SOMA Magazine May 2012 : Page 19
tory, antibacterial, and antioxidant. The same goes for lotus flower, which has edible seeds and roots, and which Yen’s grand-mother also brewed into tea. “Lotus flower is symbolic, positive, abundant and renewable. It symbolizes potential and resurrec-tion. It also is soothing and detoxifying,” explains Yen, who uses the flower’s image on pūr~lisse packaging. Having trav-eled to Cambodia to visit lotus and rice farms, Yen hopes to help local farmers by promoting sustainability and fair trade in the region. Though Yen is incredibly driven and hardworking, her route to the cosmetics industry was tortuous. At college in Boston, she was undecided on a career so she picked business and mar-keting as a “basic, run of the mill major.” Then, she fell into modeling, which led to acting and a move to Los Angeles. Five years of living in heavy Hollywood makeup made Yen’s skin so inflamed and sensitive that she impetuously embarked on what she now calls her “quest”. A makeup artist who had worked on Yen passed pūr~lisse products on to other makeup artists and celebrity clients, but a celebrity following does not guarantee success. Today, Yen is a firm believer in the power of social media in marketing, and has come to the conclusion that technology is the future of retail, and that data is every-thing. “I didn’t have [the] comfort of learning on somebody else’s dime,” she says of early mistakes while striking out on her own. “If I had worked for another brand first I might never have started my own company, because I would have known how hard it is.” But she is thankful for the experience: “I’ve learned so much, and when you get to a certain age you need to be defined through your own personal accomplishments. It’s not healthy, otherwise.” photo by doug ross. 19
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