In a place where rigid beauty standards and stigma around candid mental health discussions still linger, Cheng’s presence in the beauty industry puts her at the forefront of change as it starts to open up to different ideas of what healthy looks like.

We interviewed Cheng to get a grasp of how exactly this gradual shift of perspective in Hong Kong is happening.

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Congratulations on becoming the latest Benefit ambassador! Why do you think the brand chose you?

I’m very happy to work with Benefit, and I think maybe one of the reasons why they chose me to be one of their new ambassadors is because they feel like I have a very bold personality and I’m not afraid to speak my mind, stand up for what I believe in, to embrace my flaws, and even learn to love them and enhance them.

How do you feel Benefit represents the beauty industry as a whole?

What sets Benefit cosmetics apart from other cosmetics brands is that it has been a bold, empowering brand right from the very beginning. It was founded by a pair of twin sisters. Their very first product was a lip and blush tint made for an exotic dancer as a nipple tint. How bold is that? How forward thinking is that? Personally, I feel like they’ve become very successful because very early on, they found their niche and they really managed to stand firm and represent themselves as a brand that is expert at doing, [for example], brow shaping and really loving and enhancing your eyebrows.

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What are your thoughts on the beauty and skincare industry in Hong Kong and the rest of Asia? How do you think it has evolved and what hurdles do brands and individuals still face?

I’ve been very happy with the make-up and skincare industry in Hong Kong recently, especially since they’re more open to finding ambassadors like me who, for example, don’t necessarily fit into a so-called [typical] beauty standard.

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I remember the first time I was hired to shoot for a cosmetics brand in 2017. I was so excited and honoured and I felt like, wow, this is part of something really major that is happening in Hong Kong right now, that we’ve been seeing in the beauty industry in North America. Hong Kong, though slowly, is catching up, and I’m very glad to be a part of that.

On that note, how would you describe today’s mindset towards beauty and body positivity? How does Hong Kong differ from the rest of the world?

Hong Kong is really starting to have more of an open mind towards what is considered beautiful, or what is considered “OK”. It’s a beautiful thing. I was able, very recently, to participate in the Miss Hong Kong beauty pageant as a performing guest, and I think if I’d been invited to be on this pageant five or six years ago, I don’t think I’d be as empowered or feel as OK to perform with the contestants. I would probably have felt very insecure.

It was exciting, of course, being able to participate in something that is so well known, but there was no sense of insecurity. Because I know now, Hong Kong is able to accept different standards of beauty. Of course, the whole pageant thing is a different topic, but growth is happening.

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On a personal level, how do you hope to validate body positivity or change Hong Kong’s mindset?

I don’t feel like I have the power to change any sort of mindset. All I know is, I want to continue on this journey of learning how to love myself and accept my flaws. As a public figure, if my audience follows this journey with me and they feel something when they see me go through my journey of self-acceptance – great! Win-win, right? But I don’t feel like I want to preach. I don’t want to be preachy, I think that’s the worst thing.

What are your thoughts on mental health, and how its importance ranks in the minds of young people worldwide, in Asia and in Hong Kong in particular?

Especially in our Asian culture, I feel like there’s still stigma around seeking professional help – that’s why I’m very open about my journey to start therapy last year. I want to share good things that happen in my life, and seeking therapy and working on bettering my mental health has been something so positive in my life that when I chat with my friends, with even my colleagues outside work, I want them also to work on their mental health. So if talking about my journey affects those around me and helps take away stigma, that’s great.

You’ve also been an incredible inspiration for young women in Hong Kong. What do you hope to achieve?

You know, I don’t really feel like I’m a particularly empowering person. All I know is, when I see my girlfriends doing great, I want to cheer them on and let them know that they’re doing great, and it’s as simple as that.

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It should never be about tearing other people down; it should always be about lifting each other up. It should always be helping each other grow, praising each other for our growth, and believing each other’s ability to grow. All of this stuff is so much bigger than I am, and all I can do is work on me and those immediately next to me.

Hopefully, they will do the same, and at the end of the day we’ll be able to create this huge connected web of mutual empowerment; whether it’s between women or men, we should all support each other.