Skincare Meets Style: Tara Miller and Kaelen Haworth on Muskoka and Summer Must-Haves
ABSOLUTELY FABRICS IS IN MUSKOKA.
JULY 26 - AUGUST 9, 2025.
10-5 EVERY DAY.
Tara Miller and Kaelen Haworth go way back—high school basement party back. Now, years later, they’re bringing their distinct brands together for a two-week summer pop-up in Muskoka, July 26 to August 9. It’s an effortless collaboration, born from friendship and a shared love of good products, great style, and evolving taste.
Tara launched Health Hut 15 summers ago. What began in a small seasonal hut has grown into a year-round beloved Toronto destination for skincare and lifestyle essentials. Tara's edit is unfussy, clean, and quietly cool. Kaelen, who opened Absolutely Fabrics more recently, brings a fresh eye to fashion, blending emerging designers and collected, standout vintage.
Together, their brands reflect their individual sensibilities: specific, stylish, and fun. During your visit to Muskoka, stop in and pick up a botanical summer serum or a hand-woven cotton kaftan, and feel (really) good about what you put on your face and on your body.
In this interview, the two founders talk about their very first meeting, how their businesses took shape, and why setting up shop beside a gas station in cottage country makes perfect sense.
Kaelen says: “If you had told me in grade nine that you and I would be having a collaborative pop‑up at the Shell off the highway, I would have been shocked.”
How did you two meet?
Tara: We met back in high school. Probably a couple weeks in. Probably at one of your parties.
Kaelen: In my basement.
What inspired you to start your businesses?
Tara: My truthful answer—which I've edited over the years, but this is the most honest I’ve been—I wanted to be in Muskoka for the summer, and I didn't want to work in a bar or restaurant anymore.
Kaelen: Nice. Nailed it. There was a gap in the Toronto market and I wanted to have a multi-brand store that was supporting emerging and established designers with a different point of view.
Tara: Very nice.
What was the concept behind Health Hut?
Tara: I had just finished school for nutrition and in addition to food, had learned a lot about products. My family had a gas station and this little old ice cream hut, and I said, "What if I threw a couple of things in here?"
At that point, the couple of things were mustard, ketchup, and Tata Harper. And in that order. It was a real evolution.
Is there a significant milestone or achievement in your business journey that you're proud of?
Tara: One of my biggest milestones was moving from our Harbord shop, which was about a hundred square feet. There was no storage, no bathroom. I had upstairs neighbours who would open the door and pop in when I was having meetings. It was a nice stepping stone, but moving from there to our current College Street location felt like a big step.
Kaelen: My milestone was opening the store.
Tara: What about that really nice event you hosted?
Kaelen: The launch of Christopher John Rogers! Yeah. Which is what you're wearing right now. That was something to be proud of. I'll take it. I feel like we need more time to have a real big milestone, but thank you.
Tara: Celebrate the small stuff.
Kaelen: You're right. I will.
Tara: And that's not small, actually.
Talk about how you two have supported each other on your business journey.
Tara: We're big fans of each other's businesses. You taught me cost per wear. I wear your pieces and feel good in them, and I'm excited to reach for them. They’re more of an investment, but it's the best investment. I feel very elevated.
Kaelen: Once you get older, you gotta invest in some things you'll keep forever. Everything's expensive right now, so you gotta pick your battles.
I've been a Health Hut customer forever. I love the brands you have. You just pick good things. Now you have RŌZ, my favourite. I love the BAINA Towels. I bought myself a BAINA Sulis Robe. I liked the Monastery Signature Facial because I don't know how to use some of these things and how to layer them. I thought that was really great.
We have to find our facial equivalency. Our facial fashion.
What makes Muskoka a unique place to pop up during the summer?
Tara: When people leave the city and come to Muskoka, so it's nice to be there for them when they forget their face cream or eye cream. It’s more common than you would think.
It's nice we can help out when they're up in an area where you wouldn't usually find these types of products.
The other thing that's pretty funny is the juxtaposition to the propane tank. People are very surprised when they roll up for gas and see what's being offered next door.
Kaelen, what excites you about popping up in Muskoka?
Kaelen: It's always nice to meet people where they are. We have a lot of pieces that work for that type of environment, and I don't think everyone knows that. Being where we are in Toronto, some people still don't know we're here, or they can't make it to the shop. Muskoka is great because we'll meet a different group of people and introduce them to our store, which I'm excited about.
It's also a beautiful place to work for two weeks.
Can you tell me about some summer styling trends?
Kaelen: One thing I'm seeing everywhere is scarves as belts; everyone's doing that. It's like a wide tie, leaving the triangle down on the side. A little point of interest, that's pretty low lift for the summer, which is nice because it's hot.
Get rid of those labu boos and put a scarf on your bag.
Tara, any summer beauty trends you're seeing?
Tara: We are being asked more and more about hair. So styling, oil treatments, scalp health, hair growth, conditioning masks.
And simplicity in skincare. We're selling a beautiful Mānuka honey mask by Activist that you can use as a cleanser or a mask. It's cooling. You can eat it, and it's not fussy.
Call out a few products for daytime and nighttime that are heroes for you.
Tara: I am very much into a water-based serum because I want a little bit of dewy but not too heavy. Sunscreen is one of those things that I'm very bad at but promote all the time. Wear sunscreen, a little lip gloss or something easy, and something to slick back your hair.
Nighttime, that's when I would do the Activist Mānuka Honey Mask. It's perfect post-sun. I would do a nice toning mist, super cooling, maybe a serum. And then finally, Monastery Attar Floral Repair Concentrate. A super rich balm that heals everything.
Kaelen, how would you approach dressing dockside and then carry that through to evening?
Kaelen: We have a Marni dress that's absolutely beautiful. It's a halter dress with a gorgeous floral print, and it also has deer in it.
We have some really great kaftans from Marrakshi Life that will be perfect in Muskoka. They're beautiful cotton and a nice weight. We have a bright red one, which is really special. They're very good for day to night. You could make either one of these pieces look very special, very quickly.
We have a bright red Martiniano sandal, which is the most comfortable shoe in the world. I wore them all day in Paris when we were there for market appointments. I love the thick heel.
Tara: I would now pair this with 19/99 Lash Tint Mascara; the Brown and Taupe are simple and summery. And local to Toronto.
Kaelen: For evening on the dock, we have a lot of good cotton sweaters. Zankov does beautiful sweaters, obviously. And then we also have a great one from High Sport, and a nice one from Proenza Schouler.
YOU'VE GOT 10% OFF YOUR FIRST ORDER
Get skincare tips, new arrivals, and details about upcoming promotions delivered straight to your inbox.
