Bobbi Brown’s Essential Makeup Musts for Every Decade
Industry icon Bobbi Brown recently shared her beauty tips and tricks with a packed house at her Jones Road store in Nashville, and we're sharing them with you! Image: Ben Ritter
Nearly four decades ago, celebrity makeup artist Bobbi Brown redefined the cosmetics industry with her refreshingly simple βno makeup, makeupβ approach to beauty β and a namesake cosmetics line. Today, her Jones Road makeup brand continues to embrace her philosophy that makeup should enhance your beauty, not mask it.
Ever the educator, Bobbi teaches women how to put their best faces forward through her instructional social media videos and in-store masterclasses (like the one held recently in Nashville). We caught up with the makeup guru, who shared her essential makeup tips for every decade.
Long before there were influencers and βget ready with meβ videos, Bobbi Brown was quietly changing the way women thought about makeup. In the wake of the bold color trends of the β80s, she rolled out Bobbi Brown Cosmetics in 1991 with a collection of 10 neutral lipstick shades. The rest is history.
Fast forward more than three decades, and lightning struck twice. After stepping back from her namesake brand, Bobbi launched Jones Road, a company named after (wait for it β¦ ) the WAZE app. βI was driving in the Hamptons with my husband, and Jones Road popped up on the app,β she shares. βThere was something about it I liked, and surprisingly, my husband liked it too.β
A Clean Routine
Bobbiβs inspiration for creating a brand-new line was twofold: she wanted clean beauty products and simplicity.
βI could see that the beauty industry was changing and that demand for better, cleaner products was growing, but I couldnβt find clean beauty products that looked great on my skin,β she explains.
Using her years of knowledge and expertise, Bobbi began βplaying with formulasβ to create products that were not only clean but also easy to use.
βI love to create things that simplify my life,β she says. βOn a typical day, Iβm doing my makeup in my car in five minutes with just a few key products. Iβm always on the move, and I want a beauty routine thatβs quick and simple and uses fewer products β not more.β
Thatβs why many of the products in the Jones Road collection are designed to be multitaskers. Miracle Balm, a product many consider the star of the show (it was also a recent StyleBlueprint team member pick for Hot List), can be used as a blush, highlighter, or lip gloss. βI even use it on my hair to tame flyaways,β Bobbi says.
As it turns out, she also has an unusual use for The Best Pencil. βItβs for lining your eyes or filling in your brows, but in a pinch, I use it in the part of my hair to cover up any grays between root touch-ups,β she shares.
Keeping it Real
Bobbiβs approach to beauty is refreshing. In a world where influencers are constantly chasing βflawless,β sheβs about keeping it real. Youβll never find her contouring unless, as she jokes, itβs on her stomach. Β
βIβm not a believer in contouring, and I see women of all ages doing it,β she explains. βItβs hard to do, and it rarely looks natural. I believe in enhancing your own features.β
She also admits she doesnβt always drink enough water, occasionally steals French fries off her husbandβs plate, and sometimes has more than one cocktail.
βThere are also those days when Iβm like, βOops, I forgot my sunscreen,ββ she confesses, although she is quick to point out that everyone should be using one daily.
Beauty Is an Inside Job
Whether sheβs always properly hydrated or not, Bobbi looks great and has the energy of a woman half her age, which she happily admits is 69. She is a firm believer that beauty is an inside job that starts with how you speak to yourself.
βThe thoughts in your head matter when it comes to beauty, and your psyche hears your voice,β she explains. βIt is important to like what you see in the mirror.β
Through her social media tutorials and in-person masterclasses, Bobbi teaches women to use her products to bring out whatβs already there β not change the way they look.
βIβm doing makeup tutorials almost every day on my social platforms, which is so much fun,β she shares. βWhenever weβre launching something new, itβs important to teach customers how to use it, and social media is a great way to give short, easy-to-follow lessons.β
In-store makeup classes are also available at every Jones Road location, so even if you canβt make a masterclass with Bobbi herself, youβre still in good hands.
βEveryone who works in our stores is a trained makeup artist, and itβs important to me that weβre offering education online and in-store to everyone,β she explains.
The Next Chapter
Bobbi is on track to open four to five more Jones Road stores before the end of the year, including three in California. As for why she opened one in Nashvilleβs 12 South neighborhood?
βWe look for where our customers are, and we look for cool places,β she tells us. βNashville is both.β
Her 10th book,Β Still Bobbi,Β came out in 2025 and marks the first time she has written a narrative focused entirely on her personal life, career journey, decision to leave her namesake brand, and the eventual launch of her new company, Jones Road.
With so much success under her belt, youβd think this multi-talented powerhouse might be ready to retire her brushes β but that doesnβt seem likely.
βIβve been a makeup artist for nearly four decades, and I still feel like I have something to teach women about how to use makeup to enhance their natural features and make them look like themselves, on their very best day,β she says. βThe βno-makeupβ makeup trend is hardly a trend β itβs what Iβve been preaching for 40 years.β
Bobbiβs Decade-by-Decade Makeup Musts
As your skin changes, so should your makeup. Donβt worry, you donβt have to completely overhaul your makeup drawer to look your best at any age. Bobbi shares her tried-and-true tips for looking your best at any age. (Spoiler alert: moisturizer is your BFF).
20s and 30s: βItβs all about taking care of the skin. Beauty starts from the inside out, and great skin starts with what youβre putting in your body, even before you use any products. Drink plenty of water. Eat healthy food and get as much exercise and sleep as you can,β she says. βWhen it comes to products, everyone should use a good sunscreen and a moisturizer, no matter how old you are. Our tinted moisturizer evens out skintone without feeling heavy.β
40s: βApply a light layer of eye cream, then use a neutralizer to cover dark under-eye circles and hyperpigmentation,β she advises. βItβs like underwear for your face! Follow it with a concealer one shade lighter than your foundation. Lastly, try Miracle Balm. Break the seal, take a little bit on your fingers, and rub them together. Smile, and pat it into your cheeks. I guarantee you will look and feel better instantly.β
50s and 60s: βAs we get older, our skin naturally gets drier, so using a good moisturizer both at night and in the daytime under your makeup is a must,β Bobbi explains. βIn terms of makeup, lean into more emollient formulas. Powders tend to get dry and flaky. A moisturizing foundation like our What The Foundation provides a little more coverage but without looking cakey.β
70s and beyond: βWe need to continue to change our routines as we get older,β Bobbi says. βMy best advice is to not be afraid to add even more hydration. I love a good face oil and will often add it on top of my moisturizer, especially at night when the skin restores itself. When it comes to makeup, opt for rich moisturizing formulas like What The Foundation, the Blushing Stick, and definitely Miracle Balm. Trust me, itβs your best friend!β
Universal Tips:
βBrowns, taupes, and smoky grays are universal colors that work for everyone and are always modern,β Bobbi tells us. βI just started getting into brown mascara. Itβs fun and just different. We will be introducing one later this summer.β
She also adds, βBlush is my favorite product of all. Regardless of how old you are, everyone looks better with a little color in their cheeks. Go for a color that makes you look like you just came back from a run or finished a great yoga class. To choose the right color, pinch your cheeks. Then pick a blush shade that matches the color that appears. I like doing a natural color and then adding a pop of something brighter on top.β
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Bonny Osterhage
Bonny Osterhage is a professional journalist with more than 25 years of experience in both print and digital media. An avid fitness fanatic, when she isn't exploring the next trending topic, Bonny can be found cycling, running, and leading classes at SolidCore. Find more of her work at Mind Body Green, The List, Business Insider, and more.