Woman On Top

What’s it like to be the president of a global beauty brand? Singaporean JuE Wong lets us into her glamorous world.

Portrait of Tammy Strobel

What’s it like to be the president of a global beauty brand? Singaporean JuE Wong lets us into her glamorous world.

My Reading Room
Petite in stature but commanding in her words – JuE Wong is every embodiment of the term #GirlBoss. as President of Elizabeth arden, JuE often turns to the founder of the brand for inspiration. “I like to think of Elizabeth arden as a time traveller, [she was probably from our time] and basically the first blogger who had a radio talk show to dispense beauty advice,” comments JuE. “106 years ago, it was unheard of.” 
Elizabeth Arden Ceramide
Overnight Firming Mask.
“I will always reach for a
mask after I land, no matter
how early or late it is.”
Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Overnight Firming Mask. “I will always reach for a mask after I land, no matter how early or late it is.”
A portrait
of Miss
Elizabeth
Arden 
from 1960.
A portrait of Miss Elizabeth Arden from 1960.
On the future of Elizabeth Arden
Amidst all the social media white noise, JuE recognises that the needs of the consumers remain the same – the products have to work. “We spend a lot of time working with scientists. We partnered with allergen to develop formulas. Allergen uses Idebenone, one of the most powerful antioxidant, in their medical practice and we are able to license and use it in over-the-counter products,” explains JuE. “We’re very much about results first. at the end of the day, credibility stands the test of time.”
The iconic
Red Door at
the Elizabeth
Arden Store
in New York.
The iconic Red Door at the Elizabeth Arden Store in New York.

A large part of communicating this message falls on the brand’s beauty advisers. Training is crucial and the beauty consultants go through the “Red Door Experience” to learn more about the products where a consumer’s interest is the top priority instead of the emphasis to make a sale. 

Elizabeth
Arden
PREVAGE
City Smart
Broad
Spectrum
SPF 50 
Hydrating 
Shield, $99.
Elizabeth Arden PREVAGE City Smart Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Hydrating Shield, $99.
On life and loss

Just three weeks after moving to atlanta in 2009, JuE’s husband died unexpectedly. Thinking back, she drew strength from the experience and learnt to accept help even from people she just met. “I told myself never to take anyone for granted. I took my husband for granted in many ways. We went on many holidays when the children were young, but I would always put off the ones where it was just the two of us, thinking we could always go another time,” comments JuE. “You need to live for the moment with your friends and loved ones. Nobody on their death bed would say: ‘I wish I'd spent more time at work.’”

Vintage Elizabeth
Arden ads that focus on
empowering women.
Vintage Elizabeth Arden ads that focus on empowering women.
My Reading Room
On work-life balance

Rather than thinking about work and life as separate entities, JuE thinks that the duo will always mingle and overlap – preferring to coin the term as “work-life integration” instead. “[Tell yourself ] that you’re not going to be doing work and it will not be the end of the world. Understand that work is going to be there for the rest of your life, but children and loved ones are growing older every year.”

JuE now resides in New York
City where the head office of
Elizabeth Arden is based.
JuE now resides in New York City where the head office of Elizabeth Arden is based.

That said, when work does take precedence on occasion, JuE suggests we don’t feel too guilty about it. “Women carry a lot of guilt with them when they have to answer a work email during their vacation, but look at men, they don’t feel guilty. Take a few tips from them,” she quips. 

Elizabeth
Arden
PREVAGE
Anti-Aging
Daily Serum
“It may be  
  
a serum but 
the texture
and efficacy is
good enough
to stand in as 
a moisturiser
as well.”
Elizabeth Arden PREVAGE Anti-Aging Daily Serum “It may be a serum but the texture and efficacy is good enough to stand in as a moisturiser as well.”
PHOTOS 123RF.COM, ELIZABETH ARDEN, BAUERSYNDICATION.COM.AU.