Gloss Angeles · Kirbie Johnson and Sara Tan

Hung Vanngo on Launching His Namesake Line, His 5 Kit Essentials, and How He Became the Makeup Artist Celebrities Flock To

·47 min·4 clips

Hung Vanngo hoarded a discontinued Japanese eyebrow marker on eBay for over a decade, calling it his signature.

This episode features celebrity makeup artist Hung Vanngo in conversation with hosts Kirby and Sarah. Vanngo discusses his new namesake makeup line launching at Sephora and shares insights from his career journey. The hosts have admired his work from afar, making this his first time meeting them. Vanngo reveals five essential products he always keeps in his kit, starting with a discontinued Japanese eyebrow marker he stockpiled from eBay. He also names Aquaphor as a multi-use staple, Rare Beauty's Mesmerize powder highlighter, La Mer's original moisturizer, and an IS Clinical eye cream. He details using Aquaphor to heal cracked skin and explains his technique for warming and pressing La Mer into the skin. Vanngo describes the Rare Beauty highlighter as versatile for both subtle and intense application on the face and body. He shares his background, having escaped Vietnam as a child and living in a Thai refugee camp before immigrating to Canada. Vanngo initially trained as a hairdresser in Calgary, a skill he later used when freelancing required both hair and makeup in Toronto. His big career break came when a friend, Christopher Michael, connected him with supermodel Helena Christensen for a Numero Tokyo shoot. Vanngo moved to New York without agency representation, building his clientele by being consistently available for last-minute bookings. Vanngo states his artistic goal is to make clients look like the most beautiful version of themselves, citing Kevin Aucoin as an early inspiration. He emphasizes being perpetually early for appointments and taking his time to study a client's face each day. He recalls recent favorite looks, including Selena Gomez's monochromatic Oscars makeup and a bold lip-and-eye combination for a Transformers premiere. Vanngo advocates for applying complexion products before eye makeup, an "old school" method he and Helena Christensen agree on. The conversation turns to his new brand, which launches with eight distinct eyeshadow palettes, each themed around a color story like blue or green. He explains the challenge of reformulating 15 shades to meet California's ingredient bans while maintaining vibrancy for his vegan, cruelty-free line. Vanngo designed the palettes to be approachable, with four different textures, including a "3D matte" meant for easy finger application. He also mentions a full range of lipsticks that have been less publicized. The tone is conversational, friendly, and educational, with hosts asking detailed questions about techniques and products. This episode is ideal for makeup enthusiasts, aspiring artists, and fans of Hung Vanngo wanting to understand his creative process and career path. Listeners seeking highly technical product reviews or debates on industry controversies might find it less aligned with their interests.

As heard by us

A glossy launch story that stays useful because it keeps its focus on craft.

Hung Vanngo's rise from backup makeup artist to a widely followed beauty figure gives the episode its center, and the Sephora brand launch keeps it feeling current.

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Why you'd press play

Press play if you want the disciplined makeup artist story behind a first-time Sephora launch.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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