Brown Girl in the Ring

Beauty and makeup genius, Bobbi Brown built her brand purely on her grit. She is the force who changed perceptions of natural makeup and skin tones in the industry. The legend, talks about being an entrepreneur, her passion for makeup, zeal for life, family and much more.

- Priyanka Banerjee

25 years in words... Almost 25 years ago, I started my brand with a simple idea: ‘beauty is simple. Be who you are’. In the 1980's, I was working as a freelance makeup artist. Beauty in the ’80s had overpowering colours and heavy makeup. I saw a major void in the cosmetic industry that I knew I could help address. My vision was to create a line that looked natural.

A chance meeting with a chemist at a magazine photoshoot changed everything. I had an idea to develop a flattering lipstick that looked like lips and it became reality with the creation of Brown Lip Colour. I realised that not everybody loved neutrals, and nine other brown-based lipstick shades followed soon after. Once I had the final product, I was selling the makeup out of my house. My husband and I invested our life savings in the company that we formed. I debuted my line in 1991 at Bergdorf Goodman.

By 1995, we were overseas in Canada, London and Japan, and we were approached by Leonard Lauder of Estée Lauder with an offer to buy. We weren’t for sale, but we were going through growing pains and knew we needed help if we wanted to take our business to the next level. And, he truly made me an offer that I couldn’t refuse. He offered me an opportunity to retain creative control of my brand alongside also doing what I loved most—being a mother and wife. I was impressed particularly because of the company’s history and legendary founder, Estée Lauder. We had the same priorities and similar visions. Since the beginning, I’ve used makeup to enhance natural features and I’ve always used flattering, natural-looking products and shades for all skin tones. My philosophy hasn’t changed, but it’s evolved to cater to the needs of modern day women around the globe.

Tell us about the Bobbi Brown ‘Be Who You Are Campaign’?