Monika Sofrenovic is the Marketing Specialist at CIRA. She is a recent graduate of Carleton University with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree in Marketing.
‘Tis the season for some way overdue pampering.
These gifts are all about helping your special people recharge and bounce back better than ever after a hectic year. Explore a range of artisanal health and wellness products—like antioxidant elixirs and luxurious lavender soaps—or find inner Zen with a sustainably produced yoga mat and healing outdoor experience. Self-care starts here.
oubelbeauty.ca
If you want to do something nice for your special someone’s skin, OuBel Beauty would like to have a word! They’re dedicated to helping people realize their individual beauty, and they’re doing that through a whole lineup of handcrafted skincare products made with natural, plant-derived antioxidants, essential oils and vitamins. Explore raw body butters rich in skin-moisturizing fatty acids, nourishing oils, gentle face cleansers and more!
Price range: $-$$
rebirthnaturals.ca
Rebirth Naturals is fighting back against hair discrimination and redefining beauty with wholesome, organic wellness products designed with black women in mind. Shop their hydrating hair oil, whipped shea butter moisturizer or carrot, mango and lavender-based body butters!
Price range: $
ecobeeswax.ca
It’s safe to say that single-use plastics (and plastic wraps) are passe. Here’s a stocking stuffer that’ll help get you on the sustainability straight n’ narrow. Ecobeeswax creates colourful, reusable and environmentally friendly food wraps made from beeswax. It’s a brilliant way to package up all those holiday leftovers and tasty treats!
Price range: $
thewitchescupboard.ca
What in the world is a witch’s cupboard, anyway? Well, as far as we can tell, it’s a bountiful source of feel-goodness. Toronto-based The Witches Cupboard proudly produces small-batch, 100% natural wellness products. So natural, in fact, that they grow many of the botanicals themselves. Spread a little holiday magic with festive smelling candles and handmade winter spice soap!
Price range: $
zenfulyoga.ca
Vancouver, BC’s Zenful Yoga is a woman-owned social enterprise that provides high-quality, sustainably sourced cork yoga mats. Now, all the yogis on your list can elevate their zen in a more environmentally friendly way. Healthy body, healthy mind—and a better future. That’s something we can all say namaste to.
Price range: $$-$$$
irenebilton.ca
Who wouldn’t want to live a more soulful, spiritually connected life? Or—heck—have a smidge more inner peace when considering your life’s choices? Give your special somebodies the gift of a one-on-one intuitive reading as Irene Bilton helps them dig deep and come away with newfound inspiration and guidance.
Price range: $$-$$$
candalae.ca
Treat the candle lovers in your life to hand made soy wax candles. Located in Toronto, this company is dedicated to making candles that are fitting for any and every occasion. Want to make the gift more personalized? Leave a note or a video your loved one can access anytime through a QR code on the candle.
Prince range: $-$$
moodgie.ca
Life goes by fast, too fast sometimes. Luckily, Moodgie has the perfect candle scents for those moments of much needed self care. Available year-round with a monthly subscription that contains a candle that is inspired by the season such as Vanilla, or Pumpkin Spice.
Price range: $-$$
northcountrycandles.ca
This Burlington, Ontario boutique gives you Canadian nostalgia and cozy cottage ambiance in candle form. Smell the exclusive flavours it offers, including the sweet smells of crackling fire, maple syrup and spicy cranberries. A great way to help loved ones relax and recharge during the hectic holiday season.
Price range: $-$$
Hailing from Curve Lake First Nation, Indigenously Infused draws on traditional Ojibway knowledge and teachings with a modern twist. Traditional botanicals, such as sage and sweetgrass are harvested and infused into candles, sprays, mists, and fondant. All natural, and all handcrafted. Interesting fact: Indigenously Infused was a semi-finalist for the Pow Wow Pitch 2022, a celebration dedicated to Indigenous entrepreneurs.
Price range: $
thecopperbell.ca
Bad puns meet soothing soy-based candles from Guelph, Ontario. “Nog gonna lie”, these candles are the perfect gift for a friend who’s been “workin’ pine to five”.
Price range: $
moonshinemamas.ca
There’s a lot more to turmeric than you might think. Salt Spring Island, BC’s Moonshine Mama’s has tapped into the power of turmeric for their line of delicious elixirs made with all natural ingredients—like ginger, lemon and honey—meant to give your mind, body and soul a healthful boost.
Price range: $-$$
malinandgoetz.ca
When it comes to skincare, Malin + Goetz believe less is more. That’s why they’ve created a line of uncomplicated products for every skin type and tone that deliver all the essential cleansing, moisturizing de-blemishing benefits—without the need to have an advanced chemistry degree. Perfect for the time-pressed person on your list that deserves a good pampering.
Price range: $$$
soapsandsuch.ca
One day, Soaps & Such founder/creator Kim Fleet got fed up with having her skin dried out by commercial soaps. And thus, Soaps & Such was born! Kim’s soaps are hand made from scratch in small batches using a traditional cold pressing method. They’re also hand mixed and poured, using a selection of plant-based oils. The result? Skin that’s left feeling silky, moisturized and well-loved. A luxurious stocking stuffer for anyone on your list.
Price range: $
racinebouclee.ca
You’re bound to know someone that has curls for days! For them, there’s Racine Bouclee – or – “curly root.” They specialize in selling natural products that are hand-picked and proven to clean, nourish and repair all types of locks, whether wavy, curly or frizzy.
Price range: $$
splishsplashhandmadeproduct.ca
Splish Splash specializes in artisanal, hand-made soaps designed to soothe even the most sensitive skins. Everything they produce contains natural ingredients influenced by the Moroccan Hammam spa culture, a centuries-old traditional bathing and cleaning ritual. Browse their selection of soap, loofahs, bath bombs—and more. We can feel the soothing stress relief from here!
Price range: $-$$$
shopstudio36.ca
Who knew soap could be this wholesome? Studio 36 started out as a small, home kitchen-based business. Now—many thousands of batches later—they’ve perfected their recipes. All their artisanal soaps, scrubs, body rubs, lotions—and more—are hand-crafted in small batches, so you get products that are high quality and as close-to-natural as possible.
Price range: $
pureelementscollection.ca
For the person on your list that deserves some serious pampering, Pure Elements Collection Inc. deserves a serious look. Their luxurious bath, body and soap products are 100% hand-crafted, as well as paraben and palm-oil free. Also—don’t miss out on their especially cool collection of scented (and unscented) bath bombs!
Price range: $
cleano2.ca
Now you can reduce your carbon footprint by lathering up! CleanO2 body bars use a unique technology—called CarbinX™—that captures C02 then converts it to pearl ash. This gives each of their soap bars a smooth lather. Now, you can act against climate change—and come out smelling like a rose, too.
Price range: $
well.ca
Think of Well.ca as a one-stop, online shop for a massive range of health, wellness, baby and beauty products. In fact, they carry Canada’s largest selection of green and natural brands. Because everything on their site is carefully picked and peer-reviewed, you can confidently explore new brands knowing you’ll get quality in return.
Price range: $ – $$$
escents.ca
Give the gift of sublime scents this holiday season. Vancouver-based Escents Aromatherapy boasts a massive selection of 100% natural essential oils sourced from around the world. Also check out their bath, body and wellness products designed to pamper, rejuvenate and relax!
Price range: $ – $$
scoria.ca
Scoria is a Canadian, woman-owned and operated company that takes the humble yoga mat and elevates it to an artform. Choose from their line of intricately-designed mats made from sustainably harvest cork, and help that special someone rediscover their inner yogi. Even better? Every yoga mat purchase supports life-skills education for indigenous youth.
Price range: $$
cryingoutloud.ca
Crying Out Loud offers thoughtfully curated care packages filled with tasty treats, snuggly socks and other clever products to help your friends and loved ones honour all of life’s moments. Care packages range in theme from “Date Night In” to “Welcome to Parenthood.”
Price range: $$ – $$$
naturalbenefits.ca
Now, there’s a better way to keep those pesky New Year’s resolutions. Kickstart a healthier lifestyle with Natural Benefits’ 100% pure, cold-pressed juice—all made without additives, preservatives or sugar. And for the juice enthusiast in your life, check out Natural Benefits’ selection of tasty subscription packages!
Price range: $ – $$
bottlenone.ca
Bottle None invites you to ditch the plastic shampoo and conditioner bottles and check out their natural, eco-friendly shampoo bars. Every bar contains salon-quality ingredients and can be used to nourish and repair any hair type. Also—don’t overlook Bottle None’s all-natural face washes and deodorants.
Price range: $ – $$
Give your special someone the gift of healthy, glowing skin. Butter Me Up Co. creates small-batch bath and body products out of their small studio in Medicine Hat, AB. Browse their body butter and skin repair products, or spring for the seasonal Butterbox subscription packages!
Price range: $ – $$
stoic-beauty.ca
Stoic Beauty offers a complete line of cosmetics that are water-safe and free of harmful chemicals and synthetic fragrances that damage vulnerable marine habitats. Want to sample all the natural skincare goodness Stoic Beauty has to offer? Start with one of their holiday bundle collections.
Price range: $ – $$
sussexbeard.ca
No beard left behind. That’s what the folks at Sussex Beard Oil Merchants believe. Their unique brand of beard oil is hand-crafted at their shop in Sussex, New Brunswick, and helps turn scratchy patchy beards into lush, full works of follicle art. Essential gifting for anyone from veteran beard growers to first timers with a little bit of face fuzz.
Price range: $ – $$
Aaaaand exhale! This concludes the health and wellness gifting list! We hope you were able to find relaxing, reinvigorating items for everyone on your list. But before you go, explore the full CIRA .CA holiday gift to find loads of other excellent ideas for your loved ones.
