A respected and award-winning Atlanta attorney is making a career switch from the high-powered legal industry to the beauty and personal care industry by launching a cosmetic make-up line. Available nationwide today, Tender Cosmetics is a premium, woman-owned beauty brand with cooling makeup that feels as good as it looks. Created to help professionals incorporate self-care into their busy schedules, the brand’s founder, Asian-American attorney Ling-Ling Nie, shares candidly her struggle with work-life balance. After a serious health scare and the desire to feel good again, Nie’s catalyst for formulating “makeup for me” led her to launch Tender Cosmetics, a line combining beauty and wellness in everyday routines. 

Nie’s story as an attorney shows why she personally understands the need for makeup like Tender. Nie prioritized her legal career above all else until it became clear she was overlooking her health in pursuit of her ambition. She spent more than two decades in legal leadership roles, including at the Georgia Institute of Technology, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and Panasonic. But after pouring all her energy into work, Nie’s body forced her to slow down. She became seriously ill and underwent multiple surgeries, including almost a month of hospital stays. During her three-year recovery, Nie had time to reflect. 

“I felt like a shell of myself while in the hospital,” Tender Cosmetics founder, Ling-Ling Nie said. “One of the only things that made me feel myself again was applying under-eye patches. That tiny moment of comfort reminded me that I was still human and deserved to feel good. That’s the experience I wanted to recreate with Tender Cosmetics.”

Tender’s signature formulas include jojoba, lemon extract, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, and lavender. Jojoba oil contains antioxidants and vitamins known to help protect and moisturize skin; lemon extract is known to boost collagen production and support glowing skin; aloe barbadensis leaf juice is known for its soothing properties, and lavender is known for its aromatherapy benefits—to calm the nervous system and lift the mood, reducing stress and anxiety. These natural, plant-based ingredients help give the makeup its refreshing feel, and Tender’s formula provides the cooling sensation that will soon be patent-pending. Nie’s legal career helped her navigate the intense research and entrepreneurial acumen needed to develop hard-to-find makeup.

Tender Cosmetics is named in honor of her father, Tun-Chun “TC” Nie—an engineer turned tech entrepreneur. The brand took years to develop, formulate, and perfect to achieve its mission of infusing well-being into beauty. With universally flattering shades for all skin tones, the collection includes products for eyes, cheeks, and face.

Nie recently took a sabbatical from practicing law to focus on Tender full-time. She hopes the brand will empower driven professionals to feel more restored, energized, and like themselves again.

“I think beauty is deeply personal and everyone has a different interpretation of it,” explains Nie. “Our products reach beyond what people see and are a reminder that self-care is not an indulgence, it’s treating yourself with respect. You deserve to feel good.”