Latest news with #Cheekbone
Global News
22-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Global News
Beauty through an Indigenous lens with Cheekbone Beauty's Jenn Harper
The Curator independently decides what topics and products we feature. When you purchase an item through our links, we may earn a commission. Promotions and products are subject to availability and retailer terms. It all started with a dream. In January 2015, Anishinaabe-Canadian Jenn Harper had a vision in her sleep of Indigenous girls playfully smearing on lip gloss. 'I woke up and wrote it all down. At the time, I didn't even know what to do with it,' Harper says. 'But it sparked something in me. It felt like a sign that I was meant to do something bigger.' A decade later, Cheekbone Beauty is a powerful force in the beauty world, bringing long-overdue representation to Indigenous peoples and carving out space in the mainstream, including a coveted spot on Sephora's shelves. The brand is rooted in Harper's heritage and a profound respect for the planet. From biodegradable packaging to ethically sourced ingredients, it aligns with the traditional Indigenous belief of caring for the land. 'Our cultures have always embraced sustainability, long before it became a buzzword,' Harper says. 'I'm just honouring what my ancestors taught me.' Story continues below advertisement Despite Cheekbone Beauty's success, the journey hasn't been a breeze. Harper has faced the usual hurdles of building a brand from the ground up, plus the weight of being a trailblazer in a predominantly non-Indigenous industry. But her mission keeps her grounded. 'It's more than lipstick or blush,' she explains. 'It's about reclaiming narratives and building a future where Indigenous youth see limitless possibilities.' Cheekbone Beauty continues to grow, gaining loyal customers who are drawn not just to the quality of the products, but to the brand's unique blend of ancestral wisdom with modern beauty. And the best part? Each shade and formulation celebrates diverse skin tones and natural finishes. As Harper puts it, 'Beauty is powerful. It can either exclude or empower. I want Cheekbone to always empower.' In honour of International Indigenous Peoples' Day, read on for our top picks from Indigenous-owned beauty brands you should know. The multi-use complexion pencil Cheekbone Beauty Unify Multi Pencil A versatile must-have, the Unify Multi Pencil is designed for seamless colour correction. Use it to line lips, highlight features or conceal with precision. Its creamy, buildable formula works across skin tones for a natural finish you'll love. $25 at Sephora Story continues below advertisement The holistic soap Mother Nature Cleanse: Sacred Soap Inspired by the sacred Medicine Wheel, this four-piece soap set blends traditional Indigenous teachings with natural ingredients. Each bar–Sweetgrass, Tobacco Patchouli, Wildmint Sage and Cedar Balsam—honours one direction and offers a cleansing, grounding ritual. $36 at Mother Earth The nourishing face oil Sḵwálwen Botanicals Kalkáy (Wild Rose) Nourishing Facial Oil Sḵwálwen's best-seller for a reason, this nourishing face oil blends vitamin-rich rosehip seed–known for its restorative properties in Squamish culture–with sweet almond and jojoba oils to soothe irritation and restore balance. $64 at Sḵwálwen Botanicals Story continues below advertisement The potent acne set Wildcraft Acne Prone Skincare Set A clarifying daily ritual for oily or breakout-prone skin, this five-step set uses powerful natural ingredients to help reduce blemishes, balance oil and reveal a clear, healthy glow. $142 at Wildcraft The two-in-one blender brush Blended Girl Cosmetics Pro Foundation & Concealer Brush This dense, angled brush is designed to reach tricky areas like the base of the nose, under the eyes and around the chin. Bonus: it's vegan & cruelty free. $10 at Blended Girl Cosmetics Story continues below advertisement The *dreamy* bath bomb Spirit Earth Holistics Dreamcatcher Bath Bomb Made by hand with natural ingredients and certified organic essential oils, this dreamy bath bomb is a blissful treat. Infused with nourishing coconut oil and soothing witch hazel, it leaves skin feeling soft and refreshed. $10 at Spirit Earth Holistics You may also like: Courage Cream Lip & Cheek – $27 Harmony Lipgloss – $28 Story continues below advertisement Balance Blush Bronzer – $30 SUSTAIN Lipstick – $34 Uprise Mascara – $34
Calgary Herald
18-05-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
‘Buy Canadian' boosts local beauty industry. Will tariffs end up reversing that?
Article content For Indigenous-owned Cheekbone Beauty Cosmetics Inc., the impact of the Buy Canadian movement has been unmistakable. Article content Article content Jenn Harper, founder of the St. Catharines, Ont.-based cosmetics brand, said the company saw a 52 per cent increase in business in the period between January and April, compared with the same period last year — with a 190 per cent surge in March specifically. Article content Article content Harper said her company has seen significant growth during politically driven events before, such as in 2020 with the Black Lives Matter movement. But they have always been temporary boosts to the business. She is more optimistic about the current growth Cheekbone Beauty is experiencing due to the number of customers who have become repeat buyers. Cheekbone Beauty's sales revenues are in the seven-figure range, with e-commerce sales for 2025 anticipated to grow 40 per cent from 2023, the company said. Article content Article content '(We want) to really become a Canadian makeup brand that all Canadians know about,' Harper said. 'We are here to build a brand that's going to last generations, just like our Indigenous roots.' Article content Article content Article content Cheekbone isn't the only Canadian cosmetics company that has seen heightened interest and loyalty from Canadian beauty buyers in response to the trade war launched by the Trump administration in January: Industry players both small and large told the Financial Post they are seeing sales surge, and are optimistic the change will last. Article content Article content 'We have seen a groundswell of activity and ultimately maybe a permanent shift in consumer behaviour to support Canadian business,' said Charles Wachsberg, the co-founder of Apollo Healthcare Corp., a major Canadian health and beauty private label manufacturer headquartered in Toronto. Wachsberg said the company has produced more than 64,000 products, including lotions, shampoos, baby products and pet products. The company was taken private for $327 million in 2021 and has nine-figure sales, the company said.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Buy Canadian' boosts local beauty industry. Will tariffs end up reversing that?
For Indigenous-owned Cheekbone Beauty Cosmetics Inc., the impact of the Buy Canadian movement has been unmistakable. Jenn Harper, founder of the St. Catharines, Ont.-based cosmetics brand, said the company saw a 52 per cent increase in business in the period between January and April, compared with the same period last year — with a 190 per cent surge in March specifically. Harper said her company has seen significant growth during politically driven events before, such as in 2020 with the Black Lives Matter movement. But they have always been temporary boosts to the business. She is more optimistic about the current growth Cheekbone Beauty is experiencing due to the number of customers who have become repeat buyers. Cheekbone Beauty's sales revenues are in the seven-figure range, with e-commerce sales for 2025 anticipated to grow 40 per cent from 2023, the company said. This new interest has led her to rethink the company's goals of focusing on the U.S. to grow: She is now pivoting to building her customer base in Canada first, she said. '(We want) to really become a Canadian makeup brand that all Canadians know about,' Harper said. 'We are here to build a brand that's going to last generations, just like our Indigenous roots.' Cheekbone isn't the only Canadian cosmetics company that has seen heightened interest and loyalty from Canadian beauty buyers in response to the trade war launched by the Trump administration in January: Industry players both small and large told the Financial Post they are seeing sales surge, and are optimistic the change will last. 'We have seen a groundswell of activity and ultimately maybe a permanent shift in consumer behaviour to support Canadian business,' said Charles Wachsberg, the co-founder of Apollo Healthcare Corp., a major Canadian health and beauty private label manufacturer headquartered in Toronto. Wachsberg said the company has produced more than 64,000 products, including lotions, shampoos, baby products and pet products. The company was taken private for $327 million in 2021 and has nine-figure sales, the company said. 'I would say that our Canadian business has surged probably in the vicinity of 20 per cent since the trade war began,' Wachsberg said, adding that Canadian shoppers are paying close attention to product labels as they shop, searching for the maple leaf and checking where the product originates from. 'They're seeking out Canadian innovation and Canadian content in their behaviours, and they're prepared to pay more for it.' This growth in the Canadian beauty industry builds on an existing trajectory. According to market research company Circana Inc., beauty was Canada's fastest growing industry in the first half of 2022. The non-profit Trade Facilitation Office (TFO) Canada estimated the Canadian beauty and personal care market amounted to $11 billion in revenue in 2023, forecasting the market to grow 1.76 per cent between 2023 and 2028. Australia-based market research firm Ibisworld Pty Ltd. pegged the Canadian cosmetic and beauty product manufacturing market in Canada at $4.2 billion in 2024, which increased 0.1 per cent in 2024. The question is whether the trade war will enable growth in the sector in Canada or hinder it. Trade association Cosmetics Alliance Canada identified about 60 Canadian brands within the sector, with most being small- to mid-sized companies. 'Their market share today is not anywhere near that of the big brands, but there are certainly opportunities for them to grow,' said Darren Praznik, the organization's president and chief executive. 'And certainly retailers are expressing a greater interest in them.' Vancouver-headquartered skincare company Elleboxco Inc., operating as Blume, has seen a dramatic surge in Canadian sales, including through its various retail partners, such as Sephora Canada and Inc., according to its founders Bunny and Taran Ghatrora. The venture-backed company, which launched in 2018 and has raised more than $3 million according to Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, is on pace for eight-figure revenues this fiscal year, Bunny Ghatrora said. Blume's Canadian sales have grown 35 per cent year-over-year so far in 2025, with 25 per cent growth overall, the company said. Still, despite swelling demand from local buyers, Canadian beauty companies aren't immune to the negative consequences of a trade war. Smaller brands are particularly vulnerable, especially if they depend on U.S. sales. 'A Canadian business cannot survive without the U.S. market,' Cheekbone's Harper said. 'We need the U.S. consumer.' Canadian beauty firms can face higher costs associated with manufacturing their products as well, since many ingredients and packaging components cannot be sourced locally. Blume, for example, uses German chamomile flower as one of its product's ingredients and sources bottles and droppers from China. 'The cosmetic industry is probably one of the most internationally integrated,' said Cosmetic Alliance's Praznik. 'They manufacture and distribute and sell their products in supply and distribution chains that are like a web around the world.' In fact, many small Canadian-owned brands looking to grow and expand internationally often end up getting bought out by large American companies that can operate on a bigger scale. Examples include Toronto-founded MAC Cosmetics Inc. and skincare company DECIEM Inc., owner of brands such as The Ordinary, both acquired by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. 'Our industry has been very supportive of free trade around the world and that is because it has meant great efficiencies in production,' Praznik said, citing benefits from better quality and less expensive products to more options for the consumer. 'So, everyone has benefited.' As Canadian cosmetics companies grapple with the fallout from tariffs, they are weighing a variety of strategies. While Blume has primarily focused on North American sales, the Ghatrora sisters said the trade war has prompted them to more seriously consider expanding to countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia to diversify the company's customer base. Praznik said some Canadian manufacturers are evaluating whether they can import Chinese-made components directly to Vancouver and not via the U.S. Others are looking into using custom manufacturers in other countries to make certain products and avoid tariffs. For instance, one option would be to make a product for the U.S. market in the U.S., while manufacturing products for Canadians and other countries in Canada, Praznik said. Montreal-based Groupe Marcelle Inc., on the other hand, has always prioritized the Canadian market, with some exports to the U.S. and online sales to other countries, said the company's president David Cape. Groupe Marcelle is Canada's largest home-grown cosmetics company, with revenues of about $147 million in 2024 according to Ibisworld. Its brands, including Marcelle, Watier and Annabelle, are sold through retailers such as Shoppers Drug Mart across the country. Many of the company's products are manufactured in Montreal, which means it has not needed to pass on higher costs to Canadian consumers, Cape said. At the onset of the Buy Canadian movement, Cape said many beauty buyers in pursuit of Canadian-owned brands began trying out Groupe Marcelle products for the first time and major retailers approached the company immediately to determine how they could meet the additional demand. But jittery consumers may yet counteract the nationalist sentiment driving the Canadian beauty industry's current growth. Trade tensions have caused many consumers to pull back on their discretionary spending, according to a TD Economics report in March. Marcelle is seeing slightly more growth in its mass beauty lines, which are at more affordable price points compared with its prestige Watier line, as consumers are being more careful with their dollars, Cape said. While there is an advantage with consumers to being a Canadian company, Cape said the trade war is still not good for the economy overall. Battle lines drawn as steel producers push 'Buy Canadian' to fight tariffs and dumping Will five teams in the NHL playoffs (and a surge of patriotism) mean ka-ching for Canada? 'We want to see it come to an end and the sooner the better,' said Cape. 'And even when it does, we still hope that … people will remember buying Canadian is a good thing for our country in any situation.' • Email: slouis@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
