I wanted to die after my abusive mum made me homeless at 15 … then a free course helped me build a £250k skincare brand
ABUSED, homeless and just one pound coin in her pocket – this was the hand that life had dealt 15-year-old Georgina Tang.
She had suffered years of physical violence and mental cruelty at the hands of her mum, who chillingly warned her: “If you don’t leave this house soon, I will kill you.”
As a child, Georgina says she was burned, cut, whipped with bamboo canes and beaten “almost to death” on multiple occasions.
She grew up in fear of her mother’s outbursts, and was notably attacked whenever her father was affectionate towards her.
Georgina, now 62, was forced to flee home before her 16th birthday to survive, and found herself working as a live-in ‘mother’s help’ to avoid being put in a children’s home by social services.
“I was only a child myself,” she poignantly recalls for Fabulous’ exclusive series, Bossing It.
“I would ask myself, ‘Why me? Why do I have to suffer?’
“Over the course of that very difficult period, I tried to end my life on multiple occasions but never succeeded.
“I took that as a sign that I had to live on and succeed. I knew that I couldn’t let what happened destroy me.”
Georgina is now a multi-award-winning beauty entrepreneur, whose brand YNNY is turning over six figures every year.
YNNY is a vegan, cruelty-free brand. The products are handmade with organic ingredients in Cheshire.
Georgina moved to London from Hong Kong when she was 13 years old in search of an education. Her parents and seven siblings were already living in Enfield at the time.
With her mother being such a volatile character, she lived in a constant state of fear. And when she was chillingly warned that her life was at risk, she had no choice but to flee.
She left their family home aged 15 with just £1 in her pocket, which was enough to pay for a bus to get to a job as a live-in mother’s help that her school careers advisor helped to secure.
“I remember thinking, ‘I’m not giving up’,” she says. “That’s my character.
“Even if you put me down to rock bottom, you can hit me down, but I will rise up again. It’s like the rising of a Phoenix.”
Georgina knew intrinsically that her destiny was more than the hand she had been dealt, so decided to train to become a nurse with ambitions of climbing the NHS ladder while helping people.
She completed her A-levels part-time while washing dishes in the kitchen of a posh Wimbledon, London restaurant.
She then moved up north to obtain her nursing degree.
During her undergraduate, Georgina was head hunted for a public sector diversity position working with the Chinese community in Liverpool.
Even if you put me down to rock bottom, you can hit me down, but I will rise up again. It’s like the rising of a Phoenix
Georgina Tang
The concept of YNNY wasn’t born until she had her son Alessio when she was aged 40, in August 2003, after a difficult pregnancy.
Alessio was a critically ill baby and would often stop breathing, leaving Georgina traumatised. She was told by consultants he would not make it to his first birthday due to the many complex medical problems.
But against all odds, Alessio is now 21-years-old.
Aged six, he was diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA), a type of autoimmune disorder in children whereby the immune system attacks the joints, causing inflammation, pain, and stiffness.
Georgina gave up work to become Alessio’s full-time carer, and in December 2011, decided to attend a free bath bomb and soap making course in a local community centre.
She enjoyed learning the fundamentals of soap formulation so much that it inspired her to look for courses to further her knowledge in making these products.
A couple of years later, Alessio started to receive chemotherapy for his JIA, which saw him develop psoriasis and hair loss as a side effect.
“I would kiss him goodnight and tuck him into bed every night, and I found clumps of hair on the pillow,” Georgina recalls. “I broke down in tears.
I would kiss my son goodnight and tuck him in the bed every night, and I found clumps of hair on the pillow. I broke down in tears. It was heartbreaking to see my own child go through that
Georgina Tang
“Honestly, it was heartbreaking to see my own child go through that. He was very tired as well, and just didn’t want to get out of bed because of the chemotherapy.”
Armed with the knowledge from her free courses, she began to make “skin kind” products to alleviate Alessio’s suffering during treatment.
Georgina made different types of body butters and massage oils, which were so effective that Alessio was discharged from the Dermatology department.
“The consultant said she would be sending me her patients in the future as she was amazed by the power of natural products on psoriasis,” she recalls.
The consultant said she will be sending me her patients in the future as she was amazed by the power of natural products on psoriasis
Georgina Tang
This is how YNNY was born.
Georgina began making body butters, face creams, toners and oils for her neighbours and friends, and even sold them at Alessio’s school fetes.
Soon enough, she was attending craft fares on weekends and setting up stalls at vegan markets.
In 2015, she launched YNNY Ltd, taking voluntary redundancy at her well-paid job at a housing association to focus on the brand.
“I knew I had to take a leap of faith,” Georgina tells. “I thought, ‘If not now, then when?’”
She set up an official website and began selling white-label products wholesale, meaning world-renowned brands buy her formulas and stick their labels on them.
To this date, white label wholesale has been the most profitable arm of YNNY.
Before lockdown, the business turnover was in excess of £225,000. Last year, it was just over £100,000.
Georgina is hopeful that next year, YNNY will experience pre-pandemic profits again.
Today, she runs YNNY HQ alongside three members of part-time staff. It’s her mission to spread the word about her beauty products, and to create a legacy for Alessio.
At the 2024 National Beauty Awards, Georgina won Best Hair Product and in 2025 was shortlisted for CEO of the Year, Best Wellness Business, Best Skincare Product, Best Beauty Product and Best Beauty Entrepreneur.
Georgina says the key to her success is “never looking back”.
“Some business women plan – but I’m not one of those,” she adds.
“Things just always fall into place.
“We all have destiny.”