These days, Ms Liu enjoys a real sense of achievement from helping members of the general public. She offers advice and suggestions on how to improve their image and approach life with confidence. This way she makes both an immediate difference and a long-term impact.

The moment of greatest job satisfaction for Ms Liu is when the client gets his/her first peek at the transformed look.

Last year, viewers of the ATV Home channel show Looking Good With Tina got an idea of just what can happen: some of the guests on the show were so happy with the results of their makeovers that they wept with joy.

'I never get that from artists,' said Ms Liu, who nevertheless appreciates all the opportunities she has had working with showbiz folk and celebrities. 'It was glamorous, it was creative and it helped me build my career,' she said.

Ms Liu recalled how she discovered her talent as a stylist quite by accident, when friends asked her to help out at photo shoots. It was immediately apparent that Ms Liu had a keen eye for visual presentation and a distinctly creative streak, and the calls for help started pouring in. It also helped that she had many friends and connections from her early days as an actress, singer and model.

The stage-and-catwalk chapter of her career began when she was crowned Miss Vancouver Chinatown four years after moving to Canada as a 16 year old. The title led to offers of work and, despite her parents' initial resistance, she gave up a place at university and returned to Hong Kong to act and sing on various television shows.

At the same time, she started a parallel career as a part-time model. Also, she began to write. In time, this combination of talent opened the door to the movie industry, and the timing could not have been better. In the early 1980s, things were booming and the opportunities were abundant for an attractive, confident and talented young actress.

Seizing her chance, Ms Liu appeared in a number of feature films, but then she went further by also becoming an assistant producer and assistant director. 'I threw myself into everything that was offered,' she said. 'To me, it wasn't work. I had fun and made lots of friends who are still friends now.'

Not content with that, Ms Liu started to find other outlets for her talent. She joined the fashionable City magazine as executive editor, when it was still in its infancy, and produced some of its most memorable covers. Then, branching out again, she ran a record company in the mid-1980s and also worked as an image director at Hong Kong's first Esprit shop.

Her familiarity with the corporate world helped when she was subsequently appointed head of the talent department for Asia Television, and manager at Metro Broadcast Corporation's music station.

In the midst of all these responsibilities, Ms Liu somehow found the time to keep up with her writing, and she wrote copiously. At one stage she was producing six columns a week for newspapers and magazines. With all this, she agreed to take on the job of presenting a weekly radio show on Sundays called Mums and Dads Let's Talk. That was eight years ago, and the show is still a great favourite with listeners. Her co-presenters are both fathers (one is her ex-husband). The show involves answering questions from the public about anything to do with parenting.

Meanwhile, Ms Liu was styling celebrities in her spare time. The realisation then came that other people, not just artists, could benefit from her skills. 'I decided to set up my own company so that the public could find me, instead of only show business people.'

In 1994, Hong Kong's first image consultancy was born. Success followed, and the business later expanded into areas such as corporate image training for mainland-based companies.

Most employers these days are aware that their employees project an image that becomes associated with the company, and that they should therefore be given some guidance in making the most of their appearance.

Ms Liu treads a careful line when dealing with clients. She does not believe in emphasising appearance over ability.

'I tell students to take care of their inside abilities first, do the job right, and the outside stuff will enhance their ability,' she said.

Thanks to the internet, Ms Liu is now able to run her business from home and enjoy a balance of work and leisure. When off duty, she watches old movies, reads magazines and spends time with her boyfriend or her daughter when she is home from university.

Running a business, writing a weekly column and hosting a two-hour radio show might seem an exacting workload to some, but not for Ms Liu. In fact, she is often weighing up some new project or commitment.

At some point in the future she sees herself producing books, videos and seminar tools on how to project a positive image, but she is not in a hurry. Confident that she can turn her hand to anything, she follows her instincts, which have served her well so far.

'I knew what I liked and I adhered to those things,' she said. 'I had no plan, I just enjoyed my good luck.'

TIPS

Never stop learning.

Build self-confidence by appreciating and loving yourself. Believe in your potential.

Tot up successful experiences, no matter how big or small.

Celebrate personal uniqueness, rather than trying to run with the crowd.

Think positively. Having an intelligent, optimistic attitude to life makes each experience more enjoyable.

Young people should try not to be too money-orientated. They should be looking for exposure and experience, which are ultimately more rewarding than dollars.