PURA's July muse, Nickol Walkemeyer, shares her personal journey and career trajectory as one of Canada's most sought-after make-up artists. From immigrating to Canada as a toddler, to opening a beauty boutique in West Edmonton Mall, to travelling the world as a respected make-up artist, Nickol is transparent about the ups and downs of the beauty industry and how she has grown during the current pandemic. Keep reading for summer skincare and make-up tips and learn how Nickol defines true beauty...
My name is Nimi and I’m a lover of all things natural when it comes to health, wellness and beauty. Most would call me a kind and fiercely passionate ECO-Warrior! The idea of HauteCoton came to me while sitting in a nutrition class about organic farming vs. conventional farming. That’s when I made the connection between food and natural textiles. Not many people realize the textile industry is one of the most toxic industries and one of the biggest polluters of our time. I started questioning what I was putting in and on my body through food, bath and beauty products, then eventually textiles. Our skin is our largest organ and we spend 1/3 of our lives in bed. I didn’t want to lay in conventionally grown ‘natural’ fabrics and synthetic materials that were laced with formaldehyde, petroleum and microplastics every single night. We all deserve to be informed and have the power of choice. That’s when HauteCoton was born.
There are many reasons but first and foremost it was my health, my family’s health and realizing the impact our choices have on our collective home…our planet. I also became ‘awakened’ of what actually goes on in the textile industry. It was heart-breaking to learn that textile workers were developing disease, illnesses and serious health implications such as cancer and nervous system dysfunctions just by being in contact with textiles and fabrics that were conventionally grown, man-made and chemically dyed. It upset me enough to do something about it. Especially knowing that I too almost developed cervical cancer from basic lifestyle choices. Thank goodness we caught it early enough and I made the decision to live a preventative lifestyle.
I’m humbled by the excitement and the community we have here supporting a natural living lifestyle. You can even see the shift happening through food and more plant-based options being available everywhere. It’s beautiful to see. We still have a long way to go but you can see change is happening and people are starting to put two and two together. They’re paying more attention to their health, not only through food and physical exercise but what they put on their skin through skincare and bath and beauty products. I’m so glad businesses such as Pura exist. It shows people that clean, green beauty and conscious products can be good for you without having to use all the toxic and synthetic preservatives that conventional beauty products do. It shows that natural beauty products can be good for us, be kind to our planet and offer powerful results all at the same time. Sustainability X Luxury. It’s possible.
Plants! Lot’s of plants. It’s a natural air purifier. Using simple things from your own fridge as cleaning products such as vinegar, lemon and a few drops of essential oils. Getting rid of plastic containers, having reusable shopping bags on hand for grocery shopping and definitely environmentally friendly cleaning and laundry products.
Definitely our most popular products are our Sheet Sets, Duvet Covers and our Crib Sheets. Parents-to-be only want the healthiest, safest and purest product for their little ones, especially when their skin is in direct contact. People love buying our products as gifts or to indulge for themselves. And with our natural colour, you can actually see the cotton seed embedded in the sheets. I personally love slipping into my sheets at the end of a long day. There’s nothing like when your head hits your pillow at night and you slip into pure softness that feels like your sleeping on a cloud. Our linens have a sateen finish so they only get softer and more comfortable as you wash them. They’re temperature regulating as well, so they will adjust to your body temperature helping you sleep better at night by allowing your skin to breathe. In the summer they keep you cool and in the winter, warm and cozy. It’s great for people with partners who are the opposite body temperatures from each other. Everybody wins! And we always get compliments on the lining of our duvet covers. They’re lined with buttons made from coconut shells from the communities in which we work with in India. We’ve visited the factory ourselves and seen with our very own eyes the coconut shells being hand-sewn onto the duvet covers.
You can tell how important it is to me that our skin only gets the safest and purest products, especially while sleeping. We spend 1/3 of our lives in bed and we’re doing the most rejuvenating at night. For the past 2 years now I’ve been using my Overnight Watermelon Mask from Pura! It’s a product I can’t live without. It was given to me as a gift and now I can’t go to bed without it. My bedtime ritual consists of doing a little self-care before falling asleep. I’ll first cleanse my skin with Pura’s Countess Cleansing Nectar, put on my hydrating Overnight Watermelon Mask and gently massage my skin with Pura’s Jade Face Roller to help with circulation and rejuvenation and then I slip into my luxuriously soft HauteCoton sheets. Nothing beats that feeling! My bedtime routine with Pura products leaves my skin feeling so hydrated and nourished and the texture of my skin feels so incredibly soft every time I wake up. These are products that are must haves in my daily and nightly routines!
I’m incredibly happy to see that self-care comes in many forms of health and wellness for most people now, not just the mainstream way of manicures, pedicures and massages. Yes, they too are relaxing ways to take care of oneself but self-love extends beyond just spa treatments. It’s in the little things, life’s simple pleasures. If we all take the time to invest in quality lifestyle products that make us feel good in our daily lives as we trek-on with our busy days, we can always, quickly revert back to the things that make us feel comforted, taken-care of and nourished at the end of the day. That in itself is a form of self-care.
We have the most amazing clothing and accessory boutiques in Edmonton! Whether these products are designed in Edmonton or sourced from across the globe, you're sure to find unique pieces for the fashion lovers in your life. Poppy Barley's Holiday collection has us swooning with metallic copper options! Cloud 9 Pajamas has the best selection, from cute and fuzzy to elegant and silky. Who doesn't love to receive a beautiful new pair of pjs on Christmas Eve? Who doesn't want a chic, minimal coat from WORKHALL, or a well-made, simple black dress locally designed by Emmy Deveaux?
Home Decor: Plum Home & Design // Amy Dixon Art // Shop Chop // Maven & Grace // Justine Ma Design
The stories behind art and decor in a home are usually personal and sentimental. Whether these items are collected on world travels, passed down through the family or gifted by a friend, they bring so much joy to a home. We have so much love for Amy Dixon's landscape paintings, they're just so dreamy and colourful! If you're looking for beautiful antiques, make sure to visit Plum Home and Maven & Grace. They have wonderfully curated selections of antiques from all over the world. We also adore Justine Ma's handprinted holiday decorations our entire city covets for their uniqueness and festive beauty.
Timeless and feminine. So Pretty Jewelry has us mesmerized and their newest collection "Ethereal" is a celestial lovers dream! One of our favourite elements of So Pretty is that many of the necklaces and earrings can be worn in multiple ways, which is such a fantastic way to keep your accessories looking fresh.
Beauty & Wellness: Kolya Naturals // Niche Beauty // Keravie Lash Loft // Lux Beauty Boutique
Pamper your loved ones with beauty treatments and all-natural makeup this holiday season. Kolya Naturals has a beautiful spa where you can book custom facials, wraps and peels to leave you feeling refreshed. Our friends at Niche Beauty have the most amazing selection of makeup, hair care and beauty tools in all price ranges, plus their staff are full of wonderful knowledge.
Food & Drink: Acquired Taste Tea Co // Strathcona Spirits // The Colombian Mountain Coffee // Jacek Chocolate Couture
The holidays are all about treats! Why not give the best treats YEG has to offer? Jacek Chocolates look like little pieces of art, they're almost too beautiful to eat but you'll definitely devour them! Acquired Taste has the most amazing selection of teas and they're seasonal flavours are to die for.
If you need a little incentive to go slow and to put yourself first (even for a few minutes) this holiday season, we suggest creating a Seven Days of Self-Care Countdown to Christmas Advent Calendar.
From all of us at Pura, Merry Christmas and happy holidays! We hope your days are spent surrounded by your loved ones, treating yourself to homemade baked treats, and, of course, taking time to honour a refreshing and restorative beauty ritual.
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