Table of Contents
- Key Highlights
- Introduction
- A Personal Journey Drives Passion
- Differentiating Tower 28: Third-Party Validation
- Building a Brand Around Real Experiences
- Establishing Authority in the Sensitive Skin Space
- Balancing Quality and Accessibility
- The Road Ahead: Translation of Trust into Growth
- FAQ
Key Highlights
- Tower 28 Beauty, founded by Amy Liu, focuses on rigorous testing and transparency, establishing itself as a leader in “clean” beauty.
- The brand has gained recognition for its compliance with the National Eczema Association, making it a go-to for those with sensitive skin.
- Through her personal struggles and professional experience, Liu has created a trusted brand that advocates for genuine user experiences and effective products.
Introduction
Imagine launching a beauty brand in a saturated market filled with overpromised products, but you immediately distinguish your brand with a rare, rigorous certification focused on the needs of a specific consumer group—those with sensitive skin. This is precisely the journey that Amy Liu undertook when she founded Tower 28 Beauty. After years of coping with eczema and witnessing the struggles of others like her, Liu positioned her brand as a paragon of trust and transparency in an industry often criticized for misleading marketing claims. Today, with Tower 28 achieving multimillion-dollar success, Liu represents a new wave of entrepreneurs who are reshaping consumer relationships within the beauty sector through authenticity and evidence-based claims.
In this article, we delve into the story behind Tower 28, exploring how Liu turned personal adversity into a thriving business, the significance of third-party testing, and how her commitment to affordability makes quality accessible to everyone.
A Personal Journey Drives Passion
Amy Liu’s journey cannot be told without understanding her own experience with eczema. Having lived with this skin condition throughout her life, Liu found herself at a crossroads in her career, which had spanned across two decades working with major beauty brands like L’Oréal and Kate Somerville. She was frustrated by the lack of genuine solutions available for customers with sensitive skin, particularly when she found herself unable to confidently use the products she developed.
“I was always a person going to Sephora, bringing them the next innovation in foundation or skin care…and yet I was like, ‘Don’t look at my skin,’ because I would get eczema on my face,” Liu recalls. Her personal connection to eczema fueled her ambition to create a brand that resonated with consumers who felt overlooked in the beauty industry.
By recognizing a gap in the market for sensitive skin-friendly products, Liu capitalized on her lived experience to create credibility. It illustrates a fundamental principle of branding—relatability matters. This connection allowed her to build a narrative that transcended mere marketing; instead, it became an integral part of Tower 28’s identity.
Differentiating Tower 28: Third-Party Validation
One of the core tenets of Tower 28’s success is its commitment to third-party testing and verification. Liu understands that consumers are increasingly skeptical of beauty brands, often bombarded with buzzwords like "clean" and "sensitive-skin approved" without concrete evidence. “I believe in third-party verification,” she asserts.
To that end, Tower 28 pursued the Seal of Acceptance from the National Eczema Association. This process is rigorous, setting a standard that Liu insists many competitors can’t meet. The requirements include:
- Avoiding Irritating Ingredients: Every product formulation must be free from known irritants.
- Extensive User Testing: Products are tested on 100 individuals with eczema and sensitive skin.
- Expert Review: Dermatologists and toxicologists evaluate results to validate that the products are indeed safe.
Unlike conventional consumer tests, which may rely on subjective feedback, Tower 28’s testing involves objective oversight. This not only validates Liu's claims but also empowers consumers to trust the products they are purchasing—an important shift in the beauty industry landscape.
Building a Brand Around Real Experiences
In an industry where products are often marketed based on vague promises, Liu emphasizes evidence-based testimonials. This became particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic when, faced with rising rates of skin irritation due to mask-wearing, Tower 28’s SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray emerged as a solution.
Liu’s instinct to distribute products to essential workers and hospitals during this crisis yielded unexpected support. “We started sending it to essential workers and hospitals… I would send like 50 bottles to somebody and then they would distribute it,” she shares. Collecting and displaying the before-and-after results from real users became a powerful asset for Tower 28, exemplifying how actual user experience can validate a brand's claims.
This model of community engagement not only provided tangible proof of product effectiveness but also fostered consumer loyalty. By inviting consumers into the brand narrative, Liu created an organic credibility cycle. As users shared their experiences, Tower 28 enhanced its reputation without relying solely on marketing expenditures.
Establishing Authority in the Sensitive Skin Space
Further solidifying Tower 28’s status, Liu joined the board of directors of the National Eczema Association. This move elevated her brand’s credibility from just another commercial endeavor to an authority in the niche of sensitive skin solutions. Liu explains, “The National Eczema Association does more than the seal of acceptance… they also work a lot in advocacy and research as well.”
By collaborating with a leading organization in her product’s specialty, Liu provides Tower 28 a platform that extends beyond mere sales. It asserts a commitment to advocating for those with eczema and other skin conditions, contributing to public discourse on skin health and safety.
Balancing Quality and Accessibility
While "clean beauty" often comes with a hefty price tag, Tower 28 disrupts the norm by offering high-quality products at reasonable prices. This approach reflects Liu’s belief that effective, safe beauty should be accessible to all. “I still want to shop at Sephora… but then I also want to be $16 for our lip gloss instead of $30,” she states.
This pricing philosophy helps reinforce loyalty and community among consumers who are often priced out of the luxury segment despite needing effective solutions. By prioritizing accessible pricing alongside rigorous quality testing, Tower 28 sets a new standard that marries profit with purpose.
The Road Ahead: Translation of Trust into Growth
With Tower 28 achieving success, the brand now navigates an evolving beauty landscape. The emphasis on transparency and consumer trust is paramount, especially as competitors begin to mirror some of Liu's strategies. Yet, the challenge lies not just in maintaining current consumer trust, but in growing that base as market demands shift.
As Liu looks ahead, she remains committed to her core philosophy: “Great marketing is a short-term solution. Great product is a long-term thing.” As the beauty world evolves, brands that prioritize product excellence and genuine consumer relationships will be the ones that prevail.
By fostering an environment of trust and transparency, Tower 28 not only addresses a vital consumer need but also serves as a template for a new generation of beauty brands. Liu’s journey continues to highlight the importance of turning personal struggles into powerful business narratives—paving the way for future entrepreneurs eager to make their mark in the competitive landscape.
FAQ
What inspired Amy Liu to start Tower 28 Beauty?
Amy Liu was inspired to create Tower 28 after struggling with eczema for most of her life and recognizing a lack of effective, safe products for sensitive skin in the beauty market.
How does Tower 28 ensure the safety of its products?
Tower 28 products are rigorously tested to meet the demands of the National Eczema Association’s Seal of Acceptance, including ingredient safety, extensive testing on individuals with eczema, and expert review by dermatologists.
What makes Tower 28 different from other beauty brands?
Tower 28 distinguishes itself through transparent, evidence-based claims, third-party verification, and a commitment to offering effective products at accessible price points without compromising quality.
How does Tower 28 engage with its community?
Tower 28 encourages customer testimonials and real user experiences through platforms like social media, building strong relationships and trust by showcasing genuine before-and-after results from customers.
What is the significance of the National Eczema Association to Tower 28?
Amy Liu's connection with the National Eczema Association elevates Tower 28’s credibility, positioning it as an authority in sensitive skin products and contributing to advocacy and research within this niche.