Support-Local and Gift Sustainably: 2024 Gift Guide

Mayana – stretch lace bra and boy shorts. Equally perfect under lounge wear or office wear. I own both and can attest that Mayana’s boy shorts DO NOT SHOW under thin-fabric skirts and trousers. Goodbye VPL (visible panty line.) The Nikki long-line bra is magic. It creates gravity-defying results, even for larger chested ladies, with zero wires.

Each Mayana piece is fairly sewn in their Toronto studio—Which I’ve toured several times. And they are a body-positive company with sizes up to 4XL. And they are offering a rare sale this November. But only for 4 days!

Biko – also made in Toronto! I especially enjoy her attention to wearable details. Like the oversized earring backings to keep things comfortably secured.

Any Biko piece would be a beautiful keepsake. The Orla 2-in-1 hoops are a practical option that could be worn year-round. But the Paloma Pearl collar has my heart.

The Detox Market – This online and in-person beauty retailer only stocks the cleanest products available. And there’s dozens of gift ideas sure to please.

For makeup, anything by Ilia or FitGlow Beauty are crowd-pleasers. (FitGlow Beauty is a Canadian beauty company.)

Here’s a few other stand-outs from The Detox Market that I love gifting: Ilia’s Lip Sketch Hydrating Crayon—perfect for those looking to try less wasteful products. Unsure about shade?

Banquette is the most hyped colour and often sells out. Or go for the gift set! I also love FitGlow’s Cloud Collagen Matte Balm or their new Ceramide Lip Hydra Balm. Bathorium is always a hit. So are body scrubs.

Hérbet – Their Victoria perfume is the epitome of fine, flirty, feminine fragrances. I’d had the pleasure of sampling several of Hérbet‘s natural, vegan, and locally crafted scents. Victoria is the one that I come back to time and time again for its elevated sugary florals with a hint of earthiness. It’s delicate yet lingers for hours, encouraging physical closeness and eyelash flutters.

Eminence body cream – As a former green beauty blogger, I’ve sampled at least 100 different body creams, lotions, and butters. The Monoi Age Corrective Night Cream* one is my #1. It’s nourishing yet somehow not greasy or slippery. It treats (and helps prevents) eczema. I’ve even used it on mild sunburns with skin-calming results within an hour. I can’t say enough good things! Yes, it’s on the pricier side for a body cream. But I’ve used more expensive luxury lotions that don’t perform half as well as this formula. As someone with sensitive skin, this is the top body skincare product that I’d like to receive as a gift.

To support local, I highly recommend shopping for Eminence on BeautySense.ca They offer free shipping and generous samples with each order.

Othership – For the most sensitive and stressed-out of souls, a journey to Othership may do wonders. Part sauna-meditation, part social, they offer zen-focused rooms for internal reflection.

Your senses will be treated to gentle sound bath vibrations, aromatherapy ice balls that melt into steam, and the circulation resetting of shocking ice baths—if you dare. As someone with chronic anxiety, new places with strangers is always a little scary. But I always leave Othership as the most-relaxed version of myself. You can buy gift cards for their Toronto and New York based studios online. There’s also their free breathwork app.

And for those who enjoy a peaceful, spa-like scent, reminiscent of the one use at Othership, try this diffuser blend by Lohn.

Guests on Earth – I keep their refillable foaming hand soap in my guest bathroom. And like clockwork, people exit the washroom and inquire about the hand soap. “It’s a zero-waste refillable concentrate from Guests on Earth!!” I proudly exclaim. (Yes, I actually say that full sentence.) Their Woodlands scent is an elegant aroma that reminds me of a forest after rainfall with a hint of spice. And, it also contains aloe vera, shea butter, glycerin, plus vitamins to keep your skin hydrated.

Tip: You don’t need to purchase their foaming soap dispenser. I just purchased the refill bottle and pour it in an old foaming pump bottle that I’m reusing. GOE make their formulas here in Ontario.

Bleusalt wrap scarf – Yes, I recommend this ~every year~ because it’s ~that good~. I practically live in mine as soon at the temperatures start to drop. It’s infinitely stylable, wrappable, feels like cashmere, yet is made from renewable beachtree pulp. And it’s fairly manufactured in California. The lucky receiver of this will want to swath themselves in this gorgeous stretchy fabric for days on end. {PS: save $20 site-wide with my link. }

Odacite face cream – The pale-pink Creme De La Nuit nighttime face cream is a treat for sensitive skin of all types. I use it regularly in the evening to prevent my skin from becoming dry from my slightly aggressive anti-aging skincare routine.

Alltrueist luxury vegan belt – Even the most stylish men often lack a timeless, luxury-quality belt. With a variety of fabric color, metal finish, and buckle shape combinations, these made-to-order bio-leather (ie: plant based) belts will have a prized place in his wardrobe collection. The gunmetal finish option is incredibly sharp and pairs well with so many looks. And because these are made to order, there’s no wasted material. You can order a custom size too.

Alltrueist is a Montreal-based ethically luxury boutique stocking only the finest vegan fashion products for men and women. They’re a fabulous source for getting ethical European brands without the hefty shipping and duties fees.

Kraywood sunglasses – Speaking of luxury-quality, these sunglasses give the feel of something incredibly expensive for a very reasonable price. This brand uses sustainably sourced wood and high quality lenses.

Province of Canada – If you follow me, you know I adore Province of Canada for their ~superb~ quality.

I’ve yet to get my hands on any other t-shirt with fabric as good as theirs. (Even $300 designer brands don’t compare.) Their men’s t-shirts, sweatshirts, pull overs, and hats will stand the test of time. And the cut of their men tops are very flattering without being constrictive. Did I mention they tend to not wrinkle too? He’ll probably still be wearing this well into his 70s.

ROWE toque – For the most difficult man to shop for, I’ve found toques are almost always an acceptable (and appreciated) gift. ROWE is another made-in-Canada brand that makes great wardrobe basics. I’ve purchased their much-loved toque in charcoal for several men this year—though it comes in a bunch of colours. What’s also neat is the cotton is super stretchy. So the design will fit anyone.

Manicurist – As a toddler mom with a full time career, and several side hustles, I’m obsessseeedd with the French-inspired brand for dead simple, gel-look but “cleaner” nail lacquer. I shop this brand at the local green-beauty store: The Detox Market.

Manicurist  founder Gaëlle Lebrat Personnaz has created the first ever ”green and clean” alternative to gel polish. I appreciate that her formulas are enriched with concentrated active ingredients. Meaning you can enhances the health of your natural nails while having them “done.”

And while you’re browsing The Detox Market, you may want to pick up Three Ships First Light Vitamin C + Caffeine Eye Cream and Nécessaire The Hand Cream to complete the “I-see-you-need-some-easy-pampering” self-care kit.

Linjer – I’m the type of woman who lives in jewelry… as in, once I put it on my body, it will remain on my body for several months. My Linjer adjustable bracelets* are constantly on my wrists. A nice bonus: they look just as sparkly and clean as the day I received them.

(*PR sample)

Innersense Detox Hair Mask – Back when my daughter was first born, one of the things that bothered me the most about having nearly zero time to myself was how gross my hair would get. A friend recommended this Detox Hair Mask to me from a clean haircare line that I already love: Innersense. This clarifying treatment left my scalp feeling fresh and light. It’s the detoxifying trio of charcoal, kaolin, and organic white vinegar that thoroughly cleans without stripping natural oils. There’s a minty scent and some physical exfoliating bits too. If you want to gift the new-favourite-thing-I-didn’t-know-I-needed to a busy mom (or any person with hair, really), this is it!