SKINCARE | An Entirely "Made in Vancouver" Skincare Routine

I never thought the day would come where I would have a full skincare routine with products not just from Canada, but specifically MADE in Vancouver! Natural or plant-based beauty has come a long way from the days of having to purchase products of Etsy that didn't have any sort of preservation system and came in packaging that, let's face it, truly felt homemade. Now, I'm fine with getting some bath salts or even a bath bomb, but when it comes to skincare I frankly want more than just shea butter and some oils. I want acids and products that generate results! Formulations are more sophisticated thanks to the help of technology and science and smaller brands can now save on traditional advertising and use social media to get their product into the hands of consumers which hopefully means being able to invest more into their products! Almost every single brand featured today was discovered through social media - specifically Instagram (I hate it and love it at the same time) and I couldn't be happier with them!

The NENA Clay Mask, Woodlot Cleansing Balm and East 29th Vital Serum are press samples. Everything else is purchased by me!

 

The Double Cleanse

Woodlot Nourishing Cleansing Balm*

I have not found a Vancouver-made cleansing oil (yet), but I'm sure one exists! Generally, I prefer oils to balms mainly because I like a pump, but there is something super satisfying about feeling the transition of a balm from solid to liquid as you massage it into your skin! This one from Woodlot is a thicker balm and is best removed with a hot compress than just splashing water onto your skin. A little goes a long way and is a mixture of apricot and essential oils and hydrating shea butter so that skin isn't left squeaky, but soft.

Okoko Cosmetiques Beaute Majestique

I let out a little sigh of pleasure everytime I take out my beautiful jar of Beaute Majestique. I have been in love with Okoko Cosmetiques for about 2 years, but because of the pricing (this 50mL pot costs $140 CDN) I held off until I really was ready to try some new skincare and not let it sit unused. This brand is also black-owned so if you are looking to support more BIPOC businesses, this is one I highly recommend! This is multiple products in one and can be used as a: cleanser, mask, exfoliator and makeup remover. This beautiful jeweled red gel rinses off as a MILK, if you can believe it and exfoliates both chemically and physically, but ever so gently with a blend of bamboo and pumpkin seed powder as well as papaya and willowbark extract. It also hydrates with squalane to keep the skin barrier strong and can be left on as a mask for an extra boost of hydration. My new bath routine has been to oil cleanse first and then apply this cleanser as a mask in the tub which means I leave it on for about an hour. It rinses off easily and I am always left with a fresh glow! 

NENA Clay Mask

I probably use a clay mask maaaaaybe once every two weeks and rarely in the dry skin season, but with wearing face masks, clarifying is something I have had to include in my skincare routine because my skin just feels so sweaty and gross at the end of the day. I have raved about this mask and Richmond-based skincare company before in 2019 (review) as it is one of the few clay masks I have used that isn't incredibly drying for my normal-dry skin. The glacial clay that is used comes from Northern BC and is sustainably harvested in partnership with the Homalco First Nations people. It is clarifying and refreshing and most importantly, easy to clean up with just a sponge or washcloth!

VIVA Facial Toner

VIVA I discovered thanks to the Whole Foods Beauty department and after having a REALLY good experience with their sheet mask (review), I was keen to try more, but at the time I got this toner during the Whole Foods Beauty Week (March 14th, 2020 - see, we all remember where we were before the pandemic rocked our lives) I wasn't looking for anything more than a toner and this one is just lovely! This is a combination of mandarin and rose oil, witch hazel and hydrating vegetable glycerin housed in a frosted glass bottle (only $24.95 CDN) that also sprays PERFECTLY. We've all been done wrong by a nozzle that has sprayed us in that "wet way" so I always appreciate when this is done well!  

Day and Night Serums

Okoko Cosmetiques Elixir de Purete

Yes, there will be quite a bit of Okoko in this routine because the products have been working for me! This is just a little deluxe sample that I did pay for $30 for (5mL) as honestly I was trying to get to free shipping and didn't want to splurge quite yet on the full sized product for $150! I have been using this only at night as I have been treating this more like a nightly chemical exfoliation and is a serum made with 10% niacinamide, willow bark extract, cucumber extract, beta-glucan and pomegranate enzymes. It also has Dragon's blood extract (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, protects against environmental stressors) and licorice root extract so I feel like my skin has definitely looked more even in tone the last couple of weeks I have been using it. It doesn't tingle at all and as you can see, the texture is quite light and absorbs super quickly as it is also oil-free. 

East 29th Vital Serum*

OMG. This Vital Serum. I'm halfway done the bottle and I know I will have to buy another bottle because after a bit of tweaking, I got this serum to work for me in a way where I will say that it is one of THE BEST vitamin C serums I have used! It's so much more than that, but that is how I have been using this as it is intended to hydrate, brighten, firm, promote elasticity and improve skin tone and texture. Firstly, for those of you have call Vancouver home, East 29th does indeed refer to the street in Vancouver! The featured ingredients in this serum are: hyaluronic acid (0.5%), niacinamide (1.5%), lemon rind extract and vitamin C (ascorbyl palmitate) and E. Normally, I despise doing "featured ingredients" lists because it's usually just the ingredients that most brands want to highlight but in reality are found in very low percentages, but if you look at the ingredient list for this serum, it's pretty solid! In total, this serum boasts an active ingredients list of 4.5%! 

The texture of this serum is kind of interesting because it comes out a little syrupy and then starts to foam a little, yes, FOAM when massaged into the skin, but it soon transforms into a slight tackiness and then seconds later your skin is silky smooth! In short, this is my perfect vitamin C serum with no sticky finish and virtually NO scent! 

This serum can be your everything serum and be used AM and/or PM and that's what I was doing initially. I did not use any other serums for the first 2-3 weeks I was using the Vital Serum, but I noticed that my cheeks were getting a bit red when I was using it twice a day. This is a common thing that happens to me specifically with vitamin C products so I dialed it back to once a day and then once a day every other day until my skin calmed down. Now, my skin is so SO happy at once a day in the mornings. I could go on and on about this serum and I just might on Instagram later on, but I cannot recommend this serum more! 

Moisturizers

Phytosurgence Verdant Forcefield

I'm not gonna lie. The next two moisturizers got me on their COLOUR, but can you blame me? Phytosurgence's Verdant Forcefield is a CHARTREUSE (yes, I had to go look up the official Pantone colour name because I would have called it something unflattering) in colour from a blend of water and lipid-based green tea extracts and while I wouldn't call it lightweight in texture, it's not heavy either, but because of this, I prefer to use this at night. It melts into the skin quickly and leaves the skin with a plumped, but slightly glowy finish. What I found MOST interesting about the formulation of this moisturizer was the inclusion of the PHA gluconolactone which is a larger molecular version of an AHA, but exfoliates more gently because of its size. Like a gentle giant! It also works as an antioxidant and can even repair a damaged skin barrier. This is pretty cutting edge skincare tech so I was excited to see it in this moisturizer!

Okoko Cosmetiques Diamant Bleu

When I first saw Diamant Bleu on Okoko's Instagram feed, I showed people at work who were like "why the hell is it blue?" Over the last couple of years, we've seen a couple of naturally blue skincare products (May Lindstrom being the first I think) and I have had to have them all. I just love it. This whipped moisturizer is blue from spirulina and blue tansy and though it is called a "clarifying cream", I think of this more like a "brightening and calming" moisturizer for my skin type. When I see the word "clarifying", I automatically think it will be too aggressive or not hydrating enough, but that is SO not the case with this moisturizer! This has encapsulated niacinamide (preserves potency) which is a relatively new technology in skincare as well as willow bark extract (BHA) to exfoliate skin. 

This is a lightweight moisturizer and I have been using it either in the AM/PM depending on my skin's mood and I look forward to using it everytime. The texture, scent (vanilla) and the way it has been making my skin look has me using this sparingly even though I shouldn't! This moisturizer is made in small batches so I think when it first launched only 242 pots were made. While it is currently sold out now, I am SURE more will come as this was only launched a few months ago. 

Eventide Restorative Facial Oil

Founded by esthetician Kathryn Sawers of Vancouver's Collective Skincare (I've had one facial with her and she is VERY good), Eventide Botanic Alchemy makes two products: the Everything Mask and the Restorative Face Oil. This is a super hydrating oil made with rose, lavender, wild carrot and rosehip oil, but doesn't leave your skin looking shiny. It just melts right in so while you can use this as a moisturizer, I easily use this on top of one or on top of my skin after removing my sheet mask. I just need 1-2 drops and then I press into my skin. It also has become part of my bedtime aromatherapy routine because I love the scent of this oil and have been known to sniff it just to clear my mind.

I hope you enjoyed my roundup of Vancouver-made skincare! I look forward to using each and every one of these product as I don't feel like I am "settling" just to throw some local brands support. Each of these products is of a calibre I would liken to any of the brands I would buy at Sephora or Holt Renfrew so it makes me feel extra happy that they happen to be made in Vancouver and by a small business. This doesn't mean that you won't ever see me feature something from La Prairie, Guerlain or Sulwhasoo because those brands make me happy to use for different reasons, but knowing that I have a homegrown complete routine adds a dimension to my skincare routine that I never thought I would have! 

Have you tried any of the brands featured here? What else should I try from a local (to you or me!) or small business?