You’re not loyal to your products.
You’re just used to them.
You finish one thing. You buy it again.
No thought. No upgrade. No difference.
But some brands are worth interrupting that pattern.
These brands are different.
They were founded by Canadian women who got tired of generic products and built something worth switching to.
Not louder. Not trendier. Just better.
1. SmartSweets
Founder – Tara Bosch (Vancouver)
What it is – A “better-for-you” candy company that makes gummies, sour candies, and other sweets with significantly less sugar than traditional candy. The key hook: low sugar + higher fibre + no artificial sweeteners
The backstory – Tara started in her basement at 21. She used her life insurance as collateral for her first loan. With no money and no connections, she took on the biggest candy companies in the world. Now she’s sold a chunk of the company for hundreds of millions.
What makes it different – Regular candy is a sugar bomb followed by a crash. SmartSweets reworked the formula so it actually tastes like the real thing, without the same sugar overload or aftermath.
Why we love it – You can eat a whole bag and not feel like garbage. The Classic Gummy Bears are chewy, juicy, and actually satisfying. Keep a pack in your desk drawer.
2. Guests on Earth
Founder – Jackie Prince & Liz Drayton (Toronto)
What it is – Hand soap and cleaner that read more like self-care products than cleaning products. Delivered as concentrated refills + reusable bottles (you mix with water at home) that belong on the counter. Formulas are typically plant-based, non-toxic, biodegradable.
The backstory – Two moms launched this during lockdown while working full-time. They wanted something that didn’t poison their kids or the planet. Bootstrapped. No hype.
What makes it different – Most cleaning products come in ugly plastic bottles with loud, clinical labels. Guests on Earth replaces that with a refillable system and elevated design. You mix the non-toxic concentrate with water at home, which reduces shipping weight and waste, and the scents are designed to feel more like fragrance than chemicals.
Why we love it – You’ll actually leave this bottle on your counter. The “Desert Dawn” scent makes washing your hands feel like a tiny upgrade to your day. Our co-founder Jess is obsessed with the Green Hinoki Laundry Detergent and has the brand's foaming hand soap in every washroom.
3. Jenny Bird
Founder – Jenny Bird (Toronto)
What it is – Lightweight, sculptural jewellery – bold hoops that don’t weigh you down.
The backstory – Jenny pivoted from finance to handbags in 2008, then taught herself jewellery design in 2010. Entirely self‑funded. Never “paid to play” for celebrity endorsements – yet Michelle Obama, Selena Gomez, and Hailey Bieber wear her pieces. Now sold in 500 boutiques globally.
What makes it different – Bold and modern, yet comfortable enough to wear all day. Ethically made for women who refuse to choose between style and substance.
Why we love it – We’ve all taken off painful earrings halfway through dinner. Jenny Bird pieces feel like nothing – and look like everything. That’s the win.
4. Bird&Be
Founder – Sam Diamond & Breanna Hughes (Toronto)
What it is – A doctor-formulated fertility and reproductive health company that makes supplements, at-home tests, and tools (for women AND men) to help people get pregnant and support pregnancy.
The backstory – Both founders went through fertility struggles – PCOS, loss, IVF. Most of their team has too. They built the brand they wished existed. They’ve personally couriered orders on weekends so customers wouldn’t miss a dose.
What makes it different –Most fertility products lean heavily into pink branding and outdated messaging. Bird&Be removes that. Clean design, no unnecessary gender cues, and daily vitamin packets that simplify what is usually an overwhelming routine. They also shift the conversation by putting responsibility on both sides—offering products for sperm health and actively reframing fertility as not just a women’s issue, but a shared one.
Why we love it – Taking vitamins doesn’t feel like a medical event. The daily packets are easy. And knowing they’ve built this from lived experience? That’s the difference.
5. HBFace
Founder – Haley Bogaert (Toronto)
What it is – A beauty studio and skincare line built on “Resilient Beauty” – expert brows and five‑minute faces.
The backstory – After losing both her mother and brother to mental health and addiction within six months, Haley found structure in a daily makeup routine. “Perfection is irrelevant. What matters is how something makes you feel.” She started with brows, now has 6,000 clients and her own product line.
What makes it different – No trend‑chasing. No twelve‑step routines. Just thoughtful formulas (Brow Glaze, Water for Skin serum) and a real partnership with CAMH – not a logo, an ongoing commitment.
Why we love it – We’re tired of beauty that demands perfection. HBFace gives us permission to do less and feel more grounded – and that’s the gift.
6. Blume
Founder – Taran & Bunny Ghatrora (sisters, Vancouver)
What it is – Acne products that don’t make you feel like hiding your face.
The backstory – Two sisters bootstrapped their way to Sephora. No celebrity backer. Just a good product and consistent execution.
What makes it different – Most acne products are harsh, drying, and designed to be hidden. Blume made treatments that are both effective and visible in a different way — biodegradable, colourful patches you can wear out, plus formulas that don’t strip your skin.
Why we love it – You can treat a breakout and keep going about your day. And it actually clears the pimple.
7. Nuts For Cheese
Founder – Margaret Coons (London, ON)
What it is – Vegan cheese that actually tastes good.
The backstory – A single woman with a market stall and a dream. She worked 15-hour days in rented kitchens. Now she runs a 30,000 square foot facility.
What makes it different – Most vegan cheese focuses on imitation and ends up rubbery or bland. Nuts For Cheese uses fermentation, like traditional cheesemaking, to build real flavour, texture, and depth.
Why we love it – You can serve this at a dinner party and no one questions it. Creamy, tangy, and actually satisfying.
8. TKEES
Founder - Carly Burnett (Toronto)
What it is - Minimalist leather flip‑flops and sandals – “cosmetics for your feet.” Don't miss their delicious line of apparel, too.
The backstory - Carly wanted a sandal she could wear everywhere without noticing. She launched TKEES in 2009 with five nude shades, then added metallics, glosses, and cheetah print. Now she sells millions of pairs, and Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston are fans.
What makes it different - No logos. No fuss. Just sculptural leather in shades that flatter every skin tone. Light enough to pack three pairs. Her motto: “Trust your gut and have some grit.”
Why we love it - We love a sandal that doesn’t need a breaking‑in period.
9. &BACK COFFEE
Founder – Roxanne Joyal. Women-owned, B-Corp.
What it is – Coffee that supports women farmers in a measurable way.
The backstory – When women earn money, up to 90% goes back into their families and communities. Roxanne built the entire model around that reality.
What makes it different – Most “fair trade” coffee stays at the messaging level. &BACK builds it into the structure, returning 90% of profits to women farmers and investing in programs like financial literacy and agricultural training.
Why we love it – It’s good coffee, first. And knowing your daily habit is funding something tangible? That makes it stick.
10. Cheekbone Beauty
Founder – Jenn Harper (Anishinaabe Ojibwe, St. Catharines, ON)
What it is – Lipstick and makeup that’s bold, sustainable, and actually cool.
The backstory – Jenn started the brand after a dream told her to reconnect with her roots. She turned her own struggles into a company that now funds scholarships for Indigenous youth.
What makes it different – Cheekbone is Indigenous-owned, which is still rare in beauty. The packaging is compostable, the formulas perform, and the brand reinvests directly into community impact.
Why we love it – The liquid lipstick in “Warrior Women” is bold, transfer-proof, and long-lasting. And every purchase contributes to something bigger.
The BFT Take
You could keep buying the generic stuff. The same hand soap. The same candy. The same coffee that doesn’t give a damn.
Or you could switch to brands built by women who actually use what they make.
Who looked at everyday products and decided they didn’t have to stay average.
This isn’t about buying more.
It’s about buying better.
Because once you switch, you notice the difference.
And you don’t really go back.
Built For This
The business of womanhood.
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