Meet Emily: Founder of Yougi, Fragrance Industry Disruptor and Mindful Business Owner 

When you think of the birth of a fragrance company created to help its customers to reconnect, you may imagine that it came from a place of pure love and empathy.

Whilst this is true of Yougi, it’s also true to say that the business came to be thanks to a hell of a lot of frustration! Mainly on the part of our founder, Emily Lynam, towards the fragrance and skincare industries.

As an introduction to Emily and the waves she’s causing, we wanted to dedicate a blog post telling you her story. We’ll explore how she went from climbing the corporate ladder to committing to creating high-quality, earth-friendly products that help people to be the best versions of themselves.

Life before Yougi 

Far from being a homeopathic healer, meditation expert or the secluded yogi that you may expect, Emily’s journey towards creating Yougi actually started in the big city! For over 10 years, she worked in buying and product development, meaning that plenty of fragrance products crossed her path as she climbed the corporate ladder.

It was during this time working her 9-5 that Emily began to become frustrated with the lack of transparency in the industry.

She was distrubed to discover that fragrance is a completely unregulated field, meaning that manufacturers don’t have to disclose what their products are actually made of. This meant that many people would be using these products on their skin or inhaling them, without any awareness of the harmful effects they could be having on their health, as well as the environment.

According to BCPP, ¾ of the toxic chemicals found in a test of 140 personal care and cleaning products came from fragrance (The Guardian). 

Plus, synthetic musk compounds have been found to contaminate waterways and harm marine life (Betty Bridges).

Having struggled for years to find clean, high quality, natural and affordable products and after experiencing irritation from synthetic fragrance, Emily decided to stop searching for an alternative and make her own instead!

Shaking up the fragrance industry for good

Fuelled by a desire to create products for herself that were not only natural and high-quality, but that resonated with her values, Emily started getting to work in her kitchen. She committed hours upon hours to crafting essential oil-based fragrance products for her own use. Every decision related to fragrance was based on her ever-growing knowledge of aromatherapy, which she gained having stepped away from the corporate world to study as a yoga teacher in India.

It was then that Emily realised the powerful impact that her creations could have on mental wellbeing. They were a saviour for both the body and the mind!

Emily’s friends and family began using her products and experiencing first-hand the way that natural fragrance and the Yougi touch was able to boost their emotional health.

In 2019, Yougi as we know it was born. Like Emily, people across the world understood the potential that the business had to shake up the fragrance industry for the better, with the company gaining huge support from the “Back her Business” crowdfunder.

How Emily is making a lasting impact

Whilst Yougi may have been founded in a kitchen, its mission was never small!

Emily is a disruptor at her core. Still working at the heart of the company, she’s committed to helping people to reduce stress and gain a healthy body and mind, through natural fragrance and nourishing products. For her, there is no compromise: Every product is created to make you feel incredible, without causing any harm to your health or the environment. 

A key value of Yougi is transparency. Having experienced the frustration first-hand and knowing how difficult it can be to understand ingredient lists, each and every product clearly lists what is in it. Plus, fillers are nowhere to be seen, as Emily hand-selects each ingredient based on its specific therapeutic benefits. 

Cruelty-free. Vegan. Ethically-sourced. Sustainable. 100% natural.

Emily has created a blueprint for what the fragrance industry should look like when it truly cares about wellbeing, instead of using it as a way to shift stock.