There’s something about hitting “checkout” on an order that feels intentional. Especially when it’s not just a random online shop, but a Canadian company that truly understands how we shop, how we live, and how our seasons swing from -30°C blizzards to 30°C humidity soup in the span of a few months, when it comes to beauty, I want products that can survive all that, plus my own lifestyle of travelling, hiking, filming, mothering, exploring, and occasionally running into a Zoom meeting looking semi-human.

So when I started browsing BeautySense, a fully Canadian-owned online beauty retailer, it felt like I finally found a place that gets me. No duties. No border delays. No mysterious “this item cannot be shipped to your location” messages because I live in Canada. Just a massive lineup of beauty and skincare brands I already trust, plus a few new obsessions waiting to happen.

Shopping Canadian where I can is something I’ve become more intentional about over the years. It’s not just about avoiding unnecessary costs — though avoiding surprise duties is the kind of self-care that speaks directly to my soul — but also about keeping my purchases aligned with the community I live in. We have incredible companies in this country. Thoughtful, innovative, quality-driven companies. And BeautySense brings many of them together in one place.

But let’s rewind a bit.

Why BeautySense Works for My Life

First, I’m busy. Everyone is busy, I know — but between raising two kids, filming travel content, writing for clients, hiking trails for research, navigating airports, and keeping my house from collapsing into a pile of laundry, I don’t have time to wander through stores comparing ingredients, shades, and which product is actually in stock this week.

Shopping online solves that. Shopping online in Canada solves it without the stress.

BeautySense is based in Québec, ships carbon-neutral on qualifying orders, and carries everything from everyday essentials to dermatologist-backed products, clean beauty, and brands I used to only find in spas. They even toss in free samples, which makes opening the box feel like a mini birthday party I didn’t have to plan.

What really sealed the deal is that their catalogue isn’t just “big.” It’s curated. There’s a difference. I’m not scrolling through an endless graveyard of questionable products. I’m seeing brands I already know and trust — and ones that make sense for my lifestyle.

So with travel season gearing up and my schedule getting even more chaotic (in the best way), I placed a little order. Nothing dramatic. Just the things that help me look alive on camera, protect my skin, and keep my feet from falling apart after hiking half of Ontario.

Here’s what I picked up, and why every single item actually fits my life.

My Go-To Canadian BeautySense Haul

 

Here’s what I got, and if you’re considering a holiday haul, load your cart with these!

1. Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner inBlack

My eyes are always done. Even if the rest of my face is bare, even if I’m in a ball cap and hiking boots and smell faintly like campfire, the eyeliner is ON. It’s my signature. My “I may be tired, but I’m still here” look.

And this Stila liner? It’s the reason strangers assume I have my act together.

It glides on like I’ve had eight hours of sleep (I have teenagers… I haven’t slept eight uninterrupted hours since 2009). It stays sharp all day, no matter what I’m doing, hiking a trail, sweating beside a fire, standing in the mist of a waterfall, or rubbing my eyes because I forgot I was wearing makeup. Again.

Bold, precise, and genuinely waterproof. It’s the one product I rebuy without question.

2. Jane Iredale PureBrow Shaping Pencil in Ash Blonde

Brows are non-negotiable. They frame your whole face, especially mine, because I’m often shooting outdoors with natural light that highlights every “character-building” feature I have.

The Jane Iredale PureBrow pencil in Ash Blonde hits that perfect middle ground: soft enough to look natural, firm enough to stay put in humidity, rain, wind, helmets, you name it. It fills the sparse areas Mother Nature forgot to finish and gives me that “put together, but I swear I didn’t try that hard” brow.

This pencil has survived bike helmets in Oka, sweat in Saskatchewan, and wind on the Bruce Peninsula. If it can handle my life, it can handle yours.

3. Footlogix Ultimate At-Home Foot Care Bundle

If you’ve ever seen what my feet look like after a long day on a trail or three back-to-back media days, you would understand why this bundle was added to my cart faster than you can say “hiking boots.”

This kit is basically a professional pedicure in a box, except I can do it at home, on my couch, while rewatching Schitt’s Creek and not apologizing for the calluses that come from climbing rocky lookouts for content.

Smooth heels? Yes. Hydrated skin? Absolutely. Feet that don’t scream at me when I get out of bed the next morning? A dream.

This kit keeps my feet adventure-ready, which is essential because I am always chasing the next trail.

4. Gehwol Foot Powder

Here’s a hot tip from me to you: if you hike, you need this. Period.

Gehwol is one of those quietly iconic brands that’s been around forever. Your grandmother probably used it. Your hiking friend might have it in their pack. And once you’ve tried it, you’ll understand why.

This powder keeps moisture under control, reduces rubbing in your boots, and keeps your feet feeling fresher on long, sweaty days. Not glamorous — but neither is taking off your boots after a full-day trek and realizing your socks could stand upright on their own.

I toss it into my pack every summer. It’s a small thing that makes a big difference.

After hikes like Eagle’s Nest in Calabogie, foot care isn’t optional for me — it’s part of recovery.

 

5. Eminence Must-Have Minis Starter Set

Travel-size skincare that actually works and doesn’t irritate my skin? Yes, please. I have what is called sensitive skin and I flame up red when something that my skin doesn’t like touches it.

The Eminence Must-Have Minis kit is exactly what it sounds like: a curated little selection of their most-loved items, packed into a pouch that fits perfectly into my carry-on or weekender bag. When I’m bouncing between a lakeside cabin, a boutique hotel, and a media dinner in the city, this kit keeps my skin happy despite the environmental chaos.

Clean, gentle, effective. And tiny enough not to take over my toiletry bag. A win on all fronts.

I always travel with mini skincare and SPF, especially on girls’ trips like this one to Oka, Quebec, where we packed in hiking, kayaking, and fine dining nights.

6. EltaMD UV Sport SPF 50

Let’s be honest: I’m fair-skinned, freckled and outdoors constantly. Sunscreen isn’t optional for me; it’s survival. I’ve turned pink on cloudy days in April. I burn if I think too hard about the sun.

EltaMD UV Sport is one of the few sunscreens that keeps up with my lifestyle. It’s sweat-resistant, water-resistant, and doesn’t make me look like a ghost who wandered out of the forest confused and lost. It doesn’t sting my eyes when I’m hiking uphill in humidity. It doesn’t melt off my face the second I move.

Whether I’m hiking, biking, kayaking, or filming on a beach in mid-July, this sunscreen has my back — literally.

On family trips through Northeastern Ontario, SPF is non-negotiable, especially for someone as fair-skinned as I am.

Why This Haul Actually Says Something About My Canadian Lifestyle

As a hearty Canadian, I enjoy spending my free time outside. I work a lot, and I work from the comfort of my living room or dim rooms in post-production houses on the TV shows I work on, so getting out on the trails and basking in the sunlight is a must for me. It’s imperative that I’m in forests, on beaches, beside waterfalls, in small towns, in national parks, telling stories through content and travel writing.

I need products that survive sweat, weather, travel, kids, long days, lake water, wind, early mornings and occasionally questionable decision-making.

I also want to support Canadian businesses whenever I can. Not in a performative “look at me supporting local” kind of way — but because I’ve seen firsthand how much thoughtful, high-quality work comes out of this country. When a Canadian company offers great (and free) shipping, great service, and great brands, I don’t need convincing.

BeautySense fits neatly into the reality of my life and the values of my brand. They offer everything I need: convenience, reliability, quality, and a selection that doesn’t feel overwhelming or random.

And honestly? It just feels good to support a Canadian retailer who makes beauty shopping easy and enjoyable.

BeautySense Is My New Go-To for Canadian Beauty Shopping

If you’re anything like me — juggling travel, outdoor adventures, work, parenting, and an ongoing attempt to look somewhat awake — finding a reliable beauty store that ships fast, carries good brands, and doesn’t charge you half the GDP in duties is a blessing.

BeautySense is exactly that.

From tried-and-true staples like the Stila liner and Jane Iredale brow pencil, to practical life-savers like Footlogix and Gehwol, to travel essentials like Eminence minis and EltaMD sunscreen, everything I ordered fits my lifestyle. And more importantly, it arrived without hassle, without border drama, and with the kind of ease that makes me want to reorder again.

Supporting a Canadian company while stocking up on products that actually work for my on-the-go, outdoorsy, travel-heavy life? That’s the sweet spot.