Celebrity Makeup Artist Monika Blunder Created Monika Blunder Beauty To “Help People Feel Confident In Their Own Skin, Not Hide It”

Monika Blunder

Courtesy of Monika Blunder Beauty

Welcome to “Unsung Heroes,” my new column that asks beauty brands about their respective hero products—their bestsellers, and often a product that embodies the brand’s identity—but also dives a little deeper into, as the column’s title suggests, its unsung heroes: products that may not be as out front and in the spotlight as others, but still pull their weight and deserve recognition. In this column, we’ll also delve into brand ethos, the why behind beauty brands and what’s next for the company.

Up first? Monika Blunder Beauty, founded by celebrity makeup artist Monika Blunder. We speak on the precipice of the brand’s fifth anniversary later this year, and its first product—a foundation and concealer hybrid called Blunder Cover—remains its hero product, she tells me.

As a makeup artist, Blunder’s lengthy client list includes A-list celebrities like Kate Hudson, Jessica Alba, Jennifer Lawrence, Jennifer Garner, Molly Sims, Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried, just for starters. Blunder told Forbes at her launch in 2020 that it had “always been a dream of mine to have my own line. It’s a dream of every makeup artist to create products that I really want and that I have not really seen on the market.”

“I’ve been doing makeup on sets and on clients for almost two decades, so it’s a natural progression in the growth of my work,” she continued, adding that, when it came to developing products, she focused on what she was most known for—“the way I do someone’s skin,” she said. “The way I create skin is a little different. I don’t like seeing they are wearing a lot of foundation or makeup; I love seeing the real skin. It was really important for the first product to be a complexion product.”

Here we dive into the origins of Monika Blunder Beauty, notable products and what the next chapter might look like for the brand.

Forbes: When you founded Monika Blunder Beauty, what was your why? And how have you stuck to that in the years since?

Monika Blunder: My “why” was very personal. I wanted to create products that are approachable, easy to use and, honestly, all my dream products that I want to have in my pro makeup kit. After years of working as a makeup artist and seeing the power of makeup, I wanted to bring that experience to everyone.

My Austrian roots play a big part in my philosophy. I really love a very natural approach to makeup—it’s so important to me that the makeup doesn’t overpower you. I always want to create beautiful skin, skin that looks like skin. That really has guided every product that I have launched, and it keeps me grounded when making decisions for the brand.

Forbes: What would you consider your “hero product”?

MB: Without a doubt, it is Blunder Cover, our foundation-concealer hybrid. It’s the product that put us on the map and remains our bestseller. People love that it’s creamy, buildable, easy to use and it gives you that real skin finish. It truly looks like a second skin. I am so proud that it has been embraced by both makeup artists and everyday women.

Forbes: What about an “unsung hero” that you’d like to spotlight?

MB: Liquid Flush Cheek Tint—this is one of my personal favorites because it gives that healthy, fresh-faced glow instantly. It’s so easy to use—just tap it on with your fingers. It’s perfect for anyone who wants that glow from within without looking like you are wearing a heavy blush.

Our Sweet Talk Lip Oil is also such a hidden gem. It hydrates like a balm, gives a beautiful sheer tint and the ingredients are so beautiful, packed with fruit oils and extracts.

Forbes: What drives the work Monika Blunder Beauty does?

MB: Our driving force is authenticity. We want to help people feel confident in their own skin, not hide it. Everything we do is about empowering our community to express themselves in a way that feels true to them.

Forbes: How will you keep that driving force in mind going into the next year of the business?

MB: We are committed to listening to our community. Their feedback inspires our product development and content every single day. Going into the next year, we are focused on expanding shade ranges. We are working on a cream eyeshadow stick that we are hoping to launch next year.