Mei Pang has captivated TikTok and Instagram with her makeup looks, which range from clean, everyday looks to boundary-pushing avant-garde artistry. But behind her artistry and ingenuity, the first-generation Canadian of Malaysian descent has faced a lifetime of navigating cultural duality. “Too Asian for the white kids, too white for the Asian kids,” she shares with MEGA.
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Finding Balance Between Two Worlds
Growing up in a predominantly white environment, Pang often felt caught between worlds. While she’s still navigating the nuances of her identity, she’s learned to celebrate both her Canadian upbringing and Malaysian roots. “The beauty standards are so night and day between the two countries,” she observed. “Navigating these became a challenge, including finding my sense of identity and pride on both sides.”
One of the Malaysian values the content creator holds most dear is the sense of family and love shown through acts of service—a sentiment many Southeast Asians can relate to. “It’s those acts of service that I hold so near and dear to my heart. It’s something that I have found myself doing for my loved ones that differs from the Western culture that you’re used to now,” Pang said fondly.
These identity struggles weren’t just internal—they also shaped her artistic journey, including her Malaysian heritage.
Shifting Canvases, Staying Grounded
Though Pang studied painting in art school, she candidly admits that she didn’t stand out. She entered art school with the belief that she would be a painter for the rest of her life, only for reality to slap her across the face. “I realized I’m a very subpar painter. I’m good, but I’m not great, and that’s something I’m very self-aware of,” she recalled with a lighthearted laugh.
After quitting the canvas and being let go from the corporate nine-to-five life during the pandemic, she turned to content creation to pay the bills, eventually translating her artistic eye from canvas to face. What started as simple makeup evolved into full-blown experimental beauty inspired by everything around her: nature, furniture, posters. Some looks take up to eight hours, echoing the depth and discipline of her fine art background.
As she shifted from canvas to skin, her cultural roots followed, showing up in subtle color palettes, natural motifs, and deeply personal inspiration drawn from the Malaysian landscapes she knows and loves. “With my makeup and the aesthetic I go for, it transcends any kind of beauty trend.”
“I think about how beautiful, serene, and different Malaysia can be. From Kota Kinabalu to Singapore, it’s all incredibly different. I take inspiration from that and I put that into my makeup looks,”
– Mei Pang shares about her home country
Being a content creator in the realm of beauty, you would think that she’s constantly chasing the trends to keep herself relevant. However, Pang has admitted that she’s actually uninterested in keeping up with fleeting beauty trends—instead, she follows her instincts, mixing tradition with experimentation in every look. “I stick to my own path because I know that’s what makes me the happiest,” she expressed honestly. “Not only does it excite me, but it challenges me.”
But Pang doesn’t just stop at cultural nods. She pushes boundaries in more radical, visual ways, too.
Her Own Kind of Normal
Whether through her full-body symmetrical tattoos, formerly shaved head, or approach to beauty, Pang has always defied the conventional beauty standards. “I love to push myself out of my comfort zone,” she expressed passionately. “If you don’t try, you’ll never know. I’m always trying to evolve myself and my identity.” No matter how unconventional her choices were as a woman—tattoos on every inch of her body, a bald head for nearly a decade—it was her normalcy.
“There was no standard for me back then, there’s no standard for me now. It’s been wonderful because I truly feel normal.”
– Mei Pang, beauty content creator
With Pang’s unique take on artistry in the world of beauty, it’s no surprise that she appeared at the recent Paris Fashion Week with Makeup For Ever and Marine Serre, marking a career high for her. “To be in that space, having all these tattoos and being accepted; it was a dream. It felt like I belonged,” she said sincerely.
The Long Trek to Representation
The Malaysian creator isn’t just carving space for herself—she’s also helping shift the spotlight to Southeast Asians in the global beauty scene.
With so little Malaysian representation in the media, Pang feels honored to represent her heritage in the beauty and fashion industry. “I’m not the same level as Michelle Yeoh. I’ll never be. However, to be a voice, to be so proud of my heritage, and to show people what it’s like. I’m grateful and honored.”
“I’m seeing more Southeast Asian representation in the space, but I want to see more. The social media space is vast, and there’s a place for everybody.”
– Mei Pang on Southeast Asian representation in the beauty scene
Despite some strides, Pang feels there’s still a long way to go in terms of true representation. Take the foundation shade range, for example. It infuriates not just the Malaysian creator but also many dark-skinned people, not only from the lack of shades but the lack of accessible beauty, especially in Southeast Asia. “It’s crazy how much emphasis is still placed on fair skin, which is almost unattainable at this point,” Pang commented. “It needs to be changed.”
She recalled the time BLACKPINK Lisa promoted her music by showcasing her dark skin, which took the world by storm. “I want to see more of that—deeper skin tones,” she said, calling for more inclusion not just in both campaigns and product ranges, but also in media.
The road ahead is filled with challenges but Mei Pang—secure in her beauty and artistry—is built for the long haul. From embracing her cultural duality to making her identity visible on global platforms, she proves that avant-garde beauty is most powerful when it’s personal and proudly rooted.
Don’t miss her next masterpiece—follow Mei Pang’s ever-evolving world of creative beauty.
Featured Image and Photos: MEI PANG (via Instagram)
