Breath. Don’t overbook your schedule. Take your time. Do yoga. Let your mind wander.
Ah, slowing down! What a soothing idea. Just thinking about it makes me feel more relaxed.
Even though I’m not at all for the glamorization of being ‘super busy’, reality is: we’re more often in a rush than just chilling, gazing at the clouds. Actually, running half-naked in my apartment with my hair still wet when I have to leave in 10 minutes is way more representative of my daily routine than spending the afternoon reading the latest Kinfolk with an oat milk latte listening to a Rain playlist on Spotify.
I guess what I’m trying to say is: time is a rare commodity. So when you have to look through the dark corners of the internet to find a new all-natural and cruelty-free moisturizer for your sensitive skin after spending the day at the office, sweating your life away at your spinning class, and cooking a delicious yet endless recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi, it’s totally normal if your heart’s not fully in it.
To facilitate all your future non-toxic beauty needs and thus, save you some precious minutes, I wanted to tell you about my four favourite clean beauty shops which together, carry everything your pretty face could possibly dream of. Plus: 1) They’re very selective, so you’re in good hands regardless of what catches your eye 2) Each sells multiple brands, so it’s a one-stop shop kind of situation.
*You should know that ‘clean beauty’ is not a regulated term, so its definition varies from one company to the next. Generally speaking, it means a product is cruelty-free and free of the main harmful ingredients, like parabens, phtalates, sulfates, PEG, mineral oils, and synthetic fragrance.
THE DETOX MARKET
When I describe The Detox Market to my friends, I tell them it’s like Sephora, but clean beauty only. Launched 10 years ago by Romain Gaillard—who became aware of the harmful ingredients surrounding him when a friend of his got diagnosed with cancer—, the California-based company is the Mecca for beautiful products that are good to us and gentle on the environment. Now, Romain, may I give you one tiny suggestion? (Yes, we’re on a first-name basis. I interviewed him a couple of weeks ago, so we’re basically BFFs). With outposts in California, New York, and Toronto, I think the only next logical thing to do would be to open one in Montreal too. Okay, thanks!
BEAUTIES LAB
I’ve got a not-so-secret crush on Léa Bégin, the amazing woman behind this boutique, skin salon, and educational space located in Saint-Henri, Montreal. The professional makeup artist founded Beauties Lab to offer a personalized service to women hoping to simplify and detox their beauty routine. If you live far away, shopping online will do. Otherwise, I strongly suggest you go in person to soak in all of Léa’s incredible and well-informed beauty knowledge. And quite possibly fall in love with her.
SEPHORA CLEAN
In 2018, Sephora launched its ‘Clean at Sephora’ seal which singles out products that are free of 50 unsafe ingredients, such as parabens, sulfates, phtalates, etc. From makeup to skincare and hair care, the number of options is literally growing everyday. My two cents: visit their website before making your way to the store. The offering is a lot more extensive online, where you’ll find more than 60 clean brands.
GOOP
I know, Gwyneth Paltrow is not everyone’s cup of tea. Personally, I like Goop, because generally speaking—at least in terms of beauty and fashion—it promotes values that are dear to me (aka sustainability and quality). For those who didn’t know, the website also has an e-shop section where you can buy a multitude of things, including clean beauty goodies. What makes it even better: being a media first and foremost, there’s a clear effort of accompanying each product with detailed info, from its benefits to a video explaining how to use it.
OTHER SHOPS TO ADD TO YOUR LIST OF FAVOURITES:
- Beauty Bar, e-shop and boutique (Montreal)
- Vidra, e-shop and boutique (Rosemère)
- On Net-à-Porter’s website, under ‘NET SUSTAIN‘.
- Credo, e-shop and boutique located all around the US. Only for US residents, as they unfortunately do not offer international shipping.
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