THE BEST PLACES IN TORONTO TO BUY MAKEUP, SKIN CARE & BODY PRODUCTS
Story by Amanda Elizabeth Smith
Illustration by Madison van Rijn
Buying makeup and personal care products can often be overwhelming. Plaid has picked our favorite boutiques that have an amazing selection and a considerate staff, in order to help you have fun on your next shopping trip.
INDIE DARLINGS
Delineation (1110 Yonge Street, Toronto)
This uptown boutique has offered customers the best in hair care, skin care and cosmetics since 1982. This well-known boutique carries an array of professional brands and styling tools that ensure both effectiveness and quality; they also offers a range of spa and salon treatments. Brands carried include Bumble & Bumble, Butter London and Japonesque.
Gee Beauty (2 Roxborough Street West, Toronto)
Gee Beauty is a modern boutique and spa in Rosedale that offers customers amazing beauty products from around the world. With a motto of: “You’re in. You’re out. You’re gorgeous. It’s that simple”, this boutique is definitely worth checking out. Brands carried include Le Labo, Dermologica and Bliss.
Jacob & Sebastian (622 Queen Street West, Toronto)
From Paul + Joe to Baxter of California, Jacob & Sebastian carries unique, international beauty lines that are well known, but are sometimes hard to find. Jacob & Sebastian want their customers to “experience, explore and discover fantastic new lines and products that work as great as they look!”, and their airy Queen West boutique is a welcoming environment to do just that.
The Kryolan Makeup Store (110 Lombard Street, Toronto)
Located near Toronto’s bustling St. Lawrence Market, this bright space features popular brands including Kryolan, Illamasqua, Skin Illustrator and Temptu. Canada’s first Kryolan store is a one-stop shop for professional makeup artists (and those searching for products favoured by the pros), where you will find brands that are used for theatrical productions, on fashion photo shoot sets, and on film and television productions..
Outer Layer (577 Queen Street West, Toronto / 430 Bloor Street West, Toronto)
Outer Layer is a mish-mash of a boutique concept, stocking jewellery, home decor items and stationary in their two Toronto locations. They also feature skin and body care brands, and each product line is carefully picked for their uniqueness and quality. They also like to keep things close to home, carrying Canadian brands like Cake, Consonant Body Products, Sula Beauty and the Rocky Mountain Soap Company.
The Big Carrot (348 Danforth Avenue, Toronto)
The Big Carrot on the Danforth provides customers with the city’s greatest selection of natural and organic body care. The staff is trained to help you find the best products that suit your body’s needs, naturally. Brands carried include Homme Facial and Bodycare by Sante, and Naturtint (a natural and organically approved hair colour line).
BIG BRAND
Sephora (Various locations)
Carrying over 200 brands, Sephora is one of the leading perfume and cosmetic stores in the world. It can be a bit daunting when you first walk in because of the wide range of products the store carries; not to worry though, the team at Sephora is excellent. The beauty consultants are all very knowledgeable, helpful and professional and will assist you in finding whatever you are looking for.
Murale (Various locations)
Murale’s tagline is “Canada’s beauty destination”, and it’s no wonder why. Their spacious stores carry an extraordinary assortment of brands. Plus, each store features a dermatological skincare center, private rooms for facials and esthetic services, a carefully crafted fragrance section, a Benefit brow bar and an array of luxury cosmetic brands.
Shoppers Drugmart BeautyBOUTIQUE (Various locations)
With their newly revamped beauty section, Shoppers Drugmart now carries a variety of cosmetic brands, including Cover FX, Stila and Benefit. The BeautyBOUTIQUE offers an amazing selection of high-end to more affordable beauty brands, and their professional team offers expert beauty advice and tips.
Lush Cosmetics (Various locations)
Using ingredients from organic fruit and vegetables, the finest essential oils and safe synthetics, Lush products and fragrances are made fresh by hand. What is also wonderful about this eco-minded company is that they believe in buying ingredients only from companies that do not commission testing on animals.
