Founded by sisters Aless and Marielle Baylis, two~good is a UK-based candle brand creating design-led soy wax candles that blend mood, memory and atmosphere. From grounding earthy scents to uplifting fruity fragrances, each candle is designed to transform the way a space feels, whether that’s for focus, relaxation or everyday living.
We explore the story behind the brand, the inspiration behind their best-selling scents, and how their sister dynamic shapes everything from fragrance creation to packaging design. If you’re searching for luxury soy candles in the UK, home fragrance ideas, or independent candle brands with personality, this is one to read.
two~good has such a distinctive identity - cool, playful and design-led. What was the original idea behind starting the brand together as sisters?
We’ve been working together on and off for years but we decided we wanted to create something that’s fully our own. We have completely different skill sets so we compliment each other well. I myself (Aless) have a design background so I do all of the branding and packaging and Marielle has a career in social media marketing. Plus we get on really well so that’s a bonus!
Candles have become part of how people style their homes and create atmosphere. How do you think home fragrance influences the mood and personality of a space?
Smell can evoke so many emotions and memories. I can smell a perfume I used to wear and it’ll take me right back to that period in time. It’s such a powerful sense. For me, candles bring so much joy to my space. The scents can provide calm and comfort if I need to relax or if I need to focus on work then I love to have a candle on my desk. For escapism or if I’m feeling stressed I’ll light something that reminds me of being on holiday or being outside in nature. Home fragrance can really transport you to another world.
What inspired the name “two~good” and how does it reflect the relationship between you and your sister creatively and personally?
We wanted a name that portrayed us both being involved and making something together. We have always been close sisters, more so as adults I’d say. We’ve both navigated motherhood together and I think that has bought us closer. But we're also quite different which is what I love to be honest. We have very different styles in most things, clothes, music, interior design. I think that’s why two~good works well because we both like different scent profiles and colours so half of our fragrances were chosen by Marielle and half by me.
If someone is discovering two~good for the first time through Mash + Mint, which candle would you tell them to start with and why?
(Marielle) Oooh great question! Our candles are all about matching moods, so it would depend on how they were feeling on the day and what kind of energy they were seeking at the time. That said, I think Future Focused is a great all-rounder and is our best seller, so would be a great scent to start with.
(Aless) I’d have to agree, I’d say Future Focused for something calming, earthy and beautiful.
Your branding feels fresh, modern and effortlessly stylish. Where do you both find inspiration - interiors, fashion, travel, music, art or somewhere unexpected?
(Aless) My whole career has been designing and illustrating for many brands so this is really what I love doing. It’s my happy place! So many things inspire me but what I really love is visiting different towns and cities. Different coffee shops, boutiques and cultures inspire me. I think my design has always been more inspired by cities rather than nature perhaps. I suppose music also has a big part to play as I’m always listening to music whilst working.
(Marielle) Music has been a huge part of our lives, our parents always had music playing at home or in the car growing up so there’s a huge nostalgic back catalogue we reference often. For me personally, I get a lot of inspiration from magazines, my favourite social media accounts and influencers and also TV shows. I binge watch A LOT of stuff and it often inspires my work.
Scent is strongly linked to memory and emotion. Are there any fragrances in the collection inspired by real moments, places or experiences from your own lives?
Yes definitely, the whole collection for us reminds us of our mum. Our mum suffers from a condition called PSP. It’s a debilitating brain disorder that has affected most aspects of her life but her sense of smell has remained untouched and is the one sense that still connects her. We worked through the scents together with her which was really special.
Independent candle brands are having a huge moment right now. What do you think customers are searching for today that feels different from traditional luxury candles?
Brands that feel more personal perhaps. Candles are a luxury product for sure but perhaps a traditional candle brand doesn’t suit every home. Our houses aren’t very traditional so we wanted to make a brand that suited our house interiors more. Something that would fit with random trinkets and ceramics from around the world, art and design books or artwork from our favourite illustrators.
Running a business with your sister must come with brilliant moments and probably some chaos too! What’s the funniest or most unexpected thing you’ve learnt about working together?
(Marielle) The funniest thing about working with my sister has been learning that neither of us can navigate the Circle & District Line on the London Underground. We got so confused and lost on our way to Top Drawer last year that it was laughable! Especially since we have both lived in London. The most unexpected thing about working with Aless has been witnessing her intricate attention to detail as a designer. I have learned a lot about respecting the skills of a passionate designer when translating that to social platforms and content. There have been really valuable lessons about striking the right balance between the two and blending this with the brand storytelling.
(Aless) I knew Marielle was organised but running a brand together has really bought this side out. It’s great because I am not a organised person! She’ll organise all of our content and schedule it which is way better than how I would normally work with social media. Marielle is really amazing at making reels, she’s so fast and knows all of the tricks to video editing that I just know none of!
When creating a new candle scent, what comes first - the feeling, the fragrance notes, the packaging or the story behind it?
Definitely the fragrance notes that create the feeling. Then from that we build a story and work on the fragrance name. The name is often the hardest part actually because they all need to work together and again we don’t want the names to feel too traditional. From there we choose the colours of the packaging that fit with those fragrance notes and I will illustrate a little icon to go on the candle label.
Mash + Mint is all about thoughtful living and beautifully curated homes. What are your own non-negotiables for making a home feel inviting and personal?
(Aless) Mine would be artwork and ceramics from my favourite designers. I love picking up random objects/decorations from everywhere I go. The more random the better. One of my favourite pieces is an incense holder from Liv & Dom. They’re twin sisters based in Lewes so not far from us and I love everything they make.
(Marielle) My non-negotiables for making a home feel inviting and personal are a signature candle scent that makes everyone feel welcome from the minute the walk through the door. Lots of framed family photos on display that hold precious moments and colourful cushions, I love a sofa covered in cushions in a range of different designs.
Which interiors trends, colour palettes or lifestyle shifts are inspiring you most right now?
(Aless) I think for me I am trying to add more bold colour into my house on the walls that might be painting or just with bright coloured picture frames. I’m loving butter yellow, light blue and brown together at the moment!
(Marielle) Injecting colour with accessories. I’m quite scared/not confident with choosing paint colours so I tend to inject bright and pastel colours around the house with wall art and accessories.
Many people now buy candles as gifts as much as for themselves. What makes a candle feel truly special or memorable to receive?
Oh I love to buy candles as gifts and also receiving them for myself. If the packaging feels design-led and fun then it feels even more special and that’s what we wanted to do with our brand. We wanted the whole package to feel giftable.
What does a typical “two~good” day look like behind the scenes - are we talking calm studio vibes or organised creative chaos?
We actually don’t work in the same office together that often as we are both still navigating our careers in design and social media alongside two~good.
When we do get together, however, it’s often more fun than chaotic.
(Marielle) We have to plan the time we have together quite strategically so there’s always a plan and an agenda for what we need to get done in that time. It doesn’t sound that fun but somehow it is because we always know what the goal is and how we going to achieve it. There’s a no faff vibe - we just crack on!
If you could collaborate with any fashion brand, hotel, restaurant or creative personality on a signature candle, who would it be and what would it smell like?
Well, we would love to do a collaboration with Damson Madder. That’s the dream. We love everything they’re doing at the moment, their clothes, and their colour palettes. We think the fragrance for that collaboration would be something quite moody but light. Or perhaps it would be a incense stick collaboration.
We’d also love to do a collaboration with an independent coffee brand like Hard Lines. We love their branding and illustrations. The fragrance would of course have to be a coffee inspired fragrance.
Finally, what’s next for two~good - are there any exciting launches, ideas or dream projects you can share with the Mash + Mint audience?
We only launched this year and we have so many things we want to do and make. We have a limited edition scent launching later in the year and next year we will launch a few more signature scents. We are exploring products like incense sticks, incense cones and air fresheners. Watch this space!
What makes two~good stand out is not just their beautifully crafted soy wax candles, but the emotion and storytelling behind each scent. From mood-enhancing home fragrance to design-led packaging that feels effortlessly giftable, this is a brand that reflects how people want to live today - thoughtfully, creatively and with personality.
We’re proud to now stock two~good at Mash + Mint, bringing their collection of UK-made candles into homes that value atmosphere, design and sensory living. Whether you’re discovering them for the first time or already have a favourite scent, this is a brand worth exploring and experiencing in full.
Explore the full two~good candle collection now at Mash + Mint.
