If this list of businesses is any indication Vancouverites care about two things: skincare and keeping it clean.
Evalina Beauty
Canada Wide media president Samantha Legge added another feather to her cap with Evalina Beauty, the pinnacle of stress-free cosmetics. The capsule collection consists of all the basics to put together a glowing face (eyeshadow sticks, cheek stains, lip gloss, highlighter, primer, mascara, etc.) with the standout being the Dew Beauty Benefit Cream, seriously I’m obsessed!
Ilia
Ilia was one of the first major clean beauty brands in Canada and they continue to be at the forefront of sustainable business practices in the industry including being talc-free and using ethically sourced mica. Their stand-out product is by far the multi-stick.
Sḵwálwen Botanicals
Indigenous-owned botanical skincare brand, Sḵwálwen honours tradition Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) plant knowledge and sustainable harvest practices. The face and body care products are made in small batches with local ingredients like wild and cranberry roses, sweetgrass, sage, poplar, and calendula. Each product is given a Squamish name.
Sangre de Fruta
Sangre de Fruta founder Allison Audrey Weldon studied under a Vancouver-based collective of international expats at a holistic medicine apothecary in the hippie haven of Kitsilano during the ’70s. She took their philosophies and contemporized them to create a collection of face, hair, hand and body products that have caught the attention of Gwyneth Paltrow and Oprah.
Okoko Cosmétiques
Okoko is one of the few entries on this list to have its own brick-and-mortar store. The extensive collection is split into three labels–black, red, and white–with increasing levels of performance and emphasis on different skin concerns. The products are rigorously formulated with ethical plant-based but rare natural ingredients. I recommend you visit the store to see things like dragon’s blood, activated bamboo charcoal, and blue tansy in action.
Asklepios Garden
This genderless skincare brand consists of four products that cover the basics of a routine: a cream cleanser, oil cleanser, serum and moisturizer. The luxe beautifully designed packaging makes you feel like you’re a part of something special (if you’re a sucker for that kind of thing, which I am) but the certified organic ingredients inside are also worth noting. Aloe vera, white lotus, argan oil, frankincense and butterfly pea are among the list of interesting botanicals that soothe, nourish, smooth and hydrate the skin.
Loa Skin
Loa skin created the multifunctional Botanical Beauty Elixir to solve skin woes from acne to chronic dryness. The lightweight moisturizing serum has over 15 botanical ingredients with omega-3s, six essential fatty acids, and potent antioxidants for hydration, nourishment, breakout prevention, redness reduction, and skin repair. They also released an antigravity gau sha to help circulation and apply the elixir.
Eventide Botanical Alchemy
Kathryn Sawers began formulating products for her boutique facial clinic Collective Skin Care but when her clients started asking to take them home she launched her own skincare brand, Eventide. Their two products, the everything mask and restorative facial oil, are super simple and paired back but come with Sawers' 17 years of experience and a trusted list of ingredients to back them up.
Midnight Paloma
Midnight Paloma can be found in Nordstrom, Anthropology, and Urban Outfitters stores across Canada. The bath, body, and skincare brand put together the best self-care bundles complete with loofahs, scrub brushes, and bath soaks. Their cleansing balm is also great for removing makeup.
Nala
Nala is an all-natural deodorant brand formulated without the use of aluminum, parabens, and phthalates. Available in scents like lime and spearmint, lavender, rosewood, sandalwood and bergamot, their formulations make them suitable for sensitive skin. People can also customize their deodorants based on strength and scent type.
