This photograph is the only surviving image from the year my family spent in a Thai refugee camp. I remember the day it was taken vividly. It was a rare occasion - my mother dressed us in our best clothes because we were given permission to leave the camp for the day and visit her friends in Bangkok.

I carry immense gratitude for what came next. We were able to immigrate to Canada, where my family built a new life - one grounded in opportunity, living in a foreign land we adapted, and we spent many years in ESL (English as a Second Language). California eventually became home for me and my own family, but that gratitude has never left me. It shaped how I value care, intention, and responsibility in everything I do.

As a child, I loved creating. I sewed my own clothes and were drawn to beauty. I was curious about how things were made and why certain choices mattered. Curiosity is the core of my gravitation pull.

At fifteen, my skin began to change. I developed cystic acne, something that runs deeply in my family. I spent years of dermatologist appointments, harsh topicals, and Accutane, simply made me felt yucky. I wanted to feel confident but felt a bit like an ugly duckling – we all feel this way to some degree at a certain part of our life. I wanted to wear makeup, so I can feel “pretty” - but many of the products I used only made my skin worsen

In 1997, I met a paramedic aesthetician who helped me understand my skin in a completely new way. Learning about congestion, comedones, and the importance of respecting the skin barrier changed everything. For the first time, skincare felt logical, respectful, and rooted in understanding rather than force. That knowledge became the foundation of how I think about skin health.

Years later, as I entered menopause, my skin changed again - becoming more sensitive, reactive, and unpredictable. It reinforced what I had long believed: skin is dynamic, and products must work in harmony with it through every stage of life. I began creating formulas not only to solve my own challenges, but safe and effective for my children, my family, my friends, and anyone struggling with sensitive or acne-prone skin.

Emani was built with a clear purpose: to create skin-first beauty that prioritizes balance, barrier health, and long-term resilience. Not from trends or quick fixes, but from decades of lived experience and learning. Our approach is skin-first, barrier-respecting, and microbiome-conscious - focused on helping skin find its natural balance and resilience over time.

This is not about chasing perfection. It’s about creating products that feel calm, confident, and supportive through every stage of life. That commitment - to care, balance, and trust – This is my North Star.