Makeup artist Hung Vanngo shares his expertise with the release of Hung Vanngo Beauty, launching at Sephora on September 8 and online. This new collection draws deeply from Vanngo’s esteemed career and heritage, offering makeup essentials that reflect his journey from Vietnam to Canada.
Crafting the perfect basics
“For me, the goal of the brand is what we call ‘perfecting the basics,'” said Hung Vanngo. With 54 products debuting at Sephora and six more shades exclusively online, the brand includes eye-shadow palettes, longwear and kohl eyeliners, creamy matte lipsticks, lip liners, bronzers, and blushes. “These are the basics that I’ve come to want over my 20-year career. I put my whole career into it.”
Vanngo plans to innovate further in the future, but his first release prioritizes reliability and versatility: “Later on we are going to launch product that we think is more innovative. But for the launch, it’s more of a reintroduction to the perfect basics,” Vanngo said.
A personal touch in every detail
Hung Vanngo Beauty’s packaging showcases a vibrant matte red—mirroring Vanngo’s own “Vanngo Red” lipstick.
The shade is more than a design choice, as Vanngo explains: “I wanted an orange-y red, with a little blue in there to flatter most skin tones. This is a more a vibrant color, it’s not a muted red at all. It’s a confident red, and that’s why I love it so much.”
The color red is a meaningful tribute to his Asian roots: “[Red] is a very big color in Asian heritage; we believe it’s a happy color, a powerful color — so that is part of the tribute back to my heritage as well.” Lipstick names, including “Phanat Nikhom,” echo chapters from Vanngo’s life in Vietnam, Thailand, and Canada: “I always believe you should remember where you’re from and who helped you,” he said.
Ready for a new chapter
Vanngo’s journey to launching this brand began amid the pandemic and has spanned five years of dedicated planning. The collaboration with Sephora was a dream come true for Vanngo, who relishes the retailer’s support and influence.
For now, Vanngo remains focused on makeup basics, but he hopes to expand further:
“I would love this brand to be international, to be a cult favorite. I don’t want to create trendy products… I would love to branch out to skin care and other things. But that’s the future plan. Right now, we would love to focus on makeup and creating great formulas that everyone loves.”
