Today I met Bobbi Brown.
Bobbi Brown is probably the first in a long line of makeup artists who have created their own brand of makeup. Who better than a makeup artist to know which colour lipstick, blusher and eye shadow are best for us?
The setting for our meeting was at a networking lunch here in Australia hosted by Business Chicks. They put on great events, and with some very inspiring speakers, this time, it was Bobbi Brown. Bobbi shared her bio with us from her early humble beginnings to the present day as the makeup beauty mogul, philanthropist, mother of three boys and the beauty editor for Yahoo Beauty! Busy?
Bobbi Brown entered the beauty industry with her own line of lipsticks in the mid-1980s, when for those of us that remember, makeup could be pretty loud and extreme. Frustrated with what was available, or mixing her own palette of colours to suit her needs as a makeup artist, it was time to create her own selection of lipsticks. Her inspiration was to create lipstick colours that matched our natural lip colour. Lip colour that enhanced rather than dominated the face.
That’s not to say, Bobbi doesn’t have ‘brights’ in her repertoire she does, but in those early days, before anyone else was doing nude colours, Bobbi inspired women to approach their makeup application with a more natural look. Simple, soft and muted nude colours became the trend, and Bobbi led the way.
Bobbi Brown is a practical woman who knows what women want. Not only practical but down-to-earth, which, in an industry that can seem intimidating to the onlooker, is a refreshing change.
Bobbi Brown believes makeup is a way for a woman to look and feel like herself, only prettier and more confident. A strong brow, bedroom eyes, a bump on the nose. These are the features that inspire me. Beauty isn’t about looking perfect. It’s about celebrating your individuality.
Bobbi Brown pictured above with her latest beauty muse the model and sometimes-actress, Kate Upton.
For Bobbi, it is a belief that shows through in everything she does. At 57, Bobbi doesn’t look so different from the earlier version of herself, not too much makeup and a casual, youthful and fun style.
In the mid-1990s, Bobbi sold her company to Estee Lauder, which was a big exciting move and gave Bobbi the chance to focus on creation. But, like so many trailblazers, copy cat brands began to emerge, and for Bobbi Brown Cosmetics things began to stall. Knowing what this could mean for the longevity of the brand, Bobbi moved her operations out of the Lauder offices in uptown NY to a cool loft downtown in SoHo. This move changed the vibe and culture of the company; creativity began to flow, photoshoots became more authentic, editorial in style, unheard of back in the mid-’90s. This move changed the fortunes of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics forever, and now more than 20 years later, Bobbi Brown is one of the biggest makeup empires hitting the half-billion back in 2006!!
That’s a lot of lipstick and blush. But of course, there is more to Bobbi Brown than lipstick and blush. In 2013, Bobbi Brown founded the non-profit movement Pretty Powerful for Girls and Women. Every year Bobbi launches a Pretty Powerful product, and every cent of the sales goes to support programs for girls and women around the globe.
And the book – Pretty Powerful.
Full of Bobbi Brown’s makeup tips, tricks and techniques. This is a culmination of a big beautiful career in beauty—a book to inspire every woman to be the best version of themselves.
What does Bobbi Brown define as beautiful?
A strong brow, bedroom eyes, a bump on the nose. These are the features that inspire me. Beauty isn’t about looking perfect. It’s about celebrating your individuality.
I couldn’t agree more!! Makeup that enhances your very best features and makes you feel confident—the very best version of yourself.
See you next time.
