Joining the curation of thirteen lune’s Black and Brown-owned brands made for everyone, is a highly-select edit of ally brands that have traditionally made efforts to be inclusive in their product assortment and who have made it an integral part of their mission to incite meaningful change beyond beauty. They comprise the 10% of our 90/10 Rule which is a commitment to carrying 90% BIPOC owned brands and 10% ally brands.
When it comes to a company ethos, celebrity makeup artist and founder of Monika Blunder Beauty, Monika Blunder values adaptability and representation. Not only is the company willing to welcome all feedback about its hero sku - a foundation and concealer in one via direct message or email, they have readily developed products that offer a wide variety of shades to ensure all skin tones are seen and served throughout the line.
Blunder, who counts Kate Hudson, Jessica Alba, Jennifer Lawrence, Molly Sims, America Ferrera, Gemma Chan and Jennifer Garner as longtime clients, creates products that enhance the skin and highlight the natural beauty underneath it. Taking strong influence from her Austrian upbringing, she infuses the unique formula of her foundation/concealer with edelweiss and arnica to soothe and treat the skin naturally, always prioritizing transparency when it comes to waste, ingredients and doing right by the environment.
THIRTEEN LUNE CO-FOUNDER, NYAKIO GRIECO DISCUSSES ALLYSHIP AND THE BEAUTY OF A DIVERSE SHADE RANGE.
Nyakio Grieco: What does allyship mean to you?
Monika Blunder: To me, being an ally means working to be as mindful, conscious and transparent as possible. It means acknowledging the realities of the world we live in now and correcting them as best as possible. For me personally, it also means listening and learning and being willing to reflect and course correct in my own life.
NG: What was the impetus to start your brand?
MB: I’ve always wanted a brand, but the timing hasn’t lined up until now. I’ve been a makeup artist for over two decades, and while I’ve found a lot of amazing products, I never found the perfect complexion product I wanted. The stars finally aligned and I was able to finally create the dream complexion product I’ve always wanted.
NG: How has your background influenced your work and products?
MB: It’s influenced me in every way! Growing up in Europe shaped the way I think about waste, ingredients and environment. My parents used native plants and herbs to heal us growing up, and they were always conscious of things like waste and recycling. They carried their own bags to the grocery store before it was trendy here in the states! It was embedded into every single part of my life, and as a result, it’s baked into every part of my brand. I knew anything I created had to be up to European standards, and I wouldn’t want it to be any different.
NG: Has inclusivity always been a priority for you as a brand founder?
MB: It absolutely has been, but I’ll be the first to admit we haven’t always gotten it right. I’ve been grateful for the opportunity to grow and expand my awareness through my company; I’ve learned so much. I think that’s really the key — is being willing to listen to feedback, reflect, and then course correct where you went wrong. Inclusivity has always been a pillar of our brand, and we will continue to evolve and grow into that.
NG: What would you like to see more of in the beauty industry when it comes to diversity and inclusivity?
MB: I’d love to see more diversity in age in the beauty community. There’s not a lot of people in beauty with wrinkles, age spots or mature skin — and that’s not realistic. Aging is a gift, and I think showing people of all ages is beautiful. I’d also love to see more inclusivity in body sizes as well as ethnicity.
NG: Please talk about why you started the line for darker skin tones and how the formulations are suited for melanin rich skin.
MB: I’d never want to put out a product that wasn’t able to work for everyone in some capacity. Part of the magic of Blunder Cover is the formula and how adaptable it is. Because you can sheer it down so much, it lets your skin pop through in areas where you need less coverage, and build it up in areas that need a little more concealing. The result is an even, corrective wash of color that adapts to whatever skin is underneath. We also chose not to put SPF in our products so there’s no white cast.
NG: Do you have a beauty philosophy? What is it?
MB: I really believe makeup should enhance your face. I think of it as corrective mostly. You should still look like you — just a well rested, hydrated and glowing version of yourself. In German there is a word, zart, and it means to be soft, gentle and tender. That’s really the best word I can think of to sum up my ethos around makeup.
