Peachtree City-based attorney Ling-Ling Nie spent more than two decades immersed in high-stakes legal work—reviewing briefs and navigating complex regulatory compliance. She served as General Counsel for the Georgia Institute of Technology and later as Chief Legal Officer for a digital security company.
A respected and trusted attorney, Nie earned her place on the “Legal 500 General Counsel Power List” in 2024 and was named “General Counsel of the Year” by the Atlanta Business Chronicle and the Georgia Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel in 2021. That same dedication to excellence extends beyond the corporate world—she’s also served on the boards of the Georgia Lawyers for the Arts, the Atlanta Bar Foundation, and Actor’s Express Theatre.
But despite Nie’s incredible achievements, there was one aspect of her life that she overlooked: taking care of herself. After years of pouring her energy into work, Nie’s body forced her to slow down. A serious health scare led to multiple surgeries and a long hospital stay. She spent almost a month at Piedmont Healthcare, which became a wake-up call for her to find ways to make her ambitions sustainable for her health and wellness.
“I think I got used to putting everyone first and myself last—at work, at home, everywhere,” Nie said. “I didn’t think of it as a problem at the time. I wanted to be dependable. But over time, I realized how easy it is to lose yourself. And I know I’m not the only one. So many women do the same thing without realizing how damaging it is.”
As Nie healed, she developed a wellness routine anchored in small joys—cooling under-eye patches and skincare rituals that made her feel grounded and refreshed. This inspired Tender Cosmetics—a premium beauty brand that blends creamy textures with stunning colors and cooling sensations. The unique ingredients that formulate Tender’s cooling sensation will soon be patent-pending.
Tender is a reminder to busy professionals that makeup can—and should—feel good.
Officially launched this year, Tender Cosmetics is a premium beauty brand that seeks to become nationwide. Tender reflects founder Ling-Ling Nie’s personal journey and her belief that makeup should feel as good as it looks. Tender is built on the idea that beauty can be restorative—an everyday ritual that helps women feel more like themselves.
The name “Tender Cosmetics” honors Ling-Ling’s father, Tun-Chun Nie—who goes by T.C.—and a nod to her parents’ unwavering source of wisdom and encouragement throughout her life. Her father, an engineer turned tech entrepreneur, was an inspiration. “It felt right to name the brand after someone who led with perseverance and courage,” Nie said.
Although breaking into the cosmetics world wasn’t easy for Nie at first—especially without industry connections—she brought the same persistence and problem-solving mindset that shaped her legal career to create unique makeup formulas. “I didn’t come from the beauty industry. But I knew what type of makeup I would want to wear—and how I wanted it to make people feel.”
She’s now pausing her career in corporate law to focus on building Tender. For Nie, this isn’t just a business—it’s a mission to help others reconnect with themselves, one beauty routine at a time. “I am encouraged knowing Tender will help women not only look good on the outside, but also feel good on the inside – especially in moments where they need it most.”