Some stories begin with silver spoons
Theirs began in a refugee camp, with determination, faith, and divine timing.
Meet Feven and Helena Yohannes, the Sudanese twin sisters who turned struggle into style through their beauty brand, 2•4•1 Cosmetics.
From saving coins at Wegmans to selling out on Oprah’s Favorite Things, twice their journey is a testament to honoring their roots and moving in divine alignment. They transformed makeup into a movement: a reflection of resilience, a language of connection, a mirror for every woman who’s ever felt unseen.
This is what happens when two dreamers decide to rewrite the narrative, not just for themselves, but for every woman watching. 💫
2•4•1 isn’t just makeup. It’s affirmation in a tube, a mantra in color, and a message from two girls who turned mud walls into magic.
And if you’ve ever wondered what faith looks like in lipstick… this is it.
Read the full interview below
You were born in a refugee camp in Sudan and later immigrated to the U.S. as atoddler. How has that early experience shaped your identity and vision as anentrepreneur?
We were born in a refugee camp in Sudan, in a small hut made of mud, grass, and sticks. Our mother, whose strength we cary with us every day, gave birth to us in that hut without any medication. She thought she was bringing one big boy into the world, but instead, she birthed two girls, two dreamers. We don’t take that lightly. From the very beginning, our lives have been a testament to resilience, faith, and possibility. When we once asked our father what it was like to walk from Eritrea to Sudan to seek refuge, he looked at us with his signature vibrant African smile and said, “It was like walking from L.A. to San Francisco.” That resilience lives in us, it’s our armor. What some might see as adisadvantage, we see as our greatest advantage. And it’s why we feel an innate responsibility to do more and to be more, because we’ve been given an opportunity that so many we left behind in the camp never received. We’re no more talented than they are. The diference is opportunity. And we intend to honor it. That’s why we say, right on our 2•4•1 Cosmetics landing page to us, beauty is grace and resilience. It’s not just a line. It’s our story, our responsibility, and the spirit behind every thing we create.
Makeup was a childhood passion, did you ever imagine it would become yourbusiness? How did those early “mini-makeovers” influence your path?
Makeup was always more than play for us, it was connection and heritage.As little girls, our “mini-makeovers” weren’t just about lip gloss or eyeliner, they were about helping friends feel seen. And beauty, for us, is ancestral. In Eritrea and Ethiopia, women have used kohl for centuries, not just for adornment, but for protection and strength. In Africa, entrepreneurship is everywhere, markets alive with women who build, trade, and innovate daily. That spirit is in our blood, too. In high school, we were cashiers at Wegmans, saving every dollar from our first jobs and learning the value of discipline and intentional choices. That mix our African roots in beauty and entrepreneurship, and our early lessons in value shaped the DNA of 2•4•1. Today, our mission is the same: to create products that connect, provide double the value, and honor resilience while reimagining beauty for women everywhere.
The name “2•4•1” carries a deep meaning ‘no discount on your self-worth’. Can youshare the origins of that philosophy and how it translates into your brand’s values?
Growing up as twins, people would constantly joke, “Are you two-for-one?”And our father, with his signature African smile, would always remind us: “Absolutely not, there’s no discount on your self-worth.” Our mother may have had one pregnancy, but she brought two daughters into this world. That lesson became the foundation of who we are and the soul of 2•4•1. But being twins also meant constant comparison. People would line us up side by side and ask: “Who’s the creative one? Who’s the business mind? Who’s better at math, who’s better at art?” Everyone wanted a neat little label, a black-and-white answer. But the truth is, we are both, all of it, and more. And in that, we learned an early lesson: as women, society often pits us against each other, telling us we can’t be both brains and beauty, bold and graceful. Yet the real power is in the AND. That’s the heart of our brand. 2•4•1 is not just about being twins, it’s about rewriting the narative. It’s about collaboration over competition, about rejecting comparison, and about honoring the wholeness of women. Our father taught us there’s no discount on ourworth, and our mother showed us that strength and grace can coexist. That spirit lives in everything we create, beauty that afirms, uplifts, and reminds women they are never either/or. They are always and.
Starting a clean, inclusive beauty brand during the pandemic must have been challenging. How did you navigate funding, product development, and early traction?
Launching a clean, inclusive beauty brand in the middle of a pandemic was one of our biggest tests as entrepreneurs. We were just nine months in when the world shutdown, and we went from steady sales to zero overnight. As a 100% self-funded brand, we had to be incredibly resourceful, focusing on essentials that provided double the value, and leaning into storytelling and digital connection to build trust. But honestly, what caried us most was faith. As Helena once said, “God is our CEO, God is our CMO.” Our mother’s prayers and our African ancestors gave us strength when spreadsheets couldn’t. And then came the miracle: an email from Ms. Oprah Winfrey’s team inviting us to create a curated lip gloss collection. That opportunity changed the trajectory of our company. Our collection was named to Oprah’s Favorite Things, not once, but twice, and both times, it sold out within two weeks. That moment reminded us that miracles are a norm when you’re aligned. We didn’t just survive the pandemic, we grew, fueled by faith, resilience, and the belief that beauty can be both intentional and inclusive.
What did it feel like to land on Oprah’s “Favorite Things” list, twice (2020 and 2022)? How did that recognition impact the brand’s trajectory?
Landing on Oprah’s “Favorite Things” list twice was nothing short of sureal. In 2020, we were a nine-month-old brand navigating the uncertainty of a pandemic when her team reached out. We went from zero sales to collaborating with the queen herself on a curated lip gloss collection. To see our products sell out within two weeks and then be named again in 2022 felt like confirmation that we were on the right path. But beyond the sales and visibility, what it really gave us was belief. Oprah’s stamp of approval told the world, and reminded us, that 2•4•1 was more than a small, self-funded brand. It gave us credibility, traction, and momentum at a time when we needed it most. To this day, we remain deeply grateful to Ms. Oprah Winfrey and Adam Glassman for believing in us and amplifying our vision. Those moments didn’t just elevate our brand; they shifted our trajectory. They turned a passion project into a platform.
You’ve described makeup as a vehicle for connection and afirmation. How do you ensure your products continue to deliver both beauty and empowerment?
For us, makeup is a vehicle for connection and afirmation. That’s why every product caries a mantra, because you’re the most influential person you will ever meet, so it’s important to invest in yourself. For example, our Role Model lipstick comes with the mantra: “You are the most influential person you will ever meet.” It’s not just a shade, it’s a daily reminder to lead with confidence and purpose. We also use beauty as a spark for deeper conversations. If you think we’re just selling lipsticksor mascara, you’ve missed the mark. What we’re really ofering is a moment to pause, afirm who you are, and connect, with yourself and with others. That’s how we ensure our products deliver both beauty and empowerment, every single day.
How do you and Helena balance your similarities and diferences, creatively andoperationally, to make the brand stronger together?
At 2•4•1, our ethos has always been about and, not either/or. We’re both creative, and we bring diferent strengths that make the brand stronger together. Operationally, Helena has a natural gift for structure and strategy, while Feven leans into vision and storytelling. It’s also important to note, we don’t operate with groupthink. Sure, we have similar tastes, but that doesn’t mean we always agree. Ideas get thrown out, sometimes by Feven, sometimes by Helena, and we challenge each other. That friction isn’t a weakness; it sharpens the work and makes the end product better. Our backgrounds reflect this balance too. Real estate sharpened Helena’s operational discipline, while interior design honed Feven’s creative lens. Both careers not only shaped our skills but also funded the company from the ground up.That’s why our collaboration works: creativity and operations, shared taste and healthy debate,vision and execution. We believe it’s a winning combination.
Africa is central to your story and ambition. What are your hopes for 2•4•1 Cosmetics in your ancestral homeland and across the continent?
Africa is at the heart of our story, it’s where our journey began, and it will always anchor our ambition. As political refugees from Eritrea, we cary with us both the pride ofour heritage and the responsibility to create opportunities where they’re needed most. That’s why we’ve been intentional about honoring our roots, even in the way we name our products. Shades like Red Sea and Asmara aren’t just colors; they’re tributes to the places andculture that shaped us. Our hope for 2•4•1 across the continent is two fold: to celebrate beauty in all its richness and diversity, and to build real economic impact. We want women in Africa not just to wear our products, but to see themselves reflected in them—to know that beauty is not one-size-fits-all,and that their stories matter. Beyond beauty, we hope to contribute to job creation, mentorship, and entrepreneurship, because we know the transformative power of opportunity. For us, 2•4•1 isn’tjust about makeup; it’s about building a global brand with local roots, proving that what starts inAfrica can inspire and influence the world.
If you could master any business skill overnight, what would it be, what are the areas you’re actively learning in?
If we could master any business skill overnight, it would definitely be understanding numbers at a deeper level. We know how important that is, and while we’re grateful we can outsource that kind of expertise, we’re actively learning to get better ourselves. That said, we also believe the best business degree you could ever get isn’t in aclassroom, it’s in actually going out there, starting something, and learning by doing. Every challenge teaches you resilience, every mistake sharpens your instincts, and every win builds your confidence. So while we’re still working on the numbers, what we’ve truly masteredis the courage to just begin.
When you look back in ten years, what legacy do you hope you’ve created, for your brand, for women of color, and for entrepreneurs everywhere?
We love this question, because nobody’s asked us this before. Ten years from now, our legacy will be crystal clear: we built a brand that led with values, not vanity. We didn’t shortchange ourselves. We didn’t over-objectify ourselves just to play the game. We proved you can win on your own terms. Our success shows that you can be both kind and strong. That women of color don’t have to trade dignity for power. That entrepreneurs don’t have to compromise their soul to build something iconic. Our legacy simply put: we changed the rules, and we did it with grace, grit, and greatness.
