[bc_video video_id="6256273621001" account_id="2226196965001" player_id="rkljM4WDEg"] Looking to get into the world of Indigenous beauty products, but not sure where to start? Michaella Shannon rounds up some of her favourite products. Wildcraft - Oil Cleanser  The first is a Sunflower oil-based Cleanser. There are no suds, but rather suds a blend of botanical oils which leaves skin feeling clean, hydrated, and soft. This cleanser is 100% chemical free and handmade in Toronto. It’s also suitable for all skin types and won’t strip skin of its natural barrier. The tea tree and frankincense oils aid in gently unclogging pores and clearing impurities, making oil cleansing the perfect balance of both nourishing and decongesting benefits. A small amount goes a long way. Massage into skin, followed by using a cloth with warm water to gently remove the cleanser and debris from skin. Since their products are completely natural and made with fresh ingredients, there are no preservatives, so keep refrigerated. Did you know?: The Wildcraft cleanser doubles as make up remover! Gentle and effective at removing makeup, dirt, and grime. It works to clear impurities and congestion and leaves the skin lightly hydrated, comfortable, and smooth.   Sḵwálwen Botanicals - Tewín'xw Cranberry Rose Antioxidant Facial Serum Sḵwálwen is an Indigenous business creating botanical skin care products. Honouring traditional Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) plant knowledge, they incorporate sustainably harvested plants and organic, high quality ingredients. This facial serum blends cold pressed berry seed oils (including rosehip, cranberry, raspberry, blackberry, and sea buckthorn) with botanically derived hyaluronic acid and coenzyme Q. It’s restorative and deeply nourishing, the serum aids in holding moisture in the skin while reducing redness and the appearance of fine lines. The light citrus scent comes from a gentle blend of essential oils. Did you know?: TEWÍN’XW (too-ay-nooh) is one of the Squamish words for berry.   Cheekbone Beauty - AKI - Red Sustain Lipstick  The Cheekbone Beauty’s Sustain Lipstick Collection is amazing, a colour we recommend is the Aki (AH KEE) Shade, Red. This Brand Cheekbone is Indigenous owned and founded and gives back to their community. Part of all proceeds go towards charitable foundations that help protect indigenous waters and environment. With the launch of the SUSTAIN Collection, they are getting closer to creating a carbon-neutral beauty brand with a goal for zero-waste in 2023. Each shade of SUSTAIN Lipsticks is named after earth and/or land in one of the over 7000 Indigenous languages. They share a glimpse of each language through each shade. Did you know?: Each of their lipsticks are named after an influential leader in the Indigenous community, for example Autumn Peltier, Buffy Saint Marie, Sarain Fox.   Sohka - Lashes & Glue  Sohka is a Canadian-based and Indigenous owned luxury lash brand based out of Vancouver. We recommend their Faux mink lash styles. They are reusable and the longer you wear them the more they form to the shape of your eyelid, making it easier to put on every time. The glue included is the amazing quality glue so there’s no worry about lashes popping off from the rain or from any moisture. Eyelashes with a thicker band are beneficial because they form to your eyelid and the corners don’t pop off and it doubles as eyeliner! Since the glue is waterproof to remove the glue, you just have to take a Q-tip and some coconut oil (or oil cleanser) and it will just slip off.  Plus, you can reuse them over and over again. Did you know?: Sohka gives 10% of their proceeds to their own Sohka Women Fund Program, to help micro-fund Indigenous, women-led projects.   Satya Organic - Natural Skin Care Stick & Jar  This brand makes an Organic Eczema Relief Balm. It’s of course Canadian based and Indigenous owned. The balm is more than a moisturizer. Whether you're dealing with eczema or simply stressed-out skin, Satya is a proven effective topical anti-inflammatory that soothes + restores all types of skin. The founder Patrice Mousseau started the company based on a need for her daughter, who was suffering from eczema.  The doctor prescribed steroid cream, which is alarming to use on a baby as it is extremely toxic. She started by searching the market for something that was effective, non-toxic, fragrance free and organic, so Patrice took matters into her own hands and started experimenting in her own kitchen crockpot and that’s when she developed a balm that cleared her daughter's eczema in just two days. Did you know?: Satya is a steroid free, effective anti-inflammatory that can be used for your face or body. Even around your eyes and lips.

[bc_video video_id="6256272240001" account_id="2226196965001" player_id="rkljM4WDEg"] If you don’t consider yourself a “hat person,” maybe you just haven’t found the right one yet. Fashion stylist Mosha Lundström-Halbert shows you some of her favourite hat picks for summer. Hats are the quickest, easiest, and most impactful way to change a look. There is a hat for every mood, occasion, and style. This is one area of your wardrobe where you definitely want to experiment, have fun, and splash out. Here are some staple and statement styles. Bucket Hats This is the lipstick or lip balm of hats. Keep ones in every nook and cranny of your car, your tote, and your home. The soft structured style is incredibly versatile and most importantly, provides key sun coverage. But these aren't your average fisherman's bucket hats, oh no.  Look for novelty prints, reversibility, and unexpected materials. GANNI-Beige & Black Recycled Tech Leopard Bucket Hat Western Hats Nothing tells a story quite like a proper western hat, by a proper western hatmaker. They instantly take jeans and t-shirt from basic to iconic. These hats hold incredible power and energy, so choose wisely. Two makers who we recommend are Thundervoice, a Navajo brand that believes hats are a form of medicine. Designer Lehi ThunderVoice Eagle takes reclaimed vintage stetsons and transforms them with elements such as Turquoise, Lavender, Sage, & Vintage Coins. Check out the arrow crease, which truly seals the deal. These would look just as stunning hung on a wall as they would worn. Thundervoice- Hat 742 (Broken Arrow Series) The second brand we recommend is Calgary's own Smithblits. Since 1919, they have been making a variety of felt and straw hats for cattlemen, gauchos, horsewomen, and cowboys. Whatever style you choose, it's important to make sure you pick a complementary hat band and even some accoutrements such as feathers or charms. A bandless hat is considered very poor form amongst true connoisseurs. Smithblit Hat- 3X Cattleman Wool Packable Straw Hats Can we just all have a moment of silence for all the warped, wonky, and crumpled straw hats out there? Some of us just lack the care and consideration that is needed to own stiffer straw styles. Ergo, we recommend packable, smushable straw styles that are available at every price point. Banana Republic-Packable Straw Hat Statement Hats Jaycow Millinery, is by amazing Toronto-based designer Jay Cheng. We recommend the Ma hat from the collection. The shape is hand-formed on a vintage hat block and is their version of a toque or beanie. Genderless and chic, made from Slate Black Japanese Toyo Paper. $25 from every hat sold is going to Daily Bread Food Bank Toronto. Jay also does custom work too. Jaycow -Ma hat Headpiece Who knew Canada had so many wonderfully mad hatters? And diverse too? Introducing Hello Darling, a label we recommend out of Winnipeg. Founder Miriam Delos Santos handmakes her collection using remnant and deadstock fabrics, so they are sustainable too. Check out these incredible poufy linen headpieces that are the fashion equivalent of the icing on a cake. Customers wear these everywhere from a zoom meeting (or wedding!) to a fancy grocery store run. The price point is fabulous as well. Hello Darling- Linen Crown

[bc_video video_id="6256140538001" account_id="2226196965001" player_id="rkljM4WDEg"] Lifestyle Expert Shoana Jensen is undergoing her own home renovations right now - and is breaking down the best options when it comes to flooring. Hardwood: Hardwood is considered a great luxury option as it’s solid wood all the way through. Pro: Hardwood is often finished on site and can be sanded down and refinished in a different colour down the road. It’s very solid and therefore can last for hundreds of years, and if need be can be repaired. Con: The drawbacks are that it’s a very expensive option, and you need to be aware of water. Different types of wood needs different type of care. In addition planks can only be about 5 inches wide as in a Canadian climate due to extreme temperature changes they can easily warp. Engineered Hardwood:  This is an excellent alternative to solid-wood hardwood. Engineered hardwood is a thin layer of hardwood, or wood of choice, on top of another wood product on the bottom, it varies based on the brand. The fact that it is not the same wood all the way through helps with cost while still maintaining the beautiful look of hardwood. We recommend the brand PurParket, as we went with the colour Character Bisque. This flooring option is an eco-friendly choice that gives a great natural look with it’s matte-finish. Purparket is produced in Toronto and are VOC (volatile organic compound) free. Pro: This is a much more affordable option, that also gives you unlimited options which all of it’s customizations! This type of floor is solid and durable. Light scratches can be easily repaired with this type of flooring Con: Depending on the depth of the wood layer, it can only be refinished one time only. Also, much like hardwood, you need to be mindful of water around this flooring. Tip: When choosing a finish, you can choose a different finish in the same colour that you want. Depending on whether you want it to be knotty or more refined - same colour might be available in different finishes Laminate:  Laminate flooring is a great budget option that features a photographic layer onto man-made wood like fiberboard. The possibilities with this type of flooring are really endless. Pro: This type of flooring is much more affordable and way more scratch-resistant than wood floors. Con: Since laminate is an image, it can repeat and the pattern has the potential to look unnatural. It can also feel less sturdy on your feet and make a lot more sound than wood options. Luxury Vinyl: Vinyl is a synthetic man-made material. It has come very far since the 70s, as it is incredibly real looking. Now they even have imitation finishes that have matte- wire brushing finishes that gives the feeling of a wood. Pro: Vinyl is very budget friendly, can be installed quickly and you can easily do-it-yourself. It’s extremely durable as it's 100% water-proof, wont’ scratch and easy to clean. It also comes in many colour options. Con: The fact that this flooring isn’t wood is a big drawback- some vinyl floors need to be glued so it’s hard to remove. Tip: When choosing your floor, no matter what the kind, bring the samples home and move them from room to room. It is incredible how the colour changes in each room. We thought that we chose the ones we wanted but changed our minds once we got the samples here.

[bc_video video_id="6256125820001" account_id="2226196965001" player_id="rkljM4WDEg"] Family fun night is moving outside with an outdoor movie night and Shoana Jensen has all the comforts of home…outdoors. Everything you need for a movie night is more comfortable than any theatre because of these suggestions. The Screen:  To start, the screen is extremely crucial for your next movie night. While a sheet hung up on the back of your house might do the trick, springing for a screen means a an optimal (and wrinkle free) viewing experience. This RCA 100" Screen is great because it's portable, you have the ability to place it anywhere you would like! You can hang it up or place it in the grass- it comes with pins to do so.  When you are done with your movie, you can even roll up the screen and store it in a portable bag. A Projector: The projector is so important. The Epson Home Cinema 1080p Projector is great because it allows so many inputs from your phone and laptop. It also features ports to suit older technology like DVD players and RCA cables. It's super easy to set up and provides an amazing crisp colourful picture regardless of image size. Sound:  These wireless and waterproof Sonos speakers are great because they allow you to connect them to other Sono speakers you may have. When they are connected you can control them individually so each area can have the sound at a different level. Create your own surround sound experience!     A Comfy Seating Area: Make your seating area comfy and cozy! You could even bring a piece of indoor furniture outside for movie night. There are no rules but to be comfy! This great seating area consists of items all from Homesense and it’s perfect because it’s got nice wide love seat, lots of room for everyone to enjoy. A Retro Cooler: If you’re all about the snacks, a cooler is the best idea for outdoor entertaining. Keep your drinks cool to save yourself trips inside to the fridge. This great vintage one pictured below is from Kitchen Stuff Plus is a beautiful colour that just works. Bug Repellent: Whether you are in the city, country or somewhere in between bugs are enough to ruin a great outdoor night. If you want to skip the smelly products opt for a device to keep the bugs away. The Thermacell mosquito repellents come in many different colours and varieties.

[bc_video video_id="6255972813001" account_id="2226196965001" player_id="rkljM4WDEg"] We’ve seen a lot of things change over the last year and a half. There have been stay-at-home orders, lockdowns and social distancing protocols forcing us to interact with a very small circle of people. Sexologist and author of The Game of Desire Shan Boodram shows what this means for singles who are dating, looking for relationships or looking to hook up. Are people dating during this pandemic? There are a lot of people that are dating during the pandemic but studies have shown that there was a decline in dating and now we’re starting to get back to normalcy. People are meeting people online still just like they have been since 2016.  If this had happened years ago, we wouldn’t have had a culture of dating online and it would have been completely foreign to people. Now when it comes to the type of date you go on depends on your values around social distancing. Some people could be meeting up at a bar and for some people it’s going on a socially distanced walk together. How do you know if someone if safe to date? If you fashion it around the conversation of safe sex - you’re supposed to ask: when was the last time they were tested, how many partners they’re currently engaging with and ask them about their lifestyle to see if they would be a good fit intimacy-wise…now it’s the same thing with a Covid conversation – when were you tested last, your opinions on social distancing, masker or anti-masker.  So what “safe” is, is really dependent on what your values are around the pandemic and there’s a big gap in how people view the pandemic so you really need to ask the questions. Could pandemic dating be beneficial to some?  The culture before was very libertine and several dates a week and there was a sense of interchangeability amongst partners. Now, you’re not meeting new people and if you do meet new people, you probably have to do so much prep work before so you’re spending more time trying to get to know people and meet the right person versus trying to meet up with as many people as possible. The people who didn’t enjoy the fast paced dating culture would now actually benefit from pandemic dating