If waking up this morning didn’t feel like Groundhog Day yet again, you obviously haven’t been listening to our province’s top doctor (or following our COVID cases). With the latter once again surging and the current circuit breaker now in place, it’s time to once again batten down the hatches to stay safe together. So here’s a look at the latest tactical gear from designer brands both local and global to help us hold the line against this pandemic.
KAZE Face Masks
What was once strictly utilitarian, the KN95 mask has been reimagined as a Hollywood celebrity must-have accessory. Spotted on Justin Bieber, Cardi B, and Jennifer Lopez, the newly approved-in-Canada Kaze (meaning “wind” in Japanese) face masks come in an array of kaleidoscopic colours fit for stars—and COVID-weary British Columbians.
Image courtesy of KAZE.
Amped up from standard-issue protective-equipment uniform, these curated lab-certified disposable masks come in a variety of packs with clever names such as the Character Series, Vibrant Series, and Vogue Series, and 17 runway-perfect hues, including bold pink and simple nude.
With a contoured fit that promises to seal perfectly over your nose and mouth, these five-layer, breathable masks actually allow you to breathe freely without fogging your glasses. They come in a resealable aluminum package too, in which they can be stored hygienically between uses.
Available at Kazeorigins.com
Lululemon No Nasties Hand Sanitizer Gel
Always on trend, Lululemon manages to suss out our wants, needs, and desires even before we know them ourselves (hello, Align pants!). This April, the athleisure brand unveils a new Health Canada-approved hand sanitizer, which couldn’t come at a more opportune moment.
Image courtesy of Lululemon.
No Nasties sanitizer features vegan probiotics to restore the good bacteria on our hands, while its 70 per cent ethyl alcohol, derived from natural sugar cane, eliminates the bad bacteria. Glycerin adds hydration without leaving any stickiness, and orange and bergamot essential oils offer a welcome—and much needed—energizing scent.
Available in-store as of April 1 and online at Lululemon.com later this month.
Arc’teryx Face Mask
Just because Whistler shut down for the rest of the season doesn’t mean you can’t still don your favourite ski brand. The new reusable face mask from Arc’teryx nails its signature alpine form and function with a non-medical covering that can be worn comfortably thanks to easily adjustable ear straps. Instead of elastics that pull or toggles that dig, Arc’teryx’s version—in two layers made of soft, safe, chemical-free cotton—fits perfectly with straps you simply pull through loops.
Available in-store and online at Arcteryx.com
Image courtesy of Arc’teryx.
Persons of Interest Rinse-Free Hand Cleanser—Gold Edition
When fighting a global pandemic, it’s all hands on deck. But that doesn’t mean getting those hands dirty while you’re at it; it means keeping them as clean as humanly possible. To help with this round-the-clock requirement, there’s the cheeky (“Please wash your damn hands!”) made-in-Canada cleanser by Persons of Interest.
Image courtesy of Persons of Interest.
The Health Canada–approved sanitizer is made with 70 per cent alcohol, aloe for conditioning, and a blend of citrus essential and fragrance oils. Thanks to the alcohol content, it’s quick-drying without leaving residue or stickiness. It’s housed in a limited-edition, pretty gold-capped glass bottle that’s exclusive to Holt Renfrew, so you’ll be tempted to save it—but spray it instead.
Available in-store and online at Holtrenfrew.com
Maple & Lather Wellness Collection Soap
Keeping your hands clean and your mind clear are the two most important directives over the next three weeks (and beyond), and Canada-based Maple & Lather’s new triple-milled soaps can help.
Crafted in Valensole, France, a small village in Provence that overlooks lavender fields, these soap scents promise to take us far away from here. From plant to package, the Wellness Collection features three of Maple & Lather’s six signature scents—Lavender Flower, Orange Bergamot, and Lemon Verbena—to coax tranquility and relaxation.
Image courtesy of Maple & Lather.
Each vegetable-based bar is made of responsibly sourced palm oil and pure shea butter, and triple milled, which eliminates extra moisture and air to create a longer-lasting bar of soap. All of which means it retains its shape and texture so you won’t need a soap dish. Because, these days, less is more (and soap is everything).
Available online at MapleandLather.com
Fellow Earthlings Mask Chain
Although it’s tempting to feel as if the COVID shackles might never be removed, it’s good to maintain perspective: we’ve still got work to do, but we’ve come so far. It’s all about framing it the right way, and this recycled acetate mask chain from Fellow Earthlings feels like just the right kind of constraint (to help us hang onto our masks, and our sunglasses).
Image courtesy of Fellow Earthlings.
From its seaside workshop on Prince Edward Island—once the cradle of eyeglass manufacturing for the likes of Ray Ban and Ralph Lauren in the 1980s—the brand custom-crafts sunglasses that are handmade-to-order so you can choose your own shape, material, and lens combinations. All of which is welcome news when you feel you have few options right now. It’s also helpful to remember that—from coast to coast—we’re truly all in this together.
Available in-store or online at Holtrenfrew.com
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