The life of a make-up artist is full of possibilities, and the opportunities that come from exposure to the industry are exciting and unexpected. Maee Kroft, graduate of the 26-week Comprehensive Make-up Artist Program, can attest to this - only two years after graduating, she has launched a new independent beauty and fashion magazine called T&M (named after its co-founders, Maee and her best friend Teija). Maee developed the idea after discovering there was a niche for such a publication; “I was looking at Make-up Artist Magazine,” she says. “And I thought, there aren’t really any other magazines like that out there.”

Pooling her resources, Maee has brought together some of Canada’s rising stars of photography, styling and of course, make-up artistry. “My favourite part is going through the submissions, and writing the articles,” she tells us. The idea, Maee says, is to offer “skincare advice and application ideas to regular people,” and the feel of the magazine is approachable, thoughtful and fun. The most recent issue of T&M features product recommendations and solutions for problem skin, and fashion editorials by Stephen Loban, Mathew Wilson and Angela Y. Martin.

Now looking forward to issue three, which will launch on September 1st, Maee has her sights on a new distributor and is looking forward to having T&M appear on the shelves of your local bookstore very soon. In the meantime, you can order your copy from T&M’s website.

Have you ever wondered which naturally-made lip liner lasts the longest? Or which hair conditioner helps reduce your carbon footprint (and tons of tangles)? “There is no need to compromise lifestyle, beauty and fashion choices with being conscientious. There really isn’t,” reasons Bamboo, a recently launched online magazine based in Toronto. Complections graduate and Bamboo’s Executive Editor Donna Bishop (who also runs GreenBeauty.ca) has turned her passion for the eco-conscious cause into a chic and informative lifestyle website that features the best beauty products for those who want to make a change toward more “green” ways of being. “The way eco-conscious products were presented before was in a very ‘hippie’ way,” Donna says of the site. “I wanted to give it an urban, fashion-forward feel.”

And fashion-forward it is. Enlisting the help of major photographers including Mario Miotti, David Hou and Adrian Fiebig, Bamboo’s beauty and fashion shoots are beautifully styled, and follow the “Sustainability Legend” that Donna has devised to allow readers to see how easy it is to be green. She acknowledges that making changes in one’s lifestyle to become more eco-conscious can be part of “letting go of (an) identity”, and she hopes that the photo editorials give readers the “confidence to make the change.” The Legend is comprised of the following criteria of: cruelty free; recyclables used on set; aerosol free; sodium laureth sulfate free; paraben free; sustainable accessories; sustainable wardrobe; reduced carbon footprint; natural lighting; and beauty without hot tools. Each photo shoot published on the site must adhere to at least three of those criteria, and seeing the amazing results will give anyone hesitant about making the switch to eco-friendly products a boost in that direction. “It’s taking eco-consiousness into high fashion,” Donna notes; and the idea is to ultimately turn “awareness into action,” something she says is on the rise but could use more advocacy. “Some people just don’t know what choices are out there,” she says. “It’s about highlighting what’s not top of mind for them. Instead of purchasing their regular brand of jeans, we show them the alternatives.”

These alternative suggestions come from experienced contributors like Beauty Editor (and Complections graduate) Erin Carpenter. With a University degree in English, Erin finds the fit of her role at Bamboo to be a perfect marriage of her knowledge of make-up and her commitment to eco-consciousness. “I don’t want anyone in my family, or my friends, to come to me after reading something (on Bamboo) and ask ‘So does this really work?’” To avoid this, Erin tests all the products she mentions to ensure that they meet the magazine’s mandate of being eco-friendly AND effective. “At the end of the day, you’re spending your money, so we want to make sure that your decisions are from an informed standpoint. We’re not going to tout something that doesn’t work!” Erin’s helpful tips can be found weekly on the Bamboo site, where she contributes feature articles and tidbits for the “Beauty Bar”; drawing from personal experiences using the products (she recently wrote about a nail polish remover she used after deciding to paint her nails on the way to the cottage – with bumpy results!), Erin’s approach to eco-conscious beauty consultation is lighthearted and informative – not preachy. “Ultimately,” she says, “it’s up to (the reader) to decide what’s important. We’re not going to point out all the things you’re not doing and say it’s bad. We’re going to say ‘Go you!’ for using green products in your every day life.”

Donna and Erin both note that they are working within a niche that’s quickly becoming mainstream – something they’re helping to promote with the clean, classic presentation of Bamboo’s photo shoots and articles. “The ‘green industry’ has lacked marketing finesse,” Donna says. “At the end of the day (for us), it’s about having a wicked magazine that shows you how to be conscious. It’s making a cool thing even cooler.” Dispelling myths is another way to put it – shake off all the tree-hugging hippie ideas you have about eco-conscious products, because these days they range from skinny jeans to volumizing mascaras. Erin adds that cosmetic companies are especially notable in terms of making moves toward being more green; with mags like Bamboo out there to help them expose their eco-friendly wares, we’re sure it’s a trend that will continue until it becomes second nature.

Check out Bamboo Magazine today!