Welcome to Beauty Lookbook, Highsnobiety’s series examining the beauty routines of our stylish friends. This month, we chat with Sandy Liang, the designer dressing downtown New York.
Name: Sandy Liang
Location: New York
Occupation: Designer
What’s your earliest beauty-related memory?
My mom's Lancôme Trésor perfume from Macy's.
How has your definition of beauty changed as you’ve gotten older?
I've learned to be more appreciative of myself — loving myself, however I look and feel. It's funny, I'm actually more adventurous with makeup now that I'm a bit older and feeling more comfortable in my own skin, whereas in my earlier 20s I was much more self-conscious.
What’s the first beauty product you ever bought?
My first purchase was a Wet-n-Wild metallic, light lilac lipstick from the CVS on Northern Blvd [in Queens]. It smelled like lipstick — it didn't smell cute and perfume-y like most lipsticks nowadays.
What’s the one product you always splurge on?
Skincare! Anything skincare-related. With beauty, I have a hard time saying no. I feel as though I owe it to myself to be as playful as I want, because I'm making up for all my 20s when I barely wore makeup except for eyeliner.
What’s your favorite drug store product?
Cerave face wash.
What’s your holy grail — the one product you can’t live without?
It's so hard to pick one. Stila eyeliner or any shampoo — I hate oily hair!
What do you smell like?
OMG no idea. I used to wear perfume all the time and somewhere in my 20s, my body started rejecting it. I would get nauseous every time I was near it. So sadly, I can't wear perfume.
What’s your favorite under-the-radar beauty brand?
I love my Japanese eyebrow pencil — it's so hard to get a hold of. I think it's called BrowLash.
Do you shower in the morning or at night?
Night! I can't sleep comfortably without having showered first. I'm trying to wash my hair only every other day (so hard because, again, I hate oily hair) and wear braids on my in-between days.
How does your style inform your beauty routine?
Sometimes I'll look at my outfit and feel like an eye or lip — but typically never both. I just learned about doing eyeliner on my waterline (lol) from my makeup artist friend Sena. I like doing a hardcore eyeliner like that when I'm wearing something softer and pretty. If I'm dressing down in a tee and something baggy or simple, I love a good plum or dark red lip from Chanel.
What is one piece of beauty advice you would give to everyone?
Play! Don't be afraid. You look great as long as you feel good.
