Bobbi Brown shares her beauty and wellbeing secrets with The Midlife Beauty Edit.
From Jones Road Miracle Balm to hip-hop classes, the iconic makeup artist and brand founder reveals what's working for her, right now.
Totally thrilled doesn't cover it.
I’m SO happy to welcome the ever-inspirational, unstoppably creative and brilliant Bobbi Brown to The Midlife Beauty Edit, to talk all things beauty, health and happiness in midlife—and at any age.
Bobbi’s career-long philosophy that makeup, skin care, body care—all of it— should be a joy, and feel life and natural beauty-enhancing, has never changed. As a makeup artist and brand founder, her contagious enthusiasm, energy and entrepreneurial spirit has been an inspiration to many.
Bobbi has poured her passion and wisdom into several books and, most recently, here on Substack, at
, where she’s now writing and posting how-to videos, behind-the-scenes clips and interviews.I first met Bobbi in London in the nineties, when she brought samples of ten, brown and nude-toned lipsticks to the magazine offices where I was working at the time. As her original, eponymous makeup range rolled out, my makeup bag—like those of many beauty editors I knew—ended up being roughly 75% Bobbi (for me, nothing touched her bronzing powder, or tinted moisturising balm).
After parting ways with the brand in 2016 (resting on laurels has never been a Bobbi trait), she launched Jones Road Beauty four years later.
Bobbi’s gorgeous, clean and simple-looking range of “easy, cool, multi-purpose products that could be used to nail any look”—if you’ve been reading along for a while, you’ll know I’m obsessed—arrived in the UK 2021 (so a little later than our lucky friends Stateside, of which I know there are many—a massive WELCOME to those who joined The Midlife Beauty Edit since Monday!).
Over to Bobbi.
The Midlife Beauty Edit Q&A, with Bobbi Brown
What are the must-haves in your makeup bag right now, and what do you love about them?
The must-haves in my makeup bag definitely change. I’m always testing new products, but I really like decant some of my favourite things into mini-mini pots, because I love to carry a bunch of different things with me.
But here are the things I always have: The Jones Road Neutralizer Pencil (£24), which lightens up any darkness under my eyes.
I also have a Jones Road skin colour pencil—The Skin Pencil (£24)—to even out spots and to add under my eyes. I’ve been using either a powder bronzer—The Bronzer (£32)— in medium all over, and then Miracle Balm (£36) on my cheeks in a variety of colours, to illuminate my skin.
I always have a brown pencil, black mascara, a mini fragrance and a brown The Best Eyeshadow (£24), so my eyes have some definition.
Often the only lip I have is a balm or a gloss.
What are your daily skincare essentials?
My daily skincare essential is definitely a sunscreen. Full disclosure, I’ve been using the tester one that we will be coming out with January 2025.
If I’m going to be on the beach, I’ve been using a Neutrogena 50 oil free (at time of posting, also available at £15.09 in the UK via Amazon), so it really does protect my skin.
I wash my face every night with a Jones Road Cleansing Stick (£34). That is so easy, and takes everything off. And when my skin is really dry, I put on Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream (£145) and Jones Road Face Oil (£26) on top of it. It works like a moisturising mask for me, so I wake up with smooth, hydrated skin.
Any hair care must-haves?
For my hair, my must-have is that I colour my hair every two weeks, and in between I’ll use a brown shadow or pencil on my parting. Truthfully, it only looks great when I get a professional blowout which I do once a week. I should do it more often. Other than that, I let it air-dry and it’s usually in a ponytail.
Your fitness loves?
My fitness love is hip-hop, which I take with an instructor Lloyd who has digital classes, Live With Lloyd. I also walk a ton: 10 to 12,000 steps a day, and more on the weekend.
I do strength-training 2 to 3 times a week, usually with a trainer. It takes a lot of work to maintain a 66-year-old!
Favourite way to rev-up in the mornings?
My best way to rev up in the morning is with a double glass of water—sometimes with lemon, sometimes with sea salt—and a double espresso with half-and-half, which usually does the trick for me.
Best way to ensure a better night’s sleep?
Luckily for me, sleep is not a huge problem. Usually, I take a sleep supplement which I get from mindbodygreene which does not have melatonin—Sleep Support+—and basically has GABA and magnesium, which really calms me down and allows me to sleep.
Any other midlife wellness habits/tips?
Lastly, my probably best advice I have for anyone in our midlife is to appreciate where you are and always drive to be better, and better for me. More limber, more fit, more fun, more learning and just try to appreciate all your knowledge that you’ve gathered all these years and to pay attention to what makes you happy. And if something doesn’t work, it’s pretty simple - don’t do it.
Sleep is really key - it dictates all your choices for the day to follow.
Buy Jones Road online or find your nearest stockist at jonesroadbeauty.com. Check out Bobbi’s new Substack here, and follow her on Instagram.
I somehow missed this one…I didn’t realise that Bobbi is now Jones Road! A great read! X
This was such a fun read!!! It was so refreshing to hear an expert talk so openly - I love that she wears her hair in a ponytail lol! Great tips for the make up bag, got some ideas there. Thank you for writing this, it was awesome!! Xx