Helen Yohannes '04

Helena Yohannes ’04 and her twin sister, Feven Yohannes, were recently interviewed by “Good Morning America (GMA)” about their company, 2ˑ4ˑ1 Cosmetics, kicking off the new “GMA” Trailblazing Women series. The company was also named a second time on Oprah’s Favorite Things list for its Classic Lip Gloss Collection. The “GMA” interview centered on the twins’ humble beginnings, born in a refugee camp during a civil war in the East African country of Eritrea. The family moved to Rochester, N.Y., when Helena and her sister were 2 years old. 2ˑ4ˑ1 Cosmetics, founded in 2019, sells eyeliners, lip glosses, and eyeshadows made with nontoxic ingredients and are paraben-free, hypoallergenic, and cruelty-free. Colors and palettes are designed for all skin tones. The company’s name came as the sisters thought more deeply about growing up as twins, when people would quip with the question, “Are you two for one?” “There is no discount when it comes to our self-worth, so we twisted it around by asking, ‘Why can’t we be beautiful and smart — two equally powerful attributes in one?’” says Yohannes, who graduated as a government major at Skidmore. “We can be both, and this is what our company represents.” Product names, such as Wing It! liquid eyeliner and Role Model lipstick, promote the positive affirmation that helped establish 2ˑ4ˑ1 Cosmetics. “As (inspirational speaker) Simon Sinek famously said, ‘People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it,’” adds Yohannes, who lives in Los Angeles. “For us, makeup is an instrument in our service to humanity. It’s our conduit to connection that can inspire deeper conversation.” The company’s products can be found in Bloomingdale’s stores and on the television network QVC.