Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of meeting Bobbi Brown — the woman behind the iconic namesake brand and beauty pro known for fresh, natural and forever classic looks. During a ‘Master Class’ she instructed at Nordstrom, Bobbi shared her best kept secrets and techniques. As she demonstrated step-by-step applications, I scribbled down as many notes as I could (3 pages, in fact!) so that I could share with you here.
Above all, I admire Bobbi’s approach to make-up and beauty… plus, she has the greatest sense of humor about her (!). Bobbi’s motto is: All women are pretty without makeup, but with the right products and a few easy steps, she can feel her best self and confident. Here are some of Bobbi’s best kept secrets and go-to products:
• FOR RADIANT SKIN | The most important things you can do for your skin are wearing sunscreen, drinking lots of water, eating healthy foods, not smoking, and wearing moisturizer. And don’t forget about the benefits of exercise; nothing makes your skin look better, says Bobbi.
• 5-MINUTE BEAUTY ROUTINE | Be organized and prepared. Think of putting on your makeup in seven easy steps: concealer, foundation or tinted moisturizer, powder to set it, blush or bronzer on cheeks, eyeliner in a shadow around eyes, mascara, lipstick. That’s it. (For beauty on the go, check out Bobbi’s multi-purpose palettes.)
• FINDING THE RIGHT FOUNDATION | Foundation should match your natural skin tone, not change it. Test a few shades on the side of the face and forehead, then check the colors in natural light. The shade that disappears into your natural color is the right one.
• FEELING ROSY | Bobbi likes using a bright blush, applied lightly on the apples of cheeks and blended up towards the hairline, then downward to soften the color.
• BRIGHT EYES | Use concealer to brighten and lift the under-eye area. Concealer should be one or two shades lighter than your foundation, and yellow in tone. Apply it generously under the eyes starting at the inner corner of each eye, and take it below the lash line. Use your fingers to press the concealer into your skin and set it in place with a sheer loose powder.
• MASCARA | When applying, hold the mascara wand parallel to the floor and brush from the base of the lashes to the tips. Roll the wand as you go, to separate the lashes and avoid clumps. Always apply two to three coats. Bobbi swears by bold and classic black, opposed to colored mascara.
• FINDING THE RIGHT SHADE OF LIPSTICK | Look to natural shade of your own lips. Find a lipstick that mimics that color, when you have no makeup on. Yours could be pink or nude, depending on your coloring and style. (I love the sheer shade, Hot Raspberry)
• SHIMMER | Take a daytime look into night, by adding a little shimmer to your cheeks, eyes or try a little gloss. A touch of shimmer is fresh, youthful and pretty on everyone.
!function(d,s,id){var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? ‘http’ : ‘https’;if(!d.getElementById(id)) {e = d.createElement(s);e.id = id;e.src = p + ‘://’ + ‘widgets.rewardstyle.com’ + ‘/js/shopthepost.js’;d.body.appendChild(e);}if(typeof window.__stp === ‘object’) if(d.readyState === ‘complete’) {window.__stp.init();}}(document, ‘script’, ‘shopthepost-script’);
JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content.
JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content.
Special thank you to Bobbi Brown for partnering on this post!
