Amy Liu Didn’t Want Safe Beauty to Be Boring—So She Changed It

When Beauty Stops Feeling Like Beauty

Liu has always believed in the emotional power of beauty and how it can shift how you show up in the world. But when she developed eczema as a young adult, that relationship changed.

“Something that used to feel fun and expressive became something I had to approach very carefully,” she says. Instead of experimenting freely, every product came with a question: Will this irritate my skin?

That constant hesitation didn’t just impact her routine, it reshaped how she saw the industry as a whole. And it planted the seed for something bigger: a version of beauty where people didn’t have to choose between feeling confident and feeling safe.

The Moment It Became Real

Like many founders, Liu didn’t start TOWER 28 the moment she had the idea. She waited. Planned. Put it off. Until she didn’t.

“I had always wanted to start my own brand, but I kept telling myself I’d get to it eventually,” she says. It took a friend pushing her—and believing in the idea enough to invest—for things to shift.

At the same time, her personal frustration had reached a peak. “Even after spending my whole career in beauty, I still couldn’t fully participate in it because of my skin.”

That combination—timing, pressure, and lived experience—was the turning point. “I stopped waiting and started building.”

Courtesy of Tower 28

Building What Didn’t Exist

After more than 20 years in the industry, Liu knew exactly what she didn’t want to create.

“Anything for sensitive skin felt really clinical, and honestly a little uninspiring,” she says. And when it came to makeup, the options just weren’t there. You could have performance, or you could have safety—but rarely both.

So she built something different. “I wanted to create something where safety, performance, and joy all existed together from day one.”

That clarity didn’t come from guesswork, it came from experience. By the time she launched TOWER 28 in her 40s, Liu had something she didn’t have earlier in her career: confidence in her point of view.

“I wasn’t trying to build something for everyone,” she says. “I was building something very specific and very intentional.”

Redefining What “Sensitive Skin” Means

For years, sensitive skin was framed as a limitation, defined by what you couldn’t use. Liu flipped that perspective entirely.

“Building for sensitive skin forces you to be more thoughtful and more disciplined,” she explains. “It actually pushes innovation.”

Instead of treating it as a restriction, she treated it as a higher standard. One that required better formulas, more intentional ingredients, and a deeper level of care. That mindset shows up in everything TOWER 28 does, from strict formulation standards to earning seals of acceptance from organizations like the National Eczema Association. 

But for Liu, it’s not about labels; it’s about trust. “It’s not just that it works, it’s that you trust it.”

Courtesy of Tower 28

No Compromises, No Trade-Offs

If there’s one thing Liu refused to accept, it’s the idea that consumers have to choose. “I didn’t think people should have to choose between something that works and something they’re excited to use,” she says. “Or between safety and inclusivity.”

That philosophy extends beyond product performance. It shapes how she thinks about inclusivity as a whole. “If someone can’t actually use the product without irritation, then it’s not truly inclusive.”

In other words: it’s not just about how beauty looks, it’s about how it works for real people.

What the Industry Is Still Getting Wrong

“Clean beauty” has become a catch-all term, but Liu approaches it differently. “For me, it’s about being intentional and thoughtful,” she says. “I think where the industry gets it wrong is when it becomes more about marketing than substance.”

That commitment to substance shows up behind the scenes, too. Formulating within strict ingredient standards means more testing, more iteration, and fewer shortcuts. “It’s not the easiest path,” she admits. “But it’s the right one for us.”

The Future of Inclusive Beauty

Sensitive skin is no longer an afterthought, and Liu sees that shift as long overdue. “There’s a broader understanding now that sensitive skin is not niche,” she says. “It affects so many people.”

But there’s still work to do. “Inclusivity is all of it,” she adds. “It’s shade, and it’s skin type.” Because real inclusivity isn’t just about being seen, it’s about being able to participate fully.

Amy Liu didn’t just create a brand…She created a new baseline for what beauty should be.

One where safety doesn’t mean sacrificing performance. Where sensitive skin isn’t limiting, it’s leading. And where people don’t have to question whether something will work for them before they even get to enjoy it.

Because the future of beauty isn’t about choosing between options. It’s about finally having it all.