Living in Canada (especially on the East Coast!), we often are [unfairly] left out of certain niches in the beauty world, which leave us lemming just about everything that launches each season while our US counterparts get the pick of the crop. Often I find myself loving something I’ve seen on Michelle of All Lacquered Up or intrigued by a review by Christine of Temptalia, only to realize I have next to no way of getting my hands on said product. I have been dying to check out some polishes from Deborah Lippmann, but when I went to order a few online, I realized that there is no international shipping on her site. Of course, I could order some from Holt Renfrew, but the shipping is $15 so I better make it a good order!
Ok, enough ranting. On the plus side, you have to get very inventive and dig deep to find ways around these obstacles. One site that I’ve found has helped somewhat is Spa Boutique. They are a Canadian online boutique and they have a ton of product lines – skincare, hair care, nail care, you name it. While they aren’t all brands I’m interested in, they do carry many polish brands such as China Glaze, OPI, Essie, Creative Nail Design (although I see they’ve phased out the colors and now only have the ‘effects’), and Zoya. These aren’t all necessarily hard lines to come by, but they usually get polishes in before we do here in stores, and keep the lines stocked for a while, so it is useful. The Zoya winter collection actually hasn’t arrived here in Halifax that I’ve seen, so I ordered my beloved Valerie from this site.
I have been feeling *spendy* the past few days (weeks…months…years. Whatever!) and when 
I saw a post on ALU today on another shade in Zoya’s winter collex, Crystal, I gave in. A few polish bloggers had posted swatches of this shade but I resisted its charms, until Michelle pronounced it love at first sight. I swear that gal determines the nail trends! In any case, I caved and order that as well as one of the CND’s ‘effects’ polishes, Copper Shimmer, another selection due to a pic posted back in September on ALU of the shimmer layered over a dark grey creme. Yow.
Typical shipping on Spa Boutique is $8.75 (regular), free in Canada after spending $75, but both times when I placed my order I used the code Free24 and got my shipping free. I am going to write about a few other online retailers I’ve found that ship to Canada in a future post.
Do you struggle with access to certain brands/products? Any websites you’ve come across that have been useful to you?
Beauty Obsessed 
#1 by Beauty Reductionista on January 13, 2011 - 10:14 pm
Thanks for the link to Spa Boutique! I never order online because I prefer to shop in person after swatching and getting my hands all messy. 🙂
I checked out Zoya Crystal in person after seeing all the rave reviews but somehow found the will power to resist! And you’re right about Michelle @ All Lacquered Up. She multiplies my nail polish addiction intensity by 10x at least.
#2 by toyarosie on January 18, 2011 - 10:38 pm
I’m a bit frustrated with Spa Boutique at the moment…although they do have the new China Glaze Anchors Away collection online now (tempting!), the order I put in on the 15th OF DECEMBER has still not come in. Apparently the CND polish was backordered. I had no issues the first time around, so its disappointing but I’ll wait and if it happens on another order then I’ll make my judgement. I think they’re a fairly small company so I’m trying to give them the benefit of the doubt.
Good for you that you could resist the siren call of yet another nail polish 🙂
#3 by Dorothy on March 29, 2011 - 1:55 pm
Mills Bros. still has Deborah Lippmann, doesn’t it?
Where do you buy Zoya in Halifax? I’d love to be able to look at the bottles, especially for nudes.
#4 by Toyarosie on March 30, 2011 - 4:37 pm
Hi Dorothy!! Yes, Mills does have Lippmann polishes, but when I spoke to Kim, the S/A that does the ordering, she told me they’re phasing them out/not ordering anymore 😦 As for Zoya, I get mine from either Jay Wells Salon on Barrington Street, or Be Well Spa on Robie – that ones a bit lowkey but they are right on the Commons with a big sign if you look for it 🙂 I believe you can also get Zoya at Cascades Spa in Bedford…