Beyoncé Talks At-Home Beauty Treatments & Makeup Tricks
When I recently spoke with Beyoncé, she mentioned that her latest fragrance, Heat Rush, is meant to "remind you of sunshine". I asked B to shed some sunlight on her favorite beauty products, what it's like to give people a fragrance bottle with your name on it, and that rite of passage every young woman goes through: stealing her mother's perfume.
How often do you wear fragrance? "Every day. I put it on as soon as I get out of the shower. I wear it onstage, in the studio, on dates."
How many fragrances do you own? "I'm very loyal. I find one and wear it for years. I wear Heat and Heat Rush—I really do! It was important to me that they work for all occasions because I don't like to switch up. I like to have a signature scent so that when I walk past, everyone knows it's me. My mother always wore the same fragrance and every time I smell it, I think of her."
What perfume is that? "She wore 273. I remember it was the first thing that I wore because I used to steal it from her!"
I used to steal my mom's Liz Claiborne! Do you have any particular scent memories attached to 273? "Yes. I kind of put that fragrance together with stilettos—because I would smell it and hear her footsteps on the hardwood floor."
When you have your own perfumes, does everyone you know get them as gifts? Who have you given Heat Rush to? "All of my family. It's funny because I don't like to give my own CD to all of my friends—it feels a little strange. But I gave Heat and Heat Rush to all of my nieces and my extended family. A lot of them were like, 'You better give us those fragrances! Because we don't want to have to buy them!'"
What at-home beauty treatment do you find most relaxing? "There's a scrub by Carol's Daughter—Ocean Sea Salt Scrub—it feels like the beach and it has the most beautiful scent. I'm always rushing, and this scrub is moisturizing, so it cuts out a step for me because I don't have to completely cover myself with lotion."
What's your must-have beauty product? "I love the Rosebud Salve in the blue can. I wear it with my lipstick. I did this trick last summer, when I was on vacation: I used it to prime my lashes before curling. It was like a natural mascara. It made the lashes hold the curl and look shiny. I use it for everything! And I love Elnett hairspray. It's very light and holds whatever hairstyle you want."
What's you favorite hair look from your real life—not from a movie or red carpet? "In real life, I like natural curls as opposed to 'I just put a curling iron through my hair'—almost bedhead. Not too perfect. I love when my color grows out a little bit and the tips of my hair look sun-kissed."
What's the best trick you've learned from a pro while in the makeup chair? " have a spray, it's an after-spray. They sell it in every line, MAC has one. After you put your powder on—I don't know how it does it—but it makes your skin look like skin again. It takes away the chalkiness. That always makes me look more natural—you can see my pores and the shine in my skin. I use it every day now. I won't wear a powder if I don't have that. I keep one in my purse!"
Who are your beauty icons? "I have many. I really appreciate Audrey Hepburn, and of course, Marilyn . I like risk takers like Cher and Diana Ross. I like people that find what looks really good on them. I think that's the most important tip. There are things that I love that I know won't work for me—these women found the perfect silhouette for their bodies, the perfect cut of suits and dresses, the perfect hairstyle. Their choices made them more beautiful rather than distracting from their beauty."
For more from Beyoncé, including how the singer thinks a man should wear his scent and why she loves the smell of pipe smoke, check out the Beauty Reporter section in the April issue. And don't stop there—see exclusive photos from her past Allure cover shoots in our Beyoncé slideshow!
How often do you wear fragrance? "Every day. I put it on as soon as I get out of the shower. I wear it onstage, in the studio, on dates."
How many fragrances do you own? "I'm very loyal. I find one and wear it for years. I wear Heat and Heat Rush—I really do! It was important to me that they work for all occasions because I don't like to switch up. I like to have a signature scent so that when I walk past, everyone knows it's me. My mother always wore the same fragrance and every time I smell it, I think of her."
What perfume is that? "She wore 273. I remember it was the first thing that I wore because I used to steal it from her!"
I used to steal my mom's Liz Claiborne! Do you have any particular scent memories attached to 273? "Yes. I kind of put that fragrance together with stilettos—because I would smell it and hear her footsteps on the hardwood floor."
When you have your own perfumes, does everyone you know get them as gifts? Who have you given Heat Rush to? "All of my family. It's funny because I don't like to give my own CD to all of my friends—it feels a little strange. But I gave Heat and Heat Rush to all of my nieces and my extended family. A lot of them were like, 'You better give us those fragrances! Because we don't want to have to buy them!'"
What at-home beauty treatment do you find most relaxing? "There's a scrub by Carol's Daughter—Ocean Sea Salt Scrub—it feels like the beach and it has the most beautiful scent. I'm always rushing, and this scrub is moisturizing, so it cuts out a step for me because I don't have to completely cover myself with lotion."
What's your must-have beauty product? "I love the Rosebud Salve in the blue can. I wear it with my lipstick. I did this trick last summer, when I was on vacation: I used it to prime my lashes before curling. It was like a natural mascara. It made the lashes hold the curl and look shiny. I use it for everything! And I love Elnett hairspray. It's very light and holds whatever hairstyle you want."
What's you favorite hair look from your real life—not from a movie or red carpet? "In real life, I like natural curls as opposed to 'I just put a curling iron through my hair'—almost bedhead. Not too perfect. I love when my color grows out a little bit and the tips of my hair look sun-kissed."
What's the best trick you've learned from a pro while in the makeup chair? " have a spray, it's an after-spray. They sell it in every line, MAC has one. After you put your powder on—I don't know how it does it—but it makes your skin look like skin again. It takes away the chalkiness. That always makes me look more natural—you can see my pores and the shine in my skin. I use it every day now. I won't wear a powder if I don't have that. I keep one in my purse!"
Who are your beauty icons? "I have many. I really appreciate Audrey Hepburn, and of course, Marilyn . I like risk takers like Cher and Diana Ross. I like people that find what looks really good on them. I think that's the most important tip. There are things that I love that I know won't work for me—these women found the perfect silhouette for their bodies, the perfect cut of suits and dresses, the perfect hairstyle. Their choices made them more beautiful rather than distracting from their beauty."
For more from Beyoncé, including how the singer thinks a man should wear his scent and why she loves the smell of pipe smoke, check out the Beauty Reporter section in the April issue. And don't stop there—see exclusive photos from her past Allure cover shoots in our Beyoncé slideshow!
