Bobbi Brown, the make-up queen

Roza is free today. That's why the schedule on Broadway no. 575 a bit. Usually, the manicurist here provides well-filed and nicely colored fingernails for all office workers and their boss Bobbi Brown, founder of the cosmetics brand of the same name. But of course, the 57-year-old as a trained make-up artist gets her manicure herself, even almost as fast as Roza. Perfect nails are practically a corporate identity in the industry. And not only that: "Sometimes I even explicitly order my people a treatment - it's so relaxing," says Bobbi Brown. And whoever is relaxed, she has no doubt, works more effectively. "Wicked" is the name of the black-red tone on her fingertips and goes perfectly with her casual Chanel jacket and hole jeans look. Brown smiles briefly, pulls on the straw of her Lemon Waters, sinks into the couch - to jump up again. "Sorry, but if I sit next to you, I can look so bad in your eyes." She changes to the chair opposite, folds her legs cross-legged. The beauty expert measures just 1.52 meters. Therefore, it usually carries very high heels, but today flat black boots. Is just more comfortable. "What do you want to know?" She asks. After all, efficiency is an important Brownian mantra. Rumbummeln estimates the self-made entrepreneur so not at all.

ChroniquesDuVasteMonde: Mrs. Brown, you tweeted at 5:00 this morning. Is this your normal start time?

: Not quite. I had a radio interview on a morning show, and Pharrell Williams was there as well. The guy who produced "Happy", you know him for sure. He made me a paper hat and scribbled his autograph on it. I was thrilled and tweeted it right away, so that my followers can be happy with me.

There were three pictures yesterday on the Instagram photo app Instagram: her beagle on the beach, her barbecue, her husband with Bon Jovi wig. How much time do you spend on social media?

If you asked my husband Steve, his answer would be that I'm constantly online. But I would say: two to three times a day. Mostly in the car on the way to work. I just can not sit still in the back seat and do nothing. Social media is perfect.

Memories: Bobbi's office walls are papered with photos

And someone will definitely answer when Bobbi sends. She currently has 94800 followers on Twitter, 175071 on Instagram and 1261272 on Facebook. She could also leave the communication to her social media team. But she prefers to do it herself, she finds it more authentic. But she is appreciated by her fans. She shares her life, her enthusiasm, her inspiration and her immense make-up knowledge. Consumers are rewarding this with around 21 million Bobbi Brown beauty products purchased each year.

Speaking of social media: You have just started a second chief post, beauty boss at Yahoo. Are you the most influential cosmetics woman in the world now?

You flatter me. In fact, Yahoo has around 800 million registered users - a number that really gives us a boost. But I will not use Yahoo to promote my products. It will be a journalistic website where women can quickly find out how to make basics and trends: "How to do" videos of me and other make-up artists, stories from an independent team and interviews with exciting stars. In addition, we see ourselves as curators, linking to exciting beauty content that we discover on the net.

The quick check on the Yahoo beauty section reveals whimsical hairstyle tips from Elvis Presley's hairstylists alongside lipstick-keeping advice, inspiring after-baby beauty, and a boss-led interview with actress Kate Upton Campaign face for Bobbi Brown Cosmetics models. You can not find branded products anywhere. The highlight of the website: make-up videos, for example, for a natural complexion. For about 20 seconds, Bobbi's nimble hands are brushed over a woman's face, knocked and painted, zack, done. The films are underlaid with good mood music. Perfect beauty quickies.

What do you want to achieve with your offer on Yahoo-Beauty?

I want to help make women more confident. I can give them the knowledge to feel better with simple make-up techniques, emphasizing their best sides. I see makeup as an asset. For example, on days when we are tired, make-up can give us great support. We have a clear advantage over men: they can not do anything if they are not sleeping well. We have concealer and rouge.

Could you ever have imagined your success when you started in 1991 with a lipstick palette of self-mixed colors?

No way. I started with a lipstick that enhanced the natural lip color, something that did not exist back then. As a make-up artist, I always mixed individual colors with my customers - that was well received. One day I mixed my most beautiful red, my favorite orange and so on, and then it became my own palette. Today it is nothing special, there are thousands of nuances on the market. It was new then, I was just lucky. And I was persistent. I do not accept the answer "No". Never. Til today.

Video: Bobbi Brown in an interview with ChroniquesDuVasteMonde

Rolling Stone: Bobbi Brown with Mick Jagger.

Her tenacity paid off. Already four years after the launch of the "Bobbi Brown Essentials" make-up line, beauty company Estée Lauder became aware of the rapid success and bought the brand. Brown remained the creative boss. Currently, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics sales represent an estimated 10 percent of Lauder's total sales. With her simple idea that make-up should be natural, the make-up artist revolutionized the beauty market. Today one can say without exaggeration that she is the most influential beauty mogul of the USA. The President of the United States calls, "Hey, Bobbi!" As she walks through the White House to chat with Michelle Obama. Her CV reads like the "American Dream" par excellence.

They say that you should not waste time dissatisfaction with yourself. How do you do that?

I just believe that nobody is a victim. You can change your attitude. Instead of looking in the mirror and finding everything ugly, you can look at yourself and say: That's you, and you're beautiful.

Are you also so relaxed about your character?

Let's put it this way: I have to do sports, otherwise I will not be. Bootcamp, which keeps you fit three times a week. And I'm crazy about healthy food. You are what you eat - In addition to the right foundation, nutrition is crucial for a great complexion. But hey, I like to admit it: I love carbohydrates. Unfortunately I had to throw pasta and bread and all the delicious stuff from the menu.

Do you really never eat any?

But. I always steal chips from my plate for my husband Steve and my three sons. Besides, I'm planning a trip to Paris, and you know what: I'll eat bread with every meal. And croissants. How could you travel to France and do without croissants? But maybe I'll read that one book first: "Why do not French women get fat?"

She immediately asks her assistant to get the book.

How fast do you switch from beauty boss to family at home?

I love being bossy, and I do not understand the call from Facebook boss Sheryl Sandberg, for example, who goes against the word bossy. Bossy just means insisting on something you are convinced of. At home, I try not to be like that. My husband and my sons do not like that. We often discuss it. So I try and bring the garbage down instead of arguing about it - it's not worth it.

How did you manage that at the beginning of your career, with children and a newly established make-up brand?

It was not easy, there were not many role models of women in the nineties who worked and had children. The people I dealt with back then still remember me as the make-up artist, who said at five-thirty that she was going home. The others often went on until night.

Idol: The star make-up artist is a big fan of the Queen.

How do you define feminism?

I'd say it's one of the biggest achievements of our time that working moms have become normal. Feminism means that we are equal to men. However, I think: we are not the same - women are just so much better than men. Make sure you head over to your article (laughs). But I'm serious. Write it down. They have often demanded that we need more older women as role models in public.

Do we have any now?

I hope I become one with age. My Auntie Alice is 82 and the most reassuring person I know. She always says, "You've gained five pounds, what the hell, that's okay." Having experienced older people in the circle of friends is a relief and an enrichment. I have many.

Brown's office walls testify to this: Bobbi and a grinning Mick Jagger. Bobbi with a mischievous Iris Apfel, the 92-year-old New York style icon. Next to her is Queen Elizabeth, but without Bobbi, underneath she stands as a waving plastic figurine. Brown adores the queen.

Sounds like a relaxed aging strategy. Would you ever botoxen or put yourself under the knife?

I tried it, but I would not do it again. It did not work for me, I looked spotty. Of course I would prefer no wrinkles on the forehead. But I just decided to like her.Which does not mean that I do not enthusiastically try everything that the market is giving off to freshening up. Otherwise, my husband and I made the deal that we will love each other in old and wrinkled.

Watch Meghan Markle do her makeup in an Uber with Bobbi Brown (April 2024).