Because we know vegan is more than a diet… it’s a life choice!

It’s safe to say vegan beauty is having its moment and Tuesday Style Beauty (TSB) is taking note. Switching to vegan make-up — products that do not contain ingredients derived from animals or any animal by-products — isn’t just a trend, however; it’s a conscious choice that reflects values, and for some, a necessity due to skin and health concerns.

Stacy-Ann McFarlane, the Jamaican-born entrepreneur behind Canadian-based vegan cosmetics and skincare brand It’s A Stacy-Ann Thing, started the transition to vegan in 2012 after bouts of lupus complications, one of which led to a severe allergic reaction called Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, leaving her hospitalised for months with second-degree burns. The then store owner was forced to close her beauty-supplies location in Toronto.

By 2021, vegan-friendly, cruelty-free beauty products was more accessible than ever with brands like E.L.F., Milk Makeup, r.e.m. Beauty, and Haus Labs all offering ‘vegan’, ‘vegan-friendly’, or ‘100% vegan’ products. But McFarlane, who had started working in the health-care field, was ready to once again tap into her entrepreneurial spirit and create her own.

“I started It’s A Stacy-Ann Thing in 2021 as an online vegan store after facing some very serious health battles… I wanted to create a brand that was safe for people like me, who need clean, vegan, cruelty-free, hypoallergenic, paraben-free products for sensitive skin and conditions like lupus,” McFarlane tells TSB. “I launched the online store www.itsastacyannthing.com during the pandemic lockdowns. I figured out shipping, marketing, and started doing pop-ups, and I even won awards for my work: A grant and award in Jacksonville, Florida, and Makeup Brand of the Year and New Business of the Year at the 2024 Black Fashion & Beauty Gala (BFBG) Awards in Toronto.

A year later McFarlane was faced with another health crisis after a severe reaction to a vaccine. Despite the challenges, she continued to pour into her brand. And, with business blossoming, the Kingston native, who migrated at age eight, says she was ready to introduce her products to the Jamaican market.

“I wanted to bring this mission home to Jamaica. I discovered the Jamaica International Beauty Expo (JIBE), visited last year and met JIBE founder Suzette Brown. I told her I’d be back, and this year I kept that promise,” she shares.

McFarlane launched her products at the three-day expo at the National Arena, and despite not getting the support she had hoped for, she is not discouraged.

“Jamaica can look forward to It’s A Stacy-Ann Thing offering high-quality, vegan, clean beauty products made with love, integrity, and intention. My vision is to empower people to feel confident and beautiful, create local partnerships, and make safe beauty accessible for all,” she explains. “I also did a pop-up at Fontana Pharmacy, where the love and reception were amazing.”

TSB spotlights a few products that did well while McFarlane was on The Rock.

It’s A Stacy-Ann Thing

Website: www.itsastacyannthing.com

IG/@itsastacyannthing

Photos: www.itsastacyannthing.com & Courtesy of Satcy-Ann McFarlane