The Making of Bobbi Brown - Makeup, Business & Motherhood

Welcome to the 6th episode of The Making Of... from The Female Lead. 

Our guest this week is the legendary make-up artist, entrepreneur and founder of the iconic Bobbi Brown cosmetics. It’s the one and only Bobbi Brown herself!

Bobbi started out as a make-up artist and then, through a chance conversation with a chemist, created a few simple lipsticks that evolved into a global beauty empire. Since leaving her billion-dollar company in 2016, she has launched Beauty Evolution and finished her 9th book, ‘Beauty from The Inside Out’. 

But despite her incredible story of glamour and success, Bobbi could not be more down to earth, easy-going and funny. We talked about not feeling beautiful, how to start a business, and the stressful moments working mothers deal with every day (even big-time beauty moguls) like racing home to deal with your child’s fever - Bobbi has been there.

We recorded the interview over zoom, during lockdown, so please bear with us as some bits may sound a little wobbly. 

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Bobbi Brown grew up in Chicago and graduated from Emerson College in Boston with a self-created degree in theatrical makeup and photography. After that, she moved to New York to work as a professional make-up artist. During this time she became known for a totally new style which was all about natural tones, which was very different to the popular look at that time in the late 1980s.

In 1991 she launched the brand Bobbi Brown Essentials, which was a phenomenal success resulting in Estée Lauder buying the company in 1995, and keeping Bobbi on until she stepped down in 2016. Since leaving Bobbi has started a new lifestyle brand, Beauty Evolution, and continued to write books, making her a New York Times bestselling author as well as all of her other accolades. 

Bobbi’s style of make up has been hugely influential in the beauty industry - she genuinely revolutionised the world of make-up and her impact lives on forever.

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The Making Of is hosted by Bea Appleby and is edited by Lauren Lind. The production is brought to you by The Female Lead and the whole series is very kindly sponsored by Missoma