Here’s how the beauty industry can be doing better, according to beauty vlogger Iris Beilin
When I first stumbled across Irishcel’s YouTube page (better known as Iris Beilin), I instantly felt connect to her. Here’s the thing: Iris is Afro-Latina, she’s a Panamanian beauty; and as a Latina myself, it’s refreshing to hear someone speak in both Spanish and English. I just light up every time I hear Iris say, “Hola, mis amores.” It makes me feel like I’m watching a family member or my best friend share beauty tips and tricks. Shoot, when she collaborated with e.l.f Cosmetics on a lip palette, she called her product the Mis Amores lip palette. And she may not know it, but that was a huge deal for Latinas everywhere.
Not only is Iris a pro at creating glam makeup looks, but she keeps things 1000 percent real when testing out products. Don’t expect her to sugar coat things either, if she’s not happy with an item, she’ll let you know. And it’s not because she’s being malicious, but she just wants her followers to make informed decisions when it comes to buying products.
We chatted with Iris about her number one tip for creating a custom foundation shade, her love for Selena Quintanilla, and her fave $6 concealer that beats the higher-end ones.
HG: Who has influenced your love for beauty the most?
IB: It has to be my mom. She’s always been a skin care freak, and my grandma. When I was little, I used to go to the countryside where my grandma lived, and the first thing I would do when I would go to her house is open her drawer and put her red lipstick on.
HG: I’m Latina too, and they start us young. My mom would always be like, “You can’t leave the house unless you look put together.”
IB: That was me all the time. It’s crazy, because I can smell a lipstick, and I’m like, “This smells like Grandma.” She still wears red lipstick every day.
HG: In what ways do you think that the beauty industry can improve?
IB: I think there should be more support towards each other. I feel like we would be able to inspire more people. I feel like there’s a lot of competition and when God opens the door for you, it’s yours. No one can take it away. If we could support each other more in this industry, it would be better.
HG: What is the one skin care step you can’t skip, no matter what?
IB: Washing my face at nighttime. I can’t go to sleep without washing my face, doing my whole routine, everything. I remember one time it happened, and I went to bed with makeup on. I woke up feeling so disgusted. My pores were so open to the point where I was like, “I’m a new person. Listen, I don’t even know what you’re going to do to go back to your normal self.” It was gross. Now I take mine off every time before bed, I don’t play that.
HG: I feel you. I know you mentioned that your mom is someone who taught you about skin care. What’s something that you picked up from her?
IB: My green Pond’s Cold Cream, I’ve been using that since I was 12 years old. I’m 28, and I still send my boyfriend to the store, “Babe, I need my Pond’s cream.”
HG: Speaking of drugstore beauty products, what are some of your favorites that you feel work just as well or better than the high-end ones?
IB: Maybelline just came out with a highlighter, and it’s just like MAC’s Whisper of Gilt. That’s the one that brought the glow to Instagram. I also like the Infallible foundation, and ColourPop just came out with concealers for $6. They are freaking amazing and they make me look like I have a filter on my face. It’s better than Tarte’s Shape Tape, and that is like $30.
HG: I love that you keep things real on YouTube, and appreciate when you’re honest about products you test out. Have there been times when you wanted to like a product but you just couldn’t?
IB: Something that I tried recently that I didn’t like was the Kim Kardashian contour sticks. People tell me, “You shouldn’t say that,” but I’m like, “That’s how I feel about it. I didn’t like it.” You want me to lie and be like, “Oh my gosh, I love it?” I bought it and I’m like, “I’m going to give it a try,” and I was very excited, but I was expecting better from her. I love Kim. I love her style and she’s so beautiful, but that right there, is one of the things that I regret purchasing.
HG: I can understand that! If J.Lo. came out with a bronzer or a highlighter, I would judge that so hard because that’s what she’s known for, and I love her so much that I would want it to be the best.
IB: Yes. Oh my gosh, somebody needs to bring that to J.Lo’s attention. I would buy it in a heartbeat.
HG: What are some recent purchases or recent products you’ve tested out that you’re really loving?
IB: I’m a skin care freak, so the new Tatcha Violet C mask that they just came out with is amazing, it gives you an inner glow.
HG: Because you’re the mixing queen, what is your number one tip for creating a custom color for someone who can’t easily find their shade?
IB: Because I have two tones, basically I have a red undertone and a yellow, mixing those two always helps me. I always test out four different colors next to my skin and whatever foundation ratio I’m looking for, I blend them out and that’s how I find the color that I’m looking for. Most of the time, it’s blending two of those and it works out. I think that it’s hard to find somebody that finds one color, that’s like, “That’s my tone,” because we all have different undertones. It’s not that easy.
HG: What was it like creating your own lip palette and what were some colors that didn’t make the cut?
IB: You know what? All the colors made it. The ones that I wanted, they made it. My favorite was the nude. To this day, people be like, “Iris, I need to buy a new palette because the nude one is gone.” That’s everybody’s favorite, the nude color. It looks good on everybody, every skin tone. When the palette came to my house, I was a little nervous when I first received it. I was like, “What if I don’t like it?” I loved it. It was one of the best experiences of my life.
HG: I love that so much. How were you able to narrow down the shades? I’m over here just trying to pick out colors for my wedding and there are so many options.
IB: The thing is, there’s the red for those times when you want to be sexy. There’s the nude for everything. The pink nude goes with every skin tone, and the coral is good for summer. People love to wear fun colors, and I was like, “You know what? I’m going to put all the colors that people love in there and go for it.” My palette is perfect for every occasion, from the nudest to the loudest color.
HG: If you only had $75 to spend at Sephora, what would you buy?
IB: Oh my god. That is such a good one — what would I buy? I would buy a moisturizer, lip balm, and if there’s enough, a mascara.
HG: Speaking of mascara, what was that mascara that you used to use — I don’t know if you still do — it made your lashes look like falsies?
IB: I haven’t purchased it in a while, and I have no idea why, because every time I go to the store they don’t have it. It’s from e.l.f. It’s this little wand that is perfect for those bottom lashes. It makes them look fake. Now that you remind me, I need to order one more of those mascaras. It’s the e.l.f. one, it’s like a $4 mascara.
HG: So I know you’re a fan of Selena Quintanilla. What is your favorite outfit and song of hers?
IB: I have a lot! I like “Como La Flor,” pero live, because I can hear the crowd cheering, she takes her time when she hits the note, and I like hearing her expressions. It gives me a different feeling. I sing it in the mirror and I can’t sing for anything. My favorite outfit from her is the purple one that she wore for her last concert.
For makeup tips and tricks or for some laughs and giggles, you can follow Iris on Instagram and her YouTube channel.