Alumna鈥檚 cosmetics listed among Oprah鈥檚 Favorite Things
Oprah Winfrey has included 吃瓜爆料 College alumna Helena Yohannes鈥� Limited Edition Holiday Lip Gloss Collection on her
This year, Winfrey鈥檚 selection of noteworthy holiday gifts is giving special attention to Black-owned businesses, including co-owned and co-founded by Yohannes, a 2004 吃瓜爆料 graduate.
鈥淲e believe Black lives 鈥� and Black businesses 鈥� matter. So for 2020, most of my Favorite Things are from Black-owned or -led companies,鈥� said Winfrey, a 2016 吃瓜爆料 honorary degree recipient and Commencement speaker, according to O, The Oprah Magazine.
Inclusion on the coveted list caps a journey that has taken Yohannes from a refugee camp in Sudan, where she was born during the Eritrea-Ethiopian War, to Rochester and Saratoga Springs, New York, and eventually to work with some of the top names in the beauty industry, including industry veteran Bobbi Brown.
鈥淭his is a moment of overwhelming love,鈥� Yohannes said in a recent interview with 吃瓜爆料.
Helena Yohannes '04 (right) and her sister, Feven, co-founded and co-own 2.4.1 Cosmetics
Yohannes, who was a government major, said much of her positive spirit and self-confidence were planted and cultivated during her time at 吃瓜爆料.
鈥淚鈥檇 certainly seen a lot moving from Eritrea to Rochester, New York, where I lived before coming to 吃瓜爆料, but I was still somewhat isolated from other people and perspectives. So I came to college wide-eyed, inspired 鈥� and unsure of myself,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut 吃瓜爆料 is the type of place where you can do that, landing in a safe, creative community. It supported me as I came into my own and, quite literally, discovered my own beauty.鈥�
Yohannes said that evolving views of what real beauty entails, and her cosmetics talent, helped her to express her own identity as a Black and African woman while also forging lasting relationships at 吃瓜爆料.
鈥淪oon, I was doing everyone鈥檚 makeup, helping everyone feel beautiful and developing friendships along the way. Years later my 鈥槼怨媳� girls鈥� are some of my closest confidants,鈥� she said. 鈥淥bviously where I landed it鈥檚 clear that I love cosmetics. But it was also about confidence 鈥� especially feeling like I, too, was capable of pursuing and succeeding in challenging academics. That鈥檚 吃瓜爆料.鈥�
Today, Yohannes鈥� 鈥�吃瓜爆料 girls鈥� continue to support her and are often the first in line to purchase products from 2.4.1 Cosmetics.Yohannes has continued to carry forward a similar spirit of support with others: Recently,Yohannes accepted an invitation from current student and aspiring entrepreneur NovilhelhaMoleni 鈥�21 to speak during a吃瓜爆料 Women in Business Club meeting.
Helena Yohannes '04 meets with members of 吃瓜爆料 Women in Business Club on October 26, 2020.
Sharing lessons and discoveries from her life and career with budding business leaders, one expression rose to the top:
There鈥檚 no clear path or template for life. But your North Star has to be faith. Believe that the dream sewed in your soul is far greater than anything you can ever dream of for yourself.鈥�
Since launching 2.4.1 Cosmetics in July 2019, Yohannes and her business partner and identical twin sister, Feven, have quickly gained the attention of several powerful women in their industry in addition to Winfrey.
This summer, beauty veteran that she would be mentoring the women. And 2.4.1 was recognized as a by the Zoe Report, founded by fashion icon Rachel Zoe.
celebrating their dedication and decision to work multiple jobs and take a longer road to launch because they wanted to own 100% of their business.
2.4.1 Cosmetics products are available for purchase and the specialty collection featured in Oprah鈥檚 Favorite Things is also
