How Hung Vanngo Became One of the World’s Top Celebrity Makeup Artists
Selena Gomez’s long-time MUA reflects on the beginning stages of his storied career and shares an inside look on his new beauty line.
“I always wanted to work in beauty when I was younger,” says Hung Vanngo. “I just never thought that makeup could be a career. So that’s why I went to hair school first.”
We’re chatting over coffee at the Canadian launch of his eponymous beauty line, held at The Chase in downtown Toronto. Vanngo and I have known each other professionally for over a decade, but we’d never talked about how he got his start in beauty—and became one of the most in-demand celebrity makeup artists in the world.
Born in Vietnam, Vanngo grew up in Calgary and studied hairstyling at a local college before finding work at a salon styling hair for weddings and graduations. There, he started experimenting with products from the salon’s makeup station and realized he wanted to pursue a career in makeup.
On the advice of an industry friend, who knew he loved fashion and wanted to become an editorial makeup artist, Vanngo moved to Toronto in 2004 to freelance and work on his craft; he didn’t have a portfolio but managed to find representation with a small modelling agency. In hindsight, he says, his start in hair wasn’t an accident: “I wanted to do makeup full-time, but in Toronto...people usually hire you as a hair and makeup artist, so that’s what I did.”
His first big break came when a test shoot with his model friend Heather Marks—a fellow Calgarian who walked for houses like Givenchy, Chanel and Burberry—caught the eye of the creative team at Holt Renfrew and both were booked for a campaign with major Canadian fashion label Lida Baday.
“They wanted exactly the same hair and makeup from the test I did, so that was the first step for me,” he recalls. “I started working with Holt Renfrew after that.”
I always wanted to work in beauty when I was younger. I just never thought that makeup could be a career.
After a few years of freelancing in Toronto, he finally had enough experience to make the move to New York City in 2006. The first few years were a hustle—Vanngo would travel back and forth to Toronto for paying gigs—but he was also pursuing his dreams. “When I moved to New York, I completely stopped doing hair and only focused on makeup,” he tells me. “I did mostly small catalogue jobs first, and then slowly that’s when I started doing more editorial.”
Soon, his hard work began to pay off. Vanngo became an in-demand makeup artist, landing coveted gigs with top names like Miranda Kerr and i-D magazine. He had a gift for making women feel their most glamorous, whether with powerful red lips or luminous, shimmering lids. His signature style pairs bold, defining features with fresh, glowing skin, creating a look that feels polished yet entirely true to the person wearing it.
Two decades on, Vanngo’s artistry can be seen on magazine covers around the world: Vanity Fair, Marie Claire, Interview and more. But he’s also become known—and has over 4 million Instagram followers—for his work with celebrities like Selena Gomez, Scarlett Johansson, Halle Berry and Julianne Moore. “I got into this business because I love fashion and I love working with models,” says Vanngo. “It just happened that I work way more with celebrities now.”
These days, he appreciates the reliability of his calendar and values the collaborative aspect of working with long-time clients. “It’s actually enjoyable because you work with someone who really communicates with you,” says Vanngo. For Gomez’s wedding to Benny Blanco last year, for example, Vanngo—who has been working with the actor and singer for over 13 years—says the look came together through a single conversation. He landed on something “simple and classic but still beautiful,” he says. “I wanted to do something not too dramatic, pretty natural, but still timeless.”
And as if he weren’t busy enough prepping clients for countless events, premieres and red carpets, Vanngo has also managed to build and launch his namesake makeup line. “Deep down inside, I always knew I wanted to have a brand,” he says. It’s a full-circle moment for the artist, who has previously lent his expertise to labels like CK One Color Cosmetics and Marc Jacobs Beauty.
With an emphasis on thoughtful formulations and bold pigments, the new line is a nod to Vanngo’s nostalgia for ’90s glamour and the supermodel era, when he first fell in love with makeup. “I have nothing against the Clean Girl aesthetic,” he says. But trends are cyclical, and he’s more than ready for a return to full-on glamour. Minimalism may have ruled the past decade, but Vanngo is convinced that makeup’s next chapter belongs to colour, character and conviction. “I think it gives so much life,” he says.
Tool Box
Hung Vanngo’s tried-and-true beauty must-haves.
This article first appeared in FASHION’s March 2026 issue. Read more stories from FASHION’s March 2026 issue here and subscribe to the print magazine here.
Truc Nguyen is a freelance writer and whose work has appeared in The Globe and Mail, Teen Vogue, Elle Canada, CBC Life, Refinery29, Toronto Life and NUVO. She's a fashion school graduate, former celebrity stylist, and professional deal seeker.
Fashion FWD:
The next best thing to being a fashion editor - BTS access to trends, products & news.