International Women's Day 2024: Porcelain founder Pauline Ng on being burnt out and tips on preventing it
Hear from Porcelain's founder top tips on skincare and self-care, even in the midst of running and expanding a business.
This year’s International Women’s Day 2024 theme is ‘Inspiring Inclusion.’ Yahoo Life Singapore speaks to inspiring women of today who are making a difference and forging a better world. Today, we speak with Porcelain founder, Pauline Ng.
Porcelain founder, Pauline Ng, started Porcelain in 2009 with her mum at the tender age of 24 and took this made-in-Singapore female-owned brand from a two-woman team to a company of over 45 dedicated staff today. In a short span of two years, Pauline managed to propel the company and clinched its first beauty award in 2011. Since then, the company has continued to launch new products, open new branches in Singapore and even made inroads overseas. We delve into Pauline's entrepreneurial journey and sieve out her top tips for women today.
Yahoo Life Singapore: What is it like to be a woman today?
It’s such an exciting and empowering time to be a woman. We have so many opportunities to pursue our dreams and make a difference in the world, whether it is in our careers, families, or communities. We are breaking barriers in all fields, including entrepreneurship, science, and even traditionally male-dominated industries. It is exciting to see more women in leadership roles, and inspiring to witness the diverse ways we're shaping the world.
It’s important to find a good rhythm and prioritise health, conduct regular sanity checks, and have a good support system.Pauline on preventing burnout.
Name a female personality who inspires you and why.
My maternal grandmother. She was illiterate and did not have the chance to attend school. She helped her parents to sell vegetables at the age of 15 and taught herself to read and write. At the prime of the business, she was supplying vegetables to the container ships landing in Singapore and restaurants. Even during challenging times in her business, she persevered through dedicated effort, raising four remarkable children and evolving into the best grandmother one could hope for.
She loves us unconditionally, encouraging us to chase our dreams. To this day, she maintains a reflective nature and embraces a growth mindset, seeking and valuing advice from others, including us. She remained employed at the market until her 70s, continuing her hardworking spirit until an unfortunate incident in which she fell and broke her hip. She embodies all the qualities of a truly wonderful human being!
Share with us your proudest achievement to date.
I'm incredibly proud of Porcelain’s evolution: from a small dream into a flourishing brand that empowers individuals. It's truly humbling to observe the positive impact on both our clients and the team. Being consistently honoured with prestigious accolades, like the World Luxury Spa Awards for the 11th consecutive year, is undeniably gratifying. It was a huge recognition of our team's hard work and dedication to providing exceptional service and experiences to our clients. However, the most rewarding aspect is knowing that we're making a difference in people's lives, helping others feel confident and beautiful in their own skin is incredibly fulfilling. Adding on to that, it is my privilege to build a company that brings together a team of wonderful people who are so passionate and dedicated to skincare to serve others.
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Get radiant skin in Singapore’s heat: Beauty secrets from Porcelain founder Pauline Ng
What are some of the challenges you have faced/are facing at this point in your life, be it personal or in your career?
Entrepreneurship really is something. It’s a journey of tremendous pressure to grow and evolve, as a human being and a leader. Balancing health – both mental and physical – on top of the demands of the changing market, consumer expectations and building a high-performing team while preserving a healthy culture is the most difficult challenge.
I’ve experienced so many episodes of burnout having been building this for the past 15 years. It has at some point, affected my health negatively. As an entrepreneur, your mind is hardly off work, you care about your team and customers more than yourself. It’s important to find a good rhythm and prioritise health, conduct regular sanity checks, and have a good support system.
What kind of improvements do you wish to see in your industry that will help women?
I would love to see an industry that celebrates authenticity and self-acceptance for all women. It would be wonderful to see the beauty industry shift away from unrealistic perfection and instead, embrace the beauty of ageing gracefully. I believe skincare should be about enhancing our natural features, not chasing elusive ideals. One positive change I've witnessed is the growing inclusivity in advertising and marketing. Seeing diverse women represented empowers them to embrace their unique beauty. In addition, fostering more leadership opportunities for women within the industry would pave the way for even greater progress and positive change.
It would be wonderful to see the beauty industry shift away from unrealistic perfection and instead, embrace the beauty of ageing gracefully. I believe skincare should be about enhancing our natural features, not chasing elusive ideals.Pauline hopes the beauty industry can become even more inclusive.
What products/services from your company would you personally recommend to Yahoo readers?
It's hard to pick favourites! But as we're celebrating all things self-care this International Women's Day, I'd recommend two treatments that focus on different aspects of healthy, radiant skin.
Barrier Booster+ Facial: This treatment is perfect for anyone looking to strengthen their skin's natural barrier. It's especially suited for those experiencing dryness, sensitivity, or concerns about visible signs of ageing. It is designed to replenish compromised skin barriers with nourishing lipids and ceramides via advanced medi-technology to reduce Transepidermal Water Loss and reactivate natural barrier functions for enhanced resilience. For those who have seen your skin barrier compromised perhaps due to overuse of acids or stacking on too many viral products—this treatment will save your skin!
Uplift Natural Definition Treatment: This treatment combines cutting-edge nanotechnology with a patented multi-peptide serum to deliver filler-like effects without the use of needles because as we’ve always stood by our philosophy, we work with Nature and not against it, so we don’t want to alter your appearance, we’re just restoring and enhancing what you already have. Uplift is especially wonderful for this because it targets wrinkles and fine lines, specifically in the nasolabial and marionette lines, and it brings back some youthfulness to your face in a very subtle way. No downtime or side effects either!
Of course, there's no one-size-fits-all approach to skincare. I encourage everyone to head down to any of our spas and come try out our Skin Discovery Enhanced service. This advanced AI skin analysis gives our skin experts the insights to offer tailored recommendations on what works best for individual needs and preferences.
Experience Porcelain's Skin Analysis
What is your self-care routine like?
Honestly, my self-care routine is constantly evolving! My current rhythm includes a slow morning coffee and I don’t plan meetings before 10:30 so I can have a couple hours to meditate and set the intention for the day. I find that this really sets the tone and helps me make good decisions for the rest of the day, I like to set myself up for success this way!
Skincare - Morning: Starting the day with a gentle cleanse and full routine (which takes 2 minutes) and applying a lightweight moisturiser with SPF is crucial.
Evening: Double cleansing followed by a full routine, but I do it a bit slower, maybe three minutes.
Connect with loved ones: Making time for family and friends, even if it's just a quick phone call or a shared meal, helps me feel supported and grounded.
Giving yourself the gentle kindness and patience I would give others. 15 to 30 minutes of meditation daily helps with that.
Walk: I walk my dog and spend time holding him everyday, I love our park connectors. Just some fresh air at the end of the day makes me feel grateful for everything life has in store for me, no matter how challenging it can be.
Remember, self-care isn't about perfection. It's about finding small ways to show yourself love and care, even amidst busy schedules.
What is one advice or quote that inspires you?
"We only fail when we stop trying." This quote resonates with me because life is all about growth and there’s no growth without making mistakes. Many people fear trying for fear of failure, but the story isn’t over until you stop. Reflection and having the ability to own your mistakes is critical in helping us become better humans.
Reflection and having the ability to own your mistakes is critical in helping us become better humans.Pauline on an advice that inspires her.
What advice would you give to fellow women juggling different hats?
Be extra kind to yourself. It's okay not to have it all figured out all the time. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Surround yourself with great people, when you’re overwhelmed, it’s normal. Take baby steps. And most importantly, celebrate your victories, big and small. You've got this! FYI: sometimes I celebrate just being able to get out of bed because there are days when it gets so difficult. Finally - enjoy and have fun in every process, live in the present, not for fear of tomorrow or the trauma of yesterday.
Other inspiring IWD reads
International Women's Day 2024: LAC's CMO Evelyn Teo on daring to be the one to trigger change
International Women's Day 2024: Charlotte Cho, founder of Soko Glam and award-winning skincare line
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