Nuances Self-Care is a local beauty company in Montreal which handcrafts cost-effective, high-quality cosmetics to support women in taking care of themselves naturally. They make cosmetic products that suit all skin types and all curly and coily hair types in an effort to be as inclusive as possible. We spoke with Keisha the CEO to learn more about what they do.
What is your business called and what does it do?
Nuances Self-care is a local Montréal beauty brand that handcrafts high-quality and affordable cosmetics to help women take care of themselves in a natural way. We strive to be as inclusive as possible, manufacturing beauty products that are catered to all skin types and all curly and coily hair types.
What made you want to do this work?
I didn’t see any other brands in Quebec that offered an entire line of both skin and hair care products that were natural and affordable. Brands that catered to curly, coily hair types were even rarer. With the natural hair movement growing and consumers being more aware of what’s in their products, I thought that this would be a great solution for them.
What problem did you want to solve with the business?
Natural products are seen as a luxury when they should actually be the standard which creates an accessibility problem. This is understandable, given that the price of ingredients and shipping costs have risen significantly in the past few years, but I believe the real problem is one of perception. What if natural products became the norm? If every pharmaceutical store or department store carried only natural products, it wouldn’t be a radical act to use them, and the prices would stabilize.
What keeps me going is knowing that I’m making a difference in women’s lives. When I read reviews and emails from my clients, it confirms that I’m on the right track. So many women tell me that before Nuances, they couldn’t find products that worked on their curls or sensitive skin.
One of the most memorable messages that I’ve read was from a client who said that she had tested the shampoo on her daughter’s hair and it “thoroughly cleansed and defined her curls”. That made me realize the larger impact that Nuances has had on the Montreal community. Not only are we inspiring women, we’re also reaching young girls through their parents. I would like to keep uplifting my clients to help them take care of their skin and hair while minimizing their costs.
Another thing that motivates me is using my brand to put women of colour at the forefront of my marketing campaigns. Growing up, I felt like the media was lacking in that respect. After studying and then working in marketing, I’ve realized that diversity isn’t always prioritized, even now. I recently directed Nuances self-care’s “Shades of Strength” social media campaign, which shares the stories of women of colour learning to love all aspects of themselves. The stories the models shared were so inspiring, and I would have loved to have seen a campaign like this as a young girl. Diversity is something that I’m passionate about showing people, and it’s even in our name: Nuances!
I also can’t get enough of researching new recipes and ingredients! I want our online store to eventually become a one-stop shop for beauty products. Last year, we released 5 new products, and I still feel like we’re missing quite a few. Even if they take extensive research, we’re always working on new products and collections. Stay tuned!
Who are your clientele/demographics?
We cater to women with various skin types notably dry or sensitive skin and women with curly, coily hair types.
How does your business make money? How does it work?
We have an online store, a physical store, and we also sell our products wholesale to local businesses.
I think the cosmetics and self-care industry in Montreal is saturated. There are a lot of brands to choose from that are doing great things! However, as in any industry, there is also misinformation, in this case about natural products. Many brands have made false claims: we’ve seen some say that natural shampoo doesn’t foam, for instance, or that a neon pink body cream is naturally dyed. We are constantly debunking these myths through our social media channels and in-person events. We believe that people shouldn’t feel they need to choose harmful, chemical products because they’re misinformed about the effectiveness of natural ones.
We’ve also noticed that natural products are seen as a luxury when they should actually be the standard. Natural products are currently a costly niche, which creates an accessibility problem. This is understandable, given that the price of ingredients and shipping costs have risen significantly in the past few years, but I believe the real problem is one of perception. What if natural products became the norm? If every pharmaceutical store or department store carried only natural products, it wouldn’t be a radical act to use them, and the prices would stabilize. We believe that clean ingredients shouldn’t be sacrificed for a better price. Our mission at Nuances Self-care is to make natural, high-quality products accessible to all women in North America.
Where in the city can we find your profession?
We’ve just opened up a store in Montreal located at 6110 Cote Saint-Luc Road, H3X 2G9. We are open from Wednesday to Sunday.
What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.
We often get asked why our products are so inexpensive when they are so effective. The reason why is that it is part of our core mission to make natural products accessible to all, regardless of income. We believe that clean ingredients shouldn’t be sacrificed for a better price.
What differentiates Nuances self-care from other cosmetic brands is our focus on accessibility. Through our affordable pricing and community involvement, we’ve built a model for sustainably helping people take care of their bodies in a natural way.
Sustainability means more than just being environmentally friendly. It means being able to maintain self-care routines that make us feel like our best selves, and accessible products are the key to that. Nuances self-care is built on the idea that everyone should be able to find and afford natural products that work for their own skin and hair.
We partner with several BIPOC partner organizations in Quebec and Ontario, such as hair salons, cafés, and subscription box owners. These partners distribute our products to their customers, helping us to empower more women in our local communities to feel proud of their skin and hair. In 2023, we hosted our own shopping event called Snack N’ Shop to provide a platform for Black vendors to sell their food, beverages, and services at no cost to them, helping to provide visibility to local entrepreneurs who share our vision.
Of course, long-term sustainability is also an important value of ours, and we’re committed to eco-consciousness from the development to the distribution of our products. We use all-vegan recipes for our products, and having only plant-based ingredients lowers our carbon footprint compared to brands that use ones derived from animals. We also limit our use of plastic packaging as much as possible, opting for glass instead, to keep our packaging eco-friendly. Recently, we implemented a new sustainability program called Recycle and Reuse, where people can drop off their used jars and lids. This helps us make sure that our products’ end of life is as sustainable as their beginning.
We truly believe that accessibility and sustainability go hand-in-hand. One can’t exist without the other.
What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?
The best part about what I do is receiving testimonials from clients. It reminds me of all of the good that the brand is doing for others. The worst part is that even though I help others with self-care, I often do not have time for it myself because of how busy I am with the brand. For example, I tend to work on my days off which is something that I’m trying not to do.
What is your favourite joke about your own profession?
Beauty products for men: this product can be used as a 5-in-1 product.
Beauty products for women: we’ve formulated this product specifically for your right eyebrow
Where can we follow you?
Website | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok
PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?
I love B.O.B Malls (@thebobmalls)! They’re a media platform that sheds light on Black businesses. Their content is super fun and informative!
