Beauty Feature: Canadian Indie Beauty Brands Part 1

Lets face it - big cosmetic brands rule the beauty industry making it hard to discover smaller beauty lines. Canada is home to a few hidden gems and these indie brands are worth knowing about!

Smink: The word "smink" is Swedish for "makeup" and is the mineral makeup line from Tval Skincare. The Canadian brand was started in 2003 by Anna Hellqvist, better half Jason Bailey, and brother to Jason, Robert Bailey, who is a makeup artist that has worked with a popular makeup line for 14 years. The brand's products are all made in small batches so you know that their line is made with extra care. The mineral makeup line are free from cheap fillers, synthetics, preservatives and fragrances making it especially good for those with sensitive skin.

I am usually not a fan of loose powder products simply because I am clumsy and it gets messy. Thanks to Smink, their products are now my kit essentials! I have found the pigments from other mineral lines either didn't apply strongly or weren't long-lasting. I was pleasantly surprised that all their products were highly pigmented and lasted all day with minimal touch-ups! The makeup line will also be re-launched with new packaging in the future which means better powder lids and click pens glosses. 

Here are some of my favourite products from the line.

Smink Sheer Mineral Blush in Hearts Desire and Blushing Baked Apple ($12 CAD Full Size): The photo does not do these blushes justice! I have them in my makeup kit at all times now and have used them as a finishing blush on a few brides and bridesmaids. Hearts Desire is a matte soft mauve and is a perfect neutral. Blushing Baked Apple has become one of my all-time favourite blushes! It is a gorgeous coral with gold flecks and is a definite must for this summer! The shimmer isn't too strong and looks beautiful in photos.

L-R Smink Shimmering Loose Eye Shadows in Puffin, Fire Cracker, Mummer, Bonavista, Winterton, and Coal Shute ($6 CAD Full Size): Loving these shadows! A little really goes a long way and can be used wet or dry. Puffin', is a smokey dark eggplant and is my favourite. Depending on your skin tone it can look more dark brown than purple. Fire Cracker is a pretty golden brown with a coppery sheen. It's gorge on its own, as a base, or highlighter. Mummer is another favourite in a deep chocolate brown with copper and gold. Works well on all skin tones. Bonavista is a lovely muted gun metal and a perfect highlight to a smokey black eye. Winteron is a white with copper sparkle and makes a fantastic highlighter for the inner eyes, brow bones or cheekbones. Coal Shute is a matte black which makes a sultry smokey eye or can be used wet as a liner.

L-R Smink Lip Gloss in Sooky, Proper T'ing, and Lip Glaze in Trout ($10-12 CAD Full Size): The glosses are made with a generous amount of jojoba oil giving the lips a moisturized, long-lasting, non-sticky texture. The yummy taste of raspberries with a hint of lemon and blackberries is subtle and not at all overwhelming. My favourite gloss is definitely Sooky, a purplish pink with lots of golden shimmer. Because of the warmer undertones it would work for all skin tones. Proper T'ing, is pretty light mauve with no shimmer and works well with a lot of skin tones especially Asian skin tones. Perfect shade for spring! Lip Glaze in Trout is a lovely pale pink with golden highlights. LOVE the texture of the lip glazes - the whipped finish just glides on the lips. Trout is fantastic paired with a smokey eye or as a highlighter over top of another lipstick or gloss. The lip glazes have a more subtle shine than the glosses but both make the lips look super sexy!

For more information on all Tval products visit http://tvalskincare.com. Have you tried Smink? Love it? Hate it? Want it?

Stay tuned for Part 2 of my Canadian Indie Beauty Brand features! 

H