Canadian Cosmetic Cluster Awards
The Canadian Cosmetic Cluster Awards were created to do things a little differently. Of course, winning means recognition — and yes, winners will receive an official medal — but we wanted the experience to go much further than that. We asked ourselves a simple question: if a product, brand, founder, technology or idea is truly exceptional, what should happen next? Our answer was to build the prizes around the people who understand how to help take that success to the next level.
That is why our judges are not just here to score entries. They are part of the prize experience. Through mentoring, strategic consultations, industry expertise, technology support, retail and distribution insight, branding, formulation guidance, business development and professional connections, winners will have the opportunity to learn directly from leaders across the Canadian beauty and cosmetics ecosystem. The goal is to make winning useful — not simply something you display, but something that can help move your business forward.
The Awards are also a natural extension of the ecosystem the Canadian Cosmetic Cluster has been building for years. We bring together founders, scientists, formulators, retailers, distributors, marketers, technology companies and industry specialists, and we wanted the Awards to reflect that same spirit of collaboration. If your product is already great, we want to help you think about what comes next: stronger positioning, new markets, better distribution, greater visibility, smarter strategy or the right connections to accelerate your growth.
And the Awards are very much for the international community as well. If you are a brand, ingredient company, technology provider or beauty innovator outside Canada and you are looking at the Canadian market, this is an opportunity to start building meaningful connections with the people who understand it. Whether your next step is distribution, retail, professional channels, social media, strategic partnerships, formulation, branding or simply finding the right people to speak with, the Canadian Cosmetic Cluster Awards are designed to open those conversations.
So yes, come for the medal and the recognition. But our hope is that you leave with something much more valuable: new knowledge, new connections and a clearer path toward whatever comes next for your business.
That is why our judges are not just here to score entries. They are part of the prize experience. Through mentoring, strategic consultations, industry expertise, technology support, retail and distribution insight, branding, formulation guidance, business development and professional connections, winners will have the opportunity to learn directly from leaders across the Canadian beauty and cosmetics ecosystem. The goal is to make winning useful — not simply something you display, but something that can help move your business forward.
The Awards are also a natural extension of the ecosystem the Canadian Cosmetic Cluster has been building for years. We bring together founders, scientists, formulators, retailers, distributors, marketers, technology companies and industry specialists, and we wanted the Awards to reflect that same spirit of collaboration. If your product is already great, we want to help you think about what comes next: stronger positioning, new markets, better distribution, greater visibility, smarter strategy or the right connections to accelerate your growth.
And the Awards are very much for the international community as well. If you are a brand, ingredient company, technology provider or beauty innovator outside Canada and you are looking at the Canadian market, this is an opportunity to start building meaningful connections with the people who understand it. Whether your next step is distribution, retail, professional channels, social media, strategic partnerships, formulation, branding or simply finding the right people to speak with, the Canadian Cosmetic Cluster Awards are designed to open those conversations.
So yes, come for the medal and the recognition. But our hope is that you leave with something much more valuable: new knowledge, new connections and a clearer path toward whatever comes next for your business.
How to Enter the 2026 Canadian Cosmetic Cluster Awards
Awards Nomination Form
Celebrating Excellence in Canada's Cosmetics, Beauty, Wellness & Personal Care Industry
Entry Fee: $250 CAD per category
Submission Dates: Entries Open Sept 8, 2026 · Entries Close Oct 30, 2026 · Winners Announced Nov 30, 2026
Product Samples: For applicable categories, samples may be requested after your nomination is received.
Confidentiality: Submitted information stays confidential and is used only for awards administration and judging, unless promotional permission is granted below.
Pay Entry Fee ($250 CAD) →
Submission Dates: Entries Open Sept 8, 2026 · Entries Close Oct 30, 2026 · Winners Announced Nov 30, 2026
Product Samples: For applicable categories, samples may be requested after your nomination is received.
Confidentiality: Submitted information stays confidential and is used only for awards administration and judging, unless promotional permission is granted below.
Pay Entry Fee ($250 CAD) →
Please complete your entry fee payment for each category before or after submitting your nomination below.
Meet Our Judges
The 2026 Canadian Cosmetic Cluster Awards bring together an accomplished panel of judges representing some of the most important areas shaping today’s cosmetics, beauty, wellness and personal care industries. Our judging panel includes leaders in cosmetic science, formulation, branding, retail and distribution, business strategy, artificial intelligence, technology, entrepreneurship and consumer experience.
Each judge brings a distinct perspective and significant professional experience to the evaluation process. Together, they will help recognize the founders, brands, products, technologies and innovations demonstrating exceptional creativity, leadership, scientific achievement, commercial potential and industry impact. Beyond judging, several members of the panel are also contributing their expertise directly to the Awards prize program through private mentoring, strategic consultations and professional services for selected winners.
Each judge brings a distinct perspective and significant professional experience to the evaluation process. Together, they will help recognize the founders, brands, products, technologies and innovations demonstrating exceptional creativity, leadership, scientific achievement, commercial potential and industry impact. Beyond judging, several members of the panel are also contributing their expertise directly to the Awards prize program through private mentoring, strategic consultations and professional services for selected winners.
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Mary Orlando - Business Strategist, Entrepreneur, Consultant & Educator
Mary Orlando is a Business Strategist, Entrepreneur, Consultant, and Educator with a BBA and decades of experience helping businesses in the Spa, Beauty, Wellness, and MedSpa industries grow and thrive. She is passionate about uncovering opportunities others may overlook and transforming ideas into practical strategies that strengthen brands, improve performance, and create lasting business success. Throughout her career, Mary has built and led an award-winning spa and a successful makeup and hair agency, created innovative marketing, training, sales and business development initiatives that deliver measurable results, developed strategic partnerships and built high-performing teams. She has also served as a Professor at Seneca Polytechnic, a Seneca Polytechnic Advisory Board Member, a Sheridan College External Program Reviewer and a Look Good Feel Better Volunteer .With expertise spanning business strategy, operations, customer experience, menu engineering, pricing strategy, brand development, and profitability, Mary brings a unique blend of creativity, industry insight, and commercial acumen to every project. She believes that sustainable growth comes from understanding both the customer and the business and enjoys helping organizations turn vision into results. |
As a judge for the Canadian Cosmetic Cluster Awards, Mary is proud to recognize and celebrate the innovation, leadership, and entrepreneurial spirit driving Canada’s beauty and cosmetics industry.
Winner Prize Contribution — Beauty Business Growth & Strategy Consultation
Mary will provide a one-on-one strategy session focused on helping skincare, spa, wellness or beauty brands identify growth opportunities, overcome challenges and accelerate growth. Topics may include distribution strategy, retail and/or professional channel development, brand differentiation, pricing, customer experience, business development and industry introductions where appropriate.
Winner Prize Contribution — Beauty Business Growth & Strategy Consultation
Mary will provide a one-on-one strategy session focused on helping skincare, spa, wellness or beauty brands identify growth opportunities, overcome challenges and accelerate growth. Topics may include distribution strategy, retail and/or professional channel development, brand differentiation, pricing, customer experience, business development and industry introductions where appropriate.
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Frank Turco - Business Strategist and Entrepreneur
Frank Turco is the principal of a consultancy practice focused on the retail and wholesale industries in Canada and the United States. Having spent much of his career in senior roles for retailers including Holt Renfrew, Home Depot, Macy’s, Hudson’s Bay and Saks Fifth Avenue, Frank has a strong understanding of what it takes to survive and succeed in today’s challenging retail climate. Frank spent many years in the beauty industry as Head of Business Development for Circana, formerly NPD, and later as event host and Editor-in-Chief for the Beauty’s Best Awards and Cosmetics Magazine. Frank’s passion for all things beauty is reflected in the many editorials he wrote and published through Cosmetics Magazine. Frank also has a colourful background as a television personality, having hosted segments on Cityline, Breakfast Television and TSN, and co-hosted an event with Martha Stewart. Most recently, Frank hosts events for Fortune 500 clients participating alongside non-profit organizations in volunteering initiatives. He values the opportunity this provides to give back to communities and support those in need. He also supports several beauty distributors launching new brands into the Canadian market. |
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Annie Graham- Cosmetic Scientist & Co-Founder, Atomic Pom Labs
Annie Graham is a cosmetic scientist and co-founder of Atomic Pom Labs, where she combines science, creativity, and strategic brand development to help bring innovative beauty concepts to life. With a lifelong fascination for the “why” and “how” behind personal care, Annie has dedicated her career to understanding the chemistry of skincare and transforming complex science into products that genuinely connect with consumers. Together with co-founder Dr. Diego Lapetina, Annie develops high-performance formulations and brand concepts for companies around the world, helping emerging and established brands create products that stand out in an increasingly competitive industry. Annie believes exceptional skincare is about far more than ingredients alone. While science is the foundation of every successful formula, the products people truly fall in love with also tell a story, inspire confidence, and create moments of joy and ritual. Her philosophy is that the best brands don’t simply deliver results; they create an experience that consumers remember. |
Through her work, Annie continues to champion evidence-based formulation while celebrating the artistry, emotion, and innovation that make the beauty industry so extraordinary.
Winner Mentoring Contribution
In a one-hour mentoring session, Annie will help a young brand cut through the noise and focus on what truly matters. The session may explore formulation strategy, ingredient selection, claims, positioning, manufacturing, pricing, and how to create products that consumers genuinely connect with. Her goal is to help founders avoid costly mistakes, understand the science behind their decisions, and build a brand with both technical credibility and a clear identity.
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Diego Lapetina- Co-founder and Creative Director, Atomic Pom Labs
Diego Lapetina trained as a pharmacist at Universidade Católica de Santos before moving to São Paulo for graduate work in science. He entered the Interunidades Biotecnologia program at Universidade de São Paulo and joined the laboratory of Dr. Durvanei Augusto Maria at Instituto Butantan, one of Latin America’s leading biomedical institutes. His master’s research examined Amblyomin-X and its antitumor activity in cell lines and animal models of melanoma. He continued his training at the University of Alberta, where his work addressed how the physical architecture of the cell governs gene expression and silencing. For his postdoctoral fellowship he moved into psychiatry and medical genetics, working in pharmacogenomics, which examines why the same prescription helps one patient and harms another. His work includes ten publications across molecular pharmacology, cell biology, and clinical genetics. |
Diego left academic research through photography. Design followed, and with it the question that has organized his work since: why do people choose what they choose? In 2021 he founded The DSGN firm, taking clients across industries and across the globe. The clients who returned were consistently in skincare and beauty. During this period he worked closely with the Canadian Cosmetic Cluster, which gave him a view of the sector from inside the supply chain, covering formulation, packaging, regulatory, and distribution.
In 2025 he joined forces with Annie Graham at Atomic Pom Labs. Diego’s contribution is the Cognitive Branding Framework, a seven-phase brand strategy system developed over roughly five years and now applied across more than fifty brands. He hosts Two Geeks + a Bench with Annie Graham and publishes long-form work through the Atomic Pom Labs journal. He is based in São Paulo.
In 2025 he joined forces with Annie Graham at Atomic Pom Labs. Diego’s contribution is the Cognitive Branding Framework, a seven-phase brand strategy system developed over roughly five years and now applied across more than fifty brands. He hosts Two Geeks + a Bench with Annie Graham and publishes long-form work through the Atomic Pom Labs journal. He is based in São Paulo.
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Dr. Julian Sass
Dr. Julian Sass is a cosmetic chemist, content creator, and R&D professional who makes the science of skincare and haircare both understandable and entertaining. With a PhD in Biomathematics, he transitioned into the personal care industry, where he has worked on product development and claim substantiation for everyone from major corporations to indie brands. He is widely recognized for his skill in breaking down complex formulations and product claims with humor and relatability, connecting with a broad audience in a way that few other scientists can. His most celebrated project is a massive sunscreen database, created to help consumers, especially those with darker skin, find effective sun protection. This resource, featuring over 500 products, has garnered more than half a million views and been praised by major outlets like The Washington Post and Vogue, as well as the Skin Cancer Foundation. A sought-after speaker at industry conferences and festivals, Dr. Sass blends rigorous scientific expertise with a powerful commitment to public education. |
Overall, Dr. Sass is a leading voice in cosmetic science, leveraging a significant social media presence and a passion for advocacy to demystify the products we use everyday. He uniquely merges deep industry experience with a talent for engaging content, making him an influential figure for both consumers and the beauty industry itself.
Prize Contribution
For my prize, I'm happy to provide a consultation on formulation & product development, either reviewing their current lineup or any NPD they have as well as answering any questions they have about social media marketing / working with influencers.
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Rachel Baker - Founder & CEO
Rachel Baker is the Founder and CEO of Tejo.ca, a Toronto-based company building a B2B AI engine for cosmetic companies, delivering solutions across color cosmetics and skincare. Tejo’s core technology uses AI to determine a user’s objective skin tone and skin condition from any device, matching consumers to their ideal cosmetics routine. Baker brings an engineering foundation to this work, holding a Bachelor of Applied Science in Engineering from the University of Toronto, and has built specialized expertise spanning artificial intelligence, data science, and cosmetics chemistry. Baker’s leadership extends beyond product development into thought leadership on sustainability and responsible AI. She has hosted industry webinars on the financial impacts of sustainability and ESG practices in cosmetics retail. Winner Prize Contribution First Place: Free customization and technology consultation, plus six months of Tejo services, valued at up to $2,000. Second and Third Place: Free customization consultation, plus three months of Tejo services, valued at up to $1,000. |
Angela Wallace - President & Owner, Good Wares Distribution
Angela Wallace is President and owner of Good Wares Distribution. A passionate advocate for diversity, Angela specializes in relationship-driven sales that open doors for underrepresented entrepreneurs.
With a proven eight-year track record building a successful brokerage and producing multi-million-dollar wholesale growth for more than a dozen brands across six territories, Angela brings a personal investment to every partnership. Her commitment to inclusion and hands-on support makes her latest venture a trusted partner for best-in-class retailers and brands, helping them thrive in key sales channels and build lasting success.
She lives and works in Toronto with her young daughter.
Angela Wallace is President and owner of Good Wares Distribution. A passionate advocate for diversity, Angela specializes in relationship-driven sales that open doors for underrepresented entrepreneurs.
With a proven eight-year track record building a successful brokerage and producing multi-million-dollar wholesale growth for more than a dozen brands across six territories, Angela brings a personal investment to every partnership. Her commitment to inclusion and hands-on support makes her latest venture a trusted partner for best-in-class retailers and brands, helping them thrive in key sales channels and build lasting success.
She lives and works in Toronto with her young daughter.
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Margarita Sidorova Founder & President, Canadian Cosmetic Cluster
Margarita Sidorova is the Founder and President of the Canadian Cosmetic Cluster and a founding board member of the Global Cosmetics Cluster. With a background spanning cosmetic science, formulation, ingredient development, business strategy and international market expansion, she has spent her career helping beauty companies move from early product concepts through development, regulatory strategy, manufacturing and commercialization. Since founding the Canadian Cosmetic Cluster, Margarita has built programs connecting Canadian companies with the global cosmetics industry, including trade missions to France, international partnerships, industry education, acceleration programs and events. Her work has brought her into collaboration with cosmetic brands, laboratories, ingredient suppliers, packaging companies, biotechnology companies and industry organizations across Canada, Europe and internationally. She has also presented and participated in major industry events including Cosmetic 360 Paris, Paris Packaging Week, the SCC Technology Showcase and the Nice Business Forum. |
More recently, Margarita’s work has increasingly connected cosmetics with marine biotechnology, seaweed, sustainability and the blue economy, including the development of Beauty by the Sea and other initiatives exploring how marine innovation can create new opportunities for the beauty and personal care industries. Through the Canadian Cosmetic Cluster Awards, she hopes to continue building an ecosystem where recognition leads to something practical: stronger businesses, meaningful industry connections and new opportunities for companies to grow in Canada and internationally.