Makeup & nails

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10 Ethical Beauty and Skincare Staples to Add to Your Routine

Looking for super-smart packaging, consciously crafted formulas, socially responsible brands and multi-use products?

by : Théo Dupuis-Carbonneau- Apr 19th, 2023

LEEOR WILD (MODEL)

Sculpt & Glow Bar, Ember Wellness

Say hi to the last step of your skincare routine and the first step of your makeup one: Massaging and hydrating your face with this bar, which is rich in vitamins A, E and F and sustainably sourced mica, will give it the perfect amount of natural shine.

Price: $29 for the bar and the slide box, $25 for the bar only

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Élixir Exfoliant, French Farmacie

French Farmacie’s philosophy pares your beauty routine down to a mere two products, both of which are next-level concoctions formulated with ethically sourced ingredients. FYI: This brand is a member of the 1% for the Planet network.

Price: $112

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Gentle Glow Tonic, Nuori

Danish brand Nuori’s modus operandi makes a whole lot of sense: Produce small batches every 10 to 12 weeks in brilliant containers that keep products ultra-fresh and optimally effective. Sign us up!

Price: $45

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Oceanly Phyto-Matte Solid Matifying Face Cream For Combination Skin, Attitude

We’re huge fans of the Oceanly line by Montreal-based brand Attitude. It uses revolutionary packaging made of biodegradable cardboard for its concentrated skincare products, which come in stick form—meaning way less water usage and far more TLC for the planet.

Price: $40

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Brightening Face Serum With Vitamin C And Squalane, BKIND

Local production, a 100-percent-recyclable bottle and vegan ingredients… need I say more? The new line of BKIND serums will earn a spot in your skincare routine—but, most importantly, in your heart! FYI: You can buy these babies in bulk at the brand’s Montreal shop.

Price: $82

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Good Morning Reusable Eye Patches, Omy Laboratoires

Rather than creating more waste with one-time-use-only patches, you now have a reusable option, thanks to Omy Laboratoires, that will amplify the effects of your contour cream every single time.

Price: $20

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Coconut Sun Eau De Parfum, The 7 Virtues

First you’ll be drawn in by the sultry vacation-inducing coconut, frangipani and sea-air fragrance. Then you’ll fall head over heels for the social mission of The 7 Virtues, especially when you find out it has teamed up with Charity: Water to support a safe-drinking-water project in Ethiopia. Nothing but hearts!

Price: $110 (50 mL)

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C5 Super Boost Vitamin C Eye Cream, Paula’s Choice

A far cry from the pervasive fear mongering and greenwashing that can be found elsewhere in the beauty industry, Paula’s Choice prefers actions over words with tried-and-tested ingredients as well as open dialogue with its customer base. And great news: It’s now available at Sephora!

Price: $53

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Refillable Lipstick, Lush

To protect lipsticks without creating extra waste, the folks at Lush have developed a wildly clever wax seal. All you have to do is remove it, slip the lipstick into the refillable case and then pucker up.

Price: $12 for the case and $14 for the lipstick refill

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Refillable Bottles, The Body Shop

Why toss a perfectly good container when you could easily refill it instead? This simple-yet-ingenious idea is the impetus behind The Body Shop’s global refill scheme that kicked off back in 2021. All you do is pick up your aluminum bottle and then refill it with the product of your choice—as many times as your heart desires!

Price: $15 for the shower-gel and hand-wash bottles as well as the first refill, $12 for refills only; $17 for hair-care bottles as well as the first refill, $15 for refills only

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