Humble
Beginnings

Born in 1959 in Mantin, a small Malaysian town, Melissa grew up in poverty and learned responsibility early as the eldest of four siblings. When her father’s furniture business fell into debt, eight-year-old Melissa began working on a neighbour’s vegetable farm, harvesting greens and weaving cane baskets, often returning home with swollen, bruised hands.

Determined to create a better future, Melissa completed her Higher School Certificate at 19 and started work as an admin clerk. On the side, she sold skincare products door-to-door, driven by a desire to help women in her community feel beautiful and regain confidence.

Her passion for skincare led her to save tirelessly for three years to enrol in a beauty diploma course, where she excelled naturally. Despite scepticism from family and friends, Melissa took a leap of faith, leaving her stable job to pursue her dream of a career in beauty with courage and resilience.