Meet Ytsara Founder

Florence Jaffre

How did Ytsara come about and what are your founding philosophies?

I was born into a family of botanists, biochemists and perfumers and raised next to the Mediterranean in Provence. Here, I ate tasty, nourishing food grown in fertile land, inhaled exquisite fragrances released by the hills into the pristine air and daydreamed about travelling over the sapphire horizon to explore the world.

When I was 16 years old, my great-uncle Albert, who had travelled throughout Asia in the 19th century, gave me his Book of Elixirs; encouraging me to explore the healing botanicals and rituals of Asia, advising me to “ unlock the secrets, respect the knowledge, do something that will benefit the others and keep on discovering.” Fifteen years passed before an opportunity arose, but I did it!

 This story is the inspiration behind Ytsara – freedom in ancient Thai language – born in 2001 in memory of Albert, a free spirit who valued human knowledge of the natural world.

How did Ytsara come about and what are your founding philosophies?

On my journey through South East Asia following the footsteps of my great-uncle, I reaffirmed the wisdom infused in the wellbeing of the local people. They live in harmony with nature, something the developed world has lost. Without the natural rhythm of Mother Nature, our systems are being stressed to unprecedented levels. Inspired by my experiences in the Orient, I wanted to restore ancient wellness to city dwellers – reuniting us with our inner pulse.

What are your beliefs?

I believe in happiness.

I believe that wellness and beauty are intertwined.

I believe in respect and sharing, in need not greed and that enough is…enough.

I believe that Ytsara’s smart blend of traditional knowledge and ‘supernatural’ bio-actives can restore our inner balance and happiness; reconnect us with the natural rhythm instilled within us by Mother Nature.

Asian Rice field
Rice Ingredient selection

How are our botanicals selected?

Ytsara harvests nature’s bounty respectfully, to present it to you in its purest, most effective form. We’ve explored the botanical world – its transformative power and amazing ingenuity – to understand the cadence of nature mirrored within our own body cells.

What is behind Ytsara formulation?

We developed Ytsara’s formulae to work with the body to recover from modern assailants and maintain maximum performance. Our methods harness together in-depth scientific knowledge of the skin and powerful botanicals, turning them into potent healers. We select botanicals that, if rare, are duplicated in the laboratory before being used, preserving the original living plant. Our formulae are multi-faceted, in their essence and structure they address several challenges. Our facial products are made in France and body products in Thailand.

Ytsara products are vegan, organic, dermatologically tested, clinically proven, free from heavy metals, pesticides, gluten, hormonal disruptors, human, animal and environmental-threatening chemicals.

What is your dream?

My dream is for Ytsara to generate the means to plant one million trees; to nurture biodiversity and contribute to reforestation of the earth. I take great care in the choices I make for Ytsara, ensuring our impact on the environment and people is minimal. This is not easy in the competitive, corporate culture of today’s world– it requires constant research to find ways to simultaneously benefit both the planet and all it’s inhabitants. 

My vision for my children is that I leave them an eco-heritage greener and healthier than the one I inherited.

planting seeds

Could you sum up your brand in a sentence or two?

Ytsara is a mindful skincare brand with a holistic approach that respects both our inner body ecology and the outer ecology of nature that nourishes us.