Long associated with Filipino kitchens and purple sweets, the distinctly cool-toned violet has quietly entered makeup’s color vocabulary. Across runways, beauty campaigns, and product launches, ube tones are showing up everywhere: lilac blush, lavender powders, and cool purple pigments that feel softer, and more unexpected than traditional pinks or bronzes.
John Llamas
“Let go of your inhibitions if you want to explore this exciting violet hue,” says makeup artist Booya Mocorro, who uses GRWM Cosmetics’ Mini Loose Powder in Yam to brighten and set the face instead of the conventional translucent powder. For cheeks, she reaches for GRWM Cosmetics’ Milk Tint in Purple Yam to create a fresh lilac flush. She even uses muted violet shades to contour the face. “A good mix of shades, from purple to magenta will add dimension,” she says.
John Llamas
Today, ube is something we proudly share with the world, and now wear with confidence, too.
Art Direction: Mikiyo Ricamora. Photography: John Llamas. Makeup: Booya Mocorro. Hair: Reese Roque, assisted by Charlize Martinez. Model: Naomi Serrano of Farah Models. Photographer’s Assistant: John Mark Advincula.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ube makeup translates the Filipino purple yam’s cool-toned violet into beauty: lilac blush, lavender powder, and purple pigments across cheeks, lips, and contour.
Build purple gradually: start with a lilac blush or loose powder for a soft flush, then layer deeper magenta or plum tones for evening drama.
A milk tint in a purple-yam shade, like GRWM Cosmetics’ Milk Tint in Purple Yam, creates a fresh lilac flush when paired with a tinted powder.
Yes, muted violet shades contour the face as an alternative to bronzer. Mixing purple with magenta adds cooler-toned dimension than warm contouring.
No. Crushed purple-magenta eyeshadow with iridescent lip pigment suits evening glam, while soft lilac cheeks work as a playful, wearable everyday option.
