Bethenny Frankel knows how to shop! And if you follow her on Tik Tok or Instagram, you'll know she's a master at spotting a good dupe and sifting through the fakes and phonies on store shelves too. And she's not scared to shout out about it.
The mogul and former Real Housewives of New York star, 52, recently fell out with TJMaxx after a TikToker informed her that the Manolo Blahnik shoes she recently bought from her local store, were actually fakes. Describing it as the "most effed thing yet," in one follow-up video, Bethenny didn't hold back and wasn't afraid to express her anger as she pointed out: "I've bought tons of [stuff] from" TJ Maxx and the "prices aren't great."
Honesty like Bethenny's is a rare thing on social media, especially when it comes to celebrities recommending fashion and beauty brands. But Bethenny is just as quick to call out the bad guys without worrying about the fall out, as she is the good guys.
Which is why so many people love her. And why HELLO! was so excited to catch up with her during one of her many unedited shopping sprees, this time in Walgreens no less…
So how does she sift through all of the products on the shelves and find the good ones over the bad? "I go with my gut and curiosity, and I'm often surprised," she explains. "There are so many brands doing great things, I don't think I have one favorite. I think you could find a gem product from any of the big brands…..and small brands can really surprise you."
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Being a successful entrepreneur herself, and with an obvious obsession about beauty and skincare, it is no surprise that there have been rumors circulating about Bethenny launching her own beauty brand. But is there any truth in it? "That's a total rumor! I don't want to be in the beauty business - it's too complicated, redundant and unnecessary."
A surprising response, you might think, but Bethenny is strikingly aware that the market is saturated, especially when it comes to shopping for skincare with her 13 year old daughter, Bryn. "The kids want the products and the brands, and so then they just buy because they believe in the marketing. They're being marketed to way more than we were because they're on TikTok."
So what advice does Bethenny offer to her daughter for cutting through all of the beauty marketing fluff? "I teach Bryn to be natural, not to believe the hype, always clean her skin, and not trap her pores using too many products or steps, listening to all these gimmicks."
© Dave KotinskyBethenny applies this 'less is more' rule to her own skincare regime too. And isn't a snob when it comes to what she uses, either. She carries a "dollar store eye roller" in her makeup bag and says that face wipes would be her top priority if she only had room for one beauty product in her handbag.
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What is the skincare product that she would never miss out from her routine? "Serums are an unsung hero," she explains. "So many times people skip this step, but it's actually really important. A good quality serum will provide the highest concentrations of peptides to the skin, smoothing and hydrating the skin while also repairing past damage. You get the most bang for your buck with these. Cleanser gets washed off so it's not as important as serums and moisturizers. Washcloths are your best friend, and an inexpensive drugstore must."
© Raymond HallAnd if she only had $50 to spend on her skincare regime right now, Bethenny reveals that it's a new British skincare line, No7 Future Renew, that has caught her eye. "It was originally from Boots in the UK, and is now at Walgreens," she says. "It's rich [expletive] skincare… it's entirely at the level and feels like very expensive skincare."
But is there a beauty product that Bethenny actually splurges on? "The only thing you really need to spend money on, at least a decent amount, is fragrances! But really, you don't have to spend a lot of money anymore on anything, you can, and some things are good, but you don't need to."
