Evan Beau – When thinking about beauty, people are looking for a product line that they an rely on. Make-up is a relationship between the person and the brand. It grows with each consumer. As we age, we stick to the brands we trust. Evan Beau is that brand who understands your skin. It is a line of make-up that grows with you as you get older. It is all about better beauty, for a brighter future.
Bright futures include Evan Beau’s wonderful and inspiring founder Lauren. Lauren loves her brand and her customers. She radiates love and makes sure her cosmetics line radiates purity, love and harmony. Not only does Lauren ensure her brand is reflecting a high standard of ethics and values, this wonderful brand also gives back. Lauren understands the needs of her consumers, like us, she is a parent as well. Let’s dive into how Evan Beau was created and why this brand is perfect for parents just like you,
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Tell us when your love for make-up and skincare began
It sounds precocious, but for me it started around age 4 or 5! My prized possession of the early 1980’s was my Fazz makeup, kids’ makeup pots and palettes that could be attached to a necklace or bracelet (I plead willful blindness to the ingredients list, no doubt it was of the poorest quality). I would coax my friends into letting me apply pink and electric blue eye shadows in a very uncouth fashion. I also watched my mother very closely regarding her skincare routine, and by the time I was 8 I knew what an exfoliator was, and would beg her to let me use it at night! I took my first official makeup course when I was 15, and continued to train throughout my University degree. I always loved the creative side of makeup, and I viewed skincare both as a luxurious ritual, and as a modular ‘puzzle’ to fit together products to solve skin concerns for myself and my friends.
Why did you decide to pursue a degree in Anthropology?
I loved social studies in school, I loved that our origins and past civilizations were something of a mystery, and yet I yearned to understand what the human experience was for other cultures, what made them different from one another, and what we could learn from them today. I enjoyed trying to see through the lens of a different person. If the University of Toronto had a Cosmetology degree though, no doubt I would not have received my BA in Anthropology!
Tell us who Evan Beau is named after.
Evan Beau is named after my son! It wasn’t hard for us to choose his first name, which is actually the Greek name Paraskevas (after my husband’s family tradition), which in English is sometimes translated to Evan. I added the name Beau as one of his middle names because I wanted a single-syllable name that made his entire name ‘flow’, and I thought he was beautiful of course! Now we have a daughter too, Delphine, who isn’t the namesake of any company, but if she were, it would be an all-natural floral eau de cologne no doubt!
What made you get into the skincare industry?
Makeup and skincare are best friends in my book! Because I was always drawn to the makeup industry, skincare came with the kit and caboodle. If you aren’t taking care of your skin, your makeup will never reach its full potential. I’m a proponent for natural-looking makeup, and showcasing skin is high priority. That doesn’t mean natural or healthy skin is always flawless of course! Our skin does so much for us, we need to honor it with healthy ingredients and listen to what it is telling us.
I worked as a cosmetic tattoo artist for plastic surgeons for many years, and was exposed to some incredible technologies in medical aesthetics. It was an incredible privilege to gain so much knowledge in that environment and only piqued my interest in skincare further, though I was already beginning to lean closer to the clean beauty movement.
Tell us all about Evan Beau and its fantastic products.
Evan Beau is a minimalist line of makeup and skincare products. I wanted skin to be the main event, the foundation for all other makeup products! Our green, fast-absorbing Essential Regenerating Day and Night serums (“like a green juice for your skin” my customers say) are a one-and-done powerhouse addition to any skincare routine. Serum should always be the most active step in your skincare regimen, and these serums don’t disappoint! They contain vitamin C for brightening and collagen production, Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) for smoothing skin texture and pigmentation reduction, Hyaluronic Acid for hydration, Peptides and amino acids for firming, plumping, and reducing fine lines, Kojic and Glycolic acids in our nighttime formula for gentle resurfacing, and of course our hero ingredient, Micro-Algae extract, which makes the serums green, and deeply nourishes the skin with antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties. We test and harvest our algae in a laboratory setting to ensure no ocean micro-plastics or other toxins find their way into your skincare!
Our color foundations are designed to be light coverage because I love the look of real skin! The shades are very blendable and help to harmonize skintones, while also being hydrating and firming with the addition of Gotu Kola and Damascus Rose extracts. Perfect for sensitive skin and for a fast and easy polished look, requiring just your fingertips!
After Evan was born, as most parents can attest, my worldview and priorities changed. I have always been an advocate for clean beauty and skincare, but ‘beauty’ took on a new meaning for me. As I was about to launch my line, I learned more about child trafficking and how children are being exploited all over the world. It seemed to me that should have been front-page news everyday, but it wasn’t. Suddenly the idea of a beauty brand felt inconsequential (yet received more attention than children being bought and sold) and this was not the world I wanted for Evan. That’s when I decided to use beauty as a forum for exploring what I consider to be true beauty–human happiness and freedom, with a childhood as the foundation for it all . I donate $1 from every item purchased on evanbeau.com to One Body Village Canada, who work tirelessly to rescue, rehabilitate and prevent child exploitation in Vietnam and Cambodia.
Where does Evan Beau ship to?
We ship all over North America for free with purchases of CAD $125+
Why is it so important what goes into each serum?
In a skincare routine, the serum is the step after cleansing (or toning) and before moisturizing. It’s purpose is to deliver nutrients and treatment to the skin, so we wanted our serums to have a multi-faceted approach to signs of ageing (from fine lines to hormonal acne) by utilizing pure ingredients that work together in synergy to increase the effectiveness of one another. When formulating with high quality botanicals it is also important to ensure they remain stable and don’t lose their plant powers! We use safe cosmetic science in order to preserve the ingredients, and we use a liposome delivery system to ensure the ingredients can reach deeper into the skin, versus traditional formulas, where they can effect the most positive of changes. It’s also important to note what doesn’t go into our serums–they are proudly vegan and cruelty-free, made without fillers or binders, fragrance, phthalates, parabens, or other controversial ingredients.
Evan Beau is not only a luxurious and safe skincare line, it also cares deeply about children and charity. Tell us why and where a dollar from every product sold goes to.
$1 from every product sold goes to One Body Village Canada, a registered charity that works in Vietnam and Cambodia to rescue at-risk or sexually exploited children (almost exclusively girls) in their communities. They raise them in deeply loving safe homes, offer them an education, psychological counseling, and healthcare, and most importantly restore their hope, dignity, and childhood, encouraging the girls to dream of a vocation and helping them to achieve it. They break the cycle of exploitation and literally save these girls’ lives. I love this organization because virtually all the money donated goes to the girls in the homes, and the people who have dedicated their careers and lives to help raise these girls are truly inspiring. They have no limits on how long a girl can stay with them, their services are sometimes needed for one year and sometimes for closer to a decade! It’s beautiful to see so many people who care and will fight for the freedom of children.
$1 can go much further in Vietnam and Cambodia than it can here in Canada. For example, my average order of 3 products (=$3 donated) will feed a girl 3 nutritious meals for a whole day in a safe home. Or, over the course of a year, my average customer will have paid for a public school education with the necessary books and supplies for a girl for an entire year, which may not have been afforded to her without OBV.
Why is it important to you as an entrepreneur to give back to this important cause?
I am grateful to have grown up blissfully unaware that child trafficking and exploitation was happening everywhere. Now, as an adult, parent, and entrepreneur, I have the ability to draw attention to this cause, raise awareness, and learn along with the Evan Beau community new ways to protect my own children, help those in need, and restore beauty and hope to this world.
How can parents support the fight against human trafficking?
Because no country or demographic is free from the risks of child exploitation, I believe prevention should always start in the home. Devices with connectivity to the internet need to be monitored, and opening up discussion around ‘body safety’ with your kids in age-appropriate ways (even as young as toddler age) are some good starting points. Rosalia from Consent Parenting is an excellent resource for this discussion.
As far as support and rescue missions for children around the world, donating money or time to organizations like One Body Village, Child Rescue Coalition, and O.U.R Rescue are great ways to actively participate in the fight. There are many local chapters and other organizations I did not list. But, being a conscientious shopper is also important–child labor is another form of child trafficking. It’s difficult to find any conclusive reports listing companies that are exploiting child labor, but buying your clothes, footwear, or even chocolates from local and small businesses make it far less likely you are supporting child labor.
For busy Moms just learning about a skincare routine, what would you recommend for those Mommies on the go?
Mommies are always on the go! I would always recommend prioritizing taking care of yourself and your needs the way you would your child’s. Pack your own water bottle and snacks– hydration and nourishment are key especially if nursing, but also for a healthy complexion and mindset!
The world of skincare can be overwhelming! First, narrow your search if clean beauty principles and ingredients are important to you. Many stores now have ‘clean’ sections or lists of banned ingredients they won’t carry.
Starting with a 2-step ritual (Cleanse and Moisturize) will be a good place to start for busy moms. A hydrating mist is also something to consider that you can put in your purse for on-the-go makeup refreshment, skin hydration, and many of them made with floral waters smell so uplifting, it’s great as a mood booster!
I don’t love how skincare is organized by ‘concern’, because it sets you up to feel as though something is ‘wrong’ with your skin, but no doubt the skin and body need to be viewed holistically. Maybe it’s telling you about your stress levels or hormonal fluctuations. This is all to say, topical skincare regimens can only be so effective at ‘fixing’ a concern, if it runs deeper. The good news is that a simple skin cleansing and hydrating routine will be effective at removing oil and pollution from your skin, balancing the moisture in your skin, and it only takes a few minutes (precious minutes you can have all to yourself!)
Finally, I’m always repeating these adages to my clients when shopping for skincare:
“If it Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It” meaning don’t go looking for something to fix nothing, or, if you are at your maximum in your routine and don’t have the time or inclination for a new habit, don’t waste your money on the new and shiny thing! Remember the beauty industry is famous for preying on our sense of weakness or inadequacies. If you have never noticed or cared about the size of your pores, don’t let a package convince you that you should!
and
“Slow and Steady Wins the Race” meaning start out with one new skincare product at a time, for example a new serum or new moisturizer. It’s better to start slow and add in gradual changes and new additions than to start over with dynamite and present your skin with a ‘too much, too soon’ array of new products. It usually takes your skin about 2 weeks to adjust to a new product, and after this time period you will know the culprit if your skin is looking fantastic or something isn’t working for you. With any new ‘active’ skincare additions (like Evan Beau Essential Regenerating Serums, or products containing vitamin C, Retinols, or any Alpha or Beta Hydroxy Acids), I recommend using them slowly to begin, every other day or night, or just a few times a week for the first two weeks so your skin can adjust to the new ingredients.
What skin routine do you recommend for Moms under 30, Moms under 40, Moms under 50 and seasoned Mommies?
There is no such thing as one size fits all with skincare! I even have two moisturizers and two cleansers on the go because sometimes my skin feels more oily, or more dry, and I need to listen to what it is telling me it needs! Generally though, our skin falls within these decade categories because of what is happening at a cellular level as we age, and the results we can visibly see as a result of this. I generally recommend a 3-step skincare routine to everyone over age 30 (cleanse-serum-moisturize), but if that is too many, the 2-steps of cleansing and moisturizing is going to feel great too. Adding in a product like a treatment mask or added exfoliant once a week is usually easily assimilated into any routine also.
For moms under age 30, your skin is still elastic and producing collagen at a decent rate, so if you have any skin concerns, address those in a simple way. You don’t need “anti-ageing” products at this stage in my opinion. If you have hormonal acne, you may want to address that with a treatment or serum when needed. Also, consider beginning to use an eye cream. Apply on the lower orbital bone under your eye as additional moisture and fine line prevention for this delicate area, patting the skin with your ring finger to distribute the product from the outside moving inward toward the nose (note: we can’t entirely prevent ageing, and we should’t try!).
Daily mineral sunscreen is also recommended for prevention of pigmentation.
Moms under age 40 may be noticing some minor volume and fat loss in their faces, and focusing on collagen building and hydration are usually the key points to skincare in this category. The most popular and effective collagen building ingredients include Vitamin C, Niacinamide, an array of Peptides, Bakuchoil and Retinol. Your Evan Beau years can start now! Adding in a treatment mask once a week for digesting or removing dead skin cells will allow your skincare to better penetrate and your skin to glow. Focus on consistency and habits that make you feel good with your skincare. Eye cream and sunscreen are still recommended!
Moms under age 50 will need to pay more attention to moisture, as oil glands are not as productive in this age group and skin can feel more dry (everywhere). Exfoliate dead skin cells and encourage new cell turnover daily with a gentle product like our Regenerating Night Serum which contains very low levels of Kojic and Glycolic acid to help brighten the complexion and add radiance overnight, or use a manual exfoliant like a cleanser with grain, or something stronger like a a once-a-week mask/peel with an alpha hydroxy acid. Follow with a moisturizer with oil-rich ingredients, or if you love your moisturizer but it’s not enough hydration for the winter season, it’s ok to finish your nighttime skincare off with an oil on top of your cream moisturizer to lock in added moisture. In the daytime it’s also still important to wear a sunscreen (but still get some natural vitamin D if you can!) and you should be able to find a daytime moisturizer with a mineral SPF in one product for ease of application!
Moms over 50 will be experiencing added hormonal changes with the onset of menopause, which can cause additional moisture loss in the skin, and sometimes adult acne too. Instead of layering several products that address different needs like hydration, brightening, loss of elasticity, acne, etc, a serum that can address many needs is where you will find the most value in your regimen! Your moisturizer or moisture plus oil will still be invaluable for skin comfort and looking radiant and dewy. Stay away from makeup like blush and foundation that is matte or in powder form, and instead choose cream/liquid-based makeup that will reflect light and feel more hydrating.
if you were spoiling a Mom on Mother’s Day, what Evan Beau products would you recommend to make the perfect gift basket?
Our 24 Hr Regenerating Serum Bundle (The Essential Regenerating Day and Night serums together!) are definitely a must! They offer 24 hours of skin support to span all the age groups in need of collagen production, firming, brightening, soothing, and smoothing. They are also fragrance-free (they smell green like our micro-algae extract), vegan, and last a lot longer than brunch! We also carry a product by Athar’a Pure called Pink Lotus Hydrating balm for those moms that need a good dose of moisture overnight, and it smells absolutely divine!
