Fall beauty tips from Bluemercury co-founder Marla Malcolm Beck

More of a full-service beauty oasis than a store, Bluemercury is all about customer education. Just browsing? That’s OK, says co-founder Marla Malcolm Beck, “We’re happy to have people leave with samples and just try things. There’s no pressure in our environment.”
Moreover, all Bluemercury staff are experts in their field and, according to Beck, excited to teach the tricks of their trade to their customers.

“We launch about 100 new products in our stores per month,” says Beck. “So it’s that sort of excitement and passion about beauty products, this idea of the neighborhood store where you can get advice and a great mix of brands.”

We asked Beck — who says, “good skin comes first, and make up second” — for some go-to summer beauty tips to hold us over until Bluemercury opens its doors next month.

The three essential products you have on you at all times?

1) SkinCeuticals Fusion SPF15 sunblock($34)
“Overall SkinCeuticals makes the best sunblock on the market. It’s the only thing I’ll use on my kids and myself, but this one has a little hint of color. It’s almost like having a foundation/ sun block on.”

2) Trish McEvoy High Volume mascara ($31)
“It’s my favorite mascara, it’s got the Japanese tube formula. Rather than color your eyelashes, like most mascaras, it tubes around. It doesn’t flake off, or come off when you’re in the ocean. But if you rub it off with water it comes off, which is a funny thing. That means you don’t need all these heavy make up removers that irritate your eyes.”

3) M-61’s Vitablast C ($92)
“Vitamin C is my absolute favorite ingredient of all time because it builds collagen and prevents hyper pigmentation, and you really feel it in your skin if you use it over time. I’ve been in the business 14 years, and clients that have used Vitamin C for five or 10 years — you just see a difference in their skin. My favorite — I’m a little biased — is our brand, M-61’s Vitablast C. It has Gallic acid in it [which] comes from black seeds in blueberries, and its actually a brightener.”

Do you think it’s a good idea to switch up your makeup regimen as the seasons change, to go darker or more dramatic in fall and winter?

“I think you have to. Sometimes in the fall, I feel like my makeup looks washed out and dull. I think the fall switch is the most important switch because you really need something that brightens your face as the weather gets dull and your skin gets dry. You definitely need a new lip color because your skin tone changes in the fall. You tend to need more coverage of your skin because as our skin tone fades, the hyperpigmentation shows up even more.”

What are some hot lip colors for this coming fall?

“The two extremes that we’re seeing are the red lip and the nude lip.”

Do you have any inexpensive products you recommend for a girl on a budget?

“Mario Badescu is a brand we’ve been carrying forever. He’s from Eastern Europe and came to New York and opened a spa. All of his moisturizers are $18 to $19 dollars. Cleansers — the same. So you can buy a whole regime for your skin type for under $50 dollars.”

What’s one beauty product you believe every woman should own?

“Bronzer. Bronzer provides contouring and a little bit of a healthy glow. It’s such an easy product. If you’re not going to do anything before you go out the door, you can swipe a little bit of bronzer on your cheeks, and on your upper eyelid. NARS Laguna ($36) is a pretty universal bronzer, it works on most skin types. If you’re not used to makeup, you’ll actually be amazed at what that does for you.”