Bobbi Brown - Bobbi Brown Beauty Rules: Fabulous Looks, Beauty Essentials, and Life Lessons

FABULOUS LOOKS, BEAUTY ESSENTIALS, AND LIFE LESSONS FOR

LOVING YOUR TEENS AND TWENTIES

BOBBI BROWN

WITH REBECCA PALEY
FOREWORD BY HILARY DUFF
PHOTOGRAPHS BY ONDREA BARBE AND BEN RITTER

I DEDICATE THIS BOOK TO MY SONSDYLAN, DAKOTA, AND DUKE; MY NEPHEWSJEREMY, TYLER, JAKE, ZACK, OWEN, AND NATE; MY NIECESREBECCA, JESSICA, SAMANTHA, AND SYDNEY.

I LOVE YOU AND LOVE BEING AROUND YOU. ILL CHOOSE TO BELIEVE YOU ARE ALWAYS LAUGHING WITH MENOT AT ME.

BOBBI

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I AM A WORK-IN-PROGRESS

At the early ages of 12 and 10, my older sister Haylie and I arrived in L.A. hoping to explore our creative talents and fulfill our dreams. From the very first day my mother was honest with us, explaining that we would face many new challenges and experiences; it was up to us to determine how they would influence our lives. Wisely, she advised us to embrace the positive, learn from the negative, and steer clear of the destructive. I quickly learned that there was to be no place for greed and jealousy and I should compete only with myself to do better. The path was simple: Despite what others may say or do, always stay true to yourself and your family.

With our fair share of mistakes and failures and eventually our cherished first successes, we each found our own niches in the entertainment industry. Seemingly overnight, I went from the unknown Texas tomboy in a tutu to Lizzie McGuire, the girl on television who everyone knew and liked just for being herself. Greater perseverance and more good fortune led to success in movies and music; creating fashion, home, and beauty brands; and taking on a meaningful role in charitable causes. Through everything, I have had to learn about patience and humility and, most important, to develop a very good sense of humor. I am still a work-in-progress.

Evolving from a girl to a young woman in a very public way, I learned very quickly that I could not project a positive public persona until I really became aware of my own unique selfboth fabulous and flawed. We all have a list of things about our appearance and character that we would like to change or improve. At times I wish I were taller or that my shoulders were less broadphysical attributes I cannot change. That has never stopped me from loving fashion or dressing to express myself. I believe that those self-perceived imperfections have challenged my personal character and freed me to create my own special look. When we feel that all eyes are upon on us, it is often difficult to take chances in expressing our individuality. But my advice is: Always take that chance. Carry yourself with confidence; if you learn to like what you see in the mirror, others will too. Its worth the risk!

Years before my sister and I were born, my mother started to work as a makeup artist, a career that helped her find her independence as a young woman and allowed her to reach out to others to make a difference in their lives. Perhaps thats why I have a fondness for makeup and talented makeup artists such as Bobbi Brown. Bobbi is legendary as a creative force in the cosmetics industry. She is an innovator, entrepreneur, teacher, and celebrated author. As a philanthropist she has shared her time, energy, and money to help teens from the Jane Addams High School for Academic Careers in the Bronx prepare to realize their full potential and she has helped disadvantaged women enrolled in the Dress for Success program regain their self-worth as they prepare to reenter the workforce. Giving is beautiful!

I first met Bobbi when she did my makeup for The Heart Truths Red Dress Collection fashion show, an annual New York Fashion Week event in which celebrities model red dresses designed by top designers to raise awareness of womens heart health. With makeup, as in life, there is an art to accentuating natural beauty and lovingly minimizing flaws. Because of Bobbi, each one of us walked the catwalk radiating beauty and confidence that day.

Beauty is defined in so many ways. Like Bobbi, I find it hard to believe that physical beauty can thrive without cultivating inner beauty. In everything that she says and does, Bobbi reminds us to value the natural beauty of all women. She has empowered us as teens and women alike to celebrate our similarities and yet still be confident to embrace our differences in expressing our own unique selves. Finding out all the ways that we are beautiful beings is a worthy cause.

As you read Bobbis book, keep in mind: We are all beautiful works-in-progress.

Love yourself.

I havent always been the confident woman I am today. Part of my job is making the worlds most beautiful people and biggest celebrities look their best for photo shoots, red carpet events, and fashion shows. If I didnt believe in me, they wouldnt believe in me. Im also a bit naive and never think that I cant do something. Im a business-woman running a big company that sells beauty products all over the world. Ive written best-selling books and made countless television appearances. And I have to deal with plenty of powerful people, including movie stars, top photographers, and even a few American presidents. Oh, and did I mention I live in a house filled with men (my husband and three sons)? If I werent strong and self-assured, Id never make it through my day.

But I havent always been that way. Far from it. I was a bit insecure growing up. All I ever wanted to be when I was a teen was tall, blond, blue-eyed, flat-chested, and long-legged. And I am totally the opposite of all those things. But that style was really in when I was a teen. So even though I was the shortest girl in class, with dark brown hair and eyes, and a big chest, that unattainable blond chick in my head was my ideal. Whenever I looked in the mirror, I felt disappointment at what I saw. For a long time, I just didnt think I was pretty.

Because I wasnt satisfied with my image, I spent a lot of time trying to figure out my look. I went from parting my waist-length hair down the middle and wearing chunky turquoise jewelry to dressing the part of an 80s Madonna-wannabeand many unmentionable looks in between. Im a creative person, and trying out different things turned out to be a lot of fun. Throughout the evolution of my style, I always loved playing with makeup. Experimenting with bronzers, eyeliners, shadow, and lipstick meant transforming myself, and, of course, being prettier.

Makeup ended up being the way I found myself. It took me from a normal high school kid to a household name. Not that it happened overnight. The same determination I applied to figuring out my style I applied to launching my careerfrom designing my own makeup major in college to dealing with rejection as a beginning professional.