Tower 28 Founder Amy Liu on Copycats, the FaceGuard Fallout, and Its First Traditional Foundation

Kirbie Johnson (0:00)

Today's episode is in partnership with Tower 28 through Gloss Angeles Confidential, our product seeding program that lets listeners test new products and tell us what they really think.

Sara Tan (0:09)

For this partnership, members tested Tower 28's new foundation. We have our own experience, but their feedback gives us a much fuller picture of what worked, what didn't, and whether the product might work for you before you spend your money.

Kirbie Johnson (0:22)

We carefully vet every brand and product we feature. This is founder Amy Liu's second time on the show. These partnerships help us keep making the podcast and provide you opportunities to try products before they launch. We really appreciate your support and you can read all of the tester reviews from the favorable to the critical on the sephora.com page for the foundation. Just search Gloss Angeles in the review section.

Sara Tan (0:43)

To become a confidential tester, subscribe to our sub stack through the link in the show notes.

Amy Liu (0:50)

G-M-A-M, Gloss Angeles.

Kirbie Johnson (1:03)

Amy Liu, welcome back to Gloss Angeles.

Amy Liu (1:06)

Thank you so much for having me. In person.

Sara Tan (1:08)

Yeah, when did we have you on?

Amy Liu (1:11)

I mean, seven years ago, maybe, like a long time ago.

Sara Tan (1:14)

Via Zoom.

Amy Liu (1:15)

Yeah, in early days.

Kirbie Johnson (1:16)

Yeah, 2021, 2022, I think.

Sara Tan (1:19)

Yeah. Wow. Well, welcome back.

Amy Liu (1:21)

It's been a while. You've done some things.

Kirbie Johnson (1:23)

Things have changed.

Amy Liu (1:24)

Things have changed. Yeah, we've definitely grown as a business.

Sara Tan (1:27)

Yes. And we feel so proud watching you because we started at the same time.

Amy Liu (1:32)

We did start at the same time. And I have been a fan from the very beginning as well.

Kirbie Johnson (1:36)

Seven years.

Sara Tan (1:37)

Yeah, you always supported us. We're so grateful.

Amy Liu (1:39)

Oh, same.

Kirbie Johnson (1:40)

Okay, Amy, so as a very busy founder and also CEO of your brand, we'd like to know, what are five things that are important to you on a daily basis that help you get through your day?

Amy Liu (1:53)

I start every morning with a walk. I go on a walk every morning with my husband. So he's our CFO. But at the same time, like we literally don't see each other unless we make a conscious effort to do it. And so we go on a walk every day. So that's non-negotiable for me. On the other end of the spectrum, I really love my red light panel. It actually helps me sleep. So I have the Saluma Pro, I think it's called. NAMVO told me to buy.

And I think it really helps me sleep, but I also feel like it helps my skin.

Sara Tan (2:22)

So you sleep with it on?

Amy Liu (2:24)

I put it on and I fall asleep. And then at some point I take it off of my bed, right?

But I do fall asleep with it. And it's become like a routine for me. So I definitely use that. I have started using Claude a lot more, mostly because I feel like it helps me organize my thoughts. So like, for instance, when I write my performance reviews, I can like say whatever I want and whatever I think, and then like organize my thoughts for me, make it actionable, simple, easy to understand, warm, you know, all of those things.

Kirbie Johnson (2:56)

Warm.

Amy Liu (2:57)

Warm.

Kirbie Johnson (2:58)

Take this down a notch for me.

Amy Liu (3:00)

Yeah, yeah, don't be a bitch. I know.

Kirbie Johnson (3:02)

But that's what the plight of a woman is.

Sara Tan (3:05)

I know.

Kirbie Johnson (3:05)

How do we make this firm, but also so people want to continue working with us?

Amy Liu (3:10)

Yes. Right?

Kirbie Johnson (3:11)

It's very hard.

Amy Liu (3:12)

Well, I think somebody told me, actually Cassandra from Kitsch told me this, and I never forgot it. She was like, the trick is to figure out how to work towards being respected and not liked.

Kirbie Johnson (3:22)

Yeah, it's hard because women want to be liked.

Amy Liu (3:24)

It's a really fine line.

Sara Tan (3:25)

I know. Sometimes I'll, if I do write something like, you know, help me with this in the clod or chat, and it removes all the exclamation marks. I'm like, I have to have them back in, because people might think I'm mad at them. It's so stupid. Like, why?

Amy Liu (3:39)

It's stupid, but then it's not, because honestly, that is kind of the, I don't know, women, our superpower is the fact that we are empathic and we feel, right? And we care about our relationships, and I think that really matters too. So, I agree. On both sides of it.