Why Étymologie?

Created by Biochemist & Food Scientist, Raquela Cheesmond, Étymologie’s products harness the power of natural plant extracts and scientific active ingredients.

Étymologie began at McGill University in Montreal, where Raquela was finishing her MSc in food science and studying cosmetic chemistry and formulation in Milan. 

For over 10 years Raquela Chessmond suffered from sensitized skin and cystic acne, also known as adult-acne. She spent a lot of time and money trying a variety of treatments and specialists, with no results. Raquela knew there had to be another way and so her journey began. After graduating from McGill University with a Biochemistry degree and a MSc in Food Science, she set out to gain experience in cosmetic chemistry in Italy, which ultimately inspired her to formulate her own products and launch Étymologie. 

In 2018, Étymologie was founded with the mission to create science-based and results-driven natural skincare, grounded on environmentally conscious principles. Aligned with Raquela’s way of living, Étymologie’s products are vegan, cruelty-free and made with organic ingredients. All products are manufactured in energy-efficient Canadian facilities, packed in infinitely recyclable glass containers and shipped in eco-friendly packaging. 

We hope you enjoy discovering our unique products and join Étymologie on its journey to inspire sustainable beauty.

The Étymologie Difference

At Étymologie we aim to offer high-quality, science-based and results-driven natural skincare that is kind to the planet and our bodies.

SHOP PRODUCTS

OUR PROMISE

EcoCert certified organic ingredients.

We choose EcoCert certified organic ingredients whenever possible because they are produced according to the highest standards for sustainable agriculture. Organic agriculture allows for water conservation, requires less energy, and prevents soil erosion, which protects local biodiversity, and results in safer, greener products.

Proprietary Formulations.

We formulate, own and test each and every one of our formulas. We control every part of the process, that’s why we can confidently back up all of our claims and stand by each of our products.

PURPOSEFULLY CHOSEN ingredients.

We believe every ingredient in a formula should serve a purpose that directly benefits the skin or helps stabilize and preserve the formula. Fragrance ingredients are completely unnecessary and serve no purpose in improving the quality of the skin, so we choose not to use them.

PETA-CERTIFIED VEGAN AND CRUELTY FREE.

As passionate animal lovers and advocates for animal welfare, we see absolutely no valid reason to test our products on or use any ingredients derived from animals. We are proudly PETA-certified vegan and cruelty-free.

ECO-FRIENDLY PACKAGING.

We package our products in infinitely recyclable glass bottles and 100% recyclable boxes made of FSC-Certified paper. Packaging is not just a minor detail for us, it’s an opportunity to bring you genuinely sustainable products.

ETHICALLY SOURCED AND TRACEABLE MATERIALS.

The same way you can trace the etymology of a word back to its origin, we can trace the ingredients within our products back to the fields and laboratories that helped create them.

EcoCert certified organic ingredients.

We choose EcoCert certified organic ingredients whenever possible because they are produced according to the highest standards for sustainable agriculture. Organic agriculture allows for water conservation, requires less energy, and prevents soil erosion, which protects local biodiversity, and results in safer, greener products.

Proprietary Formulations.

We formulate, own and test each and every one of our formulas. We control every part of the process, that’s why we can confidently back up all of our claims and stand by each of our products.

FREE OF SYNTHETIC ingredients.

We believe every ingredient in a formula should serve a purpose that directly benefits the skin or helps stabilize and preserve the formula. Fragrance ingredients are completely unnecessary and serve no purpose in improving the quality of the skin, so we choose not to use them.

PETA-CERTIFIED VEGAN AND CRUELTY FREE.

As passionate animal lovers and advocates for animal welfare, we see absolutely no valid reason to test our products on or use any ingredients derived from animals. We are proudly PETA-certified vegan and cruelty-free.

ECO-FRIENDLY PACKAGING.

We package our products in infinitely recyclable glass bottles and 100% recyclable boxes made of FSC-Certified paper. Packaging is not just a minor detail for us, it’s an opportunity to bring you genuinely sustainable products.

ETHICALLY SOURCED AND TRACEABLE MATERIALS.

The same way you can trace the etymology of a word back to its origin, we can trace the ingredients within our products back to the fields and laboratories that helped create them.

OUR VALUES

OUR PROMISE

We believe you don’t have to sacrifice your beliefs to have science-based and results-driven natural skincare. Our products are the best of both worlds – they have long-lasting results and are kind to the planet.

To us, honest communication and accountability are the key to building long-lasting relationships with our clients. You can find a full list of science-based ingredients on each product page, in addition to a blurb about why we’ve decided to include these actives in our formulas. Furthermore, we have spent years deep-diving into the sustainable beauty industry and we are more than happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have. Shoot us an email at [email protected].

Being a female-led company, we are passionate about empowering women. We support Artistri Sud in their mission to empower women in developing countries through entrepreneurship.

We are a natural skincare brand founded by scientists. We understand that there are a lot of misconceptions regarding chemicals in skincare products, but chemistry is part of our everyday life – and an important one at that. We are committed to using safe, ethically and sustainably sourced scientific actives, as long as they adhere to our skin and environmental safety standards.

We don’t believe in fear mongering. Instead of building endless lists vilifying ingredients, we choose to focus on educating our audience on the actives used in our formulas and the reasoning behind them.

OUR VALUES

OUR PROMISE

We believe you don’t have to sacrifice your beliefs to have science-based and results-driven natural skincare. Our products are the best of both worlds – they have long-lasting results and are kind to the planet.

To us, honest communication and accountability are the key to building long-lasting relationships with our clients. You can find a full list of science-based ingredients on each product page, in addition to a blurb about why we’ve decided to include these actives in our formulas. Furthermore, we have spent years deep-diving into the sustainable beauty industry and we are more than happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have. Shoot us an email at [email protected].

Being a female-led company, we are passionate about empowering women. We support Artistri Sud in their mission to empower women in developing countries through entrepreneurship.

We are a natural skincare brand founded by scientists. We understand that there are a lot of misconceptions regarding chemicals in skincare products, but chemistry is part of our everyday life – and an important one at that. We are committed to using safe, ethically and sustainably sourced scientific actives, as long as they adhere to our skin and environmental safety standards.

We don’t believe in fear mongering. Instead of building endless lists vilifying ingredients, we choose to focus on educating our audience on the actives used in our formulas and the reasoning behind them.