Rebecca Jaquest | NYITA

Women to Watch | Beauty Founders

Rebecca Jaquest: Redefining Luxury Fragrance Through Purpose, Purity and Sustainability

“My dream is that NYITA is a real force for good in the world.” – Rebecca Jaquest

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Introduction

Luxury fragrance is often associated with beautiful bottles, elegant branding and unforgettable scents. For Rebecca Jaquest, however, true luxury begins much earlier, with the ingredients themselves.

Founder of NYITA, Rebecca has built a multi-award-winning organic fragrance house founded on exceptional craftsmanship, uncompromising ethics and a belief that beauty should be as kind to the planet as it is to the person wearing it. From supporting artisan farming communities across the world to creating fragrances using only organic botanicals, every decision is guided by a commitment to sustainability without compromising on luxury.

What began as a personal search for truly pure fragrance during pregnancy has evolved into a brand recognised for its slow approach to beauty, thoughtful sourcing and beautifully crafted scents.

As part of Darling Magazine’s Women to Watch | Beauty Founders series, Rebecca shares the inspiration behind NYITA, why purpose has always come before profit and what it really means to build a luxury brand with integrity.

1. Tell us about yourself. Who are you outside of your business?

Beyond the business, I am a mum to two lovely little ones, who keep me busy and fulfilled beyond my work!  They are my biggest cheer leaders, my inspiration and often ask if they can ‘help’ me with the brand.

2. When did you first realise beauty was going to become part of your career?

It wasn’t actually part of any grand plan. When I was pregnant with my first child, I became hyper-aware of ingredients in a way I hadn’t been before. It is crazy to me now, but I never really looked at the ingredients labels! When I started researching what was included in products, even ones labelled as ‘100% natural’, I realised that there was nothing that met my expectations, down to extraction levels, of pure 100% organic fragrance. Many products are filled with synthetics and petrochemicals. So, I just started by making products for myself, friends and family. At first, I didn’t think I was going to start a business but as time went on, I realised I needed to get these products out there into the world to offer an alternative for others! That was seven years ago now, it took me five years to even get to launch, and we have been going for two.

3. What problem were you trying to solve when you launched your brand?

Your skin is the largest organ, and whatever you put on it goes straight into your system. I wanted to create the purest, cleanest products that I couldn’t find elsewhere. Additionally, as much as I am an advocate for natural ingredients, as I went on the journey creating products, I found out that natural isn’t always good for the environment! For example, the way vetiver is harvested damages the topsoil, which takes between 200 to 1000 years for just one inch to be replaced. Sandalwood needs cuts down 30-year-old trees, and ‘wild harvesting’ pushes species to extinction. So, I wanted to create products that would minimise impact on the environment too. As such, we don’t use any oils that involve cutting down the entire tree or plant. Instead, we use the fruits, leaves, flowers, and seeds. Every single ingredient is organic which benefits you and the planet, as there is 50% more wildlife on organic farms. We also work with small artisan farmers which gives back to their communities too. We see ourselves as the alternative solution for anyone who cares about what they put on their skin and the impact their choices have on communities and the planet.

“Beauty should mean… good for you and good for the planet.”

4. Was there a defining moment where you thought:

“I’m actually going to do this.”

For me it is an ongoing process rather than a moment in time. I am SO passionate about sustainability and giving people a better alternative to synthetic scents and products calling themselves ‘natural’.

In the end I knew I had to do it but I still frequently have moments when I think, I can’t believe I am actually doing this!

5. What has been the biggest challenge you’ve overcome as a founder?

We affectionately call the brand ethics our ‘beautiful constraints’ but they are often the biggest challenge to overcome. It’s why many brands evolve the way they have, through a series of cascading compromises and commercial decisions to use cheaper ingredients and maximise profit. The ultimate challenge is to stay true to our founding principles. It’s not the easy route but we are convinced it results in exceptional products and conducting business in the right way.

6. What’s one thing people assume about running a beauty brand that simply isn’t true?

One might think that running a brand in the beauty industry means you’re surrounded by competitors, in a cut-throat world but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The industry community is full of positive support and caring souls that have welcomed me with open arms for which I am extremely grateful.

7. What does success mean to you today compared to when you first started?

Success can come in many forms. Early on it was seeing the vision become a reality in small ways, like the first packaging mock-ups, from design to the real thing. Or finalising a scent after devising and painstakingly refining it. We have also been incredibly lucky to have won some highly prestigious awards like the Country & Town House Future Icons Award and been a finalist in the Positive Luxury Awards, which we are very proud of. They stand as a measure of ongoing endorsement and success. Then, when I get a wonderful email from a customer telling me how much they love their scent, and what it conjures up for them, it means the world to me. Making someone happy, or just making their day a little better, that is a huge success to me and always will be.

8. How do you look after your own wellbeing while running a business?

Umm… honestly… I’m not the best at that! However, I do love a bath, which for me, is an important wellbeing moment in my day. I know I’m biased, but our NYITA bath oils are the best. There is a scent to compliment every way you want to feel and your skin is the softest afterwards! I adore the heady, sweet scent of Celestia; the citronella, spearmint and calming true lavender in our Sunlit Bath Oil creates a powerful, reviving essence that leaves me feeling calm yet refreshed, and the spectacular citrus showcase in our Yuzu Noir always elevates my mood.

The Brand

9. Which product best represents your brand and why?

There isn’t just one because every single product is crafted with the same level of love and attention to detail, and under the same principles. We do slow infusion processes which means products can take between 2 and 4 months to craft but the scent is then exquisite. Our brand is all about exceptional ingredients, slow beauty and going back to traditional methods, rather than any fast ‘trends’. We focus on timeless qualities in every product and if they don’t best represent the brand, they don’t make the final cut.

10. If somebody had never heard of your brand before, what would you want them to know?

NYITA is a multi-award-winning luxury organic scent house, with four exceptional product lines – Organic Extrait de Parfum, Organic Bath & Shower Oil, Organic Body Oil and the Cleaner Burning Candle™.  Founded with sustainability and ethics at our heart, our distinctive scent creations are born from our unconventional approach to perfumery and the ‘beautiful constraints’ of our ethics.

We conjure up enchantingly unexpected fragrances and, by rejecting the prevalence of synthetic ingredients, have a nuanced complexity that only all-natural ingredients provide. From farming through to essential oil extraction, all our organic products are crafted to unsurpassed purity and quality.

“Our ethics are our beautiful constraints.”

11. What are you most proud of building?

I am most proud of the relationship I have built up with our incredible farmers. For example, we have an amazing Buddhist community we work with in the Himalayas where we help to support 150 farmers. There is a remote island off Japan which was depopulating, but because of the Yuzu we source there, the community has been regenerated, there are 200 farmers in Rwanda who we help to support and a community in Columbia where many of the women have been effected by gorilla violence. I’m proud that NYITA has impact that is greater than just business or brand. My dream is that NYITA is a real force for good in the world and that is what I am most proud of building.

12. What’s next?

There are lots of exciting things upcoming… We won’t reveal too many details just yet but let’s say you can expect fragrance launches, a collaboration with an ultra-luxury private island resort and events at an exclusive London private members club.

We’d love to add a ‘bricks and mortar’ retail launch to that list and are looking to enter into conversations to make that dream a reality.

Darling

Complete this sentence…

“Beauty means…”

Perhaps I could change this to; “Beauty SHOULD mean… good for you AND good for the planet!”

Complete this sentence…

“The one thing I wish every woman knew is…”

Some marketing is deceiving us as to the ingredients in our products. Using terms like ‘notes of’, doesn’t actually mean the suggested ingredient is in the product. For example, ‘notes of rose’ just means it smells like rose and could be a completely synthetic petrochemical with no real rose in it at all. Also watch out for the phrase ‘100% plant origin’ as the original ingredient might be natural but the extraction of that ‘natural’ ingredient is with a solvent called hexane, a really toxic petrochemical and anything but natural. Last, but definitely not least, watch out for the term ‘fragrance’ on the ingredients lists. A whole host of things can be hidden under that term!

Why do you think women should continue supporting independent beauty founders?

Making an independent business a success is not easy, so if you love what the brand is doing, your support will mean so much to them. Often if they are doing something truly distinctive, you’re helping them bring something new into the world or if they have a worthwhile purpose, you too are contributing to that cause and making a difference through them.

Rebecca Jaquest

• Every fragrance tells a story. What emotions or memories do you hope people experience when they wear or use NYITA?

Fragrance is so personal, my one wish is the experience evokes something individually poignant for each one of our customers.

• You oversee every part of the creative process yourself. Why was it important for you to remain so hands-on?

The business was founded on such demanding principles, it is essential that from source to skin we know that those values and exceptional standards are maintained throughout.

• Luxury often means slowing down. What daily ritual helps you feel most grounded?

Literally bare feet on the grass is one of the most grounding things to do. A good deep breath also works wonders to slow the pace and stay composed.

“My dream is that NYITA becomes a real force for good in the world.”

Quick Fire

Favourite book?

It is not exactly a light read, but I do think the whole world would be different place if everyone read “Long Walk to Freedom’ by Nelson Mandella

Morning or night?  Morning! I love the light!

Coffee or tea?  A fruit tea, or maybe a camomile please.

One beauty product you couldn’t live without?

NYITA’s Extrait de Parfum, I believe there is a special frequency to natural products which it imbues you with, and there is a scent to suit every mood. Energy or confidence, happiness or calm. It’s a must for me to have a spritz or two every day.

Favourite place to travel?

My family roots from my Mother’s side are in the Caribbean so that will always be a place close to my heart.

One piece of advice for aspiring founders?

Keep going, keep going, keep going! There will be days when you feel on top of the world, and days you wonder if you just stay in bed! Push on through and it will be SO worth it in the end, I promise!  

Rebecca Jaquest reminds us that luxury isn’t simply about exclusivity—it’s about intention.

Through NYITA, she has shown that exceptional fragrance can exist alongside sustainability, ethical sourcing and meaningful community impact. By refusing to compromise on her founding principles, she has created a brand where craftsmanship and conscience sit side by side.

As part of Darling Magazine’s Women to Watch | Beauty Founders series, Rebecca represents a growing movement of founders proving that beauty can be both luxurious and responsible.

About Rebecca Jaquest

Rebecca Jaquest is the founder of NYITA, a multi-award-winning luxury organic fragrance house creating ethically sourced perfumes, body oils, bath oils and candles. Built on a philosophy of sustainability, slow beauty and exceptional craftsmanship, NYITA works with artisan farming communities around the world to create products that are good for both people and the planet.