Chic Spotlight: E’LON Cosmetics’ Yolanda Webb
Cincy Chic: How did you get into makeup?
Yolanda Webb: I'm a native of Detroit. I left home after high school and attended Tennessee State University. After graduation, I married and moved abroad. I lived and traveled across continents with my husband and children. While working abroad, I discovered that makeup and skincare products were not designed for my Ebony-hued African-American complexion. So, I learned to mix and match colors in leading cosmetic brands to find the perfect match for my skin color.
Then, I begin to do makeup for my model friends, girlfriends in my neighborhood and anyone else who would let me "practice" my color matching techniques on them.
Coming back to the United States when both of my children were young, I wanted to continue modeling and began to work with John Casablancas in San Antonio, Texas. I went on to model for several big companies, including a film and tobacco company modeling products for print ads in magazines.
But I always held on to my dream of one day owning my own cosmetics company, and in November of 2003, ELON Cosmetics became a reality. Click here to check out pictures from the Tri County Mall store's launch.
And ELON Cosmetics is more than just about makeup. My mission is to help women see the beauty they possess within.
Cincy Chic: How do you help women see that inner beauty?
Webb: Aside from the makeup, I'm also an active supporter of the Women Helping Women organization (now known as the Rape Crisis and Abuse Center of Hamilton County), I participate in the Urban Leagues YouthWorks Program as a trainer and I'm an active member and supporter of the Zeta Phi Beta sorority among many other community involvement activities.
Cincy Chic: What's E'LON stand for?
Webb: ELON is my daughter Saschas middle name. It means "flower" in Hebrew. Sascha was born prematurely while we were in Misawa, Japan and "Mama San," as Yolanda affectionately called our housekeeper, kept saying she had "Élan," the word for a vigorous spirit, and a will to live. So, the little flower begin to blossom and grow and survived.
