How I Turned My Excruciating Eczema Into A Multimillion-Pound Business
After two decades in the beauty industry, Amy Liu struck out on her own – building a brand now valued at around £150 million (as of 2023) that not only disrupts the market, but also solves a problem she personally knows all too well. Here’s her inspiring story.
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Growing up in ’90s Los Angeles, I didn’t see faces like mine reflected in pop culture – certainly not in the glossy, beachy, blonde-haired ideal that dominated the time. As the Chinese-American daughter of immigrants, I felt like an outsider to that image, even though I was living right in the heart of it. I loved the beach, I loved beauty, but neither felt made for me.
Fast forward to today, and Tower 28 is proudly rooted in that same beach culture – just reimagined: inclusive, communal, joyful. I built this brand to reflect what the beach really looks like in LA: a vibrant mix of people, cultures, and skin tones. It’s a love letter to anyone who has ever felt left out of the beauty conversation.
Before launching Tower 28 in 2019, I spent over 20 years in the beauty industry at brands such as Smashbox, Josie Maran and Kate Somerville. While I’m grateful for those experiences, I struggled with eczema and couldn’t use many of the products I helped bring to market.
So I created Tower 28 with a mission: to make clean beauty that’s actually safe for sensitive skin – but fun and affordable, too. We’re the only beauty brand 100% compliant with the National Eczema Association’s standards, with formulas designed to soothe, not irritate. It’s personal, because I’m our customer as well.
From day one, Tower 28 has been about more than skin. It’s about community. It’s about feeling seen. In the early days, people were often surprised to learn an Asian woman was behind this beachy LA brand. And while I’ve always felt welcomed in the industry, I’ve also felt underestimated. That experience of not seeing yourself reflected motivated me to build a space where everyone feels like they belong.
One of the most surreal moments in our journey was when our SOS Daily Rescue Spray went viral on TikTok. What started as my own holy grail product suddenly became everyone’s. Seeing people with eczema, breakouts or redness share their before-and-afters meant everything. It wasn’t about chasing a trend – it was about solving a real problem and watching it resonate.
To me, viral success is about connection. It’s not just about numbers or sell-outs; it’s knowing people are using, and loving, something you created with care and intention.
That’s also why I launched Clean Beauty Summer School in 2020 – a mentorship and grant programme for early-stage BIPOC beauty founders. I know first-hand how important access, support and community are when you’re starting out. This industry is competitive, but it doesn’t have to be exclusive.
If I could tell my younger self – or any young person of colour looking to break into beauty – one thing, it would be this: you don’t have to wait for permission. You belong here. Your perspective matters. What makes you different? That’s your strength.
Tower 28 is still just getting started. But every award, every retail milestone, every DM from someone saying “this finally worked for me” – those are the moments that remind me we’re building something meaningful. Not just a brand, but a movement. Beauty should be for everyone.
