10 Canadian Beauty Brands BUT Are They Canadian Friendly?

Canada has become the birthplace to some pretty notable beauty brands. From MAC Cosmetics to Bite Beauty, there is a lot to be proud of as Canadians when it comes to the beauty industry. This pride, however, can easily be replaced with disappointment when you discover that these Canadian beauty brands have websites that do not ship to Canada or that make shipping to Canada painful and expensive. It simply doesn’t make sense given the brands’ Canadian roots.

Personally, I only shop from beauty companies or retailers that I consider “Canadian friendly.” What exactly does that mean? It means that these companies ship to Canada, charge in Canadian dollars, have reasonable shipping minimums, and most importantly do not charge duties or incremental fees. If a brand or company makes it difficult to shop then I immediately look for alternative sources.

Here is a list of 10 Canadian beauty brands and whether they pass or fail when it comes to being Canadian friendly.

1) MAC Cosmetics

MAC really needs no introduction. I am sure that most Millennials can recall their first MAC purchase – it was like a rite of passage in graduating from drugstore to department store makeup. MAC was founded in Toronto in 1984 and is arguably one of the biggest Canadian beauty brands in the industry. Despite their fame, it is nice to see that MAC has not forgotten their Canadian roots and their website makes it easy for Canadians to shop and take advantage of their beauty deals (click here to see their sales schedule and the best time to buy).

• Has a Canadian website
• Priced in Canadian Dollars
• No duties/fees
• Free shipping with no minimums
• Canadian Friendly? YES

2) Bite Beauty

Bite Beauty is another Canadian brand that originated in Toronto and was launched in 2011. The brand specializes in lip products and all of the products are all-natural, free of parabens and sulphates, vegan, cruelty-free, and even edible! Despite Bite Beauty’s Canadian origin, their e-commerce site has not been optimized for Canadians and they rely on their exclusive arrangement with Sephora to meet the needs of Canadian shoppers.

• Does not have a Canadian website
• Priced in U.S. dollars
• Orders to Canada subject to duties/fees
• Free shipping to Canada for orders $35+ USD
• Canadian Friendly? NO
• Best Place to Buy in Canada: Sephora

3) NUDESTIX

NUDESTIX is a Canadian beauty brand that was founded by two sisters in 2013 and has become known for their collection of multitasking makeup sticks. The premise behind these products is that they allow for a quick make-up routine that can be used to achieve a natural look. In addition, each NUDESTIX pencil is enriched with skin care vitamins, antioxidants and natural moisturizers. All of this and they make shopping for Canadians a breeze.

• Has a Canadian website
• Priced in Canadian Dollars
• No duties/fees
• Free shipping over $49
• Canadian Friendly? YES

4) Ilia Beauty

Founded in Vancouver in 2011, Ilia Beauty is a clean beauty line that contains certified organic and bio-active botanicals from ethical and sustainable sources wherever feasible. The brand is known for their natural and organic lip products, illuminators, mascara, and more. Ilia Beauty has grown rapidly and can now be found globally but it is unfortunate that they have not perfected servicing Canadian consumers.

• Does not have a Canadian website
• Priced in U.S. dollars
• Orders to Canada subject to duties/fees
• Free shipping to Canada for orders $125+ USD
• Canadian Friendly? NO
• Best Place to Buy in Canada: Socialite Beauty (click here for a review of Socialite Beauty)

5) Lise Watier

Lise Watier is a cosmetics company that was launched in Montreal in 1972. It was founded by a television host who was required to wear heavy makeup for her job but found a lack of products that responded to her standards. As a result, the Lise Watier brand was born and is now known and distributed worldwide. Luckily for Canadians, ordering products is a breeze despite the fame of the brand.

• Has a Canadian website
• Priced in Canadian Dollars
• No duties/fees
• Free shipping over $75
• Canadian Friendly? YES

6) RMS Beauty

Founded in 2009, RMS Beauty is another clean and organic makeup line to come out of Vancouver. It was founded by Rose-Marie Swift, a makeup artist who wanted to create a line where each ingredient is hand-selected for its natural, organic quality. The brand also focuses on sustainability and all of their packaging is biodegradable, recyclable or reusable. Although the premise behind the brand is commendable, RMS Beauty loses major points as their e-commerce platform today doesn’t ship or cater to Canadians!

• Does not have a Canadian website and does not ship to Canada
• Canadian Friendly? NO
• Best Place to Buy in Canada: Socialite Beauty (click here for a review of Socialite Beauty)

7) Cover FX

Cover FX is a Canadian cosmetics company started by a founding partner of MAC Cosmetics. The company emerged as a result of work he was doing with Dermatologists to formulate makeup for patients with skin conditions. The brand is centered around base makeup and offers 40 unique shades that stay clear of parabens, fragrance, gluten, mineral oil, and talc. In addition to products that balance safety and performance, the brand caters to Canadians and makes shopping easy and affordable (click here to see their sales schedule and the best time to buy)..

• Has a Canadian website
• Priced in Canadian Dollars
• No duties/fees
• Free shipping over $65
• Canadian Friendly? YES

8) Marcelle

Although the brand was originally founded in Chicago in 1874, Marcelle became a proud Canadian when it was acquired by Montreal-based pharmacist Victor Cape and his son. They bought the worldwide distribution and manufacturing rights of Marcelle products and opened the official head office in Montreal. The brand is constantly evolving from their first cold cream to their innovative anti-aging treatments and more. They are also credited as one of the first companies to bring the K-beauty skincare trend of BB creams into North America. Thankfully they have a robust Canadian operation and making shopping online a delight for Canadians.

• Has a Canadian website
• Priced in Canadian Dollars
• No duties/fees
• Free shipping over $30
• Canadian Friendly? YES

9) Consonant Skincare

Founded in Toronto in 2009, Consonant Skincare was launched as a way to make natural skincare products mainstream and not limited to health food stores. The brand claims to offer 100% natural products which include moisturizers, cleansers, serums, deodorant and even candles. As a result, Consonant has become one of Canada’s favourite premium brands for all-natural skin-care solutions. Even better, the brand is proud of their Canadian roots and never forgets the Canadian consumer in their operations.

• Has a Canadian website
• Priced in Canadian Dollars
• No duties/fees
• Free shipping over $72
• Canadian Friendly? YES

10) Deciem

Deciem AKA “The Abnormal Beauty Company” was founded in Toronto in 2013. The company’s portfolio includes 10 brands of affordable skincare, makeup, supplements, and haircare items. Out of all the brands under the Deciem umbrella, their most popular is The Ordinary. It is a skincare line which offers affordable products (most under $10) with ingredients most often associated with expensive creams and serums. Deciem has garnered a cult following and won numerous beauty awards, but most importantly it has remained easy and affordable for Canadians to buy.

• Has a Canadian website
• Priced in Canadian Dollars
• No duties/fees
• Free shipping over $25
• Canadian Friendly? YES