Besides food and art, there is another local market that is growing every year. Handmade local cosmetics from across the province are available at farmers’ markets, spas, shops and online. The ingredients are often locally sourced, organic and kind to your skin. Indulging in some of these regional goodies not only makes you feel and look good, you are supporting local makers.
Here is a roundup of some of Nova Scotia’s homespun makeup and skincare items to try out.
Blissful Beauty Mineral Makeup
Where: Made in Sydney, Cape Breton, available at Trainyard General Store in Dartmouth, and online at blissfulbeauty.ca.
What: A wide range of mineral makeup items including foundation, bronzer, blush, brow powder, eye shadow and highlighter. The products are hypoallergenic, suitable for sensitive skin, and are made and tested in Sydney. The cruelty-free line has provides some vegan options.
Daval Beauty
Where: Made in Halifax, available on Esty and select spas in Sydney, Cape Breton.
What: Handmade matte lipsticks in bold and unique colours. The products are produced from the owners home, where she does everything from formula creation and colour development, to labelling and shipping.
Island Nail Design
Where: Made in Sydney, Cape Breton, available on Etsy.
What: Handmade press-on nails with unique designs and decals.
Sets are sized from extra-small to extra-large, and come with a small bottle of nail glue. There is a huge variety of colours, shapes and designs, and they will even create custom orders.
Cosmic Tree Essentials
Cosmic Tree is a full line of makeup, hair, face and body care, made in the Annapolis Valley.
Where: Made in the Annapolis Valley, available at Trainyard General Store in Dartmouth, Pete’s Fine Foods in Halifax, Seaweed Soap Shop in Chester, the Wolfville Farmers’ Market, and online at cosmictree.ca.
What: Cruelty-free, vegan cosmetics and skin care products. Select items are for sale in shops across Nova Scotia, but the entire collection is available online. The massive collection includes a wide range of colours for foundation, eye shadow, blush, concealer, lipstick and mascara. The line also includes products for face, body and hair.
Earth Elementals
Where: Made in Hammonds Plains, available at the Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market, and online at earthelementals.ca.
What: Bath, body and skin care products made with natural, non-synthetic ingredients. The company was borne from the owner’s desire for natural products, that wouldn’t cause her migraines to worsen. Body butters, bath melts, soap, oils and mists are all made with essential oils, and often organic ingredients.
Scrub Inspired
Where: Made in Cape Breton and Ottawa, available in select stores across Nova Scotia (including six select shops in Cape Breton, two in Halifax, and two in Dartmouth), Ontario and Quebec. The products are also available online at scrubinspired.ca.
What: Body, face and lip scrubs, as well as body butter and bath salts. The ingredients are locally sourced, and sometimes grown by the owners themselves, and are also cruelty-free, and vegan. The scrubs make up most of the line and come in coffee, sugar and salt form.
Pure Petals Skin Co.
Where: Made in Halifax, available on Etsy.
What: Handmade, plant-based skin care products. The line includes soap, face masks, mists, bath bombs and body oil. The company began when the owner dealt with chronic illness and wanted to reduce toxins in the products she was using, and even the packaging is made from glass, not plastic.
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