Dr. Jenelle Kim, Oriental Medicine & Beauty
Jenelle is a doctor of Oriental Medicine, Herbology and Acupuncture. With her company, JBK Wellness Labs, she is the master formulator behind some of the most popular brands seen on shelves at Sephora, Bergdorf Goodman, Nordstrom, and Whole Food's. As an award-winning motivational speaker and clean beauty expert she been featured in countless publications including Forbes, PureWow and Glamour. In her upcoming book, Myung Sung: The Korean Art of Living Meditation, she reveals a meeting place between Tao philosophy and mindfulness in order to bring readers an everyday way of being that is calm, decisive, and harmonious.
Jenelle comes from a long lineage of traditional Oriental medical doctors and herbologists who have dedicated their lives to understanding medicine, the mind and the body in order to help people achieve the healthiest conditions possible. Hence from a very early age, Jenelle felt a strong need to share the wisdom and values she has inherited with as many people as possible.
After receiving her doctorate’s degree in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine she went on to study and practice both here in the US and abroad in East Asia. While going to school she began developing high-end, all-natural products for the luxury spa industry. It was at the age of 20 that she started building her first company in order to bring these secret herbal formulas to the world.
Following many years of hard work and breaking the common molds that spanned the beauty and wellness industries, she now travels the world educating on herbal medicine, and while overseeing labs as the company continues to create powerful products that include skincare, body care, topicals, dietary supplements and pet products.
Jenelle is also in the depths of completing her first book, Myung Sung: The Korean Art of Living Mediation. The book introduces eight simple keys readers can use to achieve a life of balance and happiness based upon principles grounded in ancient practices and philosophies passed down from her family lineage.
Jenelle passionately believes in creating an awareness of the connectedness between the mind, body, spirit, and the greater universe. That, by doing so, you truly understand yourself, and therefore, will you understand your place in the universe and what you are called to do in your life…your destiny.
Connect with her @drjenellekim and learn more about her extraordinary work and philosophy on her site at jenellekim.com.
What is your secret to living a high-vibrancy life?
Always being aware of my connection to the universe and higher power, always moving towards a greater perspective on every circumstance and putting myself in others’ shoes, and always having deep gratitude for my life, my loved ones and the opportunities that I am surrounded by.
Who is a woo-woo working woman that you admire and why?
The first one that comes to mind is Michelle Obama. Regardless of politics she is clearly a strong woman with heart. I admire her because she is grounded and compassionate. She is a pillar for her family and her purpose is to do good for the world. She is consistent, beautiful, smart, sharp, warm and focused.
How do you balance work, wellness and spirituality?
It is a constant balance but I always root myself in my purpose and move with intention. It is vital for me to be in the present moment because every day is different and presents with new challenges and opportunities. I set out to be aware of what my priorities are every day and this includes being a mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend, business owner, doctor, formulator and author. All of these roles need attention and focus but I move with the Tao (go with the flow), and I examine each situation and move according to what is correct (The True, Right & Correct Method). I always find gratitude as this is one of the main sources of my strength to accomplish all that I wish every day. Being anchored in my spirituality also gives a deeper purpose to everything that occurs in my life.
Was there any one significant event that that moved you onto the path of becoming the woman you are today?
I have had a few significant events in my life that have pivoted my path and made me hold on to my faith and spirituality in order to move forward and become the woman that I am today (and I have so much more to become). One of the most life changing was losing my father at 33. My father was my greatest mentor. He was my everything. He was a man of deep compassion, wisdom and perspective. Above anything he taught me that the most important thing in life is to be a good person and then everything will unfold as it should.
Just before I decided to study Eastern Medicine & Philosophy and share our lineages’ formulas with the world he asked me one simple question, “do you want to be special and achieve something in this life? To make this world better?” I, of course, answered, “yes.” To which he responded, “then never be afraid to be different and when everyone else is sleeping you keep moving.” I have never stopped.
Personal Mantra?
“It only takes one match to light a thousand.”
One person who brings goodness to the world can influence one thousand. We come into this world with nothing, we accumulate things and we leave with nothing. When you keep this in perspective you are reminded that our time is fleeting and the most important thing is to positively impact the world around us. One day when I am no longer on this earth…no one may remember my face or my name but my wish is that I leave behind a legacy of goodness that will make this world a better place for all who come after. I call this “leaving behind good seeds for the next generation.”
What did discovering what you wanted to do professionally in the healing and wellness world look like for you?
For my entire life it has been my wish to make a difference in the world. As an American born daughter of a Korean father and American mother, I learned from an early age the power behind centuries-old medicine and principles passed down from my mentors – the same principles that push me to continuously live a life of meaning, purpose, gratitude and giving.
While in school, I would wake up at 6am to formulate with the mission of developing innovative products and creating a brand that would bridge ancient wisdom of the east with the technologies and developments of the west. I would then go to school to study medicine, treat patients in clinic and return around 9pm to continue working into the wee hours of the night.
What started as a small two-person team in a laboratory in San Diego has now grown into a team of 20+ employees and is ranked in the top 1000 growth companies in the manufacturing sector. Our customers are carried on the shelves of Neiman Marcus, Whole Foods Market, Urban Outfitters, CVS, Kroger, Ritz-Carlton Hotels, and Four Seasons Hotels.
I was frequently told that no one would be interested in all-natural herbal formulations and that no one would understand the beauty secrets of the East. To these people I am grateful. I have had to break through many barriers and I have had to earn the responsibility of being the first women to ever have the honor of guarding my lineage’s secret formulas which had never before been shared on such a large scale. It’s interesting seeing that Korean Beauty is now the most renowned in the world
There’s such a beautiful synchronicity amongst the paths you’ve pursued from becoming a doctor of oriental medicine to formulating clean beauty products and now writing a book on mindfulness. How do you decide what paths are aligned to your purpose?
I am so grateful that the 3 M’s that I practice and wish to share – Medicine, Meditation & Movement – all stem from the same root and intention. They are all aligned with the Tao, or the way of the universe, and they all require constant practice, reflection and habit. Most importantly through this constant practice they help to purify us and allow us to live each day with gratitude and a deep want to do good for the world.
In your new book the first key in Myung Sung or Living Meditation is to “Know Your True Self”. Do you have suggestions or tips how we can better know our true self?
Find my article on the topic here.
You literally radiate so it’s not surprising you have a company that formulates beauty products. What are your must have ingredients, herbs and/or supplements that every woman should be taking for glowing skin and healthy bodies.
I do have so much appreciation for the formulas. Some of my must have ingredients include: Ginseng, Astragalus Root, Angelica Root, & Licorice Root. I also love combining these Eastern herbal ingredients with Vitamin C, Hyaluronic Acid & Bakuchiol (to name a few) in skin care formulations. Ultimately, the ingredients are incredibly important but just as important is the synergy between the ingredients that make a proper formulation for skin care and dietary supplements. This is something I speak on often because it is so important for people to be educated on this. You can have the best ingredient in the world but if your body can’t absorb it then they are of no use.
What do you wake up looking forward to in your work and day?
Every day I wake up looking forward to seeing my children. Their faces and love light me up no matter what is occurring around me. I also wake up looking forward to continuing to spread the understanding of herbal medicine and meditation in every way possible and, of course, continuing to build JBK with my husband. It wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t mention the fact that I look forward to seeing my family and loved ones, including our amazing team at the lab. I am grateful every day to wake up healthy and surrounded by such incredible people.
Do you follow any specific doctrines on diet or health?
Be consistent. Eat consistently and make sure to eat foods that increase qi. Incorporate movement that not only makes you look good but also increases your overall health and qi.
Do you have any morning or evening rituals?
Every morning I spend at least 20 minutes before my boys wake up doing mediation and some form of movement (particularly an internal qi building practice like qi gong or tai chi).
In the evening I can’t wait to spend even 15 minutes cuddling with my boys before they go to sleep. It is my favorite. Even if they are laying on each side of me as I am writing or answering emails on my laptop.
Do you have any wellness practices that help you stay so radiant and in optimal health?
Incorporating the 3 M’s into my daily life – Medicine, Meditation (especially Living Meditation which is applied every moment) and Movement.
Favorite motivational instagram account, podcasts, and/or books?
Instagram: @thetaoblog @goop @elephantjournal @iamwellandgood
Books: Tao Te Ching and The Book of Five Rings
Advice to the Woo🖤Woo Working Women out there figuring out how to live their best high-vibrancy life?
Stay connected to the universe, move with intention and purpose, and always have gratitude. Remember that life is filled with ups and downs. When there is a down it will go back up. If we remain connected, move with our heart and stay consistent we can achieve anything and everything we wish. After all, we are Woo Woo Working Women!
