Meet Julia Peng, the Illustrator Behind Beautylish’s Lucky Bag 2025 

Lucky you—our surprise beauty-filled mystery boxes are back! These Lucky Bags are brimming with makeup, skincare, and haircare treasures, wrapped up in exclusive, collectible gift wrap. Bonus: even this year’s wrapping paper unfolds into a poster of the story!

This year’s adorable design was created by Julia Peng, a talented Taiwanese-American artist based in the Bay Area. Inspired by the charm of ducks and the joy they bring, her artwork adds a whimsical touch to this year’s Lucky Bags. We caught up with Julia to chat about her journey from software engineer to full-time artist, her creative process, and the adorable ducks that inspire her work.

What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?

My professional background is actually in computer science and software engineering! I was still working as an engineer just a few months ago before taking the leap to focus on art full-time.

How would you describe your art style?
I’d describe my art style as cozy, warm, and fantastical yet familiar. I love using warm colors, intricate details, and playful elements in my illustrations to evoke feelings of comfort and nostalgia.

My work is deeply influenced by my Asian American upbringing, reflections on everyday life, and my love for animals—especially ducks! Not only are they incredibly cute and seem to truly enjoy life, but they also remind me of some of my most cherished childhood memories.

What does your creative process look like?

My process can vary from piece to piece, but it generally follows a few key steps:

1. Brainstorming + sketching: I start with lots of rough sketches, sometimes even journaling in a stream-of-consciousness style. This helps me tap into an open-minded headspace and let go of the pressure for things to look ‘perfect’ from the get-go.

2. Gathering inspiration: (interchangeable with 1) I collect images that resonate with me and the mood or theme I’m exploring—mostly from books, Pinterest, or my phone’s photo gallery.

3. Iterative creation: From here, it’s an iterative process of sketching, lining, coloring, and rendering, adjusting, and refining as I go. I let my own intuition and general artistic principles guide me.

I also believe creativity stems from lived experiences. I always find it harder to produce when I haven’t filled my cup with rich experiences. Spending time traveling, with loved ones, eating delicious foods, reading books, watching movies, taking long walks in nature—all broaden my mind, open my soul, and ultimately shape the art I create.

What’s been the most surprising or rewarding moment in your career so far?

It’s hard to choose—there have been so many! From selling at art markets and gaining online recognition to connecting with other creatives and collaborating with amazing brands like Beautylish have all been surreal. If I had to pick, the most surprising moment would be my decision to pivot away from tech this year and pursue art full-time. I even surprised myself with this decision! I’m incredibly excited to continue to grom as a creative and connect with the world through art.

Do you have any New Year’s traditions? How will you celebrate?

I love spending the New Year eating delicious foods and catching up with friends and family, taking advantage of the time everyone can truly unwind.

This year I’ll be celebrating overseas in Japan for the first time! Perhaps I’ll buy a few lucky bags to celebrate while I’m there :)

What are your hopes for 2025?

Artistically, I hope to continue developing my skills and confidence as a creative, while finding new ways to engage with local communities through visual art.

More broadly, I hope 2025 gives us all the space to nurture our passions and spend time with loved ones. In 2024, I’ve learned how important it is to create space for ourselves and for our dreams.

If I may be a bit idealistic for a moment, I hope for a world where we can all have a roof over our heads, a soft bed to rest in, food to eat, and access to good healthcare to give us the time and mental space to pursue our interests, create art, find purpose, and build meaningful connections.

Want to know more? Check out Julia’s website and follow her journey on Instagram.

Images courtesy Julia Peng