I’ve written nine books before, but my latest one is different. A memoir is your whole life on the page and it’s exposing.
I felt it most writing about my family. My dad, Joe, ran his own law firm while my mum, Sandra, was the most glamorous woman I’ve ever known. I inherited my dad’s entrepreneurial spirit and after mum suggested I become a make-up artist, in 1980 – at 23 and after graduating from college – I moved to New York to make my dreams happen.
Within four years, my career took off when I worked with photographer Bruce Weber on an Italian Vogue cover featuring actor Matt Dillon and model Talisa Soto. Then, a few years later, in September 1989, I got my dream job – a US Vogue cover, with Naomi Campbell.
There was one big problem. The make-up I wanted to use didn’t exist. Natural-looking lipstick shades were either too pink, orange or shiny. I started mixing my own using a taupe pencil, a bit of balm and a cream blush.
That same year I got married, then, just 12 months later when I was pregnant with my first child Dylan (I’m a mother to three boys, Dylan, now 35, Cody, 32, and Duke, 28) a Kiehl’s Pharmacy chemist offered to make my formula into a lipstick. We developed ten shades: mostly nudes, plus a pink and a red. A buyer from Bergdorf Goodman agreed to stock them, and Bobbi Brown Essentials was born.
We sold 100 lipsticks in a single day and within three years, I had the top-selling line at both Bergdorfs and Neiman Marcus.
In 1995, Leonard Lauder, CEO of Estee Lauder, offered me a life-changing sum to sell. Working alongside Leonard was magical. Those early years were exciting. I was surrounded by stars including Meryl Streep, Susan Sarandon and supermodels galore.
After Leonard’s departure in 2012, everything changed. Suddenly I had focus group-obsessed executives asking me to create products I didn’t believe in.
Make-up artist Bobbi Brown remembers mixing her own lipsticks out of taupe pencils, balm and cream blush to get the shades she wanted
From mixing her own colours, Ms Brown went on to develop a proper lipstick range with ten shades – and thus Bobbi Brown Essentials was born
By 2016, the situation was unbearable. Leaving was both a relief and a heartbreak. In the 48 hours after stepping down, I felt a wave of emotions – grief, sadness and anger. How did I get through it? I drank tequila with friends who let me pour out all my emotions!
My contract had a 25-year non-compete clause, which meant that when I walked away, I still had more than four years left to sit out. So, behind the scenes, I began dreaming of launching another beauty brand.
That day came on October 26, 2020. I launched Jones Road Beauty – clean, simple formulas to make women look like themselves, only better. Despite all my previous success I still panicked, worried I’d been a one-hit wonder. But the brand exploded, and, at 62, I felt reborn.
Beauty is about confidence and embracing what you look like right now, unapologetically. I don’t believe in contouring or plastic surgery for me – but I don’t judge others. My friend Kris Jenner has spoken about her facelifts – that’s her version of ageing gracefully and I respect that.
I’m 68 and plan on looking as vibrant as I can for as long as I can. I want my lines to look better, not to disappear – because we all know they don’t go away unless you inject them!
I have no problem with weight loss jabs, but when you lose weight suddenly, your face loses volume. (If this is you, skin-plumping moisturisers, blush on the apple of cheeks and not contouring can help!)
Someone once said to me: ‘Every decade, you have to adapt and adjust,’ and it’s true. I’ve made lifestyle adjustments in later life. I now lift weights for bone health. I take creatine to increase muscle. Creatine is reportedly beneficial for brain health too.
Beauty is about confidence and embracing what you look like right now, unapologetically
And so are weight loss jabs. My doctor and his wife, who are teeny little people, are on a low dose as they believe this will prevent dementia. Life’s about pushing limits and having fun, so last year I started taking hip-hop dance lessons. I’m planning a dance party for my 70th and want Flo Rida to DJ so I can bust some hip-hop moves.
Last year, in March 2023, I closed the circle with Leonard Lauder. After six or seven years of silence, I reached out to wish him a happy birthday then ended up sitting with him for three hours over lunch in his New York apartment.
We reminisced. He shared secrets I’ll never repeat and, as I left, he apologised, saying: ‘I promised you I’d take care of you and the brand for ever, and I couldn’t.’ I told him I wouldn’t change a thing.
Ms Brown’s ethos with Jones Road Beauty was ‘clean, simple formulas to make women look like themselves, only better’
After years of quietly working behind the scenes, Ms Brown felt ‘reborn’ when Jones Road exploded
Sometimes bad times make you a better person. Leonard passed away in June 2025 and I’m grateful one of our last conversations was one of honesty and forgiveness.
What do I think now when I walk past a Bobbi Brown product on a shelf? I wish them well – how’s that?
My focus now is the future of Jones Road. It is only five years old this month so there are a lot of celebrities on the red carpet who haven’t tried the brand yet. Their make-up is really strong and I would love to have a chance to do their look.
I recently met one of my heroes, actress Hannah Waddingham, and sent her a bunch of Jones Road products and now she’s smitten. That kind of feedback still blows me away.
I’ve had so many pinch-me moments – such as Kate Middleton wearing Bobbi Brown on her wedding day. My biggest regret is never meeting Queen Elizabeth II. I always related to her – probably because, like me, she was short, kind and mighty.
And just like the late Queen, I have no intention of slowing down. I don’t even like taking a ten-day holiday! I’ll definitely still be working when I’m 80.
Want to know how I look like this at 68? Read on for my beauty secrets…
Food joy over fad diets
I grew up in the 1970s and I followed my mother on every fad diet. Decades later I learned that it’s not about following a diet to lose weight, it’s about what you do all the time.
I went back to school and got my degree in 2017 at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, so I am a certified health coach. I’ve never practised, but I give advice constantly.
If I had to put a label on what I do, it’s intuitive eating and I like to think I eat healthy – no processed foods and as many real grown-in-the-ground foods as I can.
It’s hard to stay on track with the amount of travel and eating out I do, but I try my best. Eating a little bit of bread with meals helps fill me up and it gives me so much joy. I really like bread.
Use lasers for lift!
I’m all about lasers. I’m not into filler or injectables, but I love anything that will help me look and feel fresher and brighter without changing my overall appearance. I’ve done Ultherapy – which uses focused ultrasound energy to lift and tighten skin. It was excruciating. I still remember how much my teeth hurt.
One that wasn’t painful and helped me get rid of spots and a brighter appearance is Pico. This skin rejuvenation technology uses ultrashort ‘picosecond’ laser pulses to target and treat pigmentation (sun and age spots).
My favourite is Sofwave. It hurts a touch, but it is totally doable, and I really see a difference after. Again, this treatment helps to lift, tighten, and rejuvenate the skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and sagging skin.
Sleep yourself young 
My focus now is the future of Jones Road, writes Ms Brown
If you’re well rested instead of sleep-deprived, you’ll take years off your face.
If you’re feeling tired, stay hydrated and eat well throughout the day. Drink water. Eat some healthy fats and use a super hydrating moisturiser on your face, neck and hands.
Cream I swear by…
My Just Enough Tinted Moisturiser. It has lightweight moisture, light coverage and a light finish. This product covers redness, evens out skin tone, moisturises the skin and is light and silky enough to work well on all skin types. Plus, it’s so easy to apply. All you need is a small amount, your fingers, or the skin brush. People will tell you your skin looks great.
Get rid of redness
Try to get rid of any redness and even out your skin. Use my Face Pencils and be sure to concentrate around your nose, mouth and cheeks where there’s often some hyper-pigmentation. Under the eyes, use a lighter shade than the one you used on your face and it will cover up any dark circles.
Be a glow getter
I swear by my Miracle Balm. First, use your fingers to dig into the balm and break the seal on top so all the emollients mix into the formula. Then put some on your fingers, rub your fingers together and then pat it onto your cheeks for a subtle glow and to add luminosity. I guarantee you’ll look instantly better. If you have any extra on your fingers, dab some on your eyelids and lips for an extra moisturising glow.
The eyes have it
Choose the right concealer, especially when using it under the fragile skin under your eyes.
The right concealer is one that doesn’t embed itself in the fine lines around our eyes. The face pencil is the perfect product. It spot-treats and lightens under the eyes all at once.
Even before concealer, we need to start with just the right amount of eye cream to moisturise the skin around those fine lines. Then, apply the concealer on top. If you’re properly hydrating under your eyes, the concealer shouldn’t crease or get in between your lines. Define your eyes with liner and mascara, because that instantly wakes up your face.
Frame the face 
Jones Road is only five years old this month, and Ms Brown is keen to show it off to celebrities who haven’t yet given it a shot
I have no intention of slowing down, writes Ms Brown. I don’t even like taking a ten-day holiday! I’ll definitely still be working when I’m 80
Start by brushing your brows up and find the sparse areas. Using The Brow Pencil, use hair-like strokes to fill in those areas, from the front of your brow to the arch, finishing at the tail end of your brow. To keep them in place all day, use the clear or coloured brow gel. You can cover your greys with brow gel as well.
Supplements I love
I hate swallowing pills, so I try to stick to powders, gummies and the odd capsule. Every morning, before coffee, I take Athletic Greens AG1 greens powder – a nutrient-dense supplement for energy, immune defence, and digestive support. It contains vitamins, prebiotics, probiotics plus adaptogenic and superfood ingredients. When I skip, I notice.
I also take fish oil with a drop of Neurocalm – a blend of ingredients to manage cortisol and symptoms of stress, including KSM-66 Ashwagandha, L-Theanine, magnesium, lemon balm – which keeps me calm, focused and not jittery. I take a digestive enzyme too, which helps prevent tummy troubles.
At night, I occasionally have four Calm Gummies to wind down and, as a bonus, they help me the next morning too. The only pill I can manage is the MindBodyGreen Sleep Support+ vitamin, which I love because it has no melatonin. That’s it. Simple, doable and it works for me.
… and never forget to move!
I walk up to 90 minutes every day, which is about 10,000 steps. Then a couple days a week, I work with a trainer on strength training. I know how important it is at my age and I’m all in.
Still Bobbi: Stories Of Authenticity, Resilience And Reinvention From The Iconic Entrepreneur, by Bobbi Brown, is on sale now, published by Bloomsbury, £22.
As told to Gemma Calvert.