From jewellery collections to big-name partnerships and product launches, more brands than ever are celebrating Black History Month this year in ways that truly give back. As we enter the back half of the important month, following a year of historic protest movements and calls for change thanks to movements like Black Lives Matter, it’s crucial that we put our money where our mouths are. Thanks to companies like Apple and beloved entertainers like Tynomi Banks, we can. Here, some of the month’s best Black History Month products that benefit worthy causes.
Roots collaborated with The Black Academy
(Photography courtesy of Roots)
Roots is selling made-in-Toronto face masks that offer a snug, contoured fit with improved breathability — and for a good cause. For every mask purchased on roots.com this month, the Canadian company will donate a portion of the proceeds to The Black Academy, an organization founded by Shamier Anderson and Stephan James, dedicated to celebrating Black talent across the country.
Apple released its Black Unity collection
(Photography courtesy of Apple)
Designed to acknowledge and celebrate Black history and culture, this collection features a limited-edition Apple Watch Series 6, the Black Unity Sport Band and a Unity watch face. Available as of February 1, the launch was inspired by the call-to-action of both current and historic movements, and pays homage to the rich tradition of craft quilting in the Black community, celebrating the colours of the Pan-African flag, according to the brand.
The band, made from individual pieces of coloured fluoroelastomer, is laser-engraved with “Truth. Power. Solidarity.” The watch face boasts an ever-transforming pattern, changing as the Apple Watch moves.
Apple is supporting six global organizations — Black Lives Matter Support Fund via the Tides Foundation; European Network Against Racism; International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights; Leadership Conference Education Fund; NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.; and Souls Grown Deep — with the proceeds from its sale.
Tynomi Banks released a line of apparel with Black Lives Matter Canada
(Photo: Tynomi Banks)
Iconic Toronto-based drag entertainer and Canada’s Drag Race alum Tynomi Banks has officially partnered with Black Lives Matter Canada in honour of Black History Month. Together, they’ve created an exclusive line of merchandise in support of the movement.
The collection features hoodies and T-shirts, with text like “Protect Queer Black Youth,” “Black Lives Matter” and “Anti-Racist” on them. Another options features a photo of Banks, wearing a “Black Lives Matter” outfit, on the front. For the whole month, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the movement.
Boma collaborated with The Cura Co. on a new jewellery collection
Sustainable jewellery brand Boma has ramped up its diversity and inclusion efforts with the release of a new collection in partnership with The Cura Co. Sales from the “This Matter” Collection raise funds for organizations working in the pursuit of racial justice and redistribution. The diversity-focused line features a BLM “Power Pendant,” a “Say Their Names” slogan necklace and a raised fist “Power Signet” ring.
Available in sterling silver and sustainable brass, 100% of the proceeds go to the Black College Matters fund by Save Your VI, a non-profit organization dedicated to advocacy for Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The brand has also renewed their grant program, founded in 2020, for Black jewellery designers, and is committed to new initiatives that support diversity and inclusion.
Wuxly partnered with three local Black artists
(Photography courtesy of Wuxly)
Sustainable outerwear brand Wuxly has partnered with three local Black artists to create one-of-a-kind art pieces in honour of Black History Month. The brand gave Jabari Elliott, Imani Busby and Tafari Steele each one of their jackets to use as a canvas for their work. The jackets are currently on sale for $999 each, and all of the proceeds will go to a charity of the artist’s choice.
Révolutionnaire collaborated with Roots on a t-shirt
(Photography courtesy of Roots)
Founded with the purpose of “democratizing dance” and “revolutionizing nude apparel,” and now incorporating a wider scope of social empowerment initiatives, Révolutionnaire — a platform managed by sisters Nia Faith and Justice Faith — has partnered with Roots on the creation of a t-shirt to celebrate Black History Month. A donation from the sales of the shirts will go to The Black Academy, a Toronto-based division of the arts-focused not-for-profit B.L.A.C.K. (Building A Legacy in Acting, Cinema and Knowledge) Canada.
Artists partnered with Peloton instructors on an activewear collection
The line of activewear released by Peloton features 18 pieces — everything from leggings to tank tops — designed by four Black artists. The pieces feature names like “Light The Way,” “Bring Your Whole Self” and “United We Move” and help bring to life the strength and zeal of Black history, according to Peloton.
Adonis Bosso was in the priority line to board a recent flight from Paris when the gate agent waved him away. “‘I’m SkyPriority,’ I said as I showed her my pass,” he recalls. “And she looked at me like, ‘Really?’” That’s just one example of the daily micro-aggressions Bosso says he faces as a Black man. But speaking via Zoom from his home in Toronto, where he was quarantining after returning from FASHION’s cover shoot in Los Angeles, he conveys the incident with such nonchalance, and such a lack of anger or bitterness, that it’s clear that racism is as routine to him as brushing his teeth.
He also faced it, though in a more systemic way, when he began modelling in the early 2010s. “I would often be the only Black model in a show or campaign,” says Bosso, who is casually dressed in a grey Zara track suit with a smoky-topaz pendant that matches his skin tone. “There was not much diversity on the runways or in the industry.” That meant there wasn’t much demand for models with his “look” so agencies didn’t have more than a token few people of colour on their rosters. Bosso was lucky to have found a niche in Montreal, where he grew up, earning $700 a day shooting for Ssense.com. But he was rejected by every agency he visited in New York and Europe.
Photography by GREG SWALES. On Jazzelle: Dress, $1,205, and shoes, $1,775, Sacai. Bra, $230, BustedBrand. Underwear, $15, Victoria’s Secret. Earrings, $185, Éliou. Socks, $70, S.R. Studio. LA. CA. On Bosso: Sweater, $5,465, and pants, $1,140, S.R. Studio. LA. CA. Boots, $1,400, Bottega Veneta. Ring, Bosso’s own.
Jazzelle, who is best known by her Instagram handle @uglyworldwide, found similar barriers when she started modelling in her hometown of Detroit. “They kept telling me: ‘You’re a light-skinned, curly-haired girl. You can’t do high fashion. You don’t have the body or the face for it,’” she recalls, also via Zoom, while sipping tea in her Brooklyn apartment, an industrial space with a grid of exposed pipes hanging from the ceiling. After graduating from high school, she moved to Chicago, where her sporadic jobs were for department stores like Sears. At the same time, she became known in the LGBTQ+ nightlife scene for her drag performances. “You don’t need to be a man in a dress,” she responds when asked for her definition of drag. “It’s a hyper-real version of whatever you feel deep inside.” When her agency told her that her lifestyle wasn’t going over well with clients, she walked.
Both models were so demoralized that they took drastic steps. But that’s when their luck changed. Jazzelle shaved her head and eyebrows. A week later, influential British photographer Nick Knight scouted her on Instagram and then flew her to London for a Comme des Garçons shoot for AnOther Magazine.
Photography by GREG SWALES. On Bosso: Jacket, $1,650, and pants, $1,000, Celine Homme by Hedi Slimane. Necklace, price upon request, Misho. On Jazzelle: Jacket, $1,585, Celine by Hedi Slimane. Pants, $125, Levi’s. Necklace, $365, Pamela Love. Bracelet, $145, Éliou.
Bosso, in Paris on a fruitless hunt for an agent, decided on the spur of the moment to get a septum ring. He later returned to New York and got offers from agents left, right and centre. He signed with DNA Model Management, followed by agencies in Milan and London. “I think it made me interesting,” says Bosso, who has since added “musician” to his skill set. “It started the birth of a character.” He chose @septumpapi for his Instagram handle and turned himself into a cartoon for the fall release of his song “No More.” He conceived, wrote and storyboarded the anime-style music video, which also features model Slick Woods, the mother of their two-year-old son, Saphir.
“His mom and I are no longer together, so this way Saphir can see his parents together as superheroes flying around,” explains Bosso. He is planning a full visual album and action figures based on himself and Woods. “It’s given me a new universe of creativity.”
Photography by GREG SWALES. On Bosso: Top, price upon request, Casablanca. Shorts, price upon request, Boss. Necklace, price upon request, Misho. Socks, $20 for three pairs, Vans. On Jazzelle: Top, $445, S.R. Studio. LA. CA. Earrings, $275, Elsie Frieda. Bracelet, $150, Éliou.
“Adonis is so artistically inspired that it has led him to be an outstanding model,” comments Tony Craig, a freelance creative director who now runs DNA Model Management’s men’s division. Before becoming Bosso’s agent, Craig and his partner, photographer Idris Rheubottom, worked with Bosso on commercial and editorial shoots. “He was our muse for many years. We did some of our best work with him. He is not afraid to help create a vision.”
Having a voice, and using it, marks a major shift in what a model is expected to bring to the table. “It has changed so much,” comments Jazzelle’s agent, Luiza Zyskowska, who’s with The Society Management in New York. “It’s not just about having the right height and size; clients are looking for a lot more depth. A beautiful face will only get you so far. There’s so much more to it these days.”
Photography by GREG SWALES. On Bosso: Top, price upon request, Casablanca. Shorts, price upon request, Boss. Necklace, price upon request, Misho. Socks, $20 for three pairs, Vans. On Jazzelle: Top, $445, S.R. Studio. LA. CA. Earrings, $275, Elsie Frieda. Bracelet, $150, Éliou.
“Models shouldn’t be there just to be your playthings, to be dressed up like dolls,” declares Jazzelle. “We’re real people, with real opinions, and a lot of us have real taste. A lot of us are artists.”
Jazzelle is wearing a giant teddy hat by Ottolinger (“one of my favourite brands right now”) and a pale-blue oversized coat from her friend, stylist Anna Trevelyan. Her voice is gravelly, thanks to a few days spent marking her 25th birthday, and her delivery is as feisty as her look. But she has a lot to celebrate: Over the past year, she has racked up campaigns for Fenty, Fendi, Gucci Beauty and Maybelline New York and her Instagram following has swelled to 600,000+.
Photography by GREG SWALES. Jacket, $2,860, Valentino. Shirt, $250, Levi’s Vintage Clothing. Top, $20 for three, Hanes. Earrings, $370, Pamela Love. Necklace, $320, Éliou.
Jazzelle’s platform is a showcase for her art, for which she largely uses herself as a canvas. “I like to switch it up and do really exciting things with my face and body,” she says. “I like to keep it fresh and new; I need change.” Her transformations can range from surreal alien to sexy skater girl. And her body is a work in progress, too. She had a breast reduction: “Since I’m gender fluid and a bit androgynous, having huge tits didn’t feel like me.” And she’s removing the tattoos from her upper body, replacing them with white stick-and-poke “hieroglyphics” from a language that she and Grace Neutral, a tattoo artist in London, created from Japanese and Russian characters and numerical symbols: “There are important dates, places and times. It’s my short life story in code.” She’s keeping the bandage, stitches and other markings on her legs, though. “I think it’s important to fall down and get back up and have fun while you do it,” she says. “That’s the story my knees tell.”
Photography by GREG SWALES. On Jazzelle: Dress and vest, prices upon request, Louis Vuitton. Shoes, $80, Vans. On Bosso: Jacket, $3,170, shorts, $1,080, shoes, $750, and socks, price upon request, Amiri. Ring, Bosso’s own.
Her name, Jazzelle, is a combo of her parents’ interests: “jazz” for her dad and “elle” for the magazine. Her mother, a retired nurse, is originally from Toronto, and her father sells school books around the United States and is a jazz singer and pianist. Jazzelle’s creative leanings began to emerge when she was a child. “The only things I cared about in school were art class, lunch and recess,” she recalls. “I got made fun of a lot and didn’t fit in. I was an awkward, weird kid so I don’t know if I was made fun of for my personality or my looks. I remember feeling very insecure about myself all the time. But I still carried on dressing how I wanted and being a weirdo.”
Photography by GREG SWALES. Coat, price upon request, Boss. Jacket and skirt, prices upon request, Miu Miu. Shoes, $90, Reebok.
She created the term “Uglyworldwide” after an artist friend remarked that a series of portraits she had done was ugly. “I took that and ran with it and started tagging my paintings and drawings Uglyworldwide,” she says. “I like for everyone to take whatever meaning they want from it because it means something different to everyone. I don’t call myself Uglyworldwide because I think I’m ugly—but sometimes I do. It’s ups and downs with self-confidence.”
“I think it’s genius,” says Bosso of Jazzelle’s “ugly” persona. “The word ‘ugly’ brings out so much emotion.” It also lines up with how society is shifting away from narrow definitions of beauty set by the fashion elites, he adds. “We are no longer seeking to be perfect. We are seeking to be ourselves.”
Photography by GREG SWALES. On Bosso: Jacket, $1,650, and pants, $1,000, Celine Homme by Hedi Slimane. Necklace, price upon request, Misho. On Jazzelle: Jacket, $1,585, Celine by Hedi Slimane. Pants, $125, Levi’s. Necklace, $365, Pamela Love. Bracelet, $145, Éliou.
The meaning behind Bosso’s given name, which is pretty much the opposite of ugly, has even more weight. His parents lost a son, also named Adonis, when he was a month old. The second Adonis became ill when he was young, so the family hightailed it out of the Ivory Coast to seek better treatment for him and wound up in Sweden and then Montreal. “They never told me what the illness was, only that it was life-threatening,” he says.
His parents went on to have five more children, including brother Steve, who is autistic, so special needs is the path that Bosso thought his career would take. In 2014, the family created the Centre d’Intégration TSA, a centre that provides support, information and respite for people with autism, in Montreal and aims to open a second one in Toronto.
Photography by GREG SWALES. On Jazzelle: Top, $1,005, and skirt, $1,780, Gucci. Earrings, $260, Misho. On Bosso: Vest, $1,780, and pants, $1,400, Gucci. Necklaces, from $120, Margaux Studios.
Bosso, meanwhile, is working on his music career while adding to a lengthy client list that includes Adidas x Ivy Park, Topshop, Levi’s and H&M. His latest campaign is with Saphir for Zara.
Jazzelle is spreading her wings by contributing more on shoots. “Now I’m not just hired to be a model; they ask me for creative input,” she says. She did a collab with Gucci Beauty last summer and recently did her own makeup for a print editorial. “Being more involved as a model and an artist at the same time is a big turning point in my career. I want to be a part of the creative process, and that’s something that is happening. My art is being respected.”
Photography by GREG SWALES. On Bosso: Jacket, $3,170, top, price upon request, shorts, $1,080, shoes, $750, and socks, price upon request, Amiri. Necklace, price upon request, Misho. Nose ring and bracelet, Bosso’s own. On Jazzelle: Dress and vest, prices upon request, Louis Vuitton. Shoes, $80, Vans. Earring, Jazzelle’s own.
Photography byGREG SWALES.Styling byCHRIS HORAN.Creative direction byGEORGE ANTONOPOULOS.Hair byANDREW FITZSIMONS FOR ANDREW FITZSIMONS HAIRCARE AT PRIMARK.Makeup byMICHAEL ANTHONY FOR FORWARD ARTISTS/ARMANI BEAUTY.Fashion assistant:LAUREN JEWORSKI AND SADE RADFAR.
Happy Valentine’s Day, indeed! Goop, your go-to source for super-powered skincare, wellness tips and, of course normalizing topics like mental health and female pleasure, has released its first vibrator, just in time for the day of love. Because what’s more important than self-love?
Meet the new Goop Double-Sided Wand Vibrator, a toy so cute you might not be so quick to hide in it your bottom drawer. (But who’s surprised? Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle brand is known for its aesthetically pleasing wares. As Kiki Koroshetz, Wellness Director of Content at Goop, tells me: “Because it’s Goop, beyond designing a vibrator that was effective and ergonomic and functional, we spent serious time on the aesthetic. The final design, as you can see, is sculptural and there’s a fun pop of colour. If you’re inclined to leave the vibrator on your nightstand, it might even bring a little joy just to see it there.”
It’s also thoughtfully engineered, with one round end for external massage and the other slim end for targeted stimulation; each side features eight different pulsating patterns with varying intensities. But creating the Goop vibe didn’t just happen overnight. “This vibrator was about eighteen months in the making,” says Koroshetz. “Our team has tested many vibrators over the years — tough job but someone has to do it, right? We had some favourite features that we wanted to include and some upgrades we wanted to incorporate.”
Photography courtesy of Goop
Koroshetz goes on to explain the features that were non-negotiable in the Goop vibrator. “Wand massagers have that rumbly external vibration that works for people who get off quick and for people who need extra stimulation. We wanted one end of the vibrator to be the ultimate wonder-ball wand. And it is — it packs a lot of power,” she says. “But we wanted more. So the other end is slim for targeted stimulation and can be used externally or internally. It’s all made of body-safe silicone and is very soft to the touch, but this slim end is bendy, which is pretty unique.”
She adds that beyond technical prowess and an artful design, the toy has all the “unsexy practical details that felt like no-brainers to us but that are missing from other vibrators.” She explains: “It’s waterproof. It’s got a travel lock (we’ll be able to travel again someday, right?). And it has a rechargeable battery with an LED display, so you can see how much time you have left until you need to plug the vibrator in, which means it won’t die on you when you really don’t want it to.”
Slightly intimidated by the eight different intensity settings (or vibrational patterns, as Koroshetz calls them)? She says don’t be. “Using the vibrator is simple and intuitive — first-timers welcome — and there are two easy-to-reach buttons.”
And as Koroshetz stresses, self-pleasure is worth investing your time in. “What turns you on? How do you meet your desires? When do you feel most connected to yourself? I think carving out the time and space to explore those questions and to explore pleasure is a worthy way of taking care of yourself.”
The Goop Double-Sided Wand Vibrator is available as of February 14 exclusively on goop.com.
Beloved clean beauty skincare and makeup brand C’est Moi has landed in the Great White North! You can now shop the affordable brand on walmart.ca and in Walmart stores as of Monday, February 15th. The brand’s offerings are formulated to be suitable for anyone who has delicate, sensitive or blemish-prone skin. All C’est Moi products are dermatologist-tested, hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, talc-free, cruelty-free, vegan, reef-safe, EWG-verified and have both recyclable and FSC certified packaging.
Australian skincare brand Grown Alchemist will be hitting the shelves of Sephora across Canada and the U.S. on February 26th — and this week became available to shop online on Sephora.ca. The line of face and hand products was founded by brothers Keston and Jeremy Muijs over 20 years ago and today counts Gwyneth Paltrow as a fan. Creating formulas that intersect biology and cosmetic chemistry, Grown Alchemist products are known for their “Bio-compatible Beauty” seal and their trademark skincare system: Cleanse, Detox, Activate.
For the fourth year in a row, SkinCeuticals has partnered with ReSurge for International Women’s Day. SkinCeuticals will be donating $125,000 USD to ReSurge, which provides training, mentorship, and financial support to women surgeons in developing countries, where the ratio of woman surgeon to general public is three surgeons to one million citizens. From now until March 11th, consumers can also contribute by donating directly to ReSurge International and spreading awareness about the medical community by tagging @resurgeinternational @skinceuticalsCA and using the hashtags #WomenSurgeOn #SheIstheDifference #WomenSurgeOn.
Dermalogica’s latest launch, the Melting Moisture Masque, has arrived in all its moisturizing glory. Formulated with micro-algae, linoleic acid and vitamin E, this deeply nourishing masque comes in a unique buttery texture that melts upon contact with skin, transforming from balm to oil, restoring dry skin’s moisture barrier and protecting skin from the elements.
A Sephora x Brother Vellies Collab Was Announced
Sephora Collection has teamed up with luxe accessories label Brother Vellies on a limited edition collection of three makeup bags ranging from $40 to $63. Launched on February 12th, the collection has been in the works for two years. Last year, Sephora became the first major retailer to accept James’ 15 Percent Pledge, effectively committing 15% of its shelf space to Black-owned brands. “We are thrilled to finally share these bags with the world,” said Aurora James, Founder and Creative Director of Brother Vellies. “We could not imagine partnering with any brand but Sephora on this collaboration. We are so proud of their efforts to bring more diversity to their shelves. This coupled with Brother Vellies’ goal of keeping artisan design practices and techniques alive, is the type of energy that we continue to support.”
BOSS Partners With The NBA on a Capsule Collection
Photography courtesy of Hugo Boss
The Golden State Warrior’s Draymond Green is the front man for the latest co-branded BOSS and NBA Capsule Collection. The collection of casual pieces like sweaters, t-shirts and sweatpants will feature the NBA logo as well as logos from the New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers, Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. Others joining Green in the campaign include NBA G League player “Zay” Todd, rapper Aminé, and jewellery designer Greg Yuna. The collection will be released this month online and in stores.
Canadian coat brand (and royal favourite), Sentaler, has released an array of purple styles as part of the Sentaler Refresh ‘Unity’ collection. The purple shades are inspired by the coats worn by Kamala Harris, Jill Biden and Michelle Obama at the recent inauguration. The three different purple coats are a staple silhouette in the Sentaler collection and are made from limited edition archival fabric.
Calgary-based brand SophieGrace has launched a three-piece capsule collection made of sustainable Cupro satin, a fabric sourced from Japan that is plant-based and biodegradable. The slip skirt, button down and tank top are all made in Vancouver and each piece is named after a woman who has been involved in the COVID-19 vaccine realization. Sold separately, the machine washable collection is the ideal wardrobe base for any lifestyle.
Twinning With Your Pet Never Looked Better
Photography courtesy of VIP
VIP (Very Important Puppies) and Les Benjamin have launched a collaboration of matching apparel for humans and their four legged friends. The collection features sweatshirts, t-shirts, collars, leashes and carry bags that allow owners to coordinate with their furry family members. The cozy pastel collection is perfect for Valentine’s Day spent at home with your most faithful companion.
Tommy Hilfiger Partners with The Fashion and Race Database
Photo via ImaxTree
As part of Tommy Hilfiger’s The People’s Place program, the brand has committed to a partnership with The Fashion and Race Database created by Professor Kimberly Jenkins from the School of Fashion at FCAD Ryerson. Jenkin’s platform challenges the misrepresentation in history and the industry and Tommy Hilfiger will fund and support research of a study called “The Unsung History of American Sportswear.” This study aims to uncover the influence of Black American culture and will create educational resources with their findings.
If you’ve been looking for a sign that it’s time to shake up your curl routine, here it is. For those of us with textured hair, the thought of adding new products to our trusted regimen can be somewhat terrifying. With so many of our favourite products being the result of dedicated trial and error — and so much of curly hair styling being unpredictable — it can be easy to simply stick to what you know. We can also understand that while some products may promise benefits, like curl definition and intensive hydration, a lot of what a formula can do for you comes down to your unique curl pattern. Well, fear not. Below we’ve rounded up some incredible textured haircare brands that are not only Canadian-owned, but also engineered by curly haired women who took their hair issues into their own hands to create lines they’re proud of. We’re sure you’ll love them just as much as we do.
CurlShoppe
Co-founders Natasha Sheppard and Rowan McAnoy had similar relationships with their hair growing up: The attempt to tame their curls with a combination of chemical relaxers and straightening tools left them with very little knowledge of how to care for their hair in its natural curly state, and even less hair health to begin with. After her big chop (cutting off all her relaxed ends), Natasha started experimenting with ingredients, and conducting research through different blogs and forums before finally launching Curlshoppe to satisfy what she saw as a gap in the market for quality and affordable haircare for curly-haired folks. The line now carries everything from conditioners to beard oils, and Sheppard and McAnoy pride themselves on having products that cater to every curl type. Their Coconut is Everything collection features a mix of both lightweight creams and stylers that are great for type 3 hair, while their Butter’d Up collection was specifically engineered with thicker, kinkier hair in mind. Oh, and it smells like your mom’s favourite baked treats. Win, win, WIN.
London Ivy
Most of us leave university with a degree, some new friends and lifelong memories. If you’re Monique London, founder of London Ivy Natural and Organic Products however, you leave with an intention to disrupt the natural haircare industry for good. With the help of a few friends who happened to be chem majors, she was able to formulate the perfect conditioner and London Ivy was born. What started off as a few oils and conditioners has transformed into a full-fledged business that includes moisture-replenishing sprays, styling bundles and the brand’s best-selling Smooth Operator Luxe Pomade, which is perfect for creating curl definition when doing twist outs and taming flyaways on 4C hair.
Nancy Falaise
Montreal-based hairstylist Nancy Falaise is a real life natural hair superhero. She’s created a petition for beauty school inclusivity in Quebec, she runs haircare workshops for young girls, and she’s a natural hair salon owner. Also in her repertoire? A multi-collection hairline where each product leads with water. “Water is what moisturizes your hair, everything else just helps to seal it,” she explained over Zoom. As a breast cancer survivor, it was also important for her to include a collection targeted towards those dealing with hair loss and whose star ingredient is biotin, which is known for stimulating keratin production in hair to increase follicle growth.
Simply Go Natural
Founded by Halifax native Joyce Adom, Simply Go Natural Cosmetics are all handmade by Joyce herself. Hero ingredients include shea butter (geared towards kinkier hair) and coconut oil for all hair textures, even relaxed hair. Joyce used some of her coconut oil-based products while she was going through the process of transitioning from chemically relaxed hair to natural hair and can personally attest to how much easier they make the frustrating process. The line also features a collection specifically formulated for those who have skin sensitivities. It includes an unscented conditioner, shampoo and a moisturizing butter that’s so gentle it can be used in your hair and on your skin. Hooray for multi-tasking.
Kalahni’s Treasures
Like most mothers Erika Gutt, founder of Kalahni’s Treasures, wanted what was best for her children. But when she found that the hair products being offered on the market did not fit that mould, she decided to create her own. Best-sellers of of her line include the Butter Me Up, Butter Cup Whipped Butter made with shea and cocoa butters and sweet almond oil. Another product that refuses to stay on shelves is Erika’s personal favourite, the Curls Crush Hydrating Cream, which works great on curl types 3A to 4C. The intensive hydrating cream works its magic by using aloe vera to help draw in moisture to the hair, as well as castor and essential oils to help seal it in.
Graced by Nature
After being involved in a car accident that forced Roxanne Morgan to be mostly homebound, she decided to dedicate more time to increasing her hair health, which led to the creation of Graced by Nature. Though the line was created with type 4 curls and coils in mind, there are products in the line for every curl. For example, the popular Peppermint and Coconut Milk Scalp Renewing Shampoo is available in two different formulas: one for type 4 hair that’s made with heavier oils to properly moisturize kinkier textures and one without as to not weigh down looser waves and curls. Roxanne’s personal favourite? The Vanilla Cream Moisture Replenishing Leave-In Conditioner. It provides long lasting moisture and is perfect for people on the go who want to keep their hair moisturized without worrying about product build-up.
EarthTones Naturals
Determined to have a haircare line that was based and grounded in science, naturopathic doctor Susan Walker did ample research before launching EarthTones Naturals. It all started out with a single product: the Curl Define Curl Enhancing Gelly, which to this day is still her best-selling product and does wonders to define type 4 hair. Today, EarthTones Naturals is a full haircare line and being backed by science means often going against the grain and rejecting what is widely accepted in the natural hair community. Case in point: Glycerin being one of the main ingredients in all of her products despite its negative rep among natural gals. Why? Dr. Walker says “it attracts moisture like no other ingredient on the market, and the products speak for themselves.”
As has been the case for most festivals and events over the course of the last year, the 9th annual Toronto Black Film Festival (TBFF) is running its programming entirely online this month. Until February 21, you can watch its roster of riveting cinematic offerings — as well as a number of musical performances, workshops and panels — from the comfort of your couch.
One scheduled chat, which launches February 12 on Facebook at 4pm EST, will feature a wealth of locally-based fashion talent: Stylist and founder/president of The Black Fashion and Beauty Gala Awards, Ann-Marie Mystique Daniel-Barker; mycoatisblue’s founder/creative director, Natasha Patten; M3 Mode Masculine Montreal founder, Yves Ulysses; designer Rhowan James; and designer/developer/blogger, Kate Pierre.
The “Fashion ‘Oh So White’ Industry” panel discussion will be moderated by Catherine Addai, founder and creative director of the Toronto-based lifestyle brand Kaela Kay. “Participating in the panel discussion was important to me because being a Black woman in the fashion industry, I’ve faced many challenges, especially around representation,” she says about why she signed on to speak with her peers as part of TBFF. “There was a lot of feedback for me when I first started my business around where to fit me in — as if the industry is already set and I needed to mold to accommodate. So, [it’s] interesting to hear the perspectives of other Black fashion entrepreneurs on their challenges, triumphs and thoughts.”
Echoing this notion, TBFF’s founder — filmmaker/actress/entrepreneur Fabienne Colas — felt it was vital to include the perspective of Black creatives in all arts-based areas during the festival’s schedule. “For the first time in history, a Black fashion designer won an Oscar for Black Panther,” she proudly recalls about Ruth E. Carter’s win in 2019. “There’s no film without a costume design department. They’re industries that work hand-in-hand…. [And] it’s the same Black battle about a lack of representation.”
Colas highlights that while the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement last year may have brought about “cosmetic” changes within creative sectors — that is, hiring Black models as part of a PR move, or the launch of paltry social media campaigns — there is so far to go in terms of BIPOC voices being brought to the table to weigh in and make significant (and much-needed) changes to all industries.
“Too often we hear that brands want to celebrate Black culture, but they don’t have anyone involved in the brand’s [many] departments that are part of the culture they want to celebrate,” she says. “And that’s what results in cultural appropriation. We want people to understand what inclusion really means.”
Panelist Natasha Patten agrees. “It’s where people are making the changes that matters to me,” she says. “A brand saying they’re going to hire more Black models is different from a brand saying they’re going to hire a Black creative director, or [them] having a Black person at the top making decisions.”
For it is decision-making power that lies at the heart of diversity and inclusivity being truly meaningful concepts. “Inclusion is a decision,” Colas says. “It’s not organic — especially when the people making decisions aren’t people of colour.” She highlights the push for parity in the representation of women in higher echelons of power in the past few decades, and how that movement largely left women of colour and members of the LGBTQ+ community out. “We need to be mindful of intersectionality,” she says.
While the February 12 panel discussion will delve into “what’s not working currently, the state of affairs, and how we can move forward better,” as Colas puts it, the larger idea is to motivate concrete action to take place. “We’ve never had a lack of discussion,” she points out. “We’ve been talking about these questions for years and years. I think everyone knows what the problems are. It’s about who is around the table discussing them, and how they take action. And it’s important for everyone to listen to these conversations. Not just Black people, but non-Black people so they can understand how they can be part of the solution.”
