Born in the early 20th century, Helen D'Cunha & Hildegard Thun represent a generation of wise women who were the heartbeat of the community, understanding inherently how to use healing plants for the health of themselves & their family. 

What's in a name?

For us, it's the legacy of two highly spirited & deeply loving women from two very different corners of the globe. 

In naming the shop Helen + Hildegard, Sonya honours her two amazing grandmothers & the millions of women around the world who have been knowledge keepers of the arts & sciences of global plant medicine.

Moving forward through time, after working for over twenty years in the fields of Natural Product Development & Sustainability, their granddaughter, traditional herbalist Sonya D'Cunha, founded the Toronto-based Herbal Apothecary & Artisanal Beauty Boutique in 2015 to provide an inclusive & rich space offering beautiful & ethical products inspired by the world of applied botanicals.