This fall, we’re focusing on Canadian wellness and skincare products. Taking the time to relax and look after body and mind has taken centre stage as many of us deal with chronic illness and health issues. We found several quality products to feature this season, from facial care to yoga mats and accessories done right. Here’s a round-up of our picks.
COLE Skin combines naturopathic principles with skin cell biology to create clean, clinically effective skincare and wellness supplements that are simple to use and proudly made in Canada. Dr. Jillian Cole is a naturopathic doctor who specializes in chronic skin conditions. She saw the need for a gentle, clean, and non-fussy skincare line and in 2024, launched COLE.
The first thing I noticed when opening up my Skin Barrier Protection Essence is the solid, thick white cap and bottle. At 50ml, this is a solid travel companion for carry-on luggage and purses. The spray releases a gentle, scent of Black Spruce and Neroli to use following cleansing or just as a setting spray. Meant to rebalance your microbiome, replenish moisture, and refresh your skin, this product is gentle enough to be used daily and can be paired with their Ground Control Barrier Repair Cream.
COLE Skin offers the Barrier Protection Essence as part of a travel bundle, including Omega Cleansing Balm (30ml), Perfecting Serum (30ml), and the above-mentioned Barrier Repair Cream (15ml), all in small, packable sizes.
Savon Du Bois, a natural body and cosmetics company, combines ancient distillation techniques with expertise in perfumery, aromatherapy, and herbalism. Products range from body lotion and bath bombs to home fragrance and facial care. They even carry a dog shampoo bar for furry companions!
[Summer Daydream: Bergamot, basil, and white grapefruit create a vibrant scent profile]
Their lightweight, hydrating hand and body lotions, available in four scent combinations, are infused with botanical oils, and are packaged in 250 ml pump bottles and 100 ml travel-friendly tubes.
[Night Swimming handblown bottle, designed by John Lennard and Armstrong Glassworks]
La Maison Du Bois, a new addition to Savon Du Bois, is a curated collection of limited-production luxury fragrances and artisanal creations crafted in collaboration with Canadian artists and makers. Each fragrance in the line uses only natural ingredients, many of which are locally foraged and distilled in Prince Edward County, Ontario.
We had the pleasure of receiving an advance sample of their Night Swimming scent, the brand’s inaugural fragrance. Founder and perfumer Anne Du Bois partnered with local artist John Lennard who created original artwork inspired by the gorgeous scent.
Available in handblown glass bottles by Armstrong Glassworks in Wellington, Ontario, each bottle is sure to become a collector’s piece.
Inspired by the French art of slowing down, Ralentir Wellness is a Canadian skincare brand creating holistic nutritionist-formulated botanical oils that nourish the skin, hair, and nails. The minimalist, multi-purpose formulas help repair the skin barrier, deeply hydrate, and soothe dry, sensitive skin without feeling greasy. Their entire line is handcrafted in small batches in Picton, Ontario using many locally-sourced natural ingredients.
The brand was founded by Michelle Lauer, a nutritionist with a skincare therapy background, after years of struggling with sensitive skin. Ralentir creates premium botanical formulas made with organic, cold-pressed, and unrefined ingredients. Their products are created to nourish, restore, and support healthy, radiant skin. Ralentir translates to slowing down in French, after Michelle returned from a trip to Paris with her mother and a waiter suggested that she slow down! That small moment became a big lesson.
Ralentir elixirs are formulated with Abyssinica seed oil (together with five non-comedogenic oils) that work magic on tired, sensitive skin. They easily absorb into the skin without feeling greasy. We received their Day Dream Elixir with Blue Tansy, a calming botanical that soothes stressed skin with a lovely herbal scent.
Lavender fans will appreciate the Golden Hour elixir oil with sea buckthorn that’s naturally scented with French lavender.
Toronto’s Nutritious Skincare creates premium plant-based formulas made with organic, cold-pressed, and unrefined ingredients. Their products are designed to nourish, restore, and support healthy, radiant skin.
Founder Tania Zachidniak sought effective skincare products after years of struggling with allergies, sensitivities, and reactive skin. While many products carried the “natural” label, some relied on synthetic additives, artificial fragrances, and low-quality fillers.
This led Tania to formulate her own line of nutrient-dense skincare using pure, quality ingredients. Every Nutritious Skincare formula is created using high-quality botanical oils, extracts, and actives designed to deeply nourish, restore, and support healthy skin.
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Their Cocoa Cleansing Balm contains organic cocoa butter and Buriti oil (a natural source of high amounts of betacarotene). Your self-care moment begins by warming a small amount with the fingers and applying it to dry skin. When warm water is added, the balm becomes a milky cleanser that when rinsed off leaves your skin feeling clean, soft, and radiant!
I’ve added this soothing balm to my skin routine. It smells so lovely every time I open the jar.
Scoria, a woman-owned yoga mat, prop, and apparel brand based in Ontario, designs sustainable cork yoga mats and essentials that inspire creativity and playfulness. When founder Yara Kamal began to lose her sense of playfulness and creativity at the age of 18, she began to look at ways to reconnect again, and was eventually inspired to create an eco-conscious yoga mat with unique artwork that would create balanced mental health and wellbeing habits.
Since their 2017 launch, Scoria has sold over 10,000 cork yoga mats and accessories, grown and developed into a team of five women, and has created a diverse, welcoming community.
Scoria (Skor-ee-uh) is a naturally formed volcanic stone created when fire meets earth, lightweight, textured, and shaped by transformation.
The name reflects a symbol of becoming — a reminder that creativity, strength, and presence are often born through change. Their vast array of yoga mats are backed by natural tree rubber (unlike other mats with synthetic TPE/PVC) and include a free cotton mat carry strap too!
