In our series Trial Run, TZR editors and writers put the buzziest new beauty products to the test and share their honest reviews. This week, beauty writer Eden Stuart is testing the buzzy Hung Vanngo Red Carpet Skin Luminous Longwear Serum Foundation.
Some of the most famous women in the world put their heavily photographed faces in makeup artist Hung Vanngo’s hands — among them Selena Gomez (who entrusted him with her wedding day soft glam), Rose Byrne (who selected him for her ‘25-’26 awards season squad), and Anne Hathaway (that gorgeous Met Gala look? All HV). Needless to say, the pro MUA knows a thing or two about camera-ready makeup. He brings that expertise to all of the products from his eponymous brand, Hung Vanngo Beauty, but it might be especially true of his latest launch, the Red Carpet Skin Luminous Longwear Serum Foundation.
“After decades of creating red carpet looks, I wanted to bottle everything I’ve learned about beautiful skin,” says Vanngo. And not just to cater to his A-list clients who find themselves in front of a wall of photographers every night: This is a formula for those who want to look as softly retouched under office lighting as they do on IG. “My priority was to create a foundation that looks incredible both in photos and in real life,” he says. “I never wanted it to mask the skin — I wanted it to enhance what was already there, leaving the complexion looking naturally radiant and effortless.”
Is coverage that’s as lightweight and comfortable as it is natural and blurring truly just a few drops away? I took the Red Carpet Skin Serum Foundation for a trial run to find out; read on for my experience.
Fast Facts
- Price: $46
- Size: 1 fl oz.
- Best For: Anyone looking for a flawless base for a full-glam makeup look
- Ingredient Highlights: hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, microspheres, niacinamide, licorice extract
- What We Like: Great shade range, lightweight feel, beautiful soft-focus finish
- What We Don’t Like: Transfers
- Rating: 4/5
How TZR Keeps Score: 1/5: Making a return; 2/5: Keeping as a backup; 3/5: Finishing to the last drop; 4/5: Recommending to my group texts; 5/5: Already on auto-replenish.
The Formula
Housed in a sleek square bottle bearing the brand’s signature red branding, Red Carpet Skin “has an ultra-lightweight, serum-like texture that delivers medium-to-buildable full coverage with long-lasting wear and a natural, blurred finish,” says Vanngo. It achieves this through ingredients including hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, which smooths and hydrates; niacinamide and licorice extract, which help to brighten the skin; and microspheres, which create that “soft lighting and a great filter” blurred effect.
The skin care-like ingredients and lightweight feel aren’t the only impressive aspects of the formula— the expansive (and adaptable) shade range is equally noteworthy. “We also developed 38 thoughtfully curated shades, each custom-created for its specific depth rather than relying on traditional undertones,” says Vanngo. “The result is a more intuitive shade range that blends seamlessly into the skin for a balanced, natural-looking complexion.”
With this formula, “less is more,” says Vanngo. “Start with a small amount and build coverage only where you need it.” While you can use a sponge for lighter coverage, the launch does include a tool: The Evolving Face Brush, which features a larger, denser, sloped brush on one end and a smaller precision head on the other. “Its dual-ended design makes it easy to achieve a seamless, skin-like finish for your perfected look.”
My Experience & Results
I wore the Red Carpet Skin Foundation for the first time on a hot and humid day in New York City, during which I did a sufficient amount of bouncing around — a morning event uptown, a dinner downtown, etc. Transparently: I applied way too much! I went in with around a quarter-sized amount of product, and I truly could have used about half of that to blur my blemishes and create an even base.
Even with too much product, I found the finish of this foundation to be absolutely next level: It’s such a gorgeous, natural radiance, as though you’re super well hydrated and really keep up with your laser treatments — neither of which actually applies to me. It managed to last pretty much all day without the need for any touch-ups, and apart from a little separation around my nose, it looked great, too. It really did feel as though I was walking around with a subtle, flattering filter on my face. I also want to shout out the brush: As a devoted sponge user, I was really surprised at how smooth and streak-free the finish was.
The only real “cons” I experienced were transferring — I found myself leaving streaks of foundation just about everywhere I touched — and some settling into my fine lines. The latter is completely resolved by simply using less; as for the former, I will say that, for me and my combo skin, getting the most out of this foundation does require some light powdering.
Is Hung Vanngo Beauty’s Red Carpet Skin Luminous Longwear Serum Foundation Worth It?
The Red Carpet Skin Luminous Longwear Serum Foundation easily has one of the most beautiful, natural-luminous finishes I’ve ever experienced in a foundation — and I’ve tried hundreds, at least. It also feels super light on the face and provides pretty phenomenal blurring with just a few drops of product. This one is definitely joining my rotation for events or any occasions where I expect to be photographed (I’ll just make sure to powder first).
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