It’s a wonderful thing when, as a consumer, you don’t have to compromise on quality, ethical choices and staying on budget. And when it comes to health and beauty products, what you buy and what you use should make you feel good- inside and out.
That’s a little slice at what’s in store at Source Organics, located at 34 Vaughan Rd.
With the storefront of this neighbourhood gem having closed temporarily due to COVID-19, their online marketplace is bustling. Customers can browse and contemplate their health and beauty routines right from the comfort of their homes. They offer an A-Z of well-known brands for everything you need, from moisturizers, to sunscreens, to cosmetics, to travel-sized items, to hair products, to makeup tools, to eco-conscious wrap- and pretty much everything health and beauty in between. There are products specifically tailored to women, men and youth.
While there is a wide variety of products, there is one thing in common. Products are made with high-quality, health-supporting ingredients. Products have largely been sourced from companies that give back to their communities and that follow green initiatives.
What is particularly interesting about this shop (other than its intrinsic- beauty from the inside out approach) is how it got started.
Founder Candice Orsntein draws on 20 years as a Makeup Artist, working in the demanding film and television industry. She had always adopted a holistic approach to makeup with her celebrity clients on set; it wasn’t just about makeup, but rather about caring for skin and creating positive self-esteem and benefit of overall health with the use of makeup and beauty products.
Most recently, she spent five years heading up the makeup department for award-winning Schitt’s Creek.
Working in film and television over the past two decades, it wasn’t uncommon to be exposed to toxins on set (think asbestos and mold in buildings). Compounding issues, many of the products they were using had additional toxins.
Drawing from her own experience and the desire to affect change, Candice set out on a quest in 2016 to fill a need in the health and beauty marketplace for clean products.
In 2016, her journey began as part alchemist, part researcher. Realizing that there was very little available in Canada, Candice began mixing together potions and lotions with essential oils. She also dove deep into researching and sourcing clean products from companies driven by notable give back mandates.
Recently, Candice made the decision to leave the commercial Makeup Artist world to devote her attention to growing Source Organics full time- particularly their online channel.
Like the companies that Candice sources from, Source Organics too has their own give back mandate, with a pledge to donate 1% of annual sales in support of SickKids, specifically to children and their families.
The overarching theme for this store isn’t just about the supply of clean products, but about empowering consumers with education around what they are putting on their skin and bodies. This is the path to true beauty, because customers can make conscious choices that not only promote clean living, but that also gives them the confidence to know that they are creating the very best versions of themselves. That’s ultimately what beauty products should do.