An interview with Bobbi Brown: A beauty OG in total control of herself

I’ve been following Bobbi Brown’s career for over a decade now. I admire her because she truly revolutionized the beauty industry, which is a distinction few can claim despite all the countless brands and launches in the market right now. She made nude and natural-looking lipsticks in the 90s when everyone else had neon or deep shades. However, it was her belief that makeup should make us look exactly like ourselves - just prettier and more powerful - that defines her career as a makeup artist and entrepreneur.

Bobbi Brown as photographed by Amy Lombard

And so I grieved when Bobbi Brown left her eponymous makeup brand in 2016. Would she fade away, just like so many others who did the same thing? “I don’t really believe in failure. It’s all about learning and reinventing,” Bobbi says. “When something isn’t working, then pivot and try something different.”

True to those words, Bobbi launched her new cosmetics brand Jones Road in 2020. Yes, right smack in the middle of the pandemic! Even so, the brand is a smash hit because of innovations spearheaded by Bobbi herself. It’s an exciting brand that’s all about the fresh, almost barefaced look that captures the essence of Bobbi’s makeup philosophy.

More recently, she was announced as the new Chief Creative Advisor of Augustinus Bader, a groundbreaking luxury skincare brand making waves all over the world. Loved by celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, Victoria Beckham, Sandra Oh, Dakota Johnson, Hailey Bieber, and Margot Robbie, its famous for using patented skin healing technology by Professor Augustinus Bader, a forerunner in stem cell research. The brand also just recently arrived here in the Philippines! You can find their beautiful counter inside LOOK in SM Aura and shop online in LOOK as well.

In line with this thrilling news, let’s find out more about this partnership and hear some advice for entrepreneurs from Bobbi herself!

What is the story of you becoming a fan of Augustinus Bader? What is the very first thing that we should try from the brand? It just recently arrived in the Philippines so we're very excited to explore it!

I learned about Augustinus Bader through their CFO David Nass, who was my CFO during all the years that I was at Bobbi. He’s the guy that taught me everything I needed to know about business. He went to work with Bader and sent me The Rich Cream which was a game-changer. I honestly have tried almost every cream and this was the greatest thing. I saw an instant difference the first time I used it and I’ve been hooked ever since.

How can people who identify as women be more confident as they age? 

I believe the best way to age well is to take care of yourself: eat what’s good for you, move your body every single day and drink a lot of water. Plus the right moisturizer is essential; I love the Rich Cream by Augustinus Bader.  Moisturizer helps plump up the skin and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

I also believe being happy is the truest definition of beauty so spend time with the people and experiences that bring you true joy.  That’s what makes you look and feel beautiful. 

I love how you've turned Jones Road into a movement for that effortless clean makeup look. It's fresh, but it's what you've been teaching us all along! What were the challenges of starting a new beauty brand in a super crowded space? How did you get past these challenges?

I don’t see challenges – I see opportunities and when I started developing Jones Road I was developing products that I really wanted and that didn’t exist in the marketplace yet. Everyone is talking about the “no makeup makeup look” as a trend but I’ve been doing it for nearly four decades as a makeup artist.

Launching Jones Road has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life because this time, I have so much institutional knowledge behind me.  I’m more confident and I know exactly what I want. And I’m the boss so I only answer to myself. That’s empowering. 

I also believe being happy is the truest definition of beauty so spend time with the people and experiences that bring you true joy. 

Bobbi Brown as photographed by Ben Ritter

What is the best advice you can give to entrepreneurs who are new and finding their place in the sun?

Spend more time doing and less time thinking. If you have an idea for a product, then get the product made and test it over and over again with your friends and your family.  You can have a great business plan, but if you don’t have a product that works and that consumers will love, the business plan won’t get you far. 

How can entrepreneurs sustain their passion for something they've been doing for years or even decades?

Stay curious.  Continue learning and engage with other entrepreneurs in your space to share ideas. Cross-mentoring has been such a powerful inspiration for me. 

How inspiring is Bobbi Brown? I’m excited to see how Bobbi’s creative partnership with Augustinus Bader will bloom in the months to come.