coverage. Created with Vitamin E, Shea Butter, Jojoba Oil and other natural ingredients, this formula also plumps with natural peptides and stimulates collagen for a firmer, smoother more voluptuous lip.

Available shades:
- Affair: rose colour
- Flirt: delicate shade of pink
- Vintage: soft berry colour
- Femme Fatale: dark burgundy
- Shy: peach shade
- Toast: everyday shade that works on all complexions
- Peep Show: eggplant shade
- Sinful: red-orange shade

image: www.beautyaddicts.com

Contest: WIN a Infiniti Pro by Conair Volume Boost Styling Tool

Now that the Infiniti Pro by Conair Volume Boost 1875-Watt AC Motor 2-in-1 Styling Tool has replaced my old hair dryer (see my review here), I'd love to give one of my readers one as well! With all the holiday spending happening, why not try to get something for free? :)

To enter (mandatory):
- Comment below on which setting(s) on your hair dryer you use most often (hot, cool, combination). Don't forget to leave an email address where I can reach you if you win!

For extra entries - please leave a separate comment for each entry (and include your username so I can verify if you're chosen as the winner!)
- "Like" the Cinnamon Kitten Facebook Page
- Follow Cinnamon Kitten on Twitter

Notes:
- The contest is open to the USA only.
- Contest ends Wednesday, December 7, 2011
- Winner will be contacted via e-mail and announced on this blog shortly after.

Product Review: Infiniti Pro by Conair Volume Boost 1875-Watt AC Motor 2-in-1 Styling Tool

Reviewer: Cinnamon Kitten

Brand: Conair
Name: Infiniti Pro Volume Boost 2-in-1 Styling Tool
Price: approx. $39.99 USD

Where to buy:
mass market and drug store retailers and www.conairdryer.com

What it says in the press release:
This quiet, lightweight AC motor dryer lifts your hair for fullness and volume with the innovative volumizing attachment. It features an AC motor typically favored by professional stylists to provide a powerful air velocity for faster drying and up to a 3X longer life span as compared to typical (DC motor) consumer hair dryers. It utilizes ionic ceramic technology that controls frizz and promotes healthy, shiny looking hair. Additional features include:
- 3-heat/2-speed rotary switches
- True cold shot button
- Removable filter to prevent lint build-up and further extend the life of the motor


To Purr About:
- smaller than my normal hair dryer, making it easier to manage
- has 2 speed settings and 3 temperature settings so you have lots of combinations to work with
- the volumizing attachment is easy to use and much nicer than having to wield a hairbrush and dryer at the same time to try to get some volume in my hair
- attachments are easy to attach and remove
- removable filter is something new for me and makes cleaning the dryer (something I rarely EVER do) really easy
- has ionic ceramic technology which I use a lot because my hair gets really frizzy and static-y in the winter

Claws Out:
- none really

Final Comments:
Ok, first off, let me say that I'm not that picky about my hair dryers. I've been using the same one for years. I have really thick hair so I like to have a powerful one to really make hair-drying as fast as possible (I HATE drying my hair). The current one I use only has two settings (one is warm air and one is hot air) and does have ion ceramic technology. It may have come with attacments, but it's been so long I can't remember and if it did have attachments, I've obviously lost them a while ago.

So I was excited to try this new hair dryer, if only for the multiple settings. The toggle switches give you high and low speed settings and cool, warm and hot temperature settings. I really like the cool air option as I tend to switch back and forth between hot and cool so that I don't damage my hair too much with the heat.

The attachments were easy to use and the volumizer definitely made my life easier. With my old hair dryer, I had to have a big round brush in one hand and my dryer in the other, but the volumizing attachment gave my hair some lift without the use of the brush.

Since I haven't bought a dryer in a while, I'm not sure if the price is too high. I'm assuming that most people are like me and don't replace their dryers too often, so $40 doesn't seem like a lot to spend on a dryer that will last a long time.

Rating (out of 5):



Disclosure: A free sample of this product was received by Cinnamon Kitten
image: press release

2011 Holiday Gift Ideas - Volume 2 - NARS Holiday Gift Sets

I'm a big fan of NARS and their 2011 holiday gift sets (called "Modern Kabuki") have really captured me, especially since I'm also a big fan of Japan and these stunning Japanese-inspired collections include some really beautiful packaging and products!

These will definitely make great gifts (or for yourself!)


Hanamichi Kabuki-Inspired Eyeshadow Palette, $65 USD
Japanese for "flower path" - the Kabuki theatre walkway that extends into the audience was the inspiration for this eyeshadow palette, featuring a Kabuki-themed design and accompanied by a mini Kabuki Eye Brush. The eyeshadows are a beautiful pattern of an icy white background with flowers in rich shimmering deep rose, gold and matte black.
- where to buy: Nov. 1, 2011 on www.narscosmetics.com


Kudoki Kabuki Mini Lip Coffret, $125 USD
Named for an element of the Kabuki dance, this year’s take on the Bento Box set features 3 new limited edition shades poured into custom ceramic cups. Included is its own Kabuki Lip Brush and sleek keepsake wooden box.
- Ougi: deep red
- Takebue: neutral
- Botan: deep pink
- where to buy: Nov. 1, 2011 on www.narscosmetics.com


Mie Kabuki Mini Soft Touch Shadow Pencil Coffret, $55 USD
A collection of 6 mini, top-selling and limited edition Soft Touch Shadow Pencils. Just like their namesake Mie Kabuki (a moment of high emotion culminating in an extremely dramatic pose) these creamy, blendable, long-wearing crayons create bold, dramatic looks with just a few strokes.
- Tall Tale (new shade): deep metallic purple
- Magic Moon (new shade): deep metallic navy blue
- Ballets Russes (new shade): silver
- Aigle Noir: black infused with gold shimmer
- Palladium: turquoise with silver glitter
- Skorpios : copper
- where to buy: Nov. 1, 2011 on www.narscosmetics.com


Kuroko Kabuki Mini Nail Polish Coffret, $35 USD
The set includes 4 mini-sized nail polishes based on shades traditionally used in Kabuki theatre.
- Yoshiwara: red
- Shiro-Nuri: white
- Kata: black
- Senryou: gold
- where to buy: Nov. 1, 2011 on www.narscosmetics.com


Nagauta Kabuki Brush Set, $225 USD
Encased in a keepsake wooden bento box with red lacquer interior, this exquisite 5-piece brush set is named for the principal musical forms in Kabuki theatre and includes 2 new brushes exclusive to the set.
Set includes:
- Kabuki Eye Brush (new and exclusive to the set)
- Botan Brush
- Ita Brush
- Yachiyo Brush
- Kabuki Lip (exclusive to the set)
- where to buy: Oct. 2011 at Barneys New York

image: press release

Weekend Beauty Reads From The Beauty Blog Network

Phyrra shows you how to become a knockout with Knockout Nails!

Stylebell has this season’s hottest color trends for blondes, redheads, and brunettes straight from celebrity colorist Tracey Cunningham!

Cinnamon Kitten chats with the vibrant Amy, founder of Sugarpill Cosmetics.

Sheila from Painted Ladies has fallen in love with the Real Techniques Your Base/Flawless Face Brushes.

Product Review: Jergens Overnight Fix Nightly Restoring Moisturizer

Reviewer: Cinnamon Kitten

Brand: Jergens
Name: Overnight Fix Nightly Restoring Moisturizer
Size: 496 ml
Price: approx. $7 CAD

What it says in the press release:
- replenishes skin's moisture reserves and quenches dry skin as you sleep
- alleviates a full week's work of dryness in just one night for visibly smoother, softer skin
- made with a blend of pure Evening Primrose extract and anti-oxidant vitamins from exotic superfoods known to help reduce free radical damage
- light and silky to aid in absorption before bedtime and the moisturizer contains a soothing fragrance

weight: bold; color: rgb(240, 130, 187);">Where to buy:
grocery, pharmacy and mass market retailers

To Purr About:
- pretty good moisturizing lotion
- light fragrance is very nice
- large bottle with a pump is handy and affordable

Claws Out:
- a little sticky upon application
- takes a little time to absrob

Final Comments:
This is the first body lotion that I've tried that is meant to be used overnight and promises to repair "a week's worth of damage" in one night.

As most of my readers know, I love a fast-absorbing lotion and this one isn't as fast-absorbing as some of my favourites. It's not greasy, but it's a little sticky and takes a little longer to be fully absorbed - which means that you need to apply this a little ahead of going to bed.

It has a nice, light scent (although I would have preferred something unscented).

Once I got used to applying it about 20 minutes before going to bed, I did find that after applying it to some really dry skin (the start of the cold weather is really hitting my skin hard), I woke up with skin that was pretty well moisturized so I can't complain about the effectiveness. From what I've experienced, this isn't a lotion I'll be using unless I'm using it for what it's for - overnight use.

At $7 CAD, you get a lot of product for a great price.

Rating (out of 5):




Disclosure: A free sample of this product was received by Cinnamon Kitten

image: cinnamonkitten.blogspot.com

Cinnamon Kitten Q&A with Amy of Sugarpill Cosmetics

Q&A Session with: Amy, Founder of Sugarpill Cosmetics

How Cinnamon Kitten discovered Sugarpill
After many readers told me that they liked the interviews I was doing with small independent cosmetic shop owners, they also suggested other shops for me to check out, including Sugarpill. I was immediately hooked on the bright colours and gorgeously outrageous looks on their web site!


* * * * *


Tell us a little about yourselves and what inspired you to start your own company, Sugarpill Cosmetics.

Hello! I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and currently live in Oakland with my four cats. I graduated from Cal State Hayward with a degree in journalism because I wanted to be a newspaper reporter. I never used my college degree. I ended up designing clothes instead, starting a clothing line called Shrinkle in 2003. It started out as a hobby, but took on a life of its own and became my full-time job. The clothes were flashy, trashy, slutty, colorful, and fun. I am a sucker for presentation, so whenever I'd photograph my clothing on models and myself, I made sure everyone wore the brightest, most obnoxious makeup possible to match the clothes. I got so many compliments and inquiries about the makeup in my photos, I decided to start selling Kryolan, the brand of theater makeup that I had been using in all my pictures. I love Kryolan and had a ton of fun selling for them, but after a while I found myself wishing I had control over the colors, formula, packaging, and brand image. I then realized that the only way I could have complete control was to start my own brand. It took 4 years from concept to completion before we launched Sugarpill.

Tell us about Sugarpill.

Sugarpill specializes in vibrant, colorful party makeup. My goal was to create a superfun product that makes the wearer feel adventurous and carefree, while maintaining the professional quality of a high-end brand. We are known for our intensely pigmented, long-lasting formula and unique colors.


Have you always had a fascination with beauty products?

Not really. My best friend Jen and I were "late bloomers," aka complete dorks. While all the other girls were experimenting with makeup and talking to boys, Jen and I were getting together to compare our awesome stamp collections. I never wore a stitch of makeup until I turned 16 and met our other BFF Zoeria, "the bad influence." Zoeria introduced me to black lipstick, and I was instantly hooked. I spent the rest of my high school years stalking the Wet 'N' Wild display at Rite-Aid and Googling pictures of drag queens and circus performers so I could try to copy their makeup using my 99-cent lipsticks and eye pencils.

Besides Sugarpill, what else occupies your days?

Sugarpill occupies 99.9999% of my day, but whenever I can, I love to sew and draw. My friend Jen got me into bird-watching too. We get sandwiches and hang out at Lake Merritt, North America's oldest wildlife refuge, and try to name every bird we see. Jen and I are also master thrift shoppers and can fill up the entire back seat of an SUV with our tacky vintage finds.

What is your most popular item? Why do my readers NEED to have it?.

Currently, Goldilux Chromalust loose eyeshadow is our most raved about color. Everyone who sees it says it puts all other golds to shame because they've never seen a more metallic gold eyeshadow anywhere. It's our flashiest color for sure, and can be seen from across the room in a dark club.

The beauty industry is constantly changing. How do you keep on top of trends?

I don't really pay attention to trends. I think the key to creating a unique product is to stay true to what YOU like and want, not what everyone else is doing. When I created my eyeshadow colors, I didn't research what every other brands' best sellers were or anything like that. I just sat down and made a list of my dream colors and what I would want to see in my own makeup bag.


Besides your own line, what beauty brands have made it onto your favourites list?

I adore Inglot! I tried their products for the first time when they were at The Makeup Show in L.A. last February. I ended up buying almost everything, and somehow ended up drinking wine with Mr. Inglot himself at the end of the evening. That was nuts, I'm such a fan. I also love OCC (Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics), Fyrinnae, and Make Up For Ever.

What are 3 beauty products you can’t live without.

I never leave the house without first slathering myself in Neutrogena sunblock in SPF 100. My friend Irene says anything above SPF 35 is a huge scam and she's probably right, but I don't care. I also can't live without false eyelashes. I don't wear them every day, but I never ever go out at night without them. Falsies are the quickest, easiest way to create instant glamour even when you look and feel like shit. And I'm currently addicted to colored cream/gel liners because they're so multi-purpose. I use them for everything. Eyebrows, eyeliner, eyeshadow, eyeshadow base... I think my friend Tess even paints her hair with it. I've yet to try that.

What’s in store from Sugarpill for the rest of 2011?

We've been working super hard to get our new collections launched before the end of the year. Everything just takes longer than anticipated because we're perfectionists and don't want to put out anything less than perfect. But I promise we have lots of fun in store, and we can't wait to show everyone!

* * * * *

You can shop Sugarpill Cosmetics online here.

2011 Holiday Gift Ideas - Volume 1 - Scents for Her

I've already started to plan my holiday shopping and while I'm browsing for gifts, I'm coming across some great gift ideas for the holidays. So there's going to be lots of gift guides coming out in the next several weeks as I share some really cool products that may make great presents for your family and friends.

So my first Gift Guide of the season shows off some hot new scents - always one of my favourite gift ideas!

NOTES:
- all prices are approximate, retailers may sell for a different price
- images are based on press releases and/or web sites and may be slightly different in different countries and dependent on the product size you are buying


Kenzo Flower TAG
- scent: fruity notes: rhubarb, blackcurrant, mandarin; floral notes: peony, lily of the valley, jasmine; sensual notes: tea note, vanilla, musk
- where to buy: The Bay
- Eau de Toilette: 50 ml for $79 CAD, 100 ml for $99 CAD


Calvin Klein forbidden euphoria
- scent: top notes: sparkling mandarin, peach blossom, iced raspberry; mid notes: pink peony, tiger orchid, jasmine; bottom notes: cashmere woods, patchouli, skin musk
- where to buy: The Bay
- Eau de Parfum: 50 ml for $78 CAD, 100 ml for $102 CAD
- Body Cream: 200 ml for $58 CAD


Vera Wang Lovestruck
- scent: top notes: pink guava, angelica flower; mid notes: tuberose; dry down: woods
- where to buy: The Bay, Sears, Ogilvy, Mills, Shoppers Drug Mart, London Drugs, Jean Coutu, Sephora and Murale stores
- Eau de Parfum: 50 ml for $79 CAD, 100 ml for $105 CAD
- Body Lotion: 150 ml for $49 CAD
- Shower Gel: 150 ml for $42 CAD


ck one shock for her
- scent: top notes: passion flower, pink peony, jeweled poppy flower; mid notes: liquid chocolate accord, blackberry, narcisse, hypnotic jasmine; dry down: magnetic ambers, vanillin, patchouli, second skin musk
- where to buy: Shoppers Drug Mart and Pharmaprix
- Eau de Toilette: 50 ml for $45 CAD, 100 ml for $65 CAD


Heidi Klum Shine
- scent: top notes: mandarin, pear Williams, pink peppercorn; mid notes: Mimosa Absolute, muguet (lily-of-the-valley), sunflower; dry down: vanilla, Tonka Bean Venezuela, musk Cosmone
- where to buy: select drug and mass retailers
- Eau de Toilette: 30 ml for $35

Product Review: Annabelle Smoothie Eyeshadow Pencil

Reviewer: Suziesaurus

Brand: Annabelle
Name: Smoothie Eyeshadow Pencil
Size: 1.6 g / 0.05 oz.
Price: approx. $8.95 CAD

Shade Tried: Cocoaloco


What it says in their site:
The new generation of brightly coloured long wear eyeshadow. Waterproof, crease-free and mess-free, the Smoothie eyeshadow pencils will keep going as long as you do! Use them as a liner, as an eyeshadow by using only one shade all over the lid or by blending more colours of Smoothie pencils together, or even as an eyeshadow base to give your favourite powdered shadows a professional hold and an outstanding colour pay-off! The makeup junkie in you will be ecstatic! Easy to apply, convenient and fast, this versatile, creamy, light-weight pencil is available in a variety of vibrant hues. Our Smoothie pencils contain no parabens, no preservatives, no mineral oil and no paraffins.

To Purr About:
- hypo-allergenic
- available in 8 great shades
- very creamy and soft texture which allows for easy blending and application
- colour applies very vibrant & lasts for a long time
- pretty waterproof
- convenient

Claws Out:
- product creased and smudged a little over time, so might need to use primer underneath

Final Comments:
I was pretty bummed out when I heard Annabelle was discontinuing their thick eye shadow pencils a few years ago as I had been using them all throughout high school. So I was excited to see they released these eye shadow smoothies as they are in a similar family as the previous products I used to use.

I really love having my eye shadows in a pencil form. It makes it really easy and convenient when travelling.

The first thing I noticed when I applied this product was how smooth and easily it glided on. The colour is intense and vibrant and it sets very quickly. I have to be pretty quick if I want to blend.

After wearing it a few days I’m pretty impressed. It lasts for pretty much the whole day, but does smudge and crease a little so it might be better used in combination with a eye shadow primer first. The longer I let it set (with my eyes closed) the longer it seems to last. It’s also pretty waterproof which is great.


I’m still not very good at blending it since it does set so darn fast, but I love using it as an eye liner.

All in all I think this is a great product. I cannot wait to try the other colours and intend on adding this to my makeup bag.

Rating (out of 5):




Disclosure: A free sample of this product was received by Cinnamon Kitten

image: cinnamonkitten.blogspot.com

My November Glymm Box

When I popped the pink top off of this month's Glymm box, the first thing I saw made me so happy! It was a full-sized Annabelle Smudge Paint in Plummed - one of my favourite products of 2011 in my favourite shade (you can read my review here).

Purple seemed to be the colour of the day as I also got an amazing RGB polish (never tried them before, so that's going to be fun! in a stunning, deep purple shade and purple jelly beans!


In my November Glymm box:
- Lise Watier Flash Lift Radiance Vial, 1 ml / 0.03 US fl. oz
- Rahua Luxury Shampoo & Conditioner packs, shampoo - 10 ml / 0.34 oz.; conditioner - 8 ml / 0.27 oz
- Orlane Paris Light Smoothing Cream, 3.5 ml / 0.11 oz
- RGB Designer Nail Lacquer in Deep, 0.40 fl. oz. / 12 ml
- Annabelle Smudge Paint in Plummed, 0.07 oz. / 2 g
- $10 voucher for Brownshoes.com
- purple jelly beans

So, fellow Glymm members - did you get something different in their Glymm box or was yours identical to mine? I'm pretty happy with this month's sampler - the Annabelle Smudge Paint and RGB polish totally made my day.

Want a Glymm box of your own? Click on this link to get more info or to sign up!