gentle mood
A low-waste body care brand I founded: gentle on your skin, great for your mood.
Thoughtfully designed, functional body care inspired by the Japanese concept of zakka: finding joy in the everyday objects we choose to surround ourselves with.
Why gentle mood
gentle mood was founded on the idea that plastic-free body care could be both functional and enjoyable, bringing a little more intention to everyday routines.
Inspired by the Japanese concept of zakka, the brand combined thoughtful design with everyday function, reimagining the humble soap bar as something worth keeping and enjoying.
The core range
The collection began with four moods: Energise, Calm, Fresh, and Cosy. Serene and Joy joined the range later, with each mood accompanied by its own Spotify playlist, accessible through a QR code on the packaging.
Every bar was vegan, crafted with plant-derived oils, butters, and pure essential oils, and cured for at least 1,000 hours in a humidity-controlled environment.
Celebratory collection
A limited-edition collection created for the 2021 holiday season, featuring four festive moods: Merry, Joy, Celebratory, and Serene.
Merry featured three round soap bars on a rope, designed to hang in the shower or as a festive ornament. Celebratory was made using upcycled soap offcuts from product development and color testing, giving leftover materials a second purpose.
Less waste, more purpose
Low-waste principles shaped the brand’s approach to products and packaging, from recyclable cardboard boxes to the option of going packaging-free.
Imperfect bars were also given a second life. Rather than discarding soaps with minor visual imperfections, they were offered at a reduced price, extending the value of each batch while reducing unnecessary waste.
Packaging
Core
Festive edition
Selected collaborations
- An Acai Affair
- Mr Bucket
- Reminds Me Of book club
- The Min List
My role
- Brand founder and management
- Product development and in-house formulation
- Brand identity and packaging
- Social strategy and content production
- Press outreach and creator partnerships
- Retail and brand collaborations
Selected press articles
- Vogue SingaporeHow the beauty industry has impacted our oceans so farJun 2022
- HoneycombersLocal brands in Singapore that have gone viral thanks to TikTokMay 2022
- The WeekenderUnder S$30 gift exchange ideas for this ChristmasDec 2021
- The Straits TimesThe Life List: A stylish Christmas gift guide for every type of friendDec 2021
- The New PaperCelebrate Christmas with festive giftsDec 2021
- Vanilla LuxuryBody care products: body scrub, bar soap, body butter and moreSep 2021
Selected stockists and pop-ups
- The Editor’s Market
- The Wyld Shop
- What Women Want
- Weekend Sundries
- The Powered By Plants
- Y21
Alongside the brand’s own online store, gentlemood.co.
Milestones
- Featured in Vogue Singapore’s World Oceans Day article, contributing a founder’s perspective on beauty and ocean waste.
- Recognized by Honeycombers as one of Singapore’s local brands that gained traction on TikTok.
- Featured in The Straits Times and The New Paper Christmas gift guides during the brand’s first holiday season.
- Secured retail distribution in Singapore alongside the brand’s own online store.
- Shipped the first international order within two months of launch.
- Developed and formulated every soap bar in-house, from cold-process recipes and natural colorants to the final collection.
- Secured corporate gifting orders, including customized gift sets.
- Developed joint giveaways and gifting collaborations with fellow local brands.
- Sold more than 1,000 soap bars within the first six months.
How I grew it
Built gentle mood’s presence through organic social content, creator partnerships, and earned media, generating 800K+ views in six months without an agency or advertising budget, alongside coverage in Vogue Singapore, The New Paper, and Honeycombers.
Fractional Head of Social