About Us

Built for Purpose — Not Perfection
At PONOS, skincare isn’t about chasing impossible ideals; it’s about doing the work. What started as a personal experiment in a Toronto kitchen quickly became an obsession with actives, efficacy, and results. That path led to partnering with Toronto formulation expertise to refine PONOS into clinically calibrated, streamlined essentials that restore, protect, and elevate — no gimmicks, no noise.

Why PONOS?
In Greek myth, Pónos is the spirit of hard work and perseverance. It’s the drive behind every comeback rep, pre-dawn commute, and late-night edit. Our name is a reminder that looking good isn’t the goal; showing up ready is.

What PONOS Means 

PONOS is a Canadian quiet-luxury skincare brand built around the idea of purposeful effort — the small daily habits that compound over years.
Our name comes from the ancient Greek pónos, meaning discipline and the work worth doing. This spirit guides our formulations: clean, concise, and engineered for long-term skin health.

Founder’s Note
After years of searching for formulas that actually worked, I built one myself. PONOS remains true to that origin: concise routines, precise actives, and uncompromising craft. Each bottle reflects our pursuit of quiet luxury and consistent performance.

Bruce Runions, Founder