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At home in New Jersey, US makeup guru Bobbi Brown is considering how to achieve total party glam—when you’re an adult who doesn’t want to look like you’re covered in glitter.
“I really want women to not be afraid of a little shine and shine,” she says. ‘People seem to think that mature women shouldn’t add anything and that’s wrong.
“My brand is really good for women of a certain age because our shiny products are transparent and don’t look cheap or frozen.”
That area is Jones Road, named after a street in the Hamptons, and with it Brown has helped rewrite the rules about what women of a certain age can expect from their makeup.
Launched four years ago, the clean, easy-to-use products were a huge success from the start and the brand is on track to become its second billion-dollar company.
The first, of course, is the one that still bears her name, which she launched in 1991. She sold to Estee Lauder in 1995, but remained as creative director. The deal was reportedly worth £58 million, making Bobbi a multi-millionaire at 38 years old.
Now she’s giving me a step-by-step cosmetics masterclass on where I’ve gone wrong all these years.
‘Look for an eyeshadow in a shade that you don’t have to blend or soften, and don’t be afraid of black eyeliner. It can be a little strong during the day, but it’s a nice change for the night.
Bobbi Brown launched Jones Road during the pandemic in 2020 and the brand is on track to become her second billion-dollar company after she sold her first to Estee Lauder in 1995.
‘No matter how much mascara you think you need, add more. It makes a big difference and opens your eyes. Most women over 50 will need something to add definition as we lose eyebrows and eyelashes.’
“Finally, if you add more blush and a touch of highlighter to your cheeks, you’ll look stunning—so it doesn’t really matter what you put on your lips.”
Bobbi walks me through all the products she uses when creating her signature ‘no makeup makeup’.
‘Let me see. I start with moisturizer and sunscreen and then two different products on my eyes, to hide dark circles and brighten.
“There’s foundation to even out my skin and then eyebrow pencil, eyeliner, eye shadow, mascara, some blush, maybe bronzer, and then something for the lips, probably gloss.”
According to my calculations, there are 12 products. Isn’t that a lot when the goal is to look like you’re not wearing any?
“It’s not about ‘less’; I’m not saying barely wear makeup,” Bobbi says firmly. ‘If you could clarify that for the world, I would appreciate it.
“I’m saying that if you choose the right colors and formula, you can deal with things like how to make squinty eyes stand out, how to even out your skin, how to fill in sparse brows.”
It is a reassuring and practical vision. When it comes to contouring and other trendy social media beauty tricks, Bobbi doesn’t have time for them.
‘Some other makeup brands really believe that you can transform your face by contouring and doing all these complicated, over-the-top things. It’s too much. I can’t even contour, I just look like my face is dirty.’
Instead, she says, when you want a sleek look, learn how to do a smoky eye.
‘The name puts some people off, but it’s actually just a fuzzy brown eye. It looks good at any age because it really highlights the eyes and is also great for those who wear glasses.’
Bobbi is famous for being able to put on her makeup in four minutes, using the mirror on her car’s sun visor before going to work.
‘I’m 67 years old. I need makeup, but I’m also one of those people who’s always fancy, always late, and always doing a million things, so I need a quick routine.
‘I use my fingers to apply most of it, you don’t need a big kit full of brushes. Women who fall in love with Jones Road say it’s the easiest thing they’ve ever worn, because you never look like you’re wearing bad makeup.
Jones Road may be a runaway success now, but there was a time when its mere existence seemed unthinkable.
When Bobbi sold her eponymous business, she signed a 25-year “non-compete” contract, meaning she couldn’t launch a rival cosmetics brand until 2020, when she would be 63 years old.
Back then, Bobbi believed she would be done with the industry by the time she was 60. It was only after she walked away from Estee Lauder in 2016 (and the right to use her own name in the beauty industry) that she realized that wasn’t the case.
Eager to reinvent herself, Bobbi had a charm necklace engraved with the date her non-compete contract expired. It was that same day, October 26, 2020, that Jones Road opened, undeterred by the Covid pandemic.
“For me it had to be that day,” he says. ‘When you work for other people, whether they are good, bad or indifferent, you are not being yourself. You are compromising.
‘I needed to indicate that he was back and that there was a new sheriff in town. We took the brand to four big PR firms in New York and they all said, “Don’t do this now.” But what was he waiting for? There will always be a reason not to release it.”
The pandemic has also changed attitudes toward makeup among women, especially middle-aged women, who want fewer purchases, longer-lasting makeup, and easier to apply. And that’s what Jones Road offers.
In the UK, it is sold exclusively at Liberty. In the United States there are eight stores in exclusive areas such as Hamptons and Palm Beach. However, 95 percent of sales are made online.
Bobbi attributes her success to quality and the fact that she doesn’t sell “a box of hope,” but rather products that make a difference from the moment they are applied.
‘I know I need something to work right away. I’m not going to wait 28 days for my skin to get better.’
And he firmly believes that looking good can make you feel good.
‘We know that aging makes you look tired. Teaching people not to look tired in makeup actually makes you feel more energized. It’s crazy how the mind works with the body like that.’
As an advocate for natural aging, it’s clear that Bobbi hasn’t had any work done and is happy to admit that she has dark circles, thin eyebrows, and an uneven skin tone. admires women in the public eye who haven’t had any work done.
Supermodel Christy Turlington, 55, receives a special mention.
“Many of his fellow models have just let themselves go or have preserved themselves so much that you don’t even know who they are anymore,” he says.
‘And what about Naomi Watts (56 years old), now the voice of women of a certain age in menopause? Clearly, she hasn’t had anything done to her face and she looks amazing.”
However, going gray is something Bobbi is not willing to accept.
‘My dark hair makes me feel younger. I’m not ready to go gray and I think I would look totally washed out. For some women, gray hair improves their beauty but I am not one of them.
“I used to say I’d stop dying my hair at 60, then I moved it to 70 and now I say 80.”
She may be dyed, but her hair has the thickness and density of a woman half her age, the result of a “miracle” solution. ‘Menopause and then the stress of the pandemic left me with the worst hair loss. I had to use tape (extensions) to fill it in. A friend recommended a microdose of minoxidil.
‘I’ve been using it for a year and now my hair is very thick. My eyebrows have grown too. You get a little fuzzier around the chin, but I bought this cool little machine called the Nood. It’s laser hair removal, you do it at home.’
While Bobbi, 38, couldn’t imagine wanting to continue working at age 60, Bobbi, 67, couldn’t imagine giving it up.
“I never see myself not working, especially now that I’m so good at achieving work-life balance.”
Much of that is thanks to Steven, the real estate mogul whom she married 36 years ago. Today he is the president of Jones Road, while his son Cody is the interim CEO and his daughter-in-law Payal is the brand manager.
How does Bobbi manage to work so closely with her husband?
“He still has his own business that he’s busy and involved in, he’s not in all my crap.” He is there for the things I need him for. I’m aware that when it comes to work, I can be a bit of an emotional artist and it’s good to have that voice of reason on hand. But, equally, there are times when I hear what he says and I don’t agree.’
Today, in addition to her brand, Bobbi’s greatest joy is being a grandmother to two-year-old Lily.
“It’s the cherry on top of my sundae,” he says. “When Lily runs into the room screaming ‘Bibi,’ it’s the best.”
As for the future, in addition to having another grandchild due in February, Bobbi plans to continue expanding Jones Road.
‘I don’t like golf, gardening, tennis or anything like that. What else am I going to do? she shrugs.
HOW TO GET BOBBI’S LOOK
Bobbi shared three of her favorite party looks that our makeup artist recreated on model Lauren.
BOLD LIP
BOBBI SAYS: ‘I love the red lip. It’s modern, sophisticated and chic.’
AS: We start with What The Foundation in Beige, The Face Pencil in 9 and 11 and then finish the brows with The Brow Gel in Ash. We then added some warmth to the cheeks with The Best Blush in Pop. The star is The Lip Tint in Ruby, a vibrant red.
PRODUCTS: What The Foundation (£42), The Face Pencil (£24), The Brow Gel (£23), The Best Blush (£27), The Lip Tint (£26).
SMOKY EYE
BOBBY SAYS: ‘The smoky eye is soft and wearable. The diffused smoky eye looks great on anyone and any skin tone.’
AS: We started with The Best Pencil in black and blended it gently before adding The Best Eyeshadow in Smokey Gray to the lid for definition. We put Sparkle Wash in Gilded on top to give it shine. We finish the eyelashes with The Mascara and the eyebrows with The Brow Pencil in Brunette.
PRODUCTS: The Best Pencil (£22), The Best Eyeshadow (£24), Sparkle Wash (£24), The Mascara (24), The Brow Pencil (£22).
CLEAN AND FRESH
BOBBI SAYS: “I love this look – it’s elegant, goes with any outfit and works every time.”
AS: Using The City Lights Kit, we start with the complexion and buff the brows with The Brow Pencil in Blonde and The Best Eyeshadow in Ash. We used The Bronzer in Dusty Rose before applying the shade Miracle Balm in The City Lights Kit –Chic, a dusty mauve.
We layered three Just A Sec eyeshadows: Linen, Baby Pink, and then Pewter. We line the lips with The Lip Pencil in Nude Rose and apply Cool Gloss in Rosy. We finished with The Mascara and Mini Miracle Balm in Magic Hour for a fresh, wintery touch.
PRODUCTS: The Brow Pencil (£22), The Best Eyeshadow (£24), The Bronzer (£32), Just A Sec (each eyeshadow £25), The Lip Pencil (£21). The City Lights Kit – Includes Mini Miracle Balm in Chic and Magic Hour, The Mascara and Cool Gloss in Rosy (£60).