1. The idea for Yougi was formed in India

Our founder Emily adores candles, but she also loves India, and yoga, and it was whilst in India on a yoga retreat that she first conceived the idea of Yougi as a brand. Emily had spent many years working in the beauty industry, travelling the world and developing products. Whilst her job was exciting and fulfilling in many ways, Emily recognised the need for a different approach to producing the candles and aromatherapy products. These products were often expensive, synthetic and produced in ways that weren’t sustainable, and Emily formed a vision for a kinder, more conscious company with values such as honesty and transparency high on its agenda that produced natural products of the highest quality, And so, Yougi was born.

2. Our products are inspired by the world around us

You’ll detect hints of India in our New Romantic products, Bali in our Bliss range and Sicily in the delicate fragrance of Happy. We take our scent inspirations from the natural world, from the sea, the forest, the air and the plants and flowers around us, and we are constantly seeking new olfactory adventures in the world around us to provide ideas for our products. Emily lives by the beach, and the English coastline provides a deeply impressive seasonal backdrop to our work here at Yougi. There is drama on the stormy days of winter where the wind whips the air and the salty froth of the waves is palpable on your skin. In summer, the pink skies of evening and the balmy calm of long days give a joy and peace. The environment we’re in is a huge part of who we are and what we do, and we love it when customers tell us that they experience that too through our candles and oils.

3. We only use the finest natural ingredients

Unlike other brands, our candles are hand-poured with 100% natural eco soy wax and do not contain any synthetic ingredients. They’re totally natural, containing only plant wax and premium, therapeutic-grade essential oils, plus they’re vegan too. 

It takes over three months for Emily to create and hone each scent, which starts from scent creation, to tweaking, to testing. We pour time, energy and love into each new range we produce, taking care to make sure that each combination provides just the right balance to give a strong scent throw and the power to transform mood. We know that the sense of smell is incredibly powerful; in fact, it’s the most powerful sense we have. To create candles, oils and aromatherapy products that move and stir your emotions is our privilege, and we love the process!

4. We’re not just saying it, others are too

Since Emily started Yougi in 2019, we’ve not the only ones that have been shouting from the rooftops about our beautiful products - others have too. We’ve been lucky enough to be featured by Vanity Fair, Time Out, Soho House and Hip & Healthy amongst others, with our products referred to as “Heavenly” and “bliss” by journalists. 

It’s wonderful to receive the messages we do from happy customers, and positive reviews are a real testament to the work our team puts in, but the thing that makes us know that our community really loves Yougi is the number of returning customers we have. Our clients are part of the Yougi family, and some of them we’ve got to know over the years. They love our products. They tell their friends and family about us. They gift Yougi to others. They champion us, and this is the biggest and best accolade that anyone could give.

5. We are a proudly woman-led business, supporting other women around us

Emily and the team believe strongly in encouraging female entrepreneurship and are proud that Yougi has grown as a woman-led business to be a strong voice for ethical and sustainable products in the aromatherapy and candle-making space. We are passionate about encouraging collaboration over competition, and we love to both connect with - and work with - other like-minded business owners and entrepreneurs. Running a new company certainly comes with its challenges, and we know the value of having others around you to encourage, critique, champion and celebrate along the way. We adore hearing from other women working in the aromatherapy, wellness and startup spaces, so if you’re interested in connecting then we’d love to hear from you!