OUR STORY

Alysa Arnold is anything but the typical beauty brand founder. She has been a postpartum doula, an outdoor educator, and a winter mountaineer. She also has a true love for the storied island where she has been spending her summers for over 20 years - Martha’s Vineyard. “The Vineyard” as the locals call it, was the inspiration behind Alysa’s beauty brand, West Chop Co.

In the summer of 2000, Alysa was working as a science teacher at a boarding school. After the school year ended, she was hired to run a day camp in West Chop on Martha’s Vineyard.

Alysa fell hard for the Vineyard that summer. She loved exploring this beautiful island with its charming towns, gorgeous beaches, quirky art galleries, unique shops and restaurants. The casual feel of this famed destination suited Alysa perfectly. She even met and fell in love with her husband toward the end of her first summer on the island!

Alysa still spends every summer on Martha’s Vineyard with her family, where they indulge in relaxing summer activities ranging from walking on the beach looking for sea glass to biking. According to Alysa, no day is complete without a jump off a pier to cool off and swim! Watching the unrivaled sunsets on Martha’s Vineyard is her definition of a magical, dreamy, perfect summer experience.

Even though Alysa is absolutely in love with summer, she also enjoys winter hikes in the Adirondack mountains. The Adirondacks are not far from her home in the charming small city of Saratoga Springs, New York where she lives with her husband and daughters. Alysa even volunteers as an instructor for the Adirondack Winter Mountaineering School teaching people how to safely enjoy the mountains during the cold winter months!

Being an avid outdoor enthusiast, Alysa’s beauty routine is focused on simplicity. She loves effective, clean products that make her beauty routine easy and fun - yet luxurious and enjoyable. She created West Chop Co with this ethos in mind. West Chop Co products are perfect for confident people like Alysa who favor simplicity, but also want results.

Alysa inherited her talent for formulating skincare products from her grandfather who started a specialty chemical business in 1959 that still exists today. She has always loved what she calls “the best parts of the beauty industry; self-care, being your best self, and using products to help people feel good.”

The brand’s tagline “For The Love of Summer” captures Alysa’s feelings about her favorite season perfectly. She sums it up as follows: “Summer is so fleeting and ephemeral. I think that living in the Northeast makes me appreciate it that much more. I’ve been fortunate to have had incredible summers on The Vineyard full of sun, sand, family, and friends - and of course love.”