Miss Universe runner-up gives up title, Vietnamese makeup artist tells behind-the-scenes story

After the Miss Universe 2025 finale, the news that Olivia - representative of Ivory Coast - decided to return the 4th runner-up title and the title of Miss Universe Africa and Oceania caused a stir in the beauty community.

The fact that a contestant who was highly regarded, had a large fan base and had an outstanding journey suddenly sent a thank you and then withdrew after less than a week surprised the international audience.

On her personal page, Olivia affirmed that she had tried her best in her Miss Universe journey, but continuing to hold the title needed to be consistent with her life ideals and career orientation, so she chose to return the title to stay loyal to what she considered important.

Olivia was born in 1998, 1m8 tall, and is nicknamed "black pearl" by international audiences thanks to her sexy beauty, healthy brown skin, and confident demeanor.

Before coming to Miss Universe 2025, she was the 2nd runner-up of Miss World 2021, so the media expected her to continue to set new records. During the competition in Mexico, Olivia made a strong impression in the bikini, evening gown and behavioral competitions. However, she only stopped at the 4th runner-up position.

The decision to return the title also made the national copyright organization confirm that she will not accompany Miss Universe in upcoming activities. This information has created more discussion when this year's season has had many controversies related to the final results.

While the side stories about the contestants attracted attention, the behind-the-scenes makeup at Miss Universe 2025 was also revealed by Vietnamese expert - Vien Duong. He said he was the only Vietnamese person participating in the international makeup team of this year's contest.

At the age of 37, with more than 16 years of experience working with magazines such as Elle, Dep or Nu Doanh Nhan, Vien Duong shared that the feeling when participating in Miss Universe was both pressure and pride.

His workday sometimes starts at 5am and ends at midnight, especially on days when contestants have to rehearse continuously and enter important rounds. He likens the team to "a non-stop machine" to ensure contestants appear on stage at the right time, with the most neat appearance.

During the competition, Viá»…n DÆ°Æ¡ng was in charge of makeup for contestants from Guadeloupe, British Virgin Islands, Pakistan, Trinidad & Tobago, Mayotte and Bonaire. He said that contestant Guadeloupe - who he accompanied throughout - made it to the Top 12 finalists, and for him, that was an encouraging sign, showing the harmony between the experts and the contestants.

Vien Duong believes that Vietnamese crews are popular for their professionalism, punctuality, and ability to coordinate well in high-pressure environments. According to him, the makeup profession not only requires skills but also communication skills, calmness, and team spirit, because just a few minutes of delay can disrupt the entire schedule.

When talking about his experience at Miss Universe, Vien Duong expressed his amazement at the scale and professionalism of the operation team, from the backstage preparation to every moment of the contestants' appearance. He said that each finished face gave him a feeling of excitement, because that was the moment the efforts of the whole team were shown on stage. At the same time, he believes that Vietnam can completely expect a generation of makeup artists capable of reaching out internationally if given the conditions and training in a professional environment.

Miss Universe 1st runner-up implied in her response, as if demanding justice for Huong Giang? Keng10:34:35 24/11/2025During the final night, Veena impressed with her confident and charming performance and quickly received enthusiastic cheers from the host country's audience. She is also close roommates with Vietnam's representative Huong Giang.