When Charlotte Yau couldn't find a skincare brand that properly honoured her Chinese heritage, she did what any determined founder would do and created one herself. But Muihood isn't just another wellness beauty launch. It's the result of a lifetime spent understanding traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), combined with the exacting standards of modern formulation.
"I was looking for a brand that really honoured the history and roots of Chinese medicine, but also blended in modern skincare formulations," Char explains, currently from Bangkok, where the humidity provides the perfect testing ground for her oil-cleansing rituals. "I couldn't find a brand doing that at all."
Like many beauty movements, Muihood's genesis came during lockdown. As gua sha tools went viral and everyone discovered at-home facial rituals, Char watched something she'd grown up with suddenly become mainstream.
"Everyone started understanding what gua sha is," she says. "I thought it was brilliant because something I'd used all my life, that had always been a ritual growing up, was suddenly going viral."
But the viral moment also highlighted a gap. The wellness and skincare industry remained dominated by Western beauty standards, often using ancient practices without understanding their deeper philosophy.
"There was a lot of whitewashing," Char notes simply. "It was important to create a brand from an Asian founder who really understood the roots."
Char's relationship with TCM was prevalent growing up. "Every week we'd always have a herbal soup on the hob," she recalls. "Whenever I was ill, the gua sha would come out, but it wouldn't be the pretty tools you see today. It would be a spoon with some oil, and you'd get scraped within an inch of your life while screaming!"
The childhood resistance was real. "I used to hate drinking my herbal tea. Sometimes I'd chuck it down the toilet, which I now realise was expensive herbs going to waste." It wasn't until later that she appreciated the wisdom behind the bitter medicines and uncomfortable treatments.
Building Muihood required serious hustle. Working full-time in marketing while developing formulations, Char spent evenings and weekends researching Chinese medicine practitioners and manufacturers who understood the brand vision. "I didn't want to just white-label something," she explains. "We spent ages finding a formulator and manufacturer who got what we were trying to create. They needed to go on this journey with me."
The breakthrough came through strategic networking, and being prepared. At a Selfridges event, Char met the beauty buyer from Liberty, samples at the ready. Forty-one iterations later, the Good Chi Cleansing Balm became Muihood's cult product. "If I'm going to do something, I'll do one thing really well first," Char explains. The labour of love paid off, the cleansing balm remains their bestseller and the product Char personally can't live without.
One of Muihood's biggest challenges is education. Reactions to TCM tend to be binary: either complete conversion after transformative results, or dismissal as "woo-woo folklore."
"When you tell someone they've got stagnant qi, they're like, 'WTF?'" Char laughs. "So we break it down into simple terms. Let's look at your diet, your lifestyle. Are you feeling fatigued? Low energy? It might be because of this."
The brand's approach marries ancient ingredients with clinical efficacy. Working with their in-house TCM practitioner and Chinese manufacturer, each formulation balances traditional herbs with proven skincare actives.
"If we want to create something hydrating and nourishing, we look at herbs that have those properties in Chinese medicine, like snow mushroom or fermented rice water, then connect them with skincare ingredients that work."
Char's own routine reflects this philosophy of intentional simplicity. Mornings are minimal. Just water, essence on damp skin, moisturiser, and SPF. But evenings are sacred.
"The best feeling is taking everything off at the end of the day," she says. "I spend proper time massaging the cleansing balm everywhere, then washing it off with a flannel. That's when I layer: essence, treatments, maybe a collagen mask, then slather on the moisturiser."
Her current obsession is the Mugwort Bath Soak, initially a "curveball" product that's become beloved by customers. "Whenever I have a mugwort bath and go to bed, I have the best night's sleep. As a founder, your mind's constantly thinking so it's that full-body reset I need."
Muihood's expansion into wellness products reflects TCM's holistic approach. "It's not just about why your skin doesn't look its best, it's about what's going on internally," Char explains.
The brand's education extends beyond products to treatments. Char's personal favourite is cupping. "No matter how many deep tissue massages I get, they don't hit the same as cupping. Everyone should try it; it's the best way to release tension and improve circulation."
Looking ahead, Char's vision for Muihood extends beyond individual products to transforming how people approach skincare entirely.
"I hope people see that using Muihood isn't just routine, but a ritual. Something you look forward to, something that feels like coming home," she says. "In Chinese medicine philosophy, it's about understanding balance, understanding root causes. It's not just slap-on-and-go."
This philosophy of intentional self-care feels particularly relevant now. "Skincare is often those few moments of your day where it's just you. If you can carve out that time and focus on giving yourself an intentional massage before the day starts, those few minutes can make a real difference."
Char hints at new launched including moxibustion and something crucial complete their core line (no prizes for guessing what!)
Muihood continues expanding the conversation around authentic wellness beauty. But the mission remains unchanged: creating products that honour ancient wisdom while delivering modern results.
"Whether it's the first step or the final step of your routine, it should feel like a moment of self-connection," Char concludes. "That's what true ritual is about."