Achieving an effortlessly chic makeup look without a ton of product or time isn’t always effortless. From eyes to lips, it can be tough to find the perfect nude shades that all go together and are easy to apply. I’m talking, oh the Zoom call is starting in ten minutes and I really should have my video on but I have no makeup on, easy.
Enter Jason Wu Beauty. The new beauty brand from the celebrated New York City-based fashion designer launched earlier this spring with nude eyeshadow palettes, a 3-in-1 lips, eyes, and cheeks stick, brow soap, and more. “The theory behind the line is to let your beauty shine through. I think that is why it was important to launch with every shade of nude,” Jason Wu says of his eponymous beauty brand. “I wanted to make sure that we have those neutrals that really can can work on every shade of skin.”
Jason Wu Beauty eyeshadow palette in Desert Rose
While the pandemic may have influenced beauty trends to lean more towards natural tones, Wu says his goal for Jason Wu Beauty never wavered. “The collection always looked like this. We always went into it knowing that this was our mission statement. I think the idea was always to create a very user-friendly collection that is elevated.”
Over the years as a fashion designer, Wu has dressed celebrities like January Jones, Amber Valletta, and most notably, Michelle Obama for the first and second inaugurations of President Barack Obama. His experience in fashion is what led him to beauty. “I’ve been working with makeup for a very, very long time. The beauty look is almost as important as the clothing themselves when presenting a collection. It helps to get the point across.”
Hot Fluff 3-in-1 stick for lips, eyes, & cheeks in Jelly Roll
Jason Wu Beauty’s hero product might be the 3-in-1 stick for lips, eyes, and cheeks. With seven shades ranging from a neutral plum to warm rose, the creamy formula blends effortlessly into the cheeks for a sun-kissed look, the lips for a subtle pout, and the eyelids to bring the whole face together for a cohesive look. “I love the 3-in-1. It’s a monochromatic look. It’s great because the multiple use really allows you to travel with that one product,” Wu says, adding that being able to use your fingers to blend makes this the ideal easy-to-use beauty product. One of the trendier products in the collection is the Faux Freckle. The easy-to-use applicator allows you to apply cute dots of freckles and use your finger to stamp across the nose and cheeks. “It’s so funny because in my late 20s, I started getting freckles and I hated them. And now that I’m in my late 30s, I’m fully embracing them,” Wu says with a laugh.
Jason Wu Beauty Faux Freckle
From eyeshadow quads in earthy color palettes to clear brow soap and eyebrow gel, Jason Wu Beauty caters to natural makeup looks that are actually easy to create but something that was just as important to Wu was making sure his beauty line was accessible. “Always as a designer, I want to have my work touch as many people as possible,” he says. “My co-creator Toni Ko (founder of NYX Cosmetics) and I sat down and knew we weren’t interested in playing in the prestige designer makeup sector right now. There are a lot of brands, already. We were looking for the white space on the market. To be able to present a designer brand at a prestigious level and a masstige price point is something that hasn’t been done before.”
So what’s next for Jason Wu Beauty? “I think we’re definitely going to see a more expanded range in color. Because color is definitely a big part of my work in ready-to-wear, so that’s something that will be on the horizon,” Wu hints.
To honor AAPI Heritage Month, Jason Wu Beauty partnered with National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF) for the month of May. A portion of the proceeds (10%) from any purchases made of Jason Wu Beauty brow products will go directly to NAPAWF to help the organization elevate AAPI women and girls to impact policy and drive systemic change in the United States.
