On the Record : November 2021

I'm a big fan of shopping local, supporting small businesses, and giving my money to companies that give back to the community and do good. I also have spent my time in quarantine doing a lot of online shopping and needed something to help me justify all my purchases. And so I bring you Monthly Mains, a series where I’ll highlight three things that have made my life better (and will probably make yours better, too).

November is normally the start of a long season of chapped lips, cracked hands, itchy, parched skin and frizzy hair.

This year, with the help of some highly hydrating local products and a dynamic duo of hair care products inspired by centuries-old South Asian traditions, I managed to (mostly) avoid the usual irritations that come with living in a city with a dry climate.

Whether you're a fellow Calgarian preparing for the upcoming (dry AF) winter season, or just someone who could use a little boost in (external) hydration (because drinking enough water does wonders but we could always benefit from some extra help), here are five products you should check out:

Illustration by Len Kurosaki

My face has been through it over the last two years. I've developed major adult acne, meaning I look old but also like a teen going through puberty at the same time. It's not the only confusion happening with my combination skin. Normally when it's getting colder (and drier), my cheeks get super dry, so I use some nice thick moisturizer, which just makes my usual oily forehead act out. It's a bad scene.

Over the years, I have tried a number of things to make my skin more balanced, and to get rid of the acne that apparently didn't have enough time to ruin my life when I was a teen. Unfortunately every product I tried either had no effect or it made my skin worse. So when I came across the Imperfect skin face oil from Jennifer Joan, I had low expectations and was ready for it to cause a surprise breakout on an area of my face that had somehow been spared. I definitely was not buying the product description that the oil would "clear existing acne and banish future breakouts" or "help calm and heal your complexion."

But then I actually tried it, and I am a believer! This oil feels luxurious. It's the perfect consistency - not too thick but not runny, it has a light hazelnut scent and it packs an immense amount of moisture for something that feels so lightweight. After using the oil just one time, I noticed that the acne on my cheeks (which was, up until that point, very red and very painful) looked less inflamed and wasn't nearly as painful to touch.

Not only was my acne less irritating, but overall, my skin wasn't as awful as normal. As in, my cheeks were not at all dry, and it didn't cause my forehead be look so greasy that you could fry an egg on it. I was sold, and immediately decided it was going to be a staple in my nightly skincare routine.

Don't get me wrong, I still have adult acne and combination skin. As my friend Jess, who happens to be a dermatologist, reminded me, no product is going to be a true miracle and completely clear your skin. There are a number of factors that cause acne and dry skin (like high stress levels and the poor food choices you make when you're dealing with high stress levels...), but products like this oil do help.

The Imperfect skin face oil is one of three Jennifer Joan offers. The skin care line also features cleansing oils, body oils, face mists (I would recommend the Lavender mint face mist to go with this oil) and even beard oils. To see the full collection of products and find the ones best suited for you, visit the Jennifer Joan website.

Illustration by Len Kurosaki

I sometimes miss the days when Lip Smackers were all the rage and everyone had like three of them hanging from their belt loops. Not because this was a great fashion accessory (although it was a very practical one) or because Lip Smackers were a top notch product, but because I don't remember having to deal with dry lips during that period of life.

Dry weather can be harsh on areas we wouldn't expect, including our lips. I have had one too many winters where my lips would crack and bleed and I'd be stuck for days coating them in Vaseline and other ointments until they were better. So this year, I planned ahead, and along with a tube of La Roche-Posay's Cicaplast lips (which can help protect your cracked lips and keep the pain at a minimum), I picked up some lip conditioners from Madeup Beauty (Banana and Pina Colada scented, because why not have things that smell like vacations in warm, humid places you can't currently visit, right?)

These lip conditioners are much larger than your average lip balm. I was pleasantly surprised to take these out of their boxes and have them not be tiny tubes of product. I was also pleased by how fantastic they smell, without being overpowering or leaving a gross taste on my mouth.

The most impressive thing about this product though is how well it works. I use this once in the morning and once at night and my lips feel fantastic. I rarely use chap stick during the day (partly the reason why my lips always end up cracked and gross) but now that I've started using these lip conditioners I really don't think I need anything else - not even my Cicaplast lips tube!

I'm not an expert, but I'm guessing the magic behind this mini jar of moisture is the ingredients. The lip conditioners are packed with essential fatty acids and antioxidants, including avocado oil, vitamins A and E, Shea butter and sweet almond oil. An added bonus - all Madeup Beauty products are made in Canada, paraben-free and cruelty-free. Basically what I'm saying is there really is no reason not to get one of these lip conditioners.

Lip conditioners are just one of a number of beauty products available from Madeup Beauty. To check out all of the great makeup and skin products (many of which smell great and come in a variety of stunning colours) offered, visit the company's website.

Illustration by Len Kurosaki

It's no secret that a lot of South Asians have incredible hair.* So great, in fact, that many high quality wigs and extensions are made from hair collected from people in South and Southeast Asia. (The hair trade is a whole other topic that I'm not going to discuss here, but if you want to learn more, here's a good place to start and here is another article with more information.) What is a secret is how they have such great hair.

Turns out, it's their genetic makeup. Some people are really blessed and got the thick, voluminous, shiny hair. That's the secret.

I'm kidding... sort of. Genes of course play an important role in how luscious and thick our hair is, but not being blessed with the same genetics as all of our favourite South Asian stars doesn't mean we have to deal with frizzy, dry, limp hair - even in the dry winter months. Two sets of South Asian siblings are proving this with their products, which are based on centuries-old hair care routines from India.

The Back to your roots scalp + hair prewash from Shaz & Kiks is a plant-based hair mask you use before you wash your hair. It deep conditions your scalp with a number of ingredients ethically sourced from farmers in India, including shikakai, reetha and bhingaraj. The mask works from root to tip, helping strengthen your strands ad nourish your scalp. It's also vegan, cruelty free, and made without sulfates, silicones, parabens and phthalates.

The SahaScalp Amla soothing serum from Fable & Mane can be used as a hair mask to soothe your dry scalp and reduce hair breakage. It is also a great product to use once you've finished styling your hair to seal in moisture and add shine.

Both of these products are fantastic on their own, but I've found that combining them has made my temperamental hair so much happier. A little goes a long way for both products, and when mixing them, I really only need a finger 'scoop' and a few drops of the serum mixed together to cover my entire scalp. Overall, after about a month of consistent use, my hair just feels way better. I can go longer between washes, my head doesn't get as itchy, I'm seeing fewer split ends and my scalp/hair is never dry after wash day (and it's not because it's greasy instead).

Another major reason I love these products is that they're owned by South Asians. I've seen a number of non-South Asians profit off of the culture (yoga, turmeric lattes, chai, mehndi, etc.) without properly giving credit to the people and long-standing traditions these things come from. There is nothing wrong with sharing the best parts of different cultures, but it's always rubbed me the wrong way how all of these things are only acceptable once a (usually) white person has "found" them and turned them into a profit (without that profit going back to the communities/cultures the products/ideas/etc. have been taken from). So when I saw both these brands paying homage to South Asian practices, supporting farmers throughout South Asia, and also actually being owned by South Asian, I had to support them.

Both these brands have other hair products available. You can find the full range of Fable & Mane products on the company's website, and some products are also available at Sephora. The full Shaz & Kiks collection is available on the company's website. For now, the only product available in Canada is the Back to your roots scalp + prewash, which can be purchased online from Urban Outfitters.

*I want to note that people of all backgrounds have great hair. I'm highlighting South Asians because as a South Asian myself, I grew up admiring South Asian actresses with fantastic hair and hearing that the ingredients used in the two products highlighted were the secrets to such hair.

Illustration by Len Kurosaki

Despite the fact that the majority of our body is covered in layers of clothing during the dry winter months, our shielded skin isn't actually safe from the harsh elements. Luckily, T'oria Skincare has a few options to make dry skin a thing of the past, for good. My favourite is the Tropic body lotion (coconut scented, to be even more specific).

My lovely friend Ashley actually gifted me my first bottle of this lotion and said, "maybe it will be something for your Monthly Mains." Clearly she knows me (and great products) well, because here we are.

This stuff is so good that it actually went "missing" in my house, twice. By missing I mean my sister kept taking the lotion from my storage spot under the sink because she thought "no one was using it". (🙄) Once I figured out what was going on, I bought us both our own bottle so we could both experience the benefits this stuff offers our skin.

My favourite thing about this body lotion (other than how great it makes my skin feel) is how quickly it absorbs. No more needing to feel greasy or sticky to have soft skin. Just rub this stuff in and move on with your morning. Your skin will feel moisturized all day.

This lotion also smells incredible, but it's not at all overpowering. As I said earlier, the coconut scent is my favourite (plays into the whole 'I'm on a nice beach somewhere warm' thing) but if that's not your thing, there's also a grapefruit scent and even an unscented option available.

Another thing I want to highlight about T'oria is the customer service. If you have questions about any of the products, you can expect a prompt response (most likely from the owner herself). I personally had some questions about what moisturizer to purchase based on specific needs, and she actually explained why the lotion would be better for my needs than the other product I had been looking at on her website. I love a good product, but when the customer service is fantastic, it's icing on an already awesome cake.

Highly nourishing body lotion isn't the only thing this brand offers. You can also purchase facial cleansers and moisturizers, soaps and scrubs and a number of other skin care items. All T'oria products are vegan, cruelty-free, non-GMO and made in Canada. To view the full list of products, visit the T'oria Skincare website.