Ube Has Officially Gone Mainstream...and Into Sephora

Tracking the purple yam's journey from Filipino desserts to beauty shelves, and how Huda Beauty's viral ube collection falls short.

Welcome to Pearl, a newsletter dedicated to Filipinas and their beauty journeys. Read more about its mission here.

What’s not to love about ube? The purple yam native to the Philippines has a vibrant color, a nutty vanilla taste that’s especially delicious in desserts, and a cute name (pronounced ooh-beh). It was Filipinos’ best-kept secret. Then, when trendy dessert spots like Soft Swerve in New York City and Wanderlust Creamery in Los Angeles opened in the mid-2010s, the rest of the world quickly caught on, and ube ice cream was no longer found strictly in a gallon of Magnolia at the local Filipino goods store. Now, you can even find ube pancakes, cookies, and pretzels (?!) at Trader Joe’s.

With the beauty industry’s fixation on food-themed trends like “glazed donut” nails and “strawberry girl” blush, I’m not surprised that ube finally made its way into makeup. I’d seen it sporadically in beauty launches–an ube nail polish from Jin Soon here, an ube vanilla lip balm from Tower 28 there–but Huda Beauty went a step beyond and dedicated an entire collection to the violet tuber called “Ube Ubsession.” It debuted in early January.

Huda Kattan with the Huda Beauty Ube Ubsession collection.

Since starting in 2010 with her blog and YouTube, Huda Kattan has been one of the few OG beauty gurus to stand the test of time. That she’s remained relevant amidst waves of new social platforms, trends, and algorithms is a true feat. Her makeup line sold at Sephora, in particular, is among the most successful influencer-founded brands–so much that it was named one of Business of Fashion’s “most sought-after M&A targets in 2024,” with estimated retail sales over $450 million last year (the brand hasn’t confirmed this figure). If finance stats bore you, nothing tells me how influential Huda Beauty is like my 27-year-old younger sister (who is amazing at makeup and the coolest, trend-aware person I know) telling me that Huda Beauty makes her favorite makeup. Huda’s co-sign means something. It also signals that ube is officially mainstream, and if the beauty world follows the trajectory of ube’s ubiquity in food…this is just the beginning.

Huda Beauty’s ube collection is viral on TikTok. L-R: @bonitravo, @jazlmao, and @gabxxrielle

I’m always skeptical when a non-Filipino beauty brand creates a product inspired by a uniquely Filipino food. Is it possible to come from a place of authenticity? Does it matter? Huda seemingly attempted to get ahead of any cultural appropriation claims by casting Filipina influencer Stephanie Valentine, aka @glamzilla, in the campaign. And yet, Stephanie felt compelled to make a response video claiming she was “reading the wildest comments about people complaining that I’m not Filipino enough to be a part of the Huda Beauty campaign for the ube launch.” Stephanie shared in a TikTok, “What do you want me to do, hit you with my walis?” (walis is short for walis tingting, a stiff traditional Filipino broom). She then showed off her Cebu Brand dried mango, sinigang leftovers, frozen tocino and longanisa, and watched a teleserye. She ended the video by saying, “Just because I don’t do those stereotypical things doesn’t mean I’m less Filipino than you! It just has nothing to do with makeup!”

I disagree. Being Filipino has plenty to do with makeup, especially if you’re talking about a Filipino-inspired makeup product and have an audience that includes Filipinos, but I understand her frustration. Wondering if you’re “Filipino enough” is one of the more exhausting, never-ending discourses you encounter as a Filipino American (or, in Stephanie’s case, Filipino Canadian).

But, is Huda Beauty’s Ube collection “Filipino enough”? I’d say no.

Stephanie Valentine aka @glamzilla in Huda Beauty’s ube campaign, front left.

The collection, which includes loose setting powder, liquid blush, and lip gloss, pays homage to Filipino culture only in name. The product description says it’s inspired by Huda's tradition of celebrating her birthday with an ube cake every year, but it does not mention ube’s origins or the Philippines. On top of that, Huda collaborated with Sprinkles Cupcakes (famous for their cupcake ATMs) on limited edition ube cupcakes. This is a real missed opportunity, IMHO – there are so many Filipino-owned bakeries that create authentic ube desserts. I understand Sprinkles is a national chain, so there’s wider distribution. However, Huda Beauty’s surface-level appreciation for ube would feel a teeeensy bit more genuine if they at least worked with Filipino businesses. Kora Bakery is right there!

Huda Beauty’s ube collaboration with Sprinkles Cupcakes.

On the Huda Beauty site, one photo on the product page that reads “What is Ube?” simply answers “Electric Lilac with a subtle pink hue,” which…is not the color of ube at all. Ube in nature has more of a rich, violet hue instead of Huda’s light, pinky-pastel interpretation. Rochelle De Los Santos, a commenter on my video reviewing the ube blush, said it best when she wrote that the products “def don’t give ube, which is a shame because ube halaya in a blush and lip or an eyeliner would be soooo good.” (Great, now I’m craving a spoonful of ube halaya…)

I share all of this not to dissuade you from trying Huda Beauty’s ube collection (I like some of the products!) but to add context. I believe makeup is never just makeup. Thinking critically about how we engage with beauty daily helps us reflect on our identities and values. Filipinos are always hungry for representation, especially when Filipino-owned brands available stateside are few and far between, and none have the footprint of a brand like Huda’s. (Case in point: Huda Beauty now monopolizes search results for “ube makeup” on Google and TikTok). Someone who isn’t Filipino and is shopping at Sephora will probably pick up Huda’s ube product and won’t think beyond, “ooh, purple!” or “I saw this on TikTok!” And, given the brand’s lack of acknowledgment, the Philippines probably won’t cross their mind at all.

Huda’s ube collection is little more than a cutesy nod to our culture. While I welcome it, part of me wonders if–as a Filipina so used to being an afterthought in the beauty industry–I’ve fallen into the trap of just being “grateful” for feeling seen, imperfect as it may be. Do I wish Huda Beauty did a better job celebrating Filipino culture while borrowing from it? Yes. At the same time, this limited edition collection is not high on the list of Things That Outrage Me (see: Shay Mitchell calling herself “Spanish”). Bottom line, I predict this ube launch will widen the door for more Filipino representation on beauty shelves. I’d love to see it – especially from Filipino-owned brands.

Now, for my full review of the products.

Blush Filter in Ube Cream

This is my favorite product in the collection. I’ve already been a fan of the formula, having tried it when it first launched, but the Ube Cream shade stands out for its vibrant lilac color. It looks intimidating at first but blends out beautifully. I think it complements a medium/tan skin tone well and adds richness and depth I don’t get from pink products. The formula is buildable, so you can get as much color payoff as you want! Watch my full review below:

kristinarodulfo

A post shared by @kristinarodulfo

Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Baking & Setting Powder in Ube Birthday Cake

As someone with oily skin, setting powder is a staple in my makeup routine. I know we’ve moved past 2016-era, intense Kim Kardashian-esque baking in our makeup, but I still do it when I want a smooth under-eye. While the bright pastel hue of this powder creates a “wow” factor in a video…I’m not sure how I’d often use this. Purple can counteract yellowness, which may help brighten below your eyes. Dusted off, it doesn’t leave behind too apparent of a purple shade, but I do think it sucked some life from my skin and made me look a little ghostly. I prefer a traditional translucent setting powder.

Faux Filler Lip Gloss in Uuu-Baby

This was a skip for me. Lips are where you really can experiment and a deep purple lip gloss that honored the actual color of ube would look gorg. Instead, the gloss leaves a bit of a white cast on my lips (kind of like an SPF lip balm), which I don’t think complements my morena skin tone. This is also why I never wear light peach lipstick – it’s giving cadaver. Finally, the flavor is off. It tastes how Play-Doh smells.

Thanks for reading, my Pearls (can I call you that?). You might’ve noticed I went on another posting hiatus. Thank you for being so patient. I get so in my head and perfectionist about this newsletter, but trust me, this is the year I really dedicate myself to Pearl and creating the best possible content for Filipinas on their beauty journeys. I’m determined! 💜

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