4 Canadian beauty brands

Canadian beauty

Who doesn’t love to find a new beauty product -especially if it’s Canad­ian? We’ve seen M.A.C skyrocket into a world-recognized brand and Cake Beauty become a coast-to-coast fave, but what’s around the corner to add to your beauty cache? With niche or “indie” brands now a bigger trend than ever, Best Health zeroed in on four Canadian companies that we think represent the new wave. Some focus on locally sourced ingredients, others on the exotic or on the natural-and all may just be the next big thing.

1. Isomers Laboratories

We love that many of the company’s products come in simple brown apothecary-style bottles. Isomers emphasizes natural ingredients, and works with re­search scientists around the globe to develop leading-edge anti-aging skin care. The company includes extensive FAQs on its website to address issues such as uneven skin tone, sun damage, dryness and acne.

Our pick: Desert Youth 4X with Ectoin is a milky serum that moisturizes skin and protects it from the environment. ($65, 15 mL; find it at isomers.ca or theshoppingchannel.com)

2. Mèreadesso Woman

What’s the appeal? Simplified skin care. Dismayed by the endless beauty options and the need for numerous moisturizing steps and products at various ages, creator Linda Stephenson debuted with just two moisturizers, one for face and one for body. They help protect and moisturize at any age and contain ingredients such as aloe vera, white tea, cucumber, apple, rosemary, zinc, copper and vitamins A, E and C. Recently, she added a multi-tasking cleanser to the mix.

Our pick: Face + Neck Cleanser is an all-in-one face wash, eye-makeup remover, toner and mask. ($45, 120 mL; find it at mereadesso.com)

3. Escents

The Escents collection includes essential oil blends, soaps, bath bombs, body washes, dry oil mist, body lotions and home scent accessories. Products are biodegradable and free of phosphates, synthetic dyes, parabens and petroleum-based ingredients. They are promoted as being safe for babies, children and adults. For those seeking an even more natural experience, Escents Naturals is certified organic and sulphate-free.

Our pick: Headache Relief Roll-on with peppermint and lavender oils: Roll it onto your temples and even  the back of your neck. ($17, 9 mL; find it at escentsaromatherapy.com, and gift shops and boutiques across Canada)

4. Salt Marsh Sisters

Using locally sourced rose petals, rosehips, cranberries and black spruce needles, as well as organic botanicals found in and around the salt marshes of the eastern shore of Nova Scotia, the collection includes bath bombs, scrubs, hydrosols (aromatherapy sprays), soap and lip balm. Products do not contain artificial additives, synthetic fragrances or sulphates, and (when available) use 100 percent organic oats as well as palm and coconut oils. Quantities are limited to the availability of regionally and seasonally harvested ingredients.

Our pick: Medicinal Floral Body Powder, with organic dried flowers, can be used as a deodorant, foot powder and for baby’s diaper rash. ($14, 4 oz; find it at saltmarshsisters.ca)

What’s your favourite indie beauty brand? Let other readers in on the secret in our forums.