To Stephanie Hui, Beauty Is Whatever Makes Her Feel Confident
"Other people don't have to agree with it; as long as I like it, I’m happy."
This December, we shine the spotlight on beauty creators who have stood out to us in their own unique ways this year. Here, Stephanie Hui tells us about her relationship with beauty, how 2022 has treated her, and what she looks forward to in the new year.
Stephanie Hui is by far one of the biggest Gen-Z Asian personalities to break into the beauty scene today. Not only was she hand-picked to star in commercials for conglomerates like Samsung and Google alongside fellow creator Addison Rae, she has modelled for global brands such as MAC Cosmetics and Fenty Beauty, and worked with luxury houses including Dior, Tory Burch, Burberry, Gucci, and Saint Laurent for her content.
Hui’s platform is constantly growing, with 560k followers on Instagram and over 1.6 million on TikTok, where she spends most of her time creating. Following in the footsteps of popular beauty creators like Michelle Phan and Karen Yeung, Hui is now known for creating videos showcasing her cheerful disposition and clever takes on beauty trends at their peak.
“[Michelle Phan and Karen Yeung] honestly helped ignite my love and passion for makeup,” shares Hui. “Before them, I seriously thought makeup wasn’t for me because the beauty trends back then did not fit my eye shape at all.”
She continues: “If it wasn’t for them, I think I would still find my way back to beauty and makeup because I just love the way it makes me feel and look, but I probably wouldn’t be creating beauty content — let alone doing it full-time — as those creators inspired and showed me that content creation could be a whole career.”
Many view you as a trailblazer for beauty, spotting and recreating trends before others try them for themselves. What do you think of this title you’ve been given?
To be honest, I don’t see myself as a trailblazer so I feel shocked but also honoured that people view me in that way. I’m constantly learning from all the talented creators and artists on these platforms, and I love recreating the looks that I stumble upon. At this point, can originality in beauty even exist? I feel like a lot of beauty and fashion trends now have all been repurposed and passed down for decades. Also, a lot of the beauty trends have been popularised by non-Asian artists and creators, so as an Asian creator, I almost feel a sense of responsibility to strike up conversations on such trends among the community, and customise them in a way that is flattering for my features.
Residing in Hong Kong and the United States throughout your life, how have both places influenced your makeup styles?
I was born and raised in Hong Kong but grew up in a multicultural environment, given that I spent my childhood summers in Canada, went to an international high school, and lived in New York for four years for college. I would say that my makeup styles and ways of self-expression are heavily influenced by American culture as that was what I grew up mainly following. Although I’ve always loved the ’90s vintage Hong Kong makeup style — with the bold straight brow, voluminous curls, and red lip, so I love doing that look for night outs!
You have built quite a large following for yourself. Why do you think people resonate with you and your content?
I feel so grateful and lucky to have such a supportive online community around me! I think that my content resonates with my audience and other creators because there is a balance between being educational and entertaining, while being accessible and easy to follow. I try not to take myself too seriously, and love to play around and explore with different looks, so I feel like that energy shows through in my content as well.
You’ve had the opportunity of starring in multiple big-scale campaigns over the years, most notably for Samsung and MAC Cosmetics. Besides these, how has your platform impacted your life for the better?
I still cannot believe I’ve had the opportunity to be a part of those campaigns! My platform has changed my life. It has given me such a supportive online community that I see as my friends. It has also launched me into spaces I never thought I would be in a million years, allowed me to get into modelling even though I’m 5’3”, travel to really cool places with dream brands, meet and work with other creators who I’ve watched and admired growing up, and so much more! It has given me a sense of purpose and direction in my life and allowed me to connect with people through my passions and interests.
What looks did you enjoy creating the most in 2022?
I enjoyed creating my Halloween looks, graphic liner videos (one of my favourites to make and watch), and Halloween jack-o'-lantern and ghost liner as I loved how they turned out! My recent “GRWM” videos have also been some of my favourite content I’ve made as I’ve tried to open up more, be more vulnerable, and let my personality shine through, allowing me to connect with my viewers more intimately and on a different level.
How has the past year been for you?
The past year has been an absolute dream; it has been challenging yet fulfilling in both work and life. I’m still learning to balance the two, especially because content creation can sometimes feel like a 24/7 job. I didn’t have any content creator friends back home and at first, it felt quite isolating to go through such a big change alone. But through brand events, work, and travelling, I’ve been able to make so many new friends and it feels nice to be able to connect with people who have similar interests and lifestyles as me.
How has your relationship with beauty changed over the years?
My relationship with beauty is constantly evolving. Learning to love myself and fully accept every part of me has not been easy and is still an ever-changing journey. Growing up, I used to constantly compare myself with the girls I saw online and wish that I looked like them. I felt insecure about my Asian features and wanted to change them to fit into the Eurocentric beauty standards I saw everywhere.
I realise now that it was extremely unrealistic and unhealthy to do so. It’s tiring trying to be “beautiful” and so much easier just being myself, and letting that beauty come through from that. My perception of beauty now is whatever makes me feel confident, and how I want to express myself. Other people don't have to agree with it; as long as I like it, I’m happy.
What are you looking forward to in the new year?
I look forward to diving into new projects, expanding my content onto other platforms and exploring other mediums to create in, travelling more, and even making something of my own with the help of my wonderful team at GCA! I want to take more risks and jump into new experiences outside of my comfort zone, and overall grow as both a creator and a person.
Photography by LEO THOM (@SHOTBYLEO)
