Bethenny Frankel’s Beauty Testing Process: Honesty and Commitment
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From drugstore bronzers and CHANEL dupes to chicken salad and caviar, Bethenny Frankel’s social media commentary never disappoints. The self-made businessperson, TV producer, podcast host, New York Times bestselling author, philanthropist, and "accidental influencer" continues to attract a highly engaged audience that trusts her unfiltered opinions—because they know she can’t be bought. The end result is a bit of an anomaly (especially in the beauty world): Brands pay Frankel a premium to work with her, even when she provides negative commentary about their products.
Paris Fashion Week and the Red Room
Between getting in-the-billions views on her social media platforms this year, Frankel chatted with us on behalf of her partnership with True Botanicals and shared some details on how exactly she decides what to test—and which brands to align herself with—in the ever-evolving beauty space.
Congrats on walking in Paris Fashion Week this year. How did you feel on the plane ride over?
I had no idea what I was walking into—I thought it was going to be like walking around the Meatpacking District. Sure, I knew there would be models going down a runway, but I didn’t realize this was a Paris spectacle at a landmark, the Opéra. I was in shock. I was like, ‘What the hell is going on?’ It was just insane. Just the magnitude of it. Then, I heard it was going to be 2,500 people.
Testing Process
That’s a great question. What goes on is…I get a lot of stuff and I don’t like to waste. I get anxiety because I don’t want to try everything, but I also want to give everyone a turn. It sounds insane, but I’ve become an expert on this—this authority because I can’t be bought. I don’t have any skin in the game and I don’t own a brand. I’ve been asked to own brands and I could have a big beauty brand by now. I don’t want that.
All of this started organically. I was just sort of playing around. Now I get stuff and it goes into the red room, which is a closet in my house. It goes in there and we put it in little individual bins. I’ll look through a line and I’ll be like, ‘Let me put this on deck.’ The next time I take off my face, I’m going to try this cleanser. Or, I’m going to try this under-eye cream next; I have to give this brand a chance. I’ll know right away if we need to take our relationship to the next level—meaning it might have these great properties, but it also needs to feel really good on my skin.
True Botanicals and Haus Labs
I really like Haus Labs’ entire line. And L’Oréal is unbeatable because, I don’t know, but it has to be billions of dollars of research and development. They just nail a lot of things in a way that you’re like, ‘Whoa, I can’t believe they nailed that.’ That’s how the Midnight Cream thing started. That’s how the relationship started. I thought that they had this great lip gloss. It wasn’t even a lip gloss; it was a blush. I just try stuff. I have no idea what’s going on.
Right now, True Botanicals has my heart for different reasons. I really like that it is botanical and it’s natural and it’s good for skin of a certain age. I like things for different reasons. Like a ‘rich bitch cream’ is great in the winter and at night when you’re feeding the face. But then something like an Elemis SPF 30 cream is good during the day when you’re wearing makeup. It is like food where you’re in the mood for something specific. Your body may need something now, and then it will need something different next week.
Commitment and Honesty
It’s different for each situation. Sometimes, you’re about to get on a plane and you want to put a thicker balm, but you might not do that year-round because you don’t want your skin to break out. But, yes, I try mostly everything. Hair is harder because I’m not washing my hair every single day. It’s more of a commitment. You’re washing, you’re conditioning, you’re trying the leave-in serum, you’re trying the dry shampoo. It’s more bulky to figure out. Skin is easier. You can dip in, dip out, try a lip balm, try a lip mask and have an opinion.
I do need to know my fit, though. And I do know my fit and I know my fit more than anybody because I’m trying more things. It’s crazy that people—even celebrities—reach out to me to get my opinion about stuff. It’s nuts that R&D people are asking me to help them with products.
Negative Feedback
I’ve had people then send me something and being like, ‘We know you didn’t like this, but maybe you’ll like this or this better.’ I know people are listening and they’re not mad at me because I know that they know that I know what I’m talking about. I do think that negative, honest feedback is as valuable. No one needs to be told by everyone in their life only things that are positive! Negative feedback is super valuable and it’s really relentless out there.
Conclusion
Bethenny Frankel’s honesty and commitment to testing products are just a few reasons why brands trust her opinions and pay her a premium to work with her. Her unfiltered commentary may not always be what brands want to hear, but it’s exactly what consumers need to know. With a focus on botanical and natural products, Frankel is always on the lookout for new and exciting brands to test and share with her audience.
FAQs
Q: How do you decide which brands to work with?
A: I decide which brands to work with based on their products, their values, and their willingness to listen to feedback.
Q: What is your testing process like?
A: My testing process involves trying a product for a few days to a week before sharing my thoughts with my audience.
Q: Do you always like what you try?
A: No, I don’t always like what I try. But I believe that honest feedback is valuable, and I’m willing to share my thoughts, even if they’re negative.
Q: Have you ever received a mailer from a brand you had never heard of before?
A: Yes, I have! I recently received a mailer from a brand called PRAI, which I had never heard of before. But after trying their products, I was impressed and excited to share them with my audience.