The Body Shop Has a New Flagship Store + More Beauty News

Plus, customizable haircare brand Prose makes it’s AI-powered skincare debut.

The Body Shop opens a flagship store at Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto

Thrilling news from another cruelty-free advocate: certified B Corp beauty brand The Body Shop has just unveiled their latest flagship store at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre. One of six Changemaker’s Workshops in Canada, the new location is focused around celebrating local communities. “Our goal was to create a physical space that people truly want to be a part of,” said Hilary Lloyd, VP of brand & corporate social responsibility at The Body Shop North America in a press release. “Whether learning about our incredible products and testing them through our sink experiences, or engaging in Changemaking through our Act station, a space dedicated to petition signing and advocacy, the Workshop retail experience is different, and people are noticing.” At the new location, The Body Shop has collaborated with artist Laura Moore who’s handmade repurposed textile artwork is on display. The new location also serves up major nostalgia with limited edition throwback t-shirts on sale, with proceeds supporting the brand’s Changemakers Youth Fund.

Cosmetic testing will be no more in Canada

Great news for Canadians: after years of tireless advocacy from animal rights groups across the country, Bill C47 is finally coming into play. On June 23rd, the Canadian government passed an amendment to the Food and Drug Act that will ban the testing of cosmetic products on animals in the country, effective in December. Cruelty-free cosmetics brands have been advocating against animal testing for years. For instance, Lush Cosmetics has been collaborating with organizations like Humane Society International and the Animal Alliance of Canada since 2013 to help make this major milestone happen.

“The passing of this bill is historic because Canada is joining a growing group of countries which have decided to outlaw cruel and outdated animal testing,” Lush global ethical director Hilary Jones tells FASHION. “This ensures that the public can shop with peace of mind knowing that what they pick up on the shelves has not been tested on animals. The legislation bans testing of ingredients and finished products on animals as well as banning the sale of animal-tested cosmetics products within Canada. This means that Canada’s ban also influences foreign based companies, because if they wish to sell their products into Canada they too must ensure that no animal testing was involved.”

The brand’s long-term efforts involved campaigning in Lush shops, participating in Parliament committee hearings and rallying support from over 150,000 people who sent messages to the Canadian government. A major win for Lush and Canadians everywhere, as 87% of citizens are in favour of a nationwide ban on animal testing for cosmetics.

Fresh Beauty drops a limited-edition collab with The Summer I Turned Pretty

Season 2 of ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ is weeks away from its premiere on Amazon Prime, and we couldn’t be more thrilled. To mark the occasion, Fresh Beauty has dropped the ultimate collab: an exclusive limited-edition set including three brand new shades of its best-selling hydrating Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment, housed in an adorable cosmetic pouch decorated with one of the show’s most iconic quotes, “The future is unclear, but it’s still mine.” The new colours include Sugar Lily Luster, a pretty mauve shimmer, Sugar Radiant Rose in a vibrant fuchsia tone, and Sugar Dewy Daisy for a barely-there blush hue. The lip set is officially on sale at Sephora for $65, just in time for the July 14 release of the new season. Snag it while you can.

Prose expands into skincare

Brooklyn-based haircare brand Prose is breaking into the world of skincare. The brand says this is “the only skincare line that offers truly personalized formulas, backed by science and powered by AI, that adapt with you over time.” Hyper-customized products, millions of possible formula combinations, and super-sleek packaging? Sign us up. Here’s where it gets even more interesting: after completing an online consultation, the brand leverages data from over 80 factors like skin type, diet, stress, pollution and climate to create a bespoke 3-step system for each user, including a cleanser, serum and moisturizer. You can also customize texture and fragrance, or even opt for a fragrance-free version for top-tier personalization.

Kim Kardashian announces the return of KKW (sort of)

After a two-year hiatus, Kim Kardashian is set to relaunch her makeup and fragrance lines once again. Previously known as KKW Beauty and KKW Fragrance, the social media star has plans to disrupt the beauty industry once again, under the umbrella of her minimalist skincare line SKKN. Kardashian confirmed the news via Twitter during a fan Q&A session, revealing that the products are expected to be released this year. Kardashian teased that the revamp will consist of anything that enhances the skin or can be applied on the skin, “And I promise it will be worth the wait,” she tweeted. That includes fragrance, too. Kardashion mentioned that she has some exciting new scents in the works under SKKN, with never-before-seen names, formulations and a shiny new website to match.