Upfront Cosmetics: N.B. company receives LGBTQ+ certification

Up Front: NB business becomes LGBTQ+ certified Up Front Cosmetics takes pride in its recent LGBTQ+ certification and wants to help wash away stereotypes.

A New Brunswick cosmetics company is proud of its recent LGBTQ+ certification and wants to help wash away stereotypes.

Upfront Cosmetics is produced in Nackawic, N.B. The company just received certification through Canada’s LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC) as an LGBTQ+ owned and operated business.

"Growing up in a small community in rural New Brunswick, I often shied away from who I was,” said owner and CEO Alicia Nicholson, who identifies as bi-sexual.

“I've had the opportunity with Upfront to not shy away from that now and we're back in the same community that I grew up in and it's a real full circle moment.”

The CGLCC works to help members of the LGBTQ+ community overcome barriers and find business opportunities that are not always available to diverse communities.

"It is an opportunity for us to diversify corporate and public supply chain, really trying to bring in diverse owned businesses,” said Darrell Schuurman, CGLCC co-founder and CEO.

“In this case, LGBTQ+ owned businesses into supply chain where historically diverse owned businesses have been under represented.”

The cosmetics company has been in business for three years and has been featured in magazines such as Vogue and Cosmopolitan.

Upfront Cosmetics produces solid shampoo and conditioner bars. Nicholson says, not only are the products great for your hair, they’re also good for the environment.

"Each of the bars replaces two to three bottles of liquid shampoo,” she said.

Upfront Cosmetics received verification through CGLCC just in time for Pride month and they’re celebrating with a new product.

"We've partnered with Rainbow Railroad, they help bring people that are in the LGBTQ+ community to countries that are safer to live in. There's some countries in the world where being in that community leads to very unsafe living circumstances,” said Nicholson.

“So, $2 from each of our Love Is Love bars will be donated.”

The Love is Love bars will be available to ship by the end of the month.