YouTube and Instagram star on make-up for mindfulness, problem with the word ‘Asian’, and the beauty industry after lockdown

These days Chan’s social media output is more personal, an entry point to an Instagram community for expressive make-up, and – with everything that’s been going on amid the global pandemic – decidedly restorative.

Her Instagram feed is filled with colourful shades of lavender, mint greens and bright oranges, and dozens upon dozens of playful graphic eyeshadow looks. Most of these accompany a short clip where she glides her make-up brush over her lids, dragging paints from the likes of Kryolan, pastels from HipDot, liquid liners from Fenty, and more, until her playful design is complete.

“It’s almost like make-up ASMR,” she tells the Post. “You see these videos of people slowly applying gloss onto their eye and it’s a very soothing bit of escapism. It’s like turning your face into a fantasy.”

Chan has experimented with these colourful techniques for years, but now that her role as a video director with Condé Nast Entertainment allows her to work remotely, she’s finding more time than ever to play around with new looks in her flat.