Will Jones
Photo by Shuai Jiang
Shuai Jiang is a Los Angeles-based professional makeup and hair artist and the founder of LIZI STUDIO. Her work spans editorial beauty, film, television, music, and culturally inspired styling. Recently, she served as Lead Makeup Artist on the film Dangerous Lesson and Lead Makeup and Hair Artist for a Halle Abadi music video and cover shoot. She also provided traditional Chinese styling, makeup, and hairstyling for Christine Chiu during the production of Netflix’s Bling Empire.
A Designer’s Eye for the Face
Jiang approaches makeup the way a designer approaches a visual composition. Before she decides on color, texture, or hair, she thinks about how the face, wardrobe, lighting, and overall visual direction will work together in the final frame. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design from ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena. That training still shapes how she uses composition, color, balance, and visual storytelling on set.
“To me, all forms of art are connected. The transition from graphic designer to makeup artist felt very natural because both professions are ultimately about understanding people, solving creative problems, and creating meaningful visual experiences,” Jiang said.
She founded LIZI STUDIO in 2018 as her work increasingly shifted from graphic design toward makeup artistry, styling, and on-set creative production. “What ultimately inspired me to leave design was realizing how much I enjoyed working with people. While I loved the creative side of graphic design, I found myself happiest on commercial photo shoots and film sets, collaborating with different creatives and building relationships,” she said.
Entertainment Work in Hollywood
On Bling Empire, Jiang provided custom Hanfu styling, makeup, and hairstyling for Christine Chiu during the production of Season 3. Her work on Bling Empire drew on years of experience in traditional Chinese styling. Earlier in her career, Jiang worked with Southern California cultural and university organizations on Hanfu-related projects, developing experience in coordinating traditional dress, makeup, hairstyling, and visual presentation.
In 2026, Jiang served as Lead Makeup Artist on Dangerous Lesson, where she developed and executed character-specific makeup looks for the production. Her responsibilities included translating the production’s character and visual direction into makeup looks designed for continuity across scenes and camera setups.
She also served as Lead Makeup and Hair Artist for singer Halle Abadi’s music video and cover shoot, where she developed the principal makeup and hairstyling looks created for camera.
Jiang’s work has also received international recognition. She won the Best Culturally Inspired Makeup category at the International Beauty Industry (IBI) Awards in 2019 and returned as a semi-finalist in 2024 and 2026.
From Concept to Camera
Before a production starts, Jiang works to understand the visual direction of the client or production. “During every photo shoot, I prioritize understanding the unique needs and visions of my clients. This involves a thorough consultation process where I deeply engage with each client to grasp not only the requirements of the project but also the subtler nuances of their personal or brand story,” she told CanvasRebel Magazine in 2024.
From there, she turns that direction into a finished image and coordinates makeup, hair, and wardrobe so they read as one look on camera. Applying the makeup is only part of the job. The rest is making sure every element supports the same visual concept. Outside of commissioned productions, Jiang also develops self-directed editorial projects with professional models, using those projects to experiment with new makeup, hairstyling, and visual concepts.
Jiang continues to expand her work across editorial, commercial, film, television, and music productions, with culturally inspired makeup and hairstyling at the center of her practice. Through LIZI STUDIO and her work on outside productions, she combines makeup artistry, hairstyling, visual design, and culturally grounded storytelling.