WE LOVE CANADA
H o meg r own hi TS Four hot new Canadian beauty brands By Courtney Greenberg
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EVELYN IONA
Who: Brandi Leifso, Toronto What: Brandi Leifso went from living in a women’s shelter to becoming the founder and CEO of her own company, Evio Beauty Group Inc. She created Evelyn Iona Cosmetics in 2014 to 24
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RASMI SKINCARE
Who: Deqa Mohamud and her daughters Ilhan, Iman and Ifrah Abdullahi, Vancouver, B.C. What: This line of organic skincare products created by the Somali Canadian sisters and their mother in 2017 is made without parabens and is halal-certified. “Originally we created Rasmi because our youngest sister suffers from extreme eczema and her skin is easily irritated,” says co-founder Ilhan Abdullahi. After research and testing, the sisters came up with a body butter that didn’t aggravate her skin and Rasmi Skincare was born. It’s affordable and cruelty-free, and the ingredients are sourced from Canada and Somalia. The brand is also putting women in focus. In March, it hosted an event with performances, a panel of speakers and product giveaways, in support of refugees. Hero product: Hydrating Shea & Goat Milk Body Butter, $20, is packed with vitamin E to nourish skin. Lavender and coconut oil soothe and keep skin hydrated. Where to get it: Rasmiskincare.com @rasmiskincare
show that beauty products can be community-based and cruelty-free. Proceeds from the products go to organizations like the Canadian Women’s Foundation. “Using conscious lifestyle products is an easy way to help impact your skin, planet and community in a positive way,”
she says. This year, Evelyn Iona was the only Canadian brand featured in Sephora’s Accelerate Program. The line boasts products like organic mascara made with coffee and vibrant lip glosses with shea butter. Hero product: Green Tea Primer, $20. With ingredi-
ents like aloe oil, this vegan primer smooths fine lines and soothes skin, and helps makeup last longer. Where to get it: Evelyniona.com @EvelynIona
COSMETICSMAG.COM | SUMMER 2018