Ying Yi Co-Founders: Maria & Felicia
Sisterhood between women is a beautiful connection and often overlooked as part of every woman’s journey and success. At Ying Yi, we wish to highlight the relationship between women. The Woman To Woman series focuses on heart to heart conversations between 2 women.
This month, we kickstart this series with our two co-founders Maria and Felicia on how they perceive beauty and wellness, how they de-stress with their favourite tunes while they wind down.
10 mins read
How do you spend your time outside of work, and how do you de-stress from work?
Felicia (F): Lately, I’ve been watching Netflix or listening to podcasts after work to unwind. Sometimes I will put on a rerun of a classic show in the background while I catch up on some reading. Right now, work is pretty much integrated into my life. So there isn’t a defined “outside of work time.” But during the weekend, I try to make a conscious effort to disconnect from technology, work out more or spend time with family and friends. I’ve been getting into hot yoga, repeating the same poses every class helps me focus only on my movement and clear my mind.
Maria (M): I used to play movies and shows in the background too!! (high-five) Like, Spirited Away by Hayao Miyazaki. In general, I like cooking, and I used to enjoy cooking a lot - trying out new recipes and whatnot. But since my husband and I are changing our diet due to his health condition, Cooking turned into more of a duty/obligation somehow and is not as fun as it used to be. Lately, I’ve been very into Japanese camping videos on YouTube. There’s no music, so it’s like ASMR but in nature. This recent interest of mine is probably closely related to the current state of the world. Because of COVID, we can’t travel, so I somehow find a sense of fulfilment watching other people camp and be in nature.
What gives you inspiration for creative work?
Ying Yi Wellnes Co-Founder: Maria
M: For me, I believe that every type of work requires some kind/degree of creativity. I tend to keep a lookout for exciting things that inspire me and keep a note of them or share with Felicia. It’s quite essential to be able to share inspiration or ideas with someone who can appreciate it.
F: I look for inspiration from all aspects of life and encounters, and integrate and interpret that into my process and work. I don’t believe inspiration is out of thin air, I always have a library of all the cumulative things/people/places/culture/memories I’ve seen and experienced, and then I will connect the dots—ubiquitous things. Sharing is significant, too, having someone that can build ideas together. Nowadays, there is an abundance of visuals on social media, especially Instagram and Pinterest. For me, there’s a stage in my process where I would completely shut off all these distractions. For example, doing research with just books or drawing with your hands, anything to keep me offline. I find that at the initial stages of designing, staying online becomes a limitation to creativity. If you see a photo, you might think, “oh, that’s exactly what I wanted to do” which will ultimately break your creative process. But if you haven’t seen that photo, you might be able to work through that process and discover something else entirely.
What is your approach to beauty and wellness? How has it evolved over the years? Any beauty icon? How do you take care of your mental well-being?
M: I strongly believe all women are beautiful. Everyone is unique. I believe beauty is from inside - it grows and reflects who you truly are. For example, if you sleep well and exercise, you look your best. That’s it, very simple. I definitely focus more on wellness than beauty and for that reason, don’t put on a lot of make-up. Recently, I’ve been closely following a cook called Mimi Thorisson. To me, she’s very beautiful. You can see her passion and grace through the content she puts out. It’s very effortless. Beauty can be discovered around you, not just superficially.
Ying Yi Co-Founder: Felicia
F: I see beauty standards change all the time. When I was younger, the Asian beauty standards were having pale skin, big eyes, small and delicate red lips. But in the US, being tan is considered beautiful and healthy. My eyes are small and I have fuller lips, with a pale complexion. It wasn’t until Angelina Jolie became famous in the States and Shu Qi in Asia, that I started to realize what I’m given can be considered attractive. So from this, I realized looks are very superficial and change with societies and culture. When I was younger, I would watch old films, so the beauty icons that I adored were women like Audrey Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot or Sophia Loren. These women all had grace, strong personalities and can rock these awesome wing-tipped eyeliner look. So other than the wing-tipped eyeliner I’ve been putting on since 18, at this age, I don’t follow beauty trends anymore. It’s about building confidence, working with what I’ve been given and being the best version of myself inside and out. Right now, with Instagram filters and influencers, there’s definitely a certain pressure about beauty out there for the Millennials and Gen Z’s. It becomes dangerous when you start to compare yourself to unrealistic standards online.
M: Yes. Mainstream media too easily misleads people on what “real” beauty is, and a lot of times, people forget about their own uniqueness. Instead of emphasizing that uniqueness, it’s easy to focus on duplicating themselves to look like another person. To me, beauty is natural and something that you shouldn’t feel pressured to maintain. If you strive to put in too much effort, it can be hard on your mental wellbeing.
How do you take care of your emotional well-being?
M: I’m very aware of my emotions. When I’m upset, I usually address it immediately. Talking it out and reflecting on the issue gives me a different perspective. I usually talk to my husband - he helps me analyze why I’m feeling certain emotions. Sometimes he will confront me, which helps me confront my own feelings and it helps me understand myself better. At the same time, my husband and I often pray about the issue and how we feel. I’ve learned to improve through these conversations and prayers over time. I find that necessary confrontations can be healthy and can help me with my mental well-being. Finding a family member or a good friend to process that with can be very helpful. Another support system I have is also my faith, which gives me a lot of strength.
F: Finding a good support system is crucial. I usually prefer to work out my emotions first. I have a series of questions I will ask myself and force myself to answer them truthfully. Then after careful consideration, I will talk to a person that’s the most objective from whatever issue I have. This person changes from family to friends. Having someone that’s completely objective to talk to always helps me frame things in a different light.
Speaking of moods, what would be the different music styles you listen to during your period and why? Specific songs for you to get through the day? When you’re tired?
M: I actually like music without any vocals. With vocals, it often feels like someone is talking to you, and that makes it hard for me to concentrate! So I generally enjoy more instrumental music, maybe some jazz in the evenings or during mealtimes.
F: When I’m working, I usually listen to house or something without lyrics so I can concentrate on work too. When I’m tired or moody, usually I would want something more upbeat. I like to just put on house disco music and dance around the house - that always puts me in a better mood.
