More than just scents: Hysses offers holistic wellness solutions from head to toe, says founder Cheryl Gan

Amidst the vibrant energy of Haji Lane, even on a seemingly quiet Monday morning, tourists flock to indulge in its charm. A gem of aromatherapy stands among the handful of shops beginning to unveil their treasures: Hysses (pronounced high-sus). Last October, the well-established homegrown brand opened within the neighbourhood, captivating visitors with its alluring scents and ambience.

This retail space breaks away from the typical mall set-up, spanning two back-to-back shophouse units accessible from Haji Lane and Arab Street. Cheryl Gan, the 47-year-old founder, shares that the shophouses in the area were originally this size. However, many owners divided their units for higher rental income.

Finding such a rarity in this culturally vibrant neighbourhood was a stroke of luck. With perhaps only three shophouses remaining in their original layout, Gan seized the opportunity and purchased the 1,110 sq ft unit. She believed this culturally vibrant neighbourhood would be the perfect platform to showcase her proudly made-in-Singapore brand.

Gan is thrilled with the newfound freedom to think outside the box without the constraints of mall regulations. She has used ample floor space to transform her inaugural flagship store beyond the confines of a mall. It now serves as her creative playground, enriching the brand experience, cultivating a community, and supporting like-minded businesses that align with Hysses’ values and culture.

She says: “We aim to raise awareness of brands and connect them with Singapore’s cultural heritage. Additionally, we strive to make shopping with us a delightful experience. We invite you to visit our store and witness how we are making a positive impact. Gan adds: “As a locally owned brand, we aspire to share and extend Singaporean brands’ beauty and success story abroad.”

Experiential shopping

Hysses: Heritage@Haji is an immersive retail space filled with cultural and educational touchpoints to give customers a more intimate look into Hysses’ brand history and philosophy.

Some features include a wall-mounted world map of essential oils — practically covered from end to end — to show customers where Hysses sources its pure essential oils. Below it is a miniature sampan boat to signify the rich history of the Kampong Glam district, which used to be a fishing village during its pre-independence days. Boats were a significant mode of transportation for goods and passengers back in the day, and they remain equally important to Hysses in the present day, with sea freight being its main source of transportation for goods.

A traditional essential oil distillation machine (for display only) allows customers to learn how essential oils are produced, mimicking the experience of being on a factory tour. To discover more about essential oils’ healing and wellness benefits, Hysses has also carved out an entire space upstairs to conduct private workshops for paying customers.

Unlike the typically monochromatic interiors of Hysses’ regular outlets, Heritage@Haji adapts its interiors to its surroundings by applying more chrome accents to give off subtle Middle Eastern nuances. There is even a lone olive tree in the heart of the retail space to signify peace, wisdom and luck.

Vintage-looking details include apothecary-style shelves to house signature essential oil blends and breeze blocks — used in the olden days to promote natural lighting and ventilation — double up as chic room dividers.

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Another important component is the refill station — only available at Heritage@Haji — which allows customers to restock their existing PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles with their favourite body wash or massage oil. This feature forms part of Hysses’ ethos on promoting sustainable development while preserving the environment. Within five years, the brand hopes to develop its environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiative to improve energy efficiency and achieve net-zero emissions. “Our goal is to make a 20% reduction in waste-to-landfill per capita per day by 2026,” she says.

Hair-to-toe solutions

With this new store concept, Gan hopes to educate customers that Hysses is more than a scent shop. She will work with her retail managers to readjust the merchandise displays to focus on key items like the bestselling body washes and cosmetic range and new launches like linen sprays.

Aromatherapy for her goes beyond massage oils and diffusers. It offers head-to-toe solutions to help improve overall wellness. Hysses carries over 700 SKUs (stock-keeping units) across six categories, which include a wide collection of essential oils, home scents, body, hair, face and protection (like hand sanitisers and mosquito repellents).

To give customers a preview of the next big launch — a complete line dedicated to pets called Furry Care —Hysses is currently retailing Flea Away, an essential oil made from rosemary, geranium and yuzu essential oils designed to keep bugs at bay. “Although we always say our products are not tested on animals, we had to test this one on our pets, and the results have been very positive,” says Gan.

Part of the reason she is branching into pet care is because of customer requests (during the pandemic) for products to help their pets sleep better. “People were upset that their dogs kept barking at night. The enquiries kept coming in, and we realised an opportunity here,” she adds.

A pivotal switch

Formerly employed at the Ministry of Manpower, Gan made a mid-career switch at 29 to pursue a life of holistic wellness after receiving a certificate from a massage training programme. “I enjoyed my life as a civil servant, but I needed to acquire a new skill to keep myself employable should Singapore ever go into crisis. While on a site inspection to review a beauty school for WSC (Workforce Skills Qualifications) accreditation, I had an aha moment — I would learn massage. So, I took a part-time course at that beauty school once I approved their accreditation!”

Eventually, she began creating and retailing a line of spa-at-home products. Her objective was to contribute to pursuing a more balanced and holistic approach to wellness. “There was a noticeable gap in the market for high-quality, natural products. I strongly believe that individuals should have access to products that are both effective and safe for their well-being. Upon observing that many existing products on the market contained synthetic ingredients and chemicals that could potentially be harmful, I recognised an opportunity to provide a better solution,” she says.

While attending a wellness trade show in Thailand, she stumbled upon a supplier who crafted aromatherapy products from natural herbs. This encounter sparked a promising partnership, and in 2007, they co-founded Mt. Sapola in Thailand and Singapore. Gan took charge of the inaugural store located at Tanglin Mall. Says Gan: “I did not want to have any regrets for not acting on this dream. Opportunity never knocks twice. And back then, I thought it was the right time to start a business. Experience and knowledge will never suffice anyway. Even now, I am still learning on this business journey.”

She pumped $50,000 of her savings to kickstart the business and broke even in less than a year. Despite this, the early days of educating the public on aromatherapy were challenging for her. “When we started all those 16 years ago, customers who tried our signature lemongrass essential oil only knew it as an ingredient in tom yum soup. Few realised that it was a good insect repellent. Rather than feeling discouraged, we used that as an opportunity to educate,” she says.

As the years went on, and self-care and well-being became buzzwords, people grew more knowledgeable about personal wellness and naturopathic aromatherapy. “The focus on mental health and wellness has positively impacted business. Our range of essential oils, known for their therapeutic properties, has been particularly popular among customers seeking relaxation, improved sleep, and mood enhancement.”

As demand grew, customers desired more than just essential oils. This led to the creation of new product lines. Gan established a manufacturing arm called Barn & Potter in 2010, conveniently sharing office space in Tai Seng with her husband, who founded the now-defunct Home-Fix The DIY Store. This space was her headquarters for research and development, design, filling, packing, and warehousing. Hysses now operates from the Kaki Bukit industrial area.

“By having these facilities in-house, we have complete control over the production cycle. This enables us to ensure our products’ quality, consistency and timely delivery to our valued customers. The integration of our facilities allows for efficient operations and upholds our commitment to maintaining a high level of craftsmanship and attention to detail,” she says.

The big rebranding

With a surge in franchising inquiries, it became clear that Mt. Sapola needed to establish its unique brand identity for domestic and international growth. Stepping out of the shadow of a Thai brand allowed Gan to create a label proudly manufactured, formulated, tested, and packaged in Singapore.

In 2017, Gan renamed Mt. Sapola to Hysses with a new sophisticated look and direction. The name combines the Chinese words for “village” and “art,” reflecting the brand’s commitment to using all-natural ingredients and techniques to create high-quality aromatherapy products. The promise is that nothing you put on your skin (or inhale) contains chemicals, preservatives, silicones or parabens.

Gan says: “To ensure the preservation of the therapeutic properties of these oils, we would personally source and work with farms directly. We take pride in ensuring our products contain only natural botanical and bioactive ingredients to provide healing therapy and nourishment for the skin and hair.”

Today, the ‘Made With Passion’ label — recognised by the Singapore Tourism Board — operates 15 physical stores in Singapore alone, with a strong e-commerce presence and a staff strength of over 100 employees.

Hysses once had a strong presence, with seven stores in Malaysia and four in Taiwan. Several outlets had to be closed due to workforce challenges exacerbated by Covid-19. Presently, only one store remains in Malaysia. Reflecting on this, Gan is contemplating a partnership model to empower each country to manage their operations independently. For the rest of the year, the aim is to expand into Vietnam, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia, establishing physical flagship experiential stores akin to Heritage@Haji.

Gan handles global sales, operations, and end-to-end supply chain management for the company while juggling the responsibilities of being a mother to her four children, aged eight, 15, 20, and 21. As if that was not demanding enough, she discloses plans to launch new subsidiary brands gradually. While Gan remains tight-lipped about the details, she hints that these brands will leverage their expertise in R&D and innovation. “Hysses won’t be my only baby. We are on several other projects to build an ecosystem of brands.”

HYSSES BESTSELLERS