Talk with Austrian Beauty Coriphae and Beauty Entrepreneur Monika Blunder
Monika Blunder is considered one of the top make-up artists in Hollywood. What many people don't know is that she comes from the beautiful Tyrolean town of Kufstein! We met her during a visit to Vienna and talked with her about her product line "Monika Blunder Beauty".
It is a beautiful autumn morning as we meet Monika Blunder for small talk and coffee in Vienna. She finds it difficult to speak German (which is not at all obvious) because she has lived in California for years. However, teaching her children to speak German was particularly important to her, she laughs.
A "baby" we would definitely like to talk abou with her is her own beauty line: Monika Blunder Beauty, which has really taken off. But no wonder, because she has been known in the USA for a long time, worked with other make-up legends like Kevyn Aucoin or Paul Starr and stars like Amanda Seyfried, Jessica Alba, Emilia Clarke or Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's in her two decade long career.
Between all the celebrity brands that have been occupying the (online) shelves of this world lately, it is refreshing to once again hear the side of industry experts. "Less is more" is a catchphrase you hear more and more often. After all, many people feel overwhelmed by the gigantic assortments of many brands.
Monika Blunder actually didn't want to name her beauty line after herself, as she tells us. It was only a friend who persuaded her to do so and convinced her. Blunder, which means "blemish" in English, also fits perfectly as a play on words.
When it comes to formulations, the Austrian loves creamy textures. Her Liquid Blushes (named after her favourite European cities) are easy to blend with fingers or a brush. Her Blunder Cover is conveniently a concealer and foundation in one, preventing the make-up from becoming too thick and appearing too heavy. As you can already tell: Monika Blunder prefers it natural and has thus created a love brand that is far from complicated in use but even more efficient.
The Californian-by-choice has more than 126,000 followers on Instagram and 198,000 on YouTube - and she recently started her own TikTok channel.
How did your own beauty line come about?
Monika Blunder: "I have been a make-up artist in Hollywood for over 20 years and have always dreamed of having my own line. In my work, I found a lot of products that I really loved, but growing up in Austria, I was very aware of the ingredients. When I became a mother, I was even more so. Because many products contained ingredients that I didn't feel comfortable using every day. Not to mention that I would want my daughter to use them. So the natural solution was to start my own brand with effective products and clean ingredients."
"My father used to make lotions and waters from arnica and edelweiss, and today I use them in almost all my products."
- Monika Blunder
We talked about not wanting to stock too many products. How do you manage to limit yourself to the "most important"?
Monika Blunder: "Because I have been working for so long, I have been able to pinpoint the things that are indispensable and that I use most often. So I started with that. I also have the advantage that I can try the products on clients with different skin types, textures and tones, which also helps when deciding what to start with."
As Tyrolean, you were exposed to nature a lot when you were young. How did that influence the formulas of your beauty products?
Monika Blunder: "My parents are incredible. They taught me everything about nature. Which plants grow in our region and how to use them. My father made healing lotions and waters from arnica and edelweiss, and today I use them in almost all my products. They are so incredibly valuable and really do the skin good. Unlike a lot of make-ups that can do the opposite."
What was particularly important to you when developing your products?
Monika Blunder: "Clean ingredients! To be honest, there are so many products out there that perform incredibly well. There is no shortage of them! But unfortunately I couldn't find any with ingredients that also felt clean and good. So I decided to create my own products."
You started your career in the film city of L.A. and are now one of the most sought-after in the industry. Do you have any advice for young make-up artists?
Monika Blunder: "Do make-up as often as possible and on as many different people as possible. Challenge yourself by working with every skin type, shade and texture you can. Photograph your work and take a step back to evaluate it. If you seek out a mentor, you can learn an incredible amount, and eventually you will find your niche. Do you want to focus on film? Red carpet and events? Or bridal fashion?"
Austria has caught up in the last few years in terms of own cosmetic brands. Is there one you like to use yourself?
Monika Blunder: "I love Saint Charles very much and had the pleasure of meeting the owner on my last trip to Vienna. I also bought products from them on Niche Beauty some time ago. Furthermore, I have also been a fan of Susanne Kaufmann for a long time. I love all her body care products."
Please tell us 3 of your favourite beauty hacks and tricks!
Monika Blunder: "First of all, curl your eyelashes with an eyelash curler! Regardless of the shape of your eyes, this can do so much. Then I definitely advise using a dense, small round-tipped brush to apply lipstick. This creates a vibrant, satin look. And finally, I mix a drop of oil into moisturiser or even foundation for an extra dewy glow."
What do you think is the difference in beauty ideals between Europe and the US?
Monike Blunder: "In general, European women wear less make-up. I grew up with women who wore very little make-up. If they did, they chose a feature that they subtly emphasised. The classic French look with red lipstick and nothing on the eyes is what I saw from a young age. The make-up style in the US is more sophisticated - they focus on covering blemishes and imperfections completely, and generally put make-up on the eyes, lips and cheeks."
Monika Blunder Beauty is available in Austria through Niche Beauty.
