Face The Difference: Celebrating Asian Pacific Beauty

There are photoshoots — and then there are cultural resets. When fashion designer Kim Shui stepped on set of Face the Difference, Bustle’s most groundbreaking shoot yet, she sensed it was the latter. “There was this energy in the room — like we all understood how unprecedented it was to be seen together in this way,” said Shui, whose designs are a vivid reflection of her cultural roots.

Co-created with Maybelline New York in honor of Asian Pacific Heritage Month, Face the Difference brought together 40 trailblazers shaping beauty, culture, and the arts to celebrate the broad spectrum of Asian Pacific beauty — something yet to be done at this scale. Olympic medalists traded stories with Broadway stars. TikTok icons swapped numbers with culinary giants. Eavesdropping between takes, there was no small talk — only genuine conversation about what it meant to grow up feeling invisible and how embracing heritage has fueled success.

Inspired by the 40 shades of Maybelline’s Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation, the shoot turned shade diversity into something deeper: a storytelling canvas. These 40 trailblazers didn’t show up to blend in. They came to show how their differences became their superpower. The portraits, layered with mirrored reflections and prismatic light, are more than visually striking — they’re symbols of nonlinear journeys, of strength shaped by nuance, identity, and pride. Because beauty doesn’t happen in spite of difference — it happens because of it. Each of these changemakers invites you into the distinct world they’ve created, where being seen is just the beginning.

Explore the interactive portraits below to learn more about our 40 changemakers and to discover the vast spectrum of Asian Pacific beauty.

Editor’s Note: Face the Difference was developed by Asian Pacific creatives in collaboration with community partner Gold House to ensure authentic and affirming Asian Pacific representation.