Guest: Amy Lui— founder of Tower 28. Host: Elizabeth Stein, founder & CEO of Purely Elizabeth Listen: Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify | Listen on Amazon Music

In this episode of Live Purely with Elizabeth, founder and CEO of Purely Elizabeth Elizabeth Stein sits down with Amy Liu, the founder and CEO of Tower 28 Beauty — the first beauty brand that is 100% clean, vegan, and formulated without every known skin irritant. Amy shares her 20-year journey through the beauty industry, from consulting at Accenture and interning at L'Oreal, to senior roles at Smashbox, Kate Somerville, and Josie Maran Cosmetics, and how those experiences gave her the confidence to finally launch her own brand at 40. She opens up about living with eczema, why she couldn't find beauty products that were both clean and safe for sensitive skin, and how leaning into that personal truth transformed Tower 28 from a niche idea into one of the fastest-growing brands at Sephora.

Key Takeaways

Your personal truth is your best marketing. Amy initially positioned Tower 28 as a "West Coast Glossier" before realizing that the brand's real differentiation — being formulated for sensitive skin and eczema sufferers — was what actually resonated with customers. Speaking from personal experience, not a trend, is what built the brand's authenticity.

Experience at other people's companies is invaluable, but you're never fully ready. Amy spent 20 years in beauty before launching Tower 28, and still says the biggest surprise was how much she didn't know. Working in a founder-led startup teaches you things no job description can.

Momentum matters more than metrics in the early days. Amy's mentor told her to stop tracking LTV and CAC and just focus on whether the work felt like it was going in the right direction. That advice carried her through the hardest early moments.

Clean beauty doesn't mean sacrificing performance. Tower 28 was built on the belief that a product can be clean, safe for sensitive skin, and high-performing — no trade-offs required. Amy refused to launch anything that didn't work as well as conventional alternatives.

You can have it all, but not all at once. Amy took four years off from full-time work to be present for her young children before starting Tower 28. She credits that intentional pause — and a husband who encouraged living below their means — with giving her the freedom to eventually take the leap.

About Amy Liu & Tower 28 Beauty

Amy Liu is the founder and CEO of Tower 28 Beauty, a clean beauty brand sold at Sephora US and Canada, Revolve, Credo, and Goop. Tower 28 is the first beauty brand formulated to meet the National Eczema Association's guidelines, making it safe for even the most reactive skin. Every product is clean, vegan, cruelty-free, and rigorously dermatologist and allergy tested.

Before founding Tower 28, Amy spent over 20 years in the beauty industry, holding senior roles at Smashbox (where she helped launch the brand internationally), Kate Somerville, and Josie Maran Cosmetics — where the brand grew from $8M to $50M in three years during her tenure.

Products Mentioned

Amy recommends the following Tower 28 products — and you can use code LIVEPURELY15 at Tower28Beauty.com for a discount:

1. SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray — Tower 28's #1 bestseller. Contains hypochlorous acid, a compound the body naturally produces to fight inflammation and bacteria. Amy describes it as "the happy solution for angry skin" — effective for eczema, acne, post-workout redness, sunburn, piercings, and tattoo aftercare.
2. ShineOn Lip Jelly — A non-sticky, oil-based lip gloss inspired by the classic Lancôme Juicy Tubes. Available in multiple shades at an accessible $16 price point. Elizabeth's personal recommendation.
3. BeachPlease Cream Bronzer & Blush — Elizabeth's other top pick from the line.

Episode Highlights

On why she chose beauty over fashion:

Amy narrowed her career focus during business school at USC, eventually landing on beauty over fashion because of its relative consistency. "Pink lip gloss is always going to be in," she says — beauty felt more analytical and less dependent on unpredictable creative trends.

On the moment she knew she wanted to start her own brand:

Amy says entrepreneurship was always in the back of her mind. Her father was a property developer, and watching him be deeply passionate about his work — compared to her mother's more detached relationship with her job — shaped what she wanted for herself. "I wanted the version my dad has."

On finally taking the leap at 40:

A close friend gave Amy the push she needed: "You've been talking about this for such a long time. If you don't do it now, you're basically not gonna do it." Amy credits that moment of tough love with getting her out of her own way.

On what surprised her most about being a founder:

"The biggest surprise was how little I knew." Despite nearly two decades at the highest levels of the beauty industry, Amy says that understanding someone else's job and actually doing it are completely different things. "There were so many times I just was like, I actually don't know what I'm doing."

On eczema and the genesis of Tower 28's formula:

Amy developed eczema on her face, hands, and legs as an adult — highly visible areas that were particularly challenging while working in an industry focused on skin perfection. She began following the National Eczema Association's guidelines for her daily routine and realized no beauty brand was doing the same. "I couldn't find products that were both clean and safe for sensitive skin."

On the product that changed everything:

An influencer named Nicole Guerrero opened a PR package, tried the lip jelly, posted about it — and then was filmed buying 10 more. "We all thought something was wrong with the site," Amy says. It was the brand's first real moment of viral lift.

On getting their first Sephora end cap:

Amy's team surprised her at Century City Mall by bringing her children to reveal the branded display. The TikTok video captured her genuine reaction — she openly cried. "I've worked my entire career at different brands but always with Sephora. And Sephora was my dream." The video organically reached millions of views.

Rapid Fire Q&A

Three things Amy is currently loving:

1. AirPod Max headphones — she gave a pair to every member of her team for the holidays
2. A bedazzled Stanley Cup — gifted to her and then re-gifted to three other people
3. Magnesium for sleep — a game changer for waking up in the middle of the night
   

Favorite words to live by:

"You can have it all, but you can't have it all at once." Amy believes life requires intentional focus on different things at different points — and that giving yourself breathing room to shift priorities is essential.

Favorite productivity hack:

Blocking lunch on her calendar. "Let's start with the basics. Just before anyone tries to claim that time — just give it to me."

Favorite book for growth:

The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel. "It's very much about the way to think about money and wealth — not just in a financial sense, but what success actually means."

Favorite business moment:

Seeing Tower 28's first branded end cap at Sephora, surrounded by her family and team. "We went from a half shelf to one shelf to two shelves — but a brand end cap is like a different thing. You've made it."

Non-negotiable for thriving on her wellness journey:

Sleep — specifically quality, uninterrupted sleep. Magnesium has been her recent discovery for achieving it.

FAQ

What is Tower 28 Beauty?

Tower 28 Beauty is a clean beauty brand founded by Amy Liu, sold at Sephora, Revolve, Credo, and Goop. It is the first beauty brand formulated to meet the National Eczema Association's guidelines, making every product free of known skin irritants. All products are clean, vegan, cruelty-free, and dermatologist and allergy tested.

What is hypochlorous acid and why is it in the Tower 28 SOS Spray?

Hypochlorous acid is a compound the human body naturally produces in response to injury or inflammation. When applied topically, it mimics that healing response — sending signals to calm, protect, and cleanse skin. The Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray uses it to soothe eczema, acne, redness, and post-workout irritation. Amy describes it as "the happy solution for angry skin."

Is Tower 28 Beauty safe for eczema-prone or sensitive skin?

Yes — Tower 28 was specifically formulated for sensitive and eczema-prone skin. Amy Liu developed eczema as an adult and built the entire brand around the National Eczema Association's guidelines, avoiding every known skin irritant while keeping products clean, vegan, and high-performing.

Where can I buy Tower 28 Beauty products?

Tower 28 is sold at Sephora US and Canada, Revolve, Credo, and Goop, as well as directly at towertwentyeight.com. Use code LIVEPURELY15 for a discount when shopping online.

How did Amy Liu build Tower 28 into a cult brand?

Amy started by manually compiling a list of around 150 influencers and sending them PR packages. One organic post from an influencer who bought 10 additional lip jellies after receiving a free sample created the brand's first viral moment. She also attributes Tower 28's growth to having a genuinely differentiated product, a clear brand identity, and eventually landing a branded end cap at Sephora.

Listen to the Full Episode

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Topics: Clean Beauty, Entrepreneurship, Sensitive Skin, Eczema, Brand Building, Wellness