You probably know makeup artist Bobbi Brown from her eponymous beauty line that she launched in 1991. The original master of the “no makeup makeup look,” Brown left what became a multi-billion dollar company in 2016 at the age of 59 and returned to our makeup bags in 2021 with her new venture, Jones Rd.
At 66, Brown is the queen of easy, effortless makeup that takes the guesswork out of a highly saturated industry that can be challenging for everyday women — especially those over 60 — to navigate. Whether it’s finding the right foundation for your skin type, or blush and lipstick shades that pack an impact while still looking chic and mature, it hasn’t always been easy to find makeup that’s not only suitable for your skin’s naturally smooth, glowing complexion. a 20 year old.
Even as a celebrated makeup artist, Brown has felt some of the same struggles. “What I’m discovering now in my sixties is that it’s about accepting that you are good the way you are, and it’s just about trust,” she says. “I’m not saying, ‘Okay, let’s all stop shaving and let’s all go wild.’ I still color my hair and put on a little makeup most mornings. The reason I wear makeup in my sixties is just to feel good, and when you feel good your confidence is stronger. It took us a long time to figure that out.”
There’s also the common assumption that to be good with makeup, you need to have a bag full of products and a lot of time to get ready. This isn’t the case for Brown, whose philosophy around makeup is that it should be quick, easy and make you feel better. “I like to make things simple. I’m lazy,” she says. “I think there’s a nicer way to say it – that I’m very quiet or low-maintenance – but no, I’m lazy. That’s why I like to find solutions with my makeup.”
If you’re just as low-maintenance, Brown just launched the I Am Me kits, curated beauty kits for women who don’t know what to order from a makeup website. Work differently with what you have with Bobbi’s tips on how to improve your makeup in your sixties – and the advice she gives you Real used on its own.
Pay attention to your skin
For Brown, the first thing she does every morning before applying skin care or makeup is to assess her skin and what it really needs. “Pay attention to how your skin looks every morning because every day is different,” she says. “For example, today my skin is drier than yesterday because I didn’t apply moisturizer last night and didn’t drink enough water yesterday, so I used more moisturizer today.”
If your skin is a bit oilier, which can happen in the warmer months, you may want to skip a moisturizer altogether and go straight to sun protection. The same skin assessment also applies to makeup. “If you’re well rested, you may not need the extra coverage the next day, and sometimes you do,” Brown adds. The same goes for powder: look in the mirror and check if you really need it before applying.
Get the perfect foundation
Foundations are a staple in many women’s makeup bags, but opinions are divided: if you choose the wrong texture, it can look cakey on the skin. And for Brown, that immediately looks older. “If you have a traditional foundation, try ‘thinning’ it with your moisturizer so it looks more natural,” she suggests. The shade is also important. “The foundation should be the exact color of your forehead and cheeks, otherwise you need a bronzer to warm it up.”
Luckily, there are some excellent modern formulas that even out skin tone without the obvious makeup. The What The Foundation, £42 from Jones Road can be applied as a moisturizer for an even base. Shiseido’s Revitalessence Glow Foundation, £49, is also great for over-60s skin if you prefer a traditional liquid foundation, as it adds plenty of hydration as well as coverage.
Revitalessence Glow Foundation, Shiseido, £49; What the foundation, Jones Road£42
Actress Julianne Moore, 63, finds the perfect balance between an even skin tone and lots of luminosity. If you’d rather skip foundation altogether, you can use concealer under your eyes, around your nose if you have redness, or to hide sun spots. Cle De Peau’s Concealer, £55, is an excellent all-rounder.
Proofreaders are your secret weapon
“If you have really dark circles, you need a corrector,” explains Brown, who calls correctors neutralizing pencils because the goal is to neutralize shadow and darkness under the eyes first, before applying concealer. “Not everyone needs one. But if you do that – and some people really need that – they can make everything look so much better,” adds Brown, who needs a corrector when she needs to look ‘awake’.
Correctors often have a more orange or peach tint to counteract shadows and give a more balanced, even complexion. The Neutralizer Pencil, £24, from Jones Road is incredibly easy to use and light enough to wear under concealer (Brooke Shields is a fan). Nars’ Radiant Creamy Color Corrector, £26.50, is also a very good option. Gently dab it under your eye, anywhere you see darkness, and the correctors will instantly light up.
The neutralizing pencil, Jonesweg, £24; The radiant creamy color corrector, Nars£26.50
Frame your face with good eyebrows
“Once you start doing your eyebrows and you see what it does to your face, you just can’t stop doing it,” Brown explains. The first step to better eyebrows is to use an eyebrow brush without color and simply brush it out to condition them. Once you brush the eyebrows you can see where you need to fill in. ‘Your eyebrows should start in line with your tear duct. It should be neither closer nor further away,” she adds.
As for the arch, it should be three-quarters of the way down your forehead. “As we get older, it’s even more important because it gives you the illusion of a facelift,” says Brown. Finally, place a pencil from the corner of your nose to the outer corner of your eye, and where that line meets your eyebrows should end. Actress Angela Bassett, 65, has the perfect example of well-shaped eyebrows.
If you have gray hair and eyebrows, there’s a solution: Brown developed an eyebrow pencil in a gray shade because, working with so many gray models, she discovered that even light, asymmetrical eyebrow pencil colors can look a bit warm. The Eyebrow Pencil, £22, from Jones Road has no heat, so it works really well if you have gray or silver hair, or if you’re a cool blonde. As for applying an eyebrow pencil, “always apply light pressure,” says Brown. “Apply it in short, light strokes and look for a formula that has fiber added to add volume to the brows.” If you prefer an eyebrow gel, try Beauty Pie’s Tinted Eyebrow Sculpting Gel, £9.
Tinted Eyebrow Sculpting Gel, Beauty cake, £9; The eyebrow pencil, Jonesweg£22
Colors that suit gray hair
If your hair is gray or white, you may need to change the colors of makeup you wear to really make the gray ‘pop’ appear. An example of this is Andie MacDowell, 65, who has mastered bright, flattering makeup with gray hair.
“White or gray hair can make your complexion look a little dull, so it’s important to find your ‘nude’ colors in lipstick and blush that aren’t just brown and beige,” says Brown. Her advice is to opt for a pink or peach color on the cheeks and lips to add vibrancy to the face.
“A rosy pink blush works for everyone to make your skin look more vibrant,” says Brown. But you don’t have to shy away from bright lipstick. “If you like red lipstick, that’s great. I love the look of white hair, blue eyes and a red lip,” she adds.
The Soft Pinch Luminous Powder Blush, £26, from Rare Beauty is a hybrid blusher and highlighter that gives a real glow to the skin – the shade Joy is beautiful and suits everyone. If you love the look of red lipstick but find it tricky to wear, the Lip Tint in Ruby, £26, from Jones Road is a beautiful formula: creamy, wearable with just the right colour.
Soft pinch luminous powder blush, Rare beauty, £26; Lip Tint in Ruby, Jones Road £26