Bjooti frågar… Susan Chyi

Om jag säger Susan Chyi, har ni då någon aning om vem jag talar om? Det borde ni ha! Susan Chyi är nämligen grundaren till ett de mest populära och nytänkande märkena just nu, som hyllas av kändisar i stort sett dagligen och älskas av tjejer världen över. Säger jag Supermodel Stain, Jelly Flush och Omnibronze kanske det klickar till hos er? Japp, Susan Chyi är hjärnan bakom Jelly Pong Pong, och jag är väldigt stolt att kunna bjuda er på en intervju med Susan, som inte bara är bra på smink, hon är även otroligt trevlig!

You are the founder of the ever so fabulous Jelly Pong Pong which makes you a true star in our books! Please, tell us about how Jelly Pong Pong came to be?

Jelly Pong Pong was born out of the desire to inspire innovation and eccentricity in the world of cosmetics. I was so fed-up with cosmetic companies churning out one lipgloss after another, without trying to be the least bit creative, that I decided to “start a revolution”. I think we deserve products that are witty, design-centric and which are inspired by the weird + wonderful. Hence Jelly Pong Pong was launched in 2003.

So what did you do before the days of Jelly Pong Pong?

I studied Economics at the London School of Economics and found it quite dry & uninspiring. So I imported an organic skin care range from the States while in my 2nd year, and starting distributing it to small apothecaries & boutiques. That was in year 2000, the year I was introduced to, and fell in love with, the cosmetics industry. (Yes I managed to finally pass my degree!)

Supermodel Stain, Jelly Flush and most recently Omnibronze are just a few examples of Jelly Pong Pong products that people have gone bonkers over. What will be the next ”big thing” from Jelly Pong Pong?

My hunch would be Venus from the new collection. It’s a jar of pearls which has an outer coating of colour that you can use to highlight & bronze. Crush 1 pearl in your palm to release a 2nd colour which you may use alone, or blend with the 1st shade for a 3rd colour. It’s pretty amazing.

Lets gossip! Numerous celebs have been spotted buying and wearing makeup from Jelly Pong Pong – is there anyone in particular that you are extra proud to say is a Jelly Pong Pong user?

Definitely Fergie from The Black Eyed Peas. Besides having a great voice and a unique sense of style, she comes across as being daringly creative. And that always inspires me. I also like the fact that she whisks social awareness into her songs.

How do you come up with all the great names for the products?

Through my love for poetry and reading off graffiti-ed walls. Mix them both and I get something which is both engaging and humorous.

And the packaging? Who is the genius behind the adorable boxes, tubes and containers of Jelly Pong Pong?

I owe these great works of art to my talented designers, Shireen & Sarah, 2 amazing girls who oversee everything from concept to production.

Jelly Pong Pong is, what I would like to call, a success story! Do you have any words of wisdom to share with beauty-entrepreneurs in the making out there?

One of the pitfalls is underestimating the amount of start-up capital you need. Being a product-based industry, it is capital intensive as you need money to first make the product, then market it through good PR and pitch to stores before finally making your sale.

Now, lets turn our attention to your handbag! What product would you never leave home without? Do you carry a lot of products around with you?

I always have my Supermodel Stain in Cupcake Pout with me, which is filled into especially large tins so that I never run out, my Lo-Lip-Pop in Strawberry Slush, my portable Nivea cream and Jelly Flush in Grape Colada which is a great colour on me from winter to summer. Recently I’ve added one of each product from the new collection simply because I love to see the look on my friends’ faces when I demonstrate it to them.

Finally, do you visit and read blogs? And if you do, do you have any favourites out there on the great internet?

Do I ever! I go to Design*Sponge for inspiring designs & reading up on new illustrators, artists, sculptors, etc… They motivate me to try divine things with my cosmetics & packaging. Daily Poetics combines my love of beautiful art with poetry. Finally my most recent discovery, your site, Katarina, the excellent Bjooti, which I’m getting my Swedish cousin to translate page by page for me.

Thank you Susan, for taking the time with this. It’s been very much appreciated, and I’m sure that the readers of Bjooti will love this as much as I did! You are a star, and I wish you and Jelly Pong Pong all my very best for the future!