Dearest you,
Ahh summer! We look forward to it all year, but somehow seem to forget that it also means sweat, bugs, sunscreen, sunburns (horror!!!), smog and the smell of garbage (which likely doesn't do anything to skin, but sometimes I imagine it gets in my skin and ugh *shudders*) and a multitude of other grossness and that feeling that your skin is chokin' in the humidity. Bleh! And yet, I SWEAR I love this season!
Here my favourite summertime routine using Stark (because you know, I make these products.)
A.M.
Quick mask and cleanse using Eclipse. I smooth it on, walk around blindly looking for coffee, get the water boiling and the beans ground, then rinse my face with cool water. I then go straight for Everlasting, and if it's a very muggy day, will wear just that under my sunscreen.
On other days, I mix a drop or two of City with Everlasting, no sunscreen, and work in front of my computer all day. :(
I chill Petrichor in the fridge and mist mid-day or after being outside to combat the greasies, revive and refresh! Plus, the scent it everything. Grounding, fresh, earthy, lively! Try it during a good summer thunderstorm... so sensual and unexpected.
PM
I take off makeup (if any) and sunscreen (if any) with a good chickpea sized dollop of Aurora. Massage it in well for a minute or two, then take it all off with a soft, warm washcloth and immediately admire my bombass skin. A little more Everlasting and a drop of Midnight smoothed over, then I enjoy my evening. Right before bed, I will apply a little more oil or balm to anywhere I like.
Well, that sums it up! Enjoy your summer skincare routine!
Jess xo
25.00 CAD
A fresh-scented defensive shield from the urban elements. Replenishes nutrients lost in skin due to city-living, while strengthening the skin's natural defences. Contains Stark's unique EVERGREEN Complex, an infusion of 7 adaptogenic, collagen-boosting herbs.
Together you ran laughing and hollering from the street corner and leaped over a great puddle and into the park's front gates. Like wild children you ran the gravel paths, winding through the great coniferous trees. The rain comes down so hard it's impossible to pretend that you might make it home dry, and so you playfully kick water from a puddle and watch the stream of water disappear into the falling droplets. Blocks away, traffic rages on. But in this park, you are protected.
Protect your skin from city damage, with these fragrant, nourishing and purifying plant oils and featuring Stark's adaptive, collagen-boosting EVERGREEN complex, which helps fortify skin's natural barrier function and resilience, helps your skin "re-learn" how to function optimally, while gently correcting damage already done.
What it does: Purifies, tonifies, boosts lost essential nutrients skin and defends from harsh city elements (pollution, stress, indoor air, smoke, weather, etc), with a curated blend of oils featuring a now-iconic, unisexy, deep-in-the-conifers scent. It's a "reset" button for those who are concerned about the effects of pollution on the skin. (And honestly? We all should be nowadays.)
What it is: A medium-light oil that absorbs quickly into skin, creating a protective shield from the outside environment, while delivering essential, bio-compatible phyto-nutrients back to the skin, such as squalane.
Who it's for:
After cleansing skin, apply ~2-5 drops to the back of your hand, and use fingertips to lightly dab and press oil into skin. Be a little patient with the dropper bottle, and don't shake or tap it out! (It takes 3 seconds for the oil to travel out of the bottle and onto your palm.) Remember to inhale to reap the aromatherapeutic benefits! Can be worn alone, or under makeup or moisturizer. Can be used morning and night.
Available in 15 ml, 30 ml and 50 ml. All our products contain zero synthetic ingredients! Contains NO water... a little goes a LONG way! When used 1-2 daily, a 30 ml bottle will last on average 12-16 weeks. Packaged in a beautiful glass jar with our iconic design! Please re-use. Vegan, Gluten-free. Certified cruelty-free.
Rice Bran Oil, Stark's EVERGREEN Fusion, Apricot Kernel Oil, Hazelnut oil, Hemp seed oil, Broccoli seed oil, Olive Squalane, Vitamin E, Cypress Oil, and pure essential oils.
32.00 CAD
A synergistic mist that purifies and protects the skin from the environment with super-antioxidant ferulic acid and green tea extract, while soothing skin with a double dose of cucumber, purifying with white willow bark and undoing environmental stress with nutritious watermelon extract.
Petrichor is the distinct scent that emanates from the earth after a heavy and much-needed rainfall. It is actually a modern word that means "blood of the stone"... and how does one make a rock bleed? Simply by letting a few tears flow, a long-held outpouring when pregnant clouds finally can no longer bear the weight any longer. Few things offer that sense of renewal and possibility like the scent and the feel of the air after much-needed rain. Dust is rinsed away from sidewalks and buildings, gardens perk up and trees let go of a long-held exhale. It's not just refreshing, it's a promise of renewal.
Calms inflamed skin, protects skin with antioxidants and treats blemishes and promotes healthy looking skin! This POWERFUL mist is not a toner, but a skin tonic, and does not dry out skin (in fact, it's a light humectant and will increase skin's hydration. Rejoice!). This super-juice gently cleanses and exfoliates skin with the salicylic acid found in white willow bark, while aloe and cucumber soothe and cool skin. Ferulic acid, an incredibly potent antioxidant found in nearly every plant seed, boosts the effects of the other antioxidants, like the green tea extract, and the vitamins in the watermelon extract in this formula...and may even work better in the presence of UV! (Be sure to wear SPF anyhow.) Witch Hazel, native to eastern Canada, tones skin, reduces inflammation and irritation and makes pimples vanish. Watermelon extract provides a nutritious burst of vitamins to the skin (with purported UV-repairing properties!). Use after cleansing skin, before moisturizing. Can be washed off or left on. Has an earthy, green scent. Ideal for those living in heavily polluted cities, or for acne-prone skin that over-produces sebum. Some sedimentation can occur, shake before use.
Who is it for?:
Spritz on clean, damp skin. One of two sprays is enough! You can let skin absorb in the goodies, or gently blot off with a tissue (or whatever you like.) Apply your favourite facial oil afterwards (which is probably our CY or NL) while skin is still damp for best results. Some sedimentation can occur, shake before use! Some batches are cloudier than others, this is normal. :)
Aloe Vera Juice, Witch Hazel distillate, Rose Geranium distillate, Cucumber distillate, Stark's EVERGREEN complex, Potassium Sorbate, Ferulic Acid, Watermelon Fruit Extract, Green Tea Extract, Cucumber Extract, White Willow Bark Extract, Grapefruit Seed Extract, Vegetable Glycerin, essential oils of vetiver and violet leaf.
30.00 CAD
The ultimate in skin nutrition with a triple dose of helichrysum (aka immortelle or everlasting)... 2 drops of "EV" turns 2 drops of any oil into a luxurious, highly effective anti-age, anti environmental-stress serum. Combining some of the world's most effective skincare ingredients, including kelp bioferment, licorice, gotu kola, milk thistle, chamomile and more, to create a lightweight, humectant-rich serum with mega impact.
The charming old fountain has cracks running along it's basin; silver-green moss and lichen climbing up the sides of the statue of what looks like a nude woman carrying a basket of...what is that? Carrots? Flowers? The details are a little softened now, but the effect is still beautiful. Better than new, perhaps. You smirk just a little, with the confidence that you and this gorgeous fountain have a little secret in common. That's when you see the little yellow flowers; their crimped petals a small cluster of crisp sunshine, their stalks not so much green as a faded pewter. Intrigued, you reach to touch one and it unexpectedly feels completely dry under your finger, a little sharp even. Fragile in it's paper-like quality, but resistant. Slender yet strong. Her colours are vibrant, and yet you're unsure if this flower has just bloomed or is ready to fall. This little flower has a secret of her own, and you're about to find out what.
We consider this any facial oil's potent side-kick, as it instantly creates a bioactive, readily absorbed super serum for your face, neck, chest and hands. An instantly-absorbed skin drink infused with potent plants that protect and help repair skin from signs of environmental damage, scarring from acne, reduces collagen-killing inflammation and makes skin feel incredibly soft and smooth, without any residue. This oil-free, hydrosol-and-extract-based serum almost instantly calms skin inflammations of all kinds, and leaves skin impossible-not-to-touch soft and plump. A triple-dose of helichrysum (aka everlasting) is the star of this feather-light gel...however, this product packs an all-star punch in ingredients that art and science adore for their rejeuvenating effects: Helichrysum (aka Immortelle or Everlasting), Gotu Kola, Sea Kelp Bioferment, Edelweiss, Milk Thistle, and Green Tea extract are just some of the key active ingredients found in EV (but really, every ingredient is key in this amazing skin food!). Yes, this formula contains more actives than a daycare centre! Use alone or under a facial oil to super-activate the hydrating and smoothing effects. Please see "Ingredients" tab for more info on the benefits of "EV"s ingredients.
* Contains only a small amount of essential oils...no carrier oils!
Who is it for?:
After cleansing skin, apply ~2 drops to the back of your hand, and use fingertips to lightly dab and press serum into skin. {Combine with a facial oil for maximum effects!} Can be worn alone, or under makeup or moisturizer (such as an oil). Can be used morning and night. Remember to replace the cap tightly after use! Although beneficial to all skin types, those with mature, sensitive or occasionally problematic skin will find this serum to have the greatest impact on their overall complexion. Dab under and around eyes as an eye treatment.
Vegan. Gluten-free. Certified cruelty-free.Aloe Barbadensis leaf juice, Helichrysum italicum floral water, Rose damascena floral water, Anthemis nobilis floral water, Lactobacillus/Kelp ferment filtrate, Helichrysum italicum, Silybum marianum (milk thistle), Sodium PCA (sodium L-pyroglutamate), Centella asiatica (gotu kola), Camellia sinensis (green tea), Leontopodium apinum extract (edelweiss), Propanediol 1,3 (derived from sugar), phycocyanin, tara gum, Radish root ferment filtrate, Grapefruit seed extract.
Helichrysum (aka Everlasting), the namesake of this serum, lowers inflammation in the skin...which is vital, as inflammation is what destroys skin in the short and long-term. It helps heal acne, burns and lessens the look of scarring.
Gotu Kola improves blood flow and is rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory chemicals. Studies have shown that even a tiny % of Gotu Kola to significantly reduce fine lines in the under-eye area, as well as improves hyperpigmentation, scar reduction and elasticity.
Sea kelp bioferment is one of the world's most expensive and cherished skin-care ingredients, used in famous products for it's youth-promoting effects.
Milk thistle and green tea have been thoroughly researched and backed by scientific studies for their ability to effectively heal skin at a cellular level, perhaps even delaying skin cancer. Licorice lessens scarring, edelweiss undoes some of the ravages of time. Indeed, this may be the very liquid coursing though the fountain of youth....
35.00 CAD
A ultra-gentle, detoxifying and deep-cleansing gel, with both exfoliation and brightening properties, leaving skin feeling very soft. It is a black gel, contains no oils and rinses clean and yet it is moisturizing and hydrating. The scent is somehow both uplifting and refreshing and yet also warming and soothing. Confusing? Perhaps. You'll have to try it to understand ECLIPSE's magic!
Dust stuck to my sweaty face and neck as we hauled our heavy packs into the second tuktuk of the journey. The sun was beginning to set by now, and I couldn't wait to feel a relief from the searing, stifling heat. The faintest breeze came came off the Indian Ocean, and I closed my eyes and clutched onto both my child and the tiny vehicle's "safety" bar as we hauled ourselves through the traffic of downtown Colombo. I couldn't wait to get in the shower, scrub the stickiness and heat off my body and curl up with my book in our hotel. I also couldn't wait to create the cleanser that would make my skin feel instantly detoxified, refreshed and clean but not at all tight and dry. This cleanser is the traveller's saviour.
A gentle, oil-free gel cleanser that is pH-balanced for optimal skin health (4.4 to 5 depending on batch), and provides a mild, foamy experience. This formula is both nourishing and deeply cleansing, at the same time! It is also exfoliating, thanks to fruit enzymes and white willow bark, and brightening due to licorice root. A lovely paradox, this pitch-black gel...as it reveals the opposite yet complementary functions of a great cleanse.
Activated coconut charcoal detoxifies and cleanses pores at a very deep level, while white willow bark exfoliates and calms inflamed skin. Licorice root brightens and evens the complexion and A lovely, refreshing morning cleanse, but just as effective as an end-of-day-please-just-wash-it-all-away kind of cleanser. Lovely cardamom is both cooling and warm (magic!), and balances all doshas. Please note colour can vary from batch to batch, from black to shades of grey.
.Aloe Vera: soothing and draws hydration to the skin
Green Tea; The polyphenols in green tea are powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory, and can inhibit some of the damage caused by UV.
Licorice: skin brightener and anti-inflammatory.
White Willow: anti-inflammatory and penetrates old, oxidized sebum to break down blackheads.
Panthenol (B5): Panthenol is vital to all living cells, and topically provides skin with moisture, lubrication, and hydration. It can help repair barrier function.
Fruit- enzymes: A gentle enzymatic exfoliator to help your skin glow; reduces surface wrinkles, fine lines and roughness. Can promote cellular renewal, collagen synthesis and production of hyaluronic acid.
Glycerine: a great humectant!
Allantoin: soothing, anti-inflammatory, moisturizes skin.
Sodium cocoyl Isethionate and Coco-Betaine are extremely mild surfactants from coconut. They do not compromise the skin’s barrier.
Essential oil mix is 1% of total weight, contains cardamom which is balancing to all dosha types.
Who is it for?:
Oily, combination and acne-prone skin in need of balance and decongestion.
Men! Women! Teens!
City-dwellers who need extra daily deep-down cleanse, without any stripping.
How to Use
Squirt a dime-sized amount in palm, and massage over damp or dry skin. Let sit for 15-30 seconds, then rinse off with warm water. Pat dry, and follow with a moisturiser (your favourite Stark oil, of course). Toner is not necessary as this is pH balanced, but facial mists are always welcome. :)
4 oz./ 120 ml
Vegan. Certified cruelty-free.
(ingredients below reflect 2018 formulation)
Distilled water and organic Aloe Vera juice infused with botanical extracts of Green Tea Extract (camellia sinsensis) White Willow (Salix alba) bark, activated coconut charcoal, Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza Glabra), Organic vegetable Glycerine, Panthenol (vit. B5), Fruit-based AHAs (Water & Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract & Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane) Extract & Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract & Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract & Acer Saccharum (Sugar Maple) Extract, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Allantoin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, may contain citric acid (only when necessary to adjust pH)
19.00 CAD
A fresh-scented feather-light hair oil designed for fine, delicate hair to unruly, coarse hair. For wildly natural tendrils of happy hair.
The tangled vines and knotted palms reach for the canopy. Moss covers the floor like lush 1970s carpeting. The air is rich with oxygen, and everywhere life bursts from every seam of the rainforest. So rich, so lush, with leaves so thick and glossy, vines so strong, you are overcome by the beauty, by this nearly brutal energy each plant exhibits to thrive, to overtake, to grow to incredible new size. "Hair goals," you whisper to nobody in particular, and smile to yourself as you hike on.
A feather-light yet deeply nourishing hair oil with a similar weight and feel to a classic silicone hair serum but created purely with carefully selected plant oils, of course! This oil adds strength and manageability, increases hairs elasticity and protects against the elements with antioxidants. Nourishes and softens tough tresses, won't weigh down fine hair, and helps promote growth. The cleansing scent will detoxify a congested scalp (if using as a pre-shampoo), and perfume your locks with a an herbal-floral freshness. Use as an overnight hair mask or as a leave-in styling product, before or after drying hair.
Can be used as a leave-on hair styling product, as a pre-shampoo oil or as an overnight hair mask!
To style:
Fine hair: Start with just 1-2 drops, and apply through the ends of damp or dry hair. Add 1 drop at a time, as needed. Be careful not to apply too close to the roots, to avoid looking greasy.
Thicker hair: Start with 3 drops, and apply from ends, eventually working way up hair length.
For straight hair, brush out your tendrils once hair is dry. Leave as-is for more defined tendrils and curls.
As a mask or pre-shampoo: Apply 2-3 times the amount you need as a styler, (so 6-10 drops), massage in well then proceed with shower or sleep or what have you.
Camellia sinensis seed oil, Crambe abyssinica (Abyssinian) seed oil, Vitis vinifera (grapeseed) oil, proprietary blend of essential oils, non-GMO tocopherols.
26.00 CAD
When you need just a dab of something potent to stop an eruption right in it's tracks. This treatment is packed full of traditional and modern pimple-soothing ingredients...and smells nice, too!
When naming this product, I was thinking about volcanic words. Magma? Lava? Explosion vent? I was trying to bring a little humour to a pimple treatment, but nothing seemed right. It felt too violent, and when you have one of those painful "subterranean" pimples forming, waiting to erupt? You're not really in the mood to giggle, and you certainly don't want to make light of the aggression on your skin. So my copywriter's hat went back on. Out of nowhere, the French word "éteint" came to me... one of those moments when being bilingual is really helpful! Eteint (prononced /etɛ̃, ɛ̃t/... although I can't really tell you how to read those pronunciation things) means to extinguish, or put something out, like a light or a fire. Or a volcano, if you're a goddess. It's such a soft, sexy word. The French have the tendency to make words like that. Anyhow, that's the kind of soft-yet-efficient power you are getting with this spot treatment.
ETEINT is a spot treatment that doesn't leave you smelling like a medicine cabinet. Sweet and fresh, just one drop applied to an inflamed area will help decrease the size and pain of a pimple, allowing it to speed up and disappear quicker...or perhaps stop a blemish from forming at all! It will also help decrease healing time and discoloration of blemishes. Use often (2-3x a day) and use as soon as you feel a pimple forming for best results.
NOTE: Not to be applied over the entire face! Avoid mouth and eye area. This product contains more essential oils than a regular face oil, and isn't meant to be worn over large patches of skin.
Who is it for?:
After cleansing skin and moisturizing, apply 1 drops to the back of your hand, and use fingertips to lightly dab onto blemish. Let the oil be soaked into the affected area. Spot-test if you have very sensitive skin.
15 mLStark's EVERGREEN Complex, Azadirachta indica, Lavandula Angustifolia, Melaleuca Alternifolia, Citrus Bergamia, Litsea Cubeba, Melaleuca teretifolia, Thymus Vulgaris, Helichrysum Italicum, Boswellia Carteri, Styrax Benzoin.
33.00 CAD
Inexplicably, this serum called me to be created. Based in a slow, slow, slow double-infusion of green coffee bean in MCT oil and Stark's EVERGREEN Complex, plus organic chia, olive squalane and baobab make up this super-serum. Gentle enough for your delicacte eye area, powerful enough to deliver results.
Maybe you'll become clairvoyant or maybe you'll experience an astral projection with this inspired creation! I mean, who's to say? A lightweight oil serum designed for the orbital eye area, loaded with an in-house green coffee bean extract to de-puff and wake up the eyes, Stark's EVERGREEN complex (to protect this delicate area from the harsh reality that is life, alas) and organic oils of chia and baobab! With essential oils of spikenard, frankincense and rose for a low-key religious experience. A roll-on eye serum meant to be gently dabbed on eye-area and patted with the ring finger
A nutrient-packed serum with a handy roll-on applicator, featuring a cooling metal ball that feels so good when gently pressed into skin!
Who is it for?:
10 mL
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride and organic green coffee beans, Salvia Hispanica (organic Chia) Seed Oil, Stark's EVERGREEN Complex, Squalane (olive), Adansonia Digitata (Baobab) oil, Vitamin E, pure essential oils*.
25.00 CAD
A powerful tool for fine hair... absorbs extra oils to refresh and re-fluff hair, while providing just enough grit and texture to control static and fly-aways and create a cool, easy undoneness to your look while nourishing hair and scalp with vital nutrients.
A day off with the perfect weather. An uplifting sip of sparkling water. A basket of fresh cherries from the market. An ocean breeze. An inside joke that keeps you laughing all day long. Your favourite, softest jeans and sandals for the first time that season. A text just to say "I love you". The right dry shampoo to ensure a good, easy hair day. Sometimes, it's just the littlest things that create a great day.
This baking-soda free dry shampoo is created specifically for those of us with fine, limp hair that needs a little (or a lot) of help looking thicker, less stringy and tousled just so. Basically, acheiving, cool, effortlessly chic hair without having to *do* it every day (which is so damaging!). Dry shampoo should always be considered a hair makeup... that is, it doesn't actually replace washing hair properly as you do need your scalp to be cleansed with water and some kind of liquid shampoo or hair cleanser (this goes for ANY dry shampoo, by the way! Don't trust any dry shampoo that tells you otherwise!). Besides organic and lightweight starches to absorb excess oils, diatomaceous earth for a little hold and texture and a few active secret weapons to help nourish and strengthen hair. (Ok, not so secret... read the ingredients/benefits section.)
Who is it for?:
Sprinkle a little onto palm of hand or directly onto roots (for example to work into a messy topknot). Quickly work through hair, possibly with hair flipped upside down. Shake off excess, let sit for 30 seconds or so, then brush through hair. Do not over-apply!
This product is preservative-free, so please wash and dry hands before use and please do not get any water in the bottle. With proper handing, this product can stay fresh for up to 24 months.
Organic Tapioca Starch,Organic Arrowroot Powder, Diatomaceous earth, citric acid, vanilla extract, bamboo extract, amla extract, benzoin extract, essential oils.
This dry shampoo is acidic-when-wet, which helps your scalp recalibrate to it's naturally healthy, slightly acidic state. Diatomaceous earth and bamboo is rich in silica, and amla provides vital nutrients that can help grow healthier hair.
84.00 CAD 90.00 CAD
15 ml (1/2 oz) each of: CITY Recalibrating Oil MIDNIGHT Regenerating Oil and EVERLASTING Calm + Smooth Infusion
8.00 CAD
Welcome to the Russian Roulette of luxury soap! (Now there's something I never thought I would say.) Love a super-high quality bar of dense soap that lasts for months, with the...
