(From left to right: Cai Zhaoyang, Co-founder of CHAILEEDO; Angela Gray & Ervina Wu, Founders of YINA; Li Huihua, Co-founder of CHAILEEDO; Du Min, Co-founder of CHAILEEDO)
When CHAILEEDO first met Ervina, co-founder of YINA, it was hard to believe that she was a cancer survivor. With a confident smile and elegant demeanor, in the festive atmosphere of The Ritz-Carlton hotel, she slowly shared with us how she and co-founder Angela conceived the idea of creating a traditional Chinese skincare brand in the United States. They aimed to introduce skincare and wellness concepts rooted in Eastern wisdom to sophisticated American middle-class women, and it was quite an experience.
As a brand rooted in Eastern culture with an Oriental touch, and with two female founders of Chinese descent, YINA offers skincare products priced between $55 and $105. Their main distribution channels are professional Chinese medicine clinics and spa centers. The combination of this brand, its products, pricing, and founders raises curiosity: how can this two-year-old brand effectively tell the story of traditional Chinese skincare in the technologically advanced and highly competitive American market?
Unlike other brand founders who emphasize their business models, Ervina and Angela, during their interview with CHAILEEDO’s US Beauty Tour showcased their love for Chinese traditional culture and paid tribute to Eastern philosophy and lifestyle, rather than solely focusing on their business model.
Chinese culture has taken root overseas
Angela’s ancestral roots lie in Guangdong, and she is a second-generation Chinese-American born in the United States. Although she doesn’t speak Mandarin very well, she grew up with Cantonese and the tradition of Gongfu tea. It was due to the strong influence of traditional Chinese family life that she developed an early affinity for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
“I remember when I was a child, whenever I had a headache or fever, my family would always take me to Chinatown to see a TCM doctor. The doctor would usually prescribe herbal teas, and after drinking them a few times, I would feel much better.” In this way, the herbal medicine packets with their distinctive aroma became a magical cure in Angela’s memory. In 2003, Angela enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley, specializing in medical ethnobotany—a discipline that explores the properties and uses of plants in traditional medicinal systems. During her studies at the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Angela met Ervina, who shared her strong interest in TCM.
Compared to Angela, Ervina’s connection with TCM is even more intricate and moving. Ervina is a Chinese Singaporean, with a deep love for Chinese traditional culture since childhood. While studying in California, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. During her comprehensive oncology treatment, Ervina experienced typical side effects such as hair loss, loss of appetite, and fatigue caused by chemotherapy. Fortunately, through TCM treatment, her appetite and energy were restored. After recovering, Ervina received a scholarship from the Chinese government and went to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University to pursue a doctoral degree in TCM.
From a beneficiary of TCM treatment to a researcher in TCM theory and academia, Ervina’s journey also inspired Angela. After five years of research and testing, in 2021, the two co-founded YINA, a skincare brand centered around TCM wellness concepts, in California.
Currently, the brand mainly offers products such as serums, masks, moisturizers, and cleansers. The integration of skincare products with TCM therapeutic methods is one of YINA’s distinctive features. For example, Gua Sha treatments are available for the face, chest care, and body healing, and even the acupuncture needles and Gua Sha tools used are specifically customized by the brand.
It is worth mentioning that both Angela and Ervina are currently licensed TCM practitioners in the United States. In the entire North American region, the total number of licensed TCM practitioners does not exceed 30,000.
Doing products is also about creating content
However, when it comes to Chinese medicine skincare, the majority of people in the United States are relatively unfamiliar with the concepts and wellness ideas of Chinese medicine, which poses a significant challenge for YINA.
Ervina said, “In the beginning, we did face difficulties. Large retailers tend to favor their own brands and are not actively receptive to promoting multicultural brands. And channel partners for high-end department stores and professional beauty shops believe they already have enough East Asian brands and are unwilling to accept new ones.”
Angela admitted, “We are promoting Chinese traditional culture, which is not well known by the American public, so the initial market expansion was indeed very difficult.”
However, these challenges have actually prompted YINA to focus even more on their direct-to-consumer (DTC) strategy. To better integrate into the American market, YINA has taken a series of measures. They introduce Chinese medicine culture and wellness concepts to local residents through lectures, workshops, and other forms.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, YINA held a masterclass with popular blogger Renee Chow @Gothamista and donated all the proceeds to a charity organization. On April 18 of the same year, YINA held another gua sha masterclass, donating 50% of the proceeds to the Rise.Now organization.
“When it comes to Chinese medicine, Americans have always had misconceptions. They think they can only find Chinese medicine in Chinese herbal stores in Chinatown. But in reality, certified modern Chinese medicine clinics have professional physicians,” Ervina explained.
Therefore, Chinese medicine clinics are one of YINA’s important sales channels. Ervina explained that by collaborating with local Chinese medicine clinics in the United States and leveraging their professional knowledge and influence, they can enhance brand awareness and trust. “In fact, American consumers are not resistant to new things. When we explain what Chinese medicine and wellness are, they find our concepts very interesting and are willing to try.”
In terms of brand communication, YINA focuses on promoting Chinese medicine culture, wellness knowledge, and lifestyle. They actively engage with consumers on social media, blogs, and beauty forums, sharing skincare knowledge and product experiences. In addition to recommending products, YINA also shares some wellness knowledge with Oriental wisdom with their fans, such as the 24 solar terms and skincare according to the solar terms, as well as concepts like unity of heaven and man and the harmonization of yin and yang. It’s worth noting that YINA has nearly 130,000 followers on the overseas social media platform Instagram, which is a significant number among emerging brands. What’s more important is, “This was achieved through organic, non-paid methods, and our fans have a relatively high level of trust in us,” explained Ervina.
Thanks to the founders’ backgrounds in Chinese medicine, YINA finds it easier to gain the trust of consumers when it comes to brand communication. “Our customers really like these wellness tips,” shared Angela. “Medical costs in the United States are expensive, so people are more inclined to use the acupressure techniques we teach to alleviate symptoms like bloating and headaches.”
“YINA’s customers are mainly highly knowledgeable women in the United States. We call them ‘Rich Moms.’ They usually practice meditation and yoga, so when we communicate Chinese medicine and wellness concepts with them, they are very receptive.”
In addition to their official website and partnerships with 250 Chinese medicine clinics and wellness centers, YINA has also entered offline high-end channels. “Currently, we also have partnerships with The Langham Hotels, Lane Crawford in Hong Kong. Additionally, YINA is sold on Goop, the clean beauty platform founded by Hollywood star Gwyneth Paltrow,” said Ervina.
It is reported that YINA achieved a growth rate of over 200% between 2022 and 2023, with almost no advertising investment.
“The ‘Chinese Method’ is equally effective
The COVID-19 pandemic, which once ravaged the world, not only profoundly changed various aspects of Chinese society but also had a subtle influence on the lifestyle of Americans. During and even after the pandemic, emotional and physical healing has gradually become popular in the United States.
Facing the current wellness trend in the United States, Ervina said, ‘The popular wellness practices such as jade rolling and Gua Sha actually originated from Chinese traditional culture and Eastern lifestyles.’ Therefore, this trend aligns well with YINA’s promotion of Chinese medicine culture.
Nevertheless, Ervina emphasizes, ‘Our brand values the concept of adaptogens. When you are fatigued, ginseng can rejuvenate you, and when you are under excessive stress, certain ingredients can help you relax both physically and mentally. Each YINA product embraces this concept of adaptogens, which is exactly what modern individuals urgently need.’
It is reported that the term ‘adaptogen’ was originally proposed by Soviet scientist N.V. Lazarev in 1947, referring to substances that claim to increase ‘non-specific’ resistance to unfavorable effects on the body and stress. In Ervina’s view, these substances also exist in natural Chinese herbal ingredients.
On the other hand, as American consumers have become increasingly demanding of skincare product ingredients, the rise of the ‘ingredient-conscious’ and ‘formulation-conscious’ movements has led consumers to not only focus on the naturalness of products but also emphasize their actual effectiveness. Regarding this, Ervina emphasizes, ‘We always prioritize the efficacy and adaptability of our products.’
She explains, “When selecting ingredients, our first consideration is whether they can meet the customers’ needs.” She cites Chinese herbal ingredients added to YINA products, such as Schisandra, White Peony, Licorice, and White Atractylodes, stating, “These ingredients can effectively address skin issues like irritation, sensitivity, and acne.”
Furthermore, according to a report from the American Academy of Dermatology, approximately 85% of American adolescents aged 12 to 24 have experienced at least one mild skin condition, and one in ten individuals may face the challenge of atopic dermatitis. Ervina introduces how Chinese medicine plays an important role in treating skin conditions. As a key approach to addressing skin problems like acne, pigmentation, and sensitivity, Chinese medicine is no longer just a concept but a truly effective ‘Chinese method’ in the eyes of American consumers.
It is worth mentioning that YINA not only allows American consumers to experience the actual effectiveness of the products through Chinese herbal ingredients but also integrates the Eastern wisdom embedded in traditional Chinese culture into their skincare philosophy.
Ervina explains that based on the characteristics of the Chinese lunar calendar’s solar terms, YINA divides its skincare series. Each seasonal series is accompanied by different facial essences and toners that cater to the characteristics of the season and the skin needs of consumers. According to the founders of YINA, only by selecting suitable skincare products and using them at the right time can the skincare effects be maximized. The 24 solar terms of the Chinese lunar calendar are like 24 unique notes that determine the rhythm of skincare as the seasons change. ‘Just as Chinese culinary culture emphasizes the differences of the four seasons, we also choose skincare methods based on the rhythm of the lunar calendar.’
In the current context where there is a growing distance between traditional Chinese medicine culture and young people, YINA has taken root and grown in the United States, on the other side of the ocean, undoubtedly inspiring more brands that aspire to inherit and promote traditional Chinese culture. Moreover, in the highly modernized cosmetics industry, which originated from the West, YINA’s case proves that the Eastern wisdom of skincare is also effective in the West.”
