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“I’ve always been particular about my brows—even on shoots with incredible make-up artists, I’d insist on doing my own.”
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On reinvention, risk-taking and why real beauty will always win.
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“Of course, I’m very grateful for the successes we have achieved, and yes, we can celebrate these milestones. But I’m always cautious – I never believe I have ‘arrived’. To me, one day you’re in and the next you could be out. You can’t rest on your laurels.”
“I say ‘work in progress’ a lot or ‘this too shall pass’. Also: ‘don’t forget to have fun’.”
What is your mantra?
“In the beginning, the biggest challenge was
doing everything with a small team, but I truly believe it’s important to be hands-on to understand what your business really needs”
“When we got our first negative TikTok review, I panicked. I thought we’d ruined everything. But it turned into one of my biggest lessons.”
“A very old Hermès trench, which I got when I worked at the [brand’s] sample sale in the ’90s, plus a McQueen embroidered cape.”
What is your most treasured fashion item?
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£36
Lip and Cheek Stick
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The thing I love the most is… being a makeup artist and teaching women how to look like themselves, only better. After leaving my first brand, I launched a few new initiatives. I went back to school and became a health coach, launched a wellness brand and opened a boutique hotel with my husband in my hometown of Montclair, NJ. Then, Masterclass called and asked me to do a makeup masterclass, which was such an honor. When I was prepping for the Masterclass, I started experimenting with a lot of different makeup products and it made me realise that, before anything else, I’m a makeup artist first and that I love formulating and creating new products. So I met with a chemist and started experimenting - and that's how I created the first products in the Jones Road Beauty collection.
My advice for budding entrepreneurs is… to always be practical. If you can’t afford to leave your job, think about what you can do while you still have it. Sometimes that’s just thinking and ideating, other times it’s reading and seeing what’s available. The second thing is to think about what you love and what your passion is. My passion is beauty and makeup, there’s no question about that. So, once you’ve identified your passion, think about whether you can build a company around it.
My beauty non-negotiable is… that makeup is meant to make you look like a better version of yourself. No heavy makeup, no harsh contouring, just your elevated self. From my early career days at the counter to building Jones Road, I’ve always followed this philosophy.
“We celebrate wins—big and small—every day through a WhatsApp group with our leadership team. Everyone shares one big and one small win daily. It reminds us that progress, no matter how small, is still progress.
“It’s natural to take inspiration from others, but it’s tough when we see replicas of our products on the market. There are too many loopholes that let brands get away with it. I used to stay quiet about it, but now I see it as a compliment—it means we’re leading, not following, and that Refy is aspirational.
“I’m still learning to set boundaries with my phone. So much of my work and life happens there, but I can easily spend hours scrolling without being productive. I’m trying to create a new routine—once I finish work, I leave my phone on my desk for the evening
.
“I’m a chronic overthinker, and the best advice I’ve ever received came from my brother: whenever you have a problem, look in the mirror and ask, ‘Can I do anything about this?’ If yes, do it immediately. If not, let it go—it’s out of your control.
The bravest decision I’ve ever made was… starting a second company in my 60’s, in the middle of a global pandemic and a week before an election, was the bravest decision I’ve made. The nation’s collective sense of unease and division was at an all-time high. Everyone said to me, "You’re crazy. Why are you doing this now? Just wait until next year,” but I told them we don’t even know what next year is gonna bring. It could be worse. And you know what, my noncompete was up. I started ideating before, but the pandemic made you stay at home and do things differently. No one wore makeup in the beginning, no one coloured their hair. It made me realise it wasn’t about putting makeup on, it was about feeling better in your skin. Which is what inspired the natural products. I had no clue if it would be successful, or how far it would go. But I had a vision and a belief, and I knew it was something I wanted to do. Don’t be afraid to take a risk.
A beauty ritual I never skip is… moisturising! It’s the key to keeping your skin looking young and bright.
“Starting a second company in my 60s, in the middle of a pandemic, was the bravest decision I’ve ever made.”
Few women have shaped modern beauty quite like Bobbi Brown. The legendary makeup artist and serial entrepreneur first appeared on the beauty scene with her namesake brand and its refreshing new stance on makeup that focused on accentuating natural beauty rather than covering it. She sold her brand to Estée Lauder in 1995, and stepped down from the company in 2016. A mere four years later, in the middle of the pandemic, Brown surprised everyone—except, perhaps, herself—with the launch of Jones Road Beauty, a new venture that signalled a return to her makeup artistry roots by championing the concept of looking like yourself, only better. Current estimates place Jones Road as worth approximately $1billion, with this year’s revenue predicted to be over $150million.
But Brown is so much more than her multi-million dollar cosmetics brands. She’s a wellness advocate, teacher, mentor and creative. At the centre of everything she does lies the same sentiment: that beauty should be simple, real and empowering. Here, in our Women Who Win series, she speaks to Lottie Winter about her reinvention, bravery and lessons learned from building not one, but two of the most influential beauty empires of modern times.
Bobbi Brown
“We sometimes say that we are creating objects that are right in every sense of the word—the right proportions, the right level of practicality, and the right balance between the quality and the price.”
The Mascara
BKLYN
Gel Bronzer
Miracle Balm
Just Enough Tinted Moisturizer
brand to Estée Lauder in 1995, and stepped down from the company in 2016. A mere four years later, in the middle of the pandemic, Brown surprised everyone—except, perhaps, herself—with the launch of Jones Road Beauty—a new venture that signalled a return to her makeup artistry roots by championed the concept of looking like yourself, only better. Current estimates place Jones Road at approximately $1billion, with this year’s revenue predicted to be over $150million.
But Brown is so much more than her multi-million dollar cosmetics brands. She’s a wellness advocate, teacher, mentor and creative. But at the centre of everything she does lies the same sentiment: that beauty should be simple, real and empowering. Here, in our Women Who Win series, she speaks to Lottie Winter about her reinvention, bravery and lessons learned from building not one, but two of the most influential beauty empires of modern times.
ew women have shaped modern beauty quite like Bobbi Brown. The legendary makeup artist and serial entrepreneur first appeared on the beauty scene with her namesake brand and its refreshing new stance on makeup that focused on accentuating natural beauty rather than covering it. She sold her
F
The book that shifted my perspective is… Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey from Homeless to Harvard, by Liz Murray is one of my favorite books that shifted my perspective. When I first picked it up, I couldn’t stop reading it. It touched me in so many ways that I reached out to her afterward, and we became friends. Liz was even featured as a model in my Pretty Powerful book. Life and distance have kept us from staying in close touch, but her story and her words have never left me.
A piece of art or object I treasure is… a vintage Louis Vuitton trunk that I spotted during a trip to Grays Antique Center. My husband and I bought it on the way to the airport with no time to overthink its price or practicality. It is one of my favourite pieces and serves as a coffee table in our living room.
“I realised that before anything else, I’m a makeup artist — creating products that let women look like themselves, only better.”
Image credits: Courtesy of Bobbi Brown / Jones Road Beauty
Courtesy of Claridges / Maybourne Hotel Group
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A city that recharges your spirit is… London. I’ve always been a bit of an Anglophile. There’s just something about the scene in London that I really love. It immediately puts me in a better mood. I can never pass up a trip there.
My favorite London hideaway is… Well, it wouldn’t be a trip to London without a stay at Claridges. It’s the perfect hideaway for some R&R, while still getting the full London experience. If you’re looking for classic luxury, this is the place!
A scent that instantly grounds me is… Shower and BKLYN, both by Jones Road. I use these two fragrances in the afternoon when I’m wiped out and just want to go home and sit on the couch. With just a little spray, I’m instantly revived. Fragrance is just like makeup. It’s a key to confidence. The right scent can lift your mood instantly, and that’s something I always want.
A sound that soothes me is… the sound of my grandaughter calling for BB is immediately soothing. It’s something I’ll never get tired of.
Rose Bourbon Absolute
A woody, deeper take on traditional rose
