Toronto-based family physician Dr. Erica Weste has launched a new brand that’s breaking ground in the baby care industry. Her company, My Petite Coco, is the first and only complete baby skincare line in Canada founded and formulated by a physician mom.
“It’s thoughtfully crafted, made with love and perfected by science, which is the ethos of our brand,” said Weste in an interview with Retail Insider. “The products are designed to meet a baby’s delicate, sensitive skin, delivering maximum but gentle hydration, protecting and soothing the skin.”
Though the line is suitable for anyone, the products are geared specifically toward babies from newborn to age three. “Even more narrow, the focus would be more so on babies, so newborns especially, because that’s a really important time when it comes to skincare for little ones,” she said.
The idea behind My Petite Coco began in 2020, when Weste created a baby shower gift for a close friend who was expecting twins. “I thought, what can I give her as a really special, personalized gift that’s something that you just can’t buy off the shelves? So I made a few baby skincare products for her to use on her daughters,” she said.
Over time, and through her own medical practice, she observed how common skin issues are among infants. “At least 50% of babies born, at least in Canada, typically will have some kind of skin symptom, whether it’s dryness, redness, or itching,” said Weste.
When she became pregnant, she looked at what was available on store shelves. “There was a void in the market. There was nothing that really satisfied my expectations for baby skincare. So I went back and pulled out the formulas I had from 2020, I revamped them. And that’s the story of My Petite Coco.”
The name also holds personal meaning. “Coco is the nickname for my daughter. And ‘petite’—I’m bilingual, so I grew up speaking English and French—was just a way to pay homage to my French-speaking background.”
Launched in April 2025, the brand has already gained retail traction. My Petite Coco products are currently available on well.ca, as well as in boutique stores like Love Me Do on Queen Street in Toronto, Jill and the Beanstalk on College Street in Toronto, and Thistle & Wren in British Columbia.
Weste sees expansion in the near future. “I do foresee going into more retail outlets, considering this is a fairly new brand. I do predict some more brick and mortar space, but also increasing our direct-to-consumer sales with time.”
However, she’s not looking to open her own storefront. “We do not have plans for our own brick-and-mortar store. We want to meet our customers where they are, which is in maternity and baby stores.”
Currently, the line includes four SKUs: Baby Balm, Baby Oil, Baby Cream, and Baby Wash and Shampoo.
Weste’s background in science and medicine plays a central role in her product development. “I’m a physician who also does my own formulations. I have a Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto, and I’ve been making my own skin and haircare products for over 20 years,” she said.
“Every single ingredient that is in every single one of our products has been selected by me—heavily researched, everything is evidence-based and tested for efficacy and safety,” she added. “I use premium ingredients in my own skincare and I thought, well, I feel like babies should have premium ingredients as well. We care about our skin—we should care about our baby’s skin as well.”
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