More than an industry icon, Bobbi Brown is a game-changer: from pioneering the 1990s “no-make-up make-up” movement, to tirelessly promoting the idea that women should enhance not mask their individuality, her influence surrounds us. After giving full control of her namesake brand to Estée Lauder in 2016, Brown returned with Jones Road, a fresh, modern vision proving — again — that beauty should be effortless and authentic. Here, she shares her secrets.
My beauty icon is Ali MacGraw. When I was in my teenage years and terribly insecure about what I looked like, she made me realise I can be brunette with big eyebrows and natural skin and absolutely be attractive. I didn’t look like Barbie or a supermodel, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t be pretty.
Bruce Weber, the photographer, inspired me so much. He taught me a lot about what no-make-up make-up is. He didn’t want make-up, he wanted me to pinch the model’s cheeks instead. There was this time that I was invited to spend the weekend with him and Tina Turner at his home in the mountains somewhere. We started out going to her concert, meeting her backstage. The next day the stylist on the shoot was Azzedine Alaïa and it was some weird harmonic conversion. I don’t even know what it was! The sun? The moon? And here I was with Bruce, Tina, Azzedine and Didier Malige, the well-known hairdresser. That was crazy.
My proudest moments are my three children. Otherwise it’s difficult pick more because it’s been such a long career. I’ve had parties in my honour at the UK, French and Chinese embassies. Those were amazing. Bruce Weber did a film in my honour. There have been so many different things, and I don’t think I’m done.
I’m currently pretty focused on I Am Me. It’s a YouTube conversation series that I have done in partnership with JP Morgan. We think that everyone else has got it together, and no one does, so it’s fun when people spill the beans and say ‘Oh my God when I had kids I was such a mess.’ Or ‘I don’t know anything about money and finally figured it out.’ My memoir is coming out in September too. Oh and I am launching Just Enough tinted moisturiser (£44, jonesroadbeauty.com) for women who don’t like to feel anything on their face but want to look a little polished.
I’ve been consistent in my beliefs about what ‘beauty’ is. However, I am open to some of the new-ness. I’m someone that likes fresh, natural make-up. And the industry has many different things it offers. I’m not here to say contour should go away. There’s a place for that, just not in my world.
The products I can’t live without? Water, sunscreen, moisturiser and then I would add a pinky product for my cheeks and my lips, so one of my Miracle Balms (£38, jonesroadbeauty.com). And something to make me not look tired, like the Jones Road face pencils (£26, jonesreadbeauty.com). Then a brow pencil to line my eye and fill my brow, plus mascara. And I will never not colour my hair.
I love the beauty industry. It has given so many people amazing careers. When I tried to break into it, there wasn’t really a path for entry. I was an anomaly. And now every day there’s a celebrity or a make-up artist coming out with a brand. Only the strong survive, but I say, bring them on.
I’ve been able to make most of the beauty products I have wanted to. But I wish I had come up with Chanel No 5. And there’s a suncare brand called Vacation Inc. It did this amazing dupe of the 1990s orange SPF gelée, Bain de Soleil. I tried to make it, but these guys did it better.
I’m a smell person. Always have been. Besides my granddaughter’s head, I love the smell of toast. Of baking cookies. I love the smell when someone gets out of the shower, which is the inspiration for Jones Road shower fragrance (£44 for 30ml, jonesroadbeauty.com). I smell patchouli and I think of my father. He always wore patchouli oil. Now he’s 90 and not wearing it, but it reminds me of him as a young dad.
People’s biggest beauty mistake? Some people take away from what they look like with make-up, and other people do nothing, so they don’t bring their beauty out. Do just enough to look like a better version of yourself. Start with what’s in your drawer. Put it on. Look in the mirror and say, ‘Do I look better? Is there something better out there?’
I work with functional nutritionists and doctors. I’ve learned some of them make a buck on what they sell, so the days of me leaving with bags of supplements that I have every intention of taking and never do are done. I do use Athletic Greens (£97, drinkag1.com). Supposedly it has all the vitamins in it.
When I need headspace I get outside and walk. I have my headphones. And I could be doing it quietly, but that’s not me. I use that time to call a friend. But the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas are my happy place. Whenever I’m on that white sand, looking at that blue water, ahhhh.
