Bobbi Brown, 56, was born in Chicago. She attended Emerson College in Boston where she
majored in theatrical makeup. She moved to New York after college and brought with her a different vision of beauty and how the American woman could look her prettiest.
While in New York she worked as a Professional Makeup Artist. At that time, in the mid 1980’s, when look at me colors, stark colors and shiny red lips were in fashion, her vision was to create a more natural look for women. She and a chemist designed a brand of lipstick. “I had the idea to create a lipstick that didn’t smell, wasn’t dry or greasy, and looked like lips, only better—and I told the chemist about it,” she says. She was hoping to sell 100 in a month, but ended up selling 100 the first day. From the muted colors that continued to sell so rapidly, it was clear that women wanted makeup that was simpler, more natural looking and more wearable.
She extended her brands into foundation. She changed it from being based in pink to yellow-based revolutionizing makeup as we know it today. By 1995 she became a product designer with her name behind a global company. At this point, she was approached by Estee Lauder who offered to buy her company. Bobbi sold it to the Lauder’s but retains creative control of the brand. At the end of 2006, sales had reached one half billion dollars.
Bobbi has written five engaging and instructional beauty and lifestyle books and is a New York Times bestselling author. She has done appearances on the Today Show, Oprah, and many other television shows showing women how to apply makeup. According to Bobbi, “Beauty isn’t about looking perfect, it’s about celebrating your individuality” At five feet tall, someone so short has done so much make women feel “ten feet tall.” Celebrating one’s individuality is priceless.
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