Beauty routines are integral to getting In The Mood—not for any other person, but for you. Here, get a glimpse into the products, habits, and mantras that help powerhouse women slip into the sexiest version of themselves.
Bethenny Frankel “never knew about setting powder until 2021.” Now? She’s a beauty encyclopedia personified. Niche brands and full-blown product names roll off her tongue with incredible accuracy, and her takes on formulations—while often hot and a little scathing—are overwhelmingly accurate. She has tried thousands of products since she carved out a niche for product reviews on TikTok, consistently giving her no-nonsense, brutally honest take on luxury houses and drugstore brands alike. “Everybody gets a turn. It may take me six months, but it’s like Toy Story; one day, I’m going to play with you,” she tells me over Zoom.
Whether or not that product gets her stamp of approval is one thing—but if it has the chops to take up residence in her regular beauty routine? That’s akin to being crowned the Best Chicken Salad in the USA (if you know, you know). So, that’s exactly what we dove into: the skincare, makeup, and fragrances that Frankel keeps on standby to help her get In the Mood. From the product categories she predicts are going to be the next Big Thing (cough cough: lip care and butt care) to the niche fragrance brand she’s been loving for date night, here are Frankel’s current favorites.
Oh my god, no, I don’t have one. I wake up and tally up how much I did or did not sleep and then I look to see if it’s light outside—I always wake up too early—go kiss my daughter and kick her out of her room, and then I get myself to the beach and torture everyone that works for me with early calls so I can burn through my beach walk.
I’m a massive bather, so there will be a version of a bath every day. I swim in the ocean every day now, so I’ll shower just to rinse everything out of my hair. Normally, I’ll just rinse and not put product in it if it’s a random day where I don’t care. That’s most days. But if it’s a day where I’m going to go get a blow dry, I’ll do a hair moisture mask, get back in the shower, and maybe put a sheet mask on my face. Maybe two times a week I’ll do the full luxurious shower. Otherwise, it’s just clean and functional.
My tongue scraper is my least sexy product. If you’re not using a tongue scraper, you’re an animal, and it’s time to get with the program. That’s number one. Number two is when I do the Guru Nanda oil pulling. Oh, and you know what’s a really sexy product? The Tushy—that thing that you put on your toilet seat that’s like a bidet. That makes me feel hot and sexy; it’s water up your ass. I also think the brief underwear that I just bought on Instacart from Target. They are so not sexy, but they make me feel amazing because they’re breathable little boy shorts. And they were $8, I got five pairs, and I’m feeling like a f*cking winner. The bits are breathing, so I’m feeling super sexy. I have so many more. I have a high-frequency zapper for acne, or I have a little surgery kit for my pimples so I can lance them. It’s a great way to scar yourself, but it’s also super satisfying.
I have several. I don’t like smelling like anybody else, so I switch it up a lot. I like the new Charlotte Tilbury one. There’s a new brand that I just started using—Chris Collins sent me some stuff. I like the Ouai St. Barts. I like Parfums de Marley. Then, this person at an event in Miami gave me a bag of little perfume samples, and I kept them in my bathroom for easily six months. It ended up being this brand, Maison D'etto. They’re great.
Alright. I’ll sit down and probably use something like the Medicube Toning Pads or the MCo Wipes to keep my face clean. Right before you put makeup on your face, it needs to be clean. Even if you washed your face an hour ago, you can work with a dirty face. It’s like you’re literally about to paint, so you need a clean canvas. Then a hydrating serum—I like Glow Recipe because it’s light and I like a little bit of glow underneath my makeup. I would go for one of the L’Oréal Lumi Glotion and sometimes the Catrice Under Eye Brighter. I use different concealers depending on what’s in my drawer. Most of it works the same—it’s like pin the tail on the donkey for the most part. Tower28 has a good new one, actually. It’s nice, hydrating, and not too sparkly. I’ll use some of the Givenchy Libre Powder, the No. 7 bronzer—I made that viral—and then a liquid blush like Rodial’s, which is very glowy. If I want more of a punch up, I’ll go for L’Oréal’s liquid blush, which is amazing and completely slept on. I like the DIBS stick for a little highlighter. Then, there’s a new L’Oréal mascara that must be discussed—it’s called Extensionist, but it should be called Ridiculous. It’s unbelievable, and no one knows about it.
Usually it’s something neutral with a flare. Right now it’s a purple, but I can work with blues and pinks.
The main thing that I do at night—in addition to normal moisturizing—is tend to the lips. People think of the lips as an afterthought or an aesthetic thing that’s going to rub off in two minutes after you get to your date, but lip moisturization is as essential as skincare and scalp care. I keep my RoC Derm Correxion Lip Volumizer in my purse and in my skincare drawer because I use it like an overnight mask. It’s cooling and soothing on your lips, and I can actually massage it like an eye roller. Lip care is essential because most people do not have healthy-looking lips, and you want kissable-looking lips.
I’m really looking forward to the peace and comfort that come with having been through so much and being able to share it with others. No one ever really shared anything with me. I never had that type of a role model. So, even with the girls I work with, I can tell them what to do, how to live, and how to keep their purses organized. I know I’ve had a great impact on shaking up the way that everyone sees skincare, sleep, health, fashion, dating life, business—and I think that’s important. I think that’s why I was put on this earth. So as I get older, I'm sharing what I’ve learned more and more because I think it’s valuable. I made so many mistakes, and no one shared their tips with me. I love being able to pay it forward.
Exfoliate. Cleanse your skin. Use a mask. Exfoliate your body and moisturize it. It’s amazing how many people don’t do these basic things that are a part of my entire life.
Shop Bethenny's Routine
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