Glamour Puss 4: Y'all are green with envy!

[PRlady]

I go to Virginia to buy cigarettes, where a carton costs $24 less than in DC. I guess it's the same idea.

I've looked at makeup in Israel, since they do have some Euro stuff not available here. I was aghast at the prices -- $25 for Maybelline mascara? L'Oreal is worse. Oddly, the expensive stuff, like Clarion and Lancome, less of a price differential. But I still wouldn't buy makeup there unless I was desperate.

Huh. So the US is low-priced at something. Good to know.

[Scintillation]

I just think it's odd, considering the Canadian dollar is actually better than ours right now, and it has been for some time. Why the huge mark up? One woman told me the bottle of shampoo that she likes to get, which is $48 over here, is $70 in Canada.
I'm not complaining too much though--Canadian sales are HUGE. God bless them.

[oleada]

I go to Virginia to buy cigarettes, where a carton costs $24 less than in DC. I guess it's the same idea.

I've looked at makeup in Israel, since they do have some Euro stuff not available here. I was aghast at the prices -- $25 for Maybelline mascara? L'Oreal is worse. Oddly, the expensive stuff, like Clarion and Lancome, less of a price differential. But I still wouldn't buy makeup there unless I was desperate.

Huh. So the US is low-priced at something. Good to know.

When my sister came to visit me in New York, she left with about 4 bottles of her favorite Avene face wash, because it's only $18 at Duane Read, but $40 in Colombia. She has very sensitive skin and can't use many products and that's the face wash her dermatologist recommended for her.

[vesperholly]

Wait. Buffalo is a world-renowned site for beauty products??

Of course not, but we do have Target and Ulta, which Canada does not. They don't get some of our drugstore brands. Goes both ways - Buffalo doesn't have an IKEA, and we don't get GOSH makeup.

I think the markups started because the Canadian dollar used to be so much lower than the US dollar. Now that the Canadian dollar is at par or stronger, it's ludicrous. The worst is Australia, though - they have something like a 60% markup on all cosmetics. Revlon Colorstay foundation costs $45.

Sounds perfect. You should add a higher end Rexall to that list. They have a better selection of Bioderma.

Yay! I love how your drugstores carry high-end products.

[Andora]

Of course not, but we do have Target and Ulta, which Canada does not. They don't get some of our drugstore brands. Goes both ways - Buffalo doesn't have an IKEA, and we don't get GOSH makeup.

This is exactly it, but that there's much here parts of the US doesn't have. IKEA is pretty awesome, I admit. But all the fun mid-brands at Target-- Pixi, the low end Napoleon Perdis, etc.-- we don't have. Or the Neutrogena makeup line, though we have all the skincare, and so on and so on. Almay, Maybelline, Revlon, Cover Girl and L'Oreal, we're well covered, and that's about all most drug stores and Walmart carry, with the odd Marcelle or Quo, but that's about it before you hit the high end lines. Most of those are now here, but when I hit about 5 different Sephoras on my '08 trip to NYC, there were a few lines that hadn't made it up here yet.

I think the markups started because the Canadian dollar used to be so much lower than the US dollar. Now that the Canadian dollar is at par or stronger, it's ludicrous. The worst is Australia, though - they have something like a 60% markup on all cosmetics. Revlon Colorstay foundation costs $45.

I've sent a few emails to my favourite retailers about this, Sephora included. I hate that we're still charged at the 60% rate when the dollar hasn't been NEAR that low for some time. I always get the "import/duty" excuses, and I recognize that our prices will be a touch higher when it comes to those reasons, but THIS high? It's ridiculous. Sephora also said it was dependent on what each line demanded they charge, and a few lines did charge a bit less.

But, yeah, Australia is ridiculous. I offered to bring my friend makeup when I visited. On the other hand, NYX was cheaper there than in Canada.

[Habs]

My friend bought Benefit's new "They're Real" mascara, and it's amazing. I think it'll be my new splurge come birthday time. I tried it and was blown away. My Super Shock by Avon is a pretty good lower price dupe for now, though.

I got "They're Real" as a sample from Sephora awhile ago. I love it... it's my new favourite mascara.

[PrincessLeppard]

I just bought it as well. Also, I got a sample of Pore Perfection (I think that's the name) and I really liked it. Has anyone used it regularly? Is it worth the price?

[Jenya]

My favorite Phyto hair product is $32 in the US and only about $12 in France. I bought three when I was in Paris last year for TEB... and I'm almost out. Guess I need to go back to France.

[kimkom]

Can someone recommend a good brush for my Makeup Forever HD Foundation? I bought the brush that was recommended with the foundation, but I wonder if a flat top brush something like this one would blend better? I've seen a few tutorials on YouTube that prefer the flat kind.

[Andora]

At a makeup lesson I went to recently, they used a brush AND sponge to get a great finish. The sponge would sort of smooth any problems the brush left behind. I like the effect of using a sponge, but it sucks up too much product.

(The foundation itself wound up being kind of crap on me, but it looked good for about an hour!)

[PRlady]

My favorite Phyto hair product is $32 in the US and only about $12 in France. I bought three when I was in Paris last year for TEB... and I'm almost out. Guess I need to go back to France.

I buy Phyto in Israel where for some reason it's about 1/3 off the American price. Who knows why. But I always come home with three tubes of their smoother in my luggage.

Then there's the stuff they don't sell here at all. LouLou by Cacherel is one of my all-time favorite perfumes, they have it in duty-free in Israel and Europe and nowhere here.

And musing on perfume (again) I can't justify another bottle but I am thinking that someone should give me the new Violet Blonde by Tom Ford if they really want something from me.

[IceAlisa]

What's Violet Blonde like? You know I wouldn't miss an opportunity to talk perfume. I have to report that the latest permutation of my beloved Lolita Lempicka called Midnight Flower was a disappointment.
It opened quite a bit like the original which is fine but defeats the purpose of a different name. The dry down is really unfortunate--paint thinner.

[Veronika]

I got my Sephora b-day order yesterday, but I'm not going to open the box until my actual birthday. We are going to "the big city" for my b-day dinner on Saturday night, and I'm going to stop into the Sephora store during the afternoon...not sure if I"m going to get anything, but it's fun to look.

Cherry Culture (which has NYX and Milani, among others) has a 25% off sale right now, so I made a small order this morning too.

As you can tell, I'm really good at treating myself...maybe too good?

[Jenya]

I buy Phyto in Israel where for some reason it's about 1/3 off the American price. Who knows why. But I always come home with three tubes of their smoother in my luggage.

That sounds like the same product I use - I still buy it at Sephora because a tube lasts me a long time, but paying $12 for it is much more palatable. Guess I just need to get back to Europe ASAP to fill up on hair supplies again.

[PRlady]

What's Violet Blonde like? You know I wouldn't miss an opportunity to talk perfume. I have to report that the latest permutation of my beloved Lolita Lempicka called Midnight Flower was a disappointment.
It opened quite a bit like the original which is fine but defeats the purpose of a different name. The dry down is really unfortunate--paint thinner.

Well, I seem to be squarely in the amber/vanilla/spicy line, and it fits in that category. Since I have only smelled it so far in the magazine, this weekend will include a trip to Nordstroms to walk around with it on my wrist.

[IceAlisa]

Yum, I am too in the amber/vanilla/spice line, heavy on vanilla.

[PDilemma]

If you like vanilla, you have to try Lavanilla products. I am in love with the grapefruit or passion fruit, but I like a bit of citrus. They also have spice, lavendar and more....and the lotions are divine and have no parabens, etc...

http://www.lavanila.com/

[IceAlisa]

Thank you, PDilemma! I've tried them and tried to love them but for some reason, could not.

[Lara]

I'm at the other end of the lake. I do Syracuse.

Plattsburgh for Montrealers. My best friend's mom would go all the time and took us a few times when in elementary school. They'd spend hours at TJ Maxx alone.

Back then I was at the huge supermarket that also had drugstore products like cosmetics. You didn't see that in Montreal.

Even though there's discount stores like Winners and Homesense in Canada now, my mother still found stuff at Marshalls and Burlington Coat Factory this summer at prices impossible to find back home.

[PDilemma]

Thank you, PDilemma! I've tried them and tried to love them but for some reason, could not.

I have sensitive skin and mild asthma. So a lot of products bother my skin and a lot of perfumes make me cough. Their stuff does neither.

And I have to say that their citruses are better than the floral scents or spices, so if citrus is not your scent preference, they might not be a fit.