Grammy swag bags to include Edmonton-made skincare line
A skincare line created by a team of local doctors is about to get its 15 minutes of fame.
The Edmonton EcoMD skincare line will be included in gift bags handed out in Hollywood for the 65th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday.
Dr. Jaggi Rao, a dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon at Rao Dermatology, was one of the team leaders in developing the naturally-sourced, environmentally-friendly line.
"These are toxin-free products, mostly plant derived. Ingredients and the packaging are all bio-friendly and reusable or degradable," he said.
A team of doctors from different disciplines started working on the collection two years ago as a pandemic project, Rao said.
The line includes treatments for anti-aging, acne and sensitive skin and was developed in Edmonton and manufactured in British Columbia.
"Fortunately we finished it just recently. I won't say the pandemic is fully over, but enough to launch it just a few months ago," he adds. "It's caught the eye of several people across the world, including fortunately the Grammy Awards people."
Rao said the team had to apply to have EcoMD featured at the Grammys, and the line was vetted for safety, sustainability and utility before being approved. He said the company sent in around 145 products for the gift bags.
And while the publicity and potential for international expansion is exciting, Rao said he's just happy to see people using the treatments since they were designed to help people care for their skin.
"A lot of people, particularly over the pandemic, have developed sensitive skin, so there is a need for products like this that are very safe and also very environmentally-friendly," he added.
"We're hoping that we will develop more ideas and we look forward to partnering with the people who can help us expand it."
With files from CTV News Edmonton's John Hanson
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.