Guest Post: Glymm Delivers Beauty in a Box

Glymm.com is the only Canadian company to offer an exciting beauty Glymm Box subscription, full shop-in-shop Boutique and an awesome fashion, beauty and lifestyle Community. The hottest products, generous giveaways, and amazing contests make Glymm THE Premiere Online Beauty Destination!

For only $10/month or $110/year, Glymm will lovingly curate, package and send a Glymm Box directly to your doorstep every month! An instant frown-reverser, you will be delighted to open your adorable little beauty box that is filled to the brim with 4-5 deluxe-sized, luxury beauty samples. The samples that you receive are hand-selected by Glymm’s panel of Experts according to your personal Beauty Profile. So far, the brands that Glymm promises are sure to delight; showcasing luxury, niche, and emerging brands such as Cargo, OPI, Stila, NARS, Gucci and Lise Watier.


Once you have tried the products in the comfort of your own home (without any pushy sales folk), you can continue your Glymm experience by accessing the Beauty Boutique and purchasing the full size versions of your samples. As a bonus, Glymm even offers Glymm Points! Super easy to rack up, Glymm Points can be traded in for savings towards purchases in the Boutique. You can also express your opinions through monthly product reviews, ask their Beauty Experts questions, stay up to date on the current trends, makeup do’s and don’ts and learn tips and tricks you may not have tried before!

It’s only been a month since Glymm.com opened its online doors to the public, and within two weeks the first Glymm Box sold out at record speed! Since limited membership spaces are available, make sure you order your Glymm Box today!

Weekend Beauty Reads From The Beauty Blog Network

Phyrra is delighted with the 15-Year Anniversary Eye Shadow Collection from Urban Decay.

Cinnamon Kitten is spreading the nail polish obsession and is giving away a collection of 7 nail polishes from Color Club.

The Pink Sith realizes what a tragic error it was to break up with Too Faced Shadow Insurance eye primer. Thankfully TFSI is forgiving and they are living happily ever after.

Head on over to Painted Ladies and enter for your chance to win a Mary Kay gift pack valued at $100!

A Touch of Blusher reviews two products from Palmer's facial skincare range.

Calling all moms (and moms-to-be!) Marina of Beauty 365 gives her two cents on the lovely LAVANILA Healthy Baby skin care collection.

HelloDollface gets new hair at the Byu-ti Salon in Santa Monica.

Product Review: Olay Acne Control Face Wash

Reviewer: Suziesaurus

Brand: Olay
Name: Acne Control Face Wash
Size: 200 ml
Price: approx. $8.00 CAD

From Olay’s website: "Enjoy consistently clear skin with this salicylic acid acne
cleanser that helps eliminate most acne blemishes.
- Immediately minimizes excess oil and impurities that can clog pores
- Dual Hydroxy Complex fights blemishes and helps prevent future breakouts"

To Purr About:
- nice subtle scent
- very gentle on skin
- doesn’t dry out my skin
- leaves skin feeling clean and soft
- convenient pump dispenser (that can lock closed)
- nice consistency
- kept acne away

Claws Out:
- none really

Final Comments:
I’ve been using Olay’s Acne Control Face Wash for a couple of months now and
I’m quite pleased with it. I have oily skin so I appreciate that this cleanser is oil
free.

The first thing I noticed about this product immediately was the pleasant smell
that was subtle and not too overpowering. I really enjoy how gentle this cleanser
is on my skin and how clean it leaves my face feeling. The consistency is also
good (not too thick and not too watery) and lathering it over my face and washing
it off are both very easy. Although I’m not as prone to acne as I was in my
younger days it has kept my acne away which is nice.

Lastly it comes with a nice convenient pump dispenser that makes mornings
even easier.

Rating (out of 5):

Disclosure: A free sample of this product was received by Cinnamon Kitten
image: cinnamonkitten.blogspot.com

Product Review: tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush

Reviewer: Cinnamon Kitten

Brand: tarte
Name: Amazonian Clay 12-hour Blush
Size: 5.6 g / 0.20 oz
Price: approx. $33.00 CAD

Shade Tried: Natural Beauty

Where to buy: Sephora, tartecosmetics.cm

This was my second purchase in June for my $50 spend and I was excited to try a new blush (lately I've been using the super-popular NARS Orgasm) and who can resist anything that promises to last 12 hours.


Product description (from Sephora.com and tartecosmetics.com): "Infused with natural clay harvested from the banks of the Amazon River and naturally baked by the sun, this nutrient-rich blush benefits all skin types for a fade-free flawless finish for an amazing 12 hours.

The soft blush is great for all skin types:
- Oily skin: Amazonian clay minimizes oil in and around pores to balance skin and keep product in place
- Dry skin: Amazonian clay hydrates skin naturally to restore moisture so your blush wears better & longer
- Dull skin: Amazonian clay improves the appearance of skin clarity and skin texture
- Combination skin: Amazonian clay is completely intuitive; gives skin an overall smooth & even appearance

Doesn't have mineral oil, parabens, petrolatum, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfate, synthetic fragrance.

To Purr About:
- love the compact and embossed blush
- very vibrant colours
- blends effortlessly
- lasts a long time
- the shade I bought (Natural Beauty) is so vibrant that a little goes a very long way

Claws Out:
- not sure if it really lasts 12 hours


Final Comments:
I was very excited to try this blush, although I had a very difficult time picking a shade (there are 8 lovely shades). I finally settled on Natural Beauty because it looked like a nice deep flush and reminded me of my current blush (NARS Orgasm).

My first attempt in using this blush was a bit of a disaster because I wasn't expecting how intense the colour would be and used too much. But after removing the blush and trying again, I had much better luck. Now, after a few weeks of using it I'm much better at taking the right amount of blush with my brush.

This blush has really vibrant colour and a little goes a long way. The blush lasts quite long (although mine hasn't lasted 12 hours yet) and it goes on very easily and blends really well.

I love this blush and I love the compact it comes in - it's very pretty and contains a nice large mirror.

Even though I don't think that it really can last 12 hours, I still love this blush and think it's definitely worth the money!

Rating (out of 5):




Disclosure: This product was purchased Cinnamon Kitten
image: cinnamonkitten.blogspot.com

Cinnamon Kitten contest: Nail Polish set from Colour Club

I know for me and many of my friends, the warm weather means lots of fun new nail polish colours! Summer is definitely the time of year when we lose our dark polishes and experiment with bright, funky colours. Are you the same way? Well, then I have a contest for you!

Nail Polish Canada has generously given me a Color Club nail polish set of 7 nail polishes to give away to one lucky reader!

What's even better, you can pick between two great options!

Your choices:


Pardon My French
Set of 7 full size (15ml) nail polishes from Color Club's Pardon My French collection. Includes Believe in Armour, Haute Couture, Oh Naturale, Pardon My French, Si Vous Please!, Take Me To Your Chateau and Turn The Other Chic. You can learn more about the collection and see all the individual shades here.

Electro Candy
Set of 7 full size (15ml) nail polishes from Color Club's Electro Candy collection. Includes Electro Candy, Pure Energy, Tangerine Scream, Ultra Voilet, Volt of Light, What A Shock and Vivid Top Coat. Check out the collection and each shade here.

NailPolishCanada.com is a Canadian online store that focuses on carrying fantastic nail polish and nail treatments. They carry many popular brands including Essie, China Glaze, CND and Color Club.

Prize: your choice of ONE 7-piece nail polish set from Colour Club from these two options listed above (value $55 CAD)

To enter (mandatory):
- Comment below which Pardon My French or Electro Candy shade you most want to try out and why (you can see all the shades listed above or on the Nail Polish Canada web site).

- You must be a Cinnamon Kitten blog follower (click on the Join This Site button under "Beauty Friends" on the right hand side bar). Please leave your username so I can verify if you're chosen as the winner.

- 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

- "Like" the Nail Polish Canada Facebook Page

- Follow Cinnamon Kitten on Twitter

Notes:
- The contest is open to Canadians only.
- Contest ends Friday, August 12, 2011
- Winner will be contacted via e-mail and announced on this blog shortly after.

Weekend Beauty Reads From The Beauty Blog Network

HelloDollface gives you tips on Jennifer Aniston’s hair in just a few steps.

Get organized with Beauty 365! Pro organizational tips and a mega makeup storage transformation -- complete with BEFORE and AFTER pics.

A Touch of Blusher opens the treasure chest again to reveal MAC Patternmaker.

Phyrra's Independent Spotlight for the month of July is One Hand Washes the Other.

The Pink Sith says the Miracle Skin Transformer may make you wonder how you made your skin beautiful before you had it.

Sheila from Painted Ladies has some good things to say about MAC’s Mineralize Skinfinish Foundation.

Cinnamon Kitten chats with sister-act Katrina and Amanda, founders of SweetPea & Fay Cosmetics.

Product Review: eos Lip Balm Smooth Sphere Summer Pack

Reviewer: Cinnamon Kitten

Brand: eos
Name: Lip Balm Smooth Sphere Summer Pack
Size: n/a
Price: approx. $5.99 USD

Where to buy: Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Target.com and EvolutionofSmooth.com


This adorable 2-pack collection of eos' popular sphere lip balm comes with two new limited edition flavours: Passion Fruit (in a pastel purple sphere) and Strawberry Sorbet (in a pastel pink sphere).

USDA-certified organic and 100% natural, this lip balm is packaged like all the other cute eos lip spheres - in a soft-touch sphere that has a flat bottom so that it doesn't roll off.

- petrolatum, paraben and gluten-free
- contain shea butter, jojoba oil and vitamin E

To Purr About:
- like all my other eos lip spheres, I love the adorable little ball package
- lip balm is smooth and moisturizing
- glides on easily
- not sticky or greasy

Claws Out:
- the round sphere takes up a lot of room

Final Comments:
I'm a big fan of pretty much all of eos' products and their lip spheres are no exception. The only thing I don't like about them is their roundness (which makes them so cute) also makes them really bulky for small purses and makeup cases.

Generally, I don't take my lip spheres in my purse, preferring something a little sleeker, but I must admit that there are little eos globes scattered all over the place at home.

Both the flavours in this limited edition set are light, fruity and sweet without being too powerful and the pastel pink and purple are sure to appeal.

Rating (out of 5):




Disclosure: A free sample of this product was received by Cinnamon Kitten
image: lisewatier.com

Beauty Bits

* * * * *

Congratulations to Erica of Alberta who was the winner of my latest contest! Erica will be receiving the Hawaiian Tropic gift pack that I hope will help her enjoy the summer even more!

Thanks everyone for entering and look out for more upcoming contests very soon!

* * * * *

Some minor changes to blog posts....

Thanks to everyone for taking a few minutes to fill out my recent Reader Survey! Lots of great feedback, including some that we're already incorporating into the blog that I hope will make it even better, including:

- more product reviews (wow, you guys really like these!)
- actual photos instead of press release images whenever possible
- info on where to purchase products

I'm still sorting through all the comments and feedback so there may be more changes to come, but these were a few that really came up quite a bit so I figured it's a good start.

Cinnamon Kitten Q&A with Katrina & Amanda of SweetPea & Fay Cosmetics

Q&A Session with: Katrina & Amanda, Founders of SweetPea & Fay Cosmetics

How Cinnamon Kitten discovered SweetPea & Fay
This is a neat story. Last month, I started a monthly series in which I ask my readers to help me spend $50 and there were some amazing suggestions, one of which was SweetPea & Fay, an adorable Etsy shop run by sisters Katrina and Amanda. Since this blog is also mainly a sister project between me and Suziesaurus, I wanted to find out more about Katrina and Amanda so I sent them and email and they kindly agreed to a Q&A session with me!

* * * * *


Tell us a little about yourselves and what inspired you to start your own company, SweetPea & Fay.

We are a sisters (Katrina & Amanda) who started their own handcrafted mineral makeup company. We love what we do and love learning and keeping up with all natural ingredients. We wanted to be able to offer all natural cosmetics that are affordable to anyone.

Tell us about SweetPea & Fay (I have to know how you came up with that adorable name!)

The name SweetPea & Fay came from nicknames we have for each other. We knew becuase we both are very much involved in our brand, that we wanted it to have two names in the title. To showcase the both of us.

Have you both always had a fascination with beauty products?

We have both always loved anything beauty or fashion related. The more we found out about beauty brands the more we found out about some of the harmful ingredients companies put in their products. So we really started getting into all natural safe ingredients which are kind of hard to find which is what led us to start our own line.


Besides SweetPea & Fay, what else occupies your days?

SweetPea & Fay takes up must of our time. We are either making new products or thinking of new ideas. Not only are we business partners and sisters, but we are also best friends. So believe it or not we spend alot of our time together. We both love going shopping for old vintage items like hats or jewlery. And we are both huge movie fans, in pacticular of indie films.

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

Our most popular item would be our lip products. In pacticular our lipglosses - they are a little different than an average lipgloss because they go on like a liquid lipstick. They aren't sticky at all and are super long-lasting. We sell out of them all the time. Customers grab them up so fast we can barely keep up. :)

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

We keep on trends by reading beauty blogs and high fashion magazines. It's also really helpful if you want to get a head start on a fashion or beauty trends, to read a foreign magazine like Italian, French Vogue. They are the first to know about a trend.


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

Some other beauty brands that we both love are: Arbonne skin products, Dermalogica, Argan/Moroccan oil in hair products.

Katrina - When I was in school for Skin Care Therapy we had to memorize the Dermalogica line by heart so that brand kinda stuck with me. They are kinda expensive but they are a good quality.

Amanda - I really love using Deep Sea Cosmetics. They use sea salt from the Dead Sea which does wonders for your skin!

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

Three products we couldn't live with out:
Amanda - Deep Sea Cosmetics Lotion, Ralph Lauren (Ralph) Perfume, and Mascara
Katrina - Concealer, Ralph Lauren (Blue) Perfume, and Arbonne eye cream

Katrina and Amanda

What’s in store from SweetPea & Fay for the rest of 2011?

We just came out with a Summer Essentials line. It's a limited edition kit with 3 mineral eyeshadows, bronzer, highlighter and a tinted lipbalm.

We also plan on expanding our cosmetics line a lot in the year to come. Our lipgloss is out of stock so were are going to be restocking that soon, and offering a larger size. Adding mascara, lipstick pressed eyeshadow and primer.

* * * * *

You can shop SweetPea & Fay Cosmetics online here.

Weekend Beauty Reads From The Beauty Blog Network

Phyrra falls in love with Shiseido's Pink Sands Luminizing Satin Eye Color Trio.

Thu from Painted Ladies declares Wet 'n' Wild's Juicy Lip Balms to be a win!

The Pink Sith shows you all three of the Chanel Fall 2011 nail polishes and tells you about her fool proof "Stickey Sandwich" method of application.

Head on over to The Makeup Divas and enter for a chance to win The Infiniti Pro Spin Air Brush by Conair.

Cindy tames frizz With Five Must Haves For Great Hair.

Stop by Beauty 365 for a chance to win a luxe Caudalie Fresh Fragrance.

Cinnamon Kitten goes Glymm and checks out the first ever Glymm box to see what the hype is all about.

A Touch of Blusher reviews two products from Shiseido's Benefiance WrinkleResist24 range.

Product Review: Schick Quattro for Women Trimstyle Sensitive

Reviewer: Cinnamon Kitten

Brand: Schick Quattro for Women
Name: : TrimStyle Sensitive
Size: n/a
Price: approx. $12.99 CAD

So we are officially in the midst of summer (finally) here in Canada and that means bare legs and arms and time for some serious hair removal products!

Suziesaurus has already done some reviews on some Nair products, but what if you prefer less chemicals and want some new shaving options?

How about the Schick Quattro for Women TrimStyle Sensitive shaver?

This 2-in-1 shaver features four blades with a hypo-allergenic aloe formula moisturizing strip on one end. On the other end, there's a waterproof trimmer with four adjustable trimming lengths.

You can buy this shaver/trimmer at drug, mass and grocery retailers across Canada.

To Purr About:
- shower safe trimmer
- nice, thick, rubbery handle is easy to grip
- razor is very reactive and the head moves easily with the slightest pressure
- very handy to have both products in one
- holder makes it easy to leave in the shower
- good, solid weight to it

Claws Out:
- not really used to trimming my bikini line

Final Comments:
This is an ideal product for those that want to maintain their bikini line at home. The trimmer and shaver system is waterproof and great to have in the shower. It comes with a battery that goes into a tight compartment within the handle.

I love the weight and grip on the handle - the heaviness of it makes it easy to manage and and rubbery grip means you have a good hold on it even when your hands are soapy and wet.

However, I'm not used to using a trimmer, so it took a while to get used to. Once I got the hang of it, I found it pretty easy to use. The cap adjusts so you can adjust the trim level.

The shaver is the high-quality Quattro shaver which gives a really close shave (four blades - how can you miss?) and the moisturizing strip helps keep razor burn to a minimum.

For those that would like to be able to control their trim and shave, this is a great product to have in your shower.

Rating (out of 5):




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

Product Review: eos Everyday Hand Lotion

Reviewer: Cinnamon Kitten

Brand: eos
Name: : Everyday Hand Lotion
Size: 1.5 fl oz / 44 ml
Price: approx. $3.99 USD

"Infused with shea butter and oat extract, this hand lotion also has Vitamins C and E in a non-greasy, soothing and fast absorbing cucumber-scented cream. Dermatologist tested, hypoallergenic and paraben-free. The unique pebble shape packaging is designed to be carried around conveniently." (press kit info)

I'm a huge fan of eos products. Their lip balms and shaving creams always have a place in my routine. Not only do I love their products, but their packaging is just adorable (and not to mention practical - imagine a shaving cream package without metal = no rust!).

So, I wasn't surprised when eos came out with this really cool looking hand lotion. Shaped like a handy little pebble, the packaging is convenient for toting along in a purse, and is nicely designed to fit into your hand comfortably.

But of course, part of my job as a product reviewer is to look past the packaging and see if the product measures up.

To Purr About:
- 97% natural
- lotion is extremely light and absorbs very quickly
- light cucumber scent
- package is small and slim and convenient for carrying around

Claws Out:
- small package means there's not a lot of lotion in each pebble
- pretty expensive considering small amount of lotion

Final Comments:
As with most people, I generally use a lot of hand lotion because my hands take quite a beating during the day (especially in the winter). All that work, chores, exposure, etc. means that hands need a lot of care.

This lotion is very light and absorbs quickly, making it an ideal hand lotion. It's non-greasy and comes in a light, pleasant cucumber scent.

I do love the packaging, and find it quite convenient to carry around in a purse. However, for $4, you don't get a lot of lotion, especially since I tend to use so much of it. I ran out pretty quickly.

However, if you try to limit how often you use it and use another hand lotion when you're at home or work (I leave a large bottle of Jergens at work), then this little eos pebble is nice to take in your bag when you're on the go.

The lotion itself is great. I wonder if it comes in a larger package that I can use at home?

Rating (out of 5):

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

image: cinnamonkitten.blogspot.com

Going Glymm

I've seen lots of other beauty fans talk about their curated beauty sample boxes (ie. Birchbox, Glossybox, Loose Button) so I was excited to hear about Glymm, a new Canadian-based company that offers a monthly curated beauty-sample box for $10 CAD a month (the price includes shipping).

Glymm currently delivers to Canada (they're expanding to the US soon) and after reading a little bit about the company, I signed up for the first Glymm box before the company officially launched the program.

While I was waiting for my first Glymm box, I watched Glymm promote and interact with people via Facebook, email and Twitter. Every time I had a question or concern, the Glymm team was there and ready to answer my questions. So, they definitely have their customer service down pat. Now...what about the box itself?

After weeks of waiting (and some nervous times due to the Canada Post strike) I received my first Glymm box today!

The outer box was a thick cardboard mailer with the Glymm name around the side in their signature pink colour. Inside was a shiny new Glymm box.

Once I anxiously took the lid off, I was faced with a cute postcard - the front had a sweet note from Glymm and the back outlined the different products in this month's Glymm box, along with the prices for the full size versions of the products.



So, in this month's Glymm box:
- La Roche-Posay Anthelios SPF 60, 15 ml
- MyFaceWorks I Need to Detox Facemask (Green Tea facemask), 1 mask
- Stila Lip Glaze in Raspberry, 0.08 oz
- OPI nail polish in a silvery gray, mini sample size
- GUCCI Flora Fragrance, 5 ml / 0.16 fl oz
- a little jar of Jelly Belly beans in white and pink (yummy!)


I love this. It's like Christmas - a pretty box full of surprises!

In this month's box my favourite product is the Stila lip gloss, although I know my mom is going to love the mini GUCCI bottle since she collects mini perfume samples (not the tubes, but those really pretty miniature versions of the full-size bottles).

So, after experiencing their customer service first-hand, and receiving my first Glymm box, I'm definitely impressed with this company and am most likely going to sign up for the monthly box. I'll be sure to share what's in upcoming Glymm boxes!

You can sign up for more information or for your very own Glymm box here.

Product Review: Tarte Lock & Roll Creaseless Eyeshadow Duo

Reviewer: Suziesaurus

Brand: Tarte
Name: Lock & Roll Creaseless Eyeshadow Duo
Size: 4 g / 0.14 oz.
Price: approx. $17.00 USD

Shade Tried: Cream

From the website: "Unlike traditional cream shadows that crease and smudge, this new twist on the makeup artist trick is waterproof and creaseproof. The matching loose shadow in a roller ball applicator easily glides over cream shadow to lock color in and add luminosity so color lasts all day."

To Purr About:
- didn’t crease
- convenient package and great for touch-ups
- cream shadow and loose shadow matched nicely
- blends easily
- long lasting
- comes in 5 great shades

Claws Out:
- both cream and loose shadow are a bit hard to control
- don’t get a lot of product for the price

Final Comments:
Tarte’s Lock & Roll Creaseless Eyeshadow Duo combines two great products into one. The cream shadow and the loose powder shadow can be used separately, but their real potential comes when they are used together.

After using this product for a bit I’m really impressed. I did have a bit of trouble at first applying this product, but I think I just needed some practice. I was a bit surprised how wet the cream shadow was, but now I realize how great it is for blending. Similarly, I found the loose powder a bit tricky as it’s not very precise in application, but again – blends brilliantly. This is probably a big con for those that want really precise control over their makeup application, but since I’m a blender and can’t apply makeup with precision for the life of me, it’s okay.


After getting the hang of applying this product – it really is quite easy to apply, blends well, lasts long, doesn’t crease and comes in 5 fun shades. I really love how convenient the applicator/packaging is which makes it great to slip in to your bag or purse.


The only con I can think of is that it doesn’t seem like a lot of product for the cost.

Rating (out of 5):




Disclosure: This item was purchased by by Cinnamon Kitten

image: cinnamonkitten.blogspot.com

Product Review: Youth Corridor Antioxidant Boost Skin Serum

Reviewer: Suziesaurus

Brand: Youth Corridor
Name: Antioxidant Boost Skin Serum
Size: 1 fl. oz. / 30 ml
Price: $125.00 USD

From the package: "Youth Corridor Antioxidant Boost Skin Serum is a revolutionary high-performance complex formulated with 10% Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Melatonin, which work synergistically to neutralize free radical damage and protect against oxidative stress. This combination is a potent defense against inflammation and enhances the skin’s natural photoprotective response. It stimulates collagen and elastin production, strengthening the support structure of healthy skin and creating a more youthful appearance."

To Purr About:
- paraban free
- saw an instant difference in the appearance of skin
- did see an improvement on the overall appearance of my skin
- lasts a long time since you only need a few drops per application

Claws Out:
- very high price
- not a fan of the scent

Final Comments:
This is my first experience with Youth Corridor’s products. The 3 main ingredients advertised on this product are vitamin C, vitamin E and melatonin. I’ve definitely heard (and am a firm believer) that vitamin C and vitamin E does wonders for the skin, so I was interested to try this product.

Applying this product is still a bit odd to me - I don’t think I’ll ever get the hand of smoothing 3–6 drops of this product over my entire face. It feels a little like oil and isn’t conducive to smoothing over skin. I can’t tell if I’m using enough, or too much and if I’m getting it over my entire face.


After using this product for a couple months I have to say I’ve noticed an improvement in my skin. My pesky forehead wrinkles are not noticeable and this product is really helping to keep my skin feeling supple and healthy. So much so that most days I even forget to put moisturizer on. I was hoping this product would brighten my complexion a bit more to make it nicer, but I’m pretty happy with the results nonetheless.

The major downside to this product is that it is on the pricey side at $125.00
USD, but because you only need a few drops it does definitely last a long time so
I think the high cost is balanced out by that.

Rating (out of 5):

Disclosure: A free sample of this product was received by Cinnamon Kitten
image: cinnamonkitten.blogspot.com

Lancome Bonus Time at thebay.com

Canadians - It's Lancome Bonus Time!

Retailer: thebay.com

Duration: July 7-31, 2011

Minimum amount you need to spend: $45 CAD (before taxes)

What you get:
- Genifigue Eye Youth Activating Eye Concentrate, 7 ml
- Colour Design Sensational Effects Lipcolour in Visionary
- Colour Design Sensational Effects Eye Shadows quartet in Honeymoon, Mannequin, Impress and Lezard
- Definicils High Definition Mascara in Black
- Clis Booster XL Super-Enhancing Mascara Base
- Bi-Facil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover
- reversible Lancome Summer Tote

For more info, click here.

image: e-flyer

Product Review: Barry M Nail Paint

Reviewer: Annabella from Skin Scrubs

Brand: Barry M
Name: Nail Paint
Size: 10 ml
Price: GBP £2.99 / approx $4.81 CAD

Shade Tried: 273 Raspberry 049


Barry M is a staple of most beauty bloggers in the UK. Not being from the UK myself I had never heard of Barry M Cosmetics until I moved here in 1996. It is the quintessential pharmacy/chemist brand with their assortment of nail paints, dazzle dust for the eyes, lipsticks, brushes and other makeup bits. Even thought it has a reputation for being used by school girls, it gets the thumbs up from women of all ages, including me.

Barry M Nail Paint is good value for money, has some great colours and innovative products like the Nail Effects which is the crackle that everyone in the blogosphere has been going crazy for in the last 6 months. Barry M started the trend and now the bigger brands like OPI are bringing out their own crackle shades.

To Purr About:
- Great colours
- Easy to apply
- Dries super quick
- Long lasting, doesn't chip easily
- The price

Claws Out:
- There can be some cuticle drag with some of the lighter colours
- The numbering/name system of colours can be confusing

Final Comments:
I stopped wearing nail polish several years ago (out of laziness mostly) and since I've been blogging I've come over all girly again my collection of Barry M grows bigger by the day. What I really love is that dries really quick, so no sitting around for hours literally watching paint dry. It's also quite hardwearing, I've been able to an entire week without a chip. Barry M also has a high shine factor so a top coat isn't always necessary especially with the darker colours. The only moans and these are minor are the naming/numbering system that Barry M has for the Nail Paints. Most bloggers wish they would just use actual names rather than a combination of both. Also, there can be cuticle drag with some of the lighter colours so you need to be a bit more careful when you apply them.

If and when Barry M does come to Canada it will be a great day for everyone!

Rating (out of 5):

image: Annabella from Skin Scrubs

Help Cinnamon Kitten spend $50 - July 2011

It's time to hear your suggestions on what I should spend July's $50 on! I had a great time looking at your June suggestions and ended up with 2 really fun products (see my previous post for more details).

Some of you also suggested a few indie brands and it was really cool to learn more about these brands (I'm even in the process of interviewing 2 of the founders!)

I can't wait to see you come up with this month - but this time, there's a twist! I want to buy something related to the colour BLUE (my favourite colour). Blue can be the shade that the product is, the colour of the packaging, or even part of the name.

Leave a comment and let me know what BLUE item I should buy this month!

Product News: berry-infused products from OLEHENRIKSEN

I LOVE berries - raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, cherries...they always make me think of summer, plus they're delicious and so good for you!

Check out these berry-infused products from OLEHENRIKSEN:


Blue/blackberry enzyme mask, $32 USD
An aromatic, reparative gel mask that hydrates with sodium hyaluronate and lavender to quench dry and sensitive skin. The perfect antidote to facial stress, this blend of extracts smoothes and polishes skin. Contains blue/blackberry fruit extract.

Pick me up tonic, 7 oz for $21 USD or 12 oz for $30 USD
Packed with vitamin C and chamomile, this gentle, paraben-free toner oxygenates and brightens the skin and minimizes pores. Contains extracts of blueberry and blackberry.

African red tea exfoliating lip salvation, $15 USD
A petroleum free lip salve featuring cranberry seed oil is filled with emollient and conditioning extracts and antioxidant-rich African red tea.

image: press release

Weekend Beauty Reads From The Beauty Blog Network

Phyrra shows you a gorgeous rainbow look tutorial from ThePinkLadyJ.

The Pink Sith finally gets her hands on The Le Metier de Beaute Ken's Korals Collection. Come see this HOT new color for fall and summer!

Thu from Painted Ladies reviews some new Round Lipstick shades from NYX's Summer 2011 collection.

Beauty and Fashion Tech has Tarte True Blood Swatches of the new makeup kit.

Beauty 365 dishes about her first red lipstick experience and shares a video about red lip ideas for brown girls.

Suziesaurus from Cinnamon Kitten discovers the joys of home waxing with Nair Tahitian Blooms Ready-To-Use Wax Strips.

A Touch of Blusher reviews James Heeley Hippie Rose.

Happy Canada Day!

It's Canada Day! I'm celebrating by watching the Toronto Blue Jays on TV (love their special Canada Day hats) and relaxing with my favourite guy, aka GuineaHubby.

It's a beautiful day outside and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the weather stays just like this for when we go up north tomorrow for some more rest and relaxation.

Suziesaurus and I are busy reviewing products this week and next so there's going to be lots of new reviews coming soon!

For my fellow Canadians - have a great holiday weekend! Stay safe (and beautiful!)