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Bobbi Brown's 3 Best Makeup Tips For A Seriously Vibrant Complexion

Author:

Alexandra Engler

February 07, 2022

mbg Beauty Director

By Alexandra Engler

mbg Beauty Director

Alexandra Engler is the beauty director at mindbodygreen and host of the beauty podcast Clean Beauty School. Previously, she's held beauty roles at Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, SELF, and Cosmopolitan; her byline has appeared in Esquire, Sports Illustrated, and Allure.com.

Image by Bobbi Brown x mbg creative

February 07, 2022

Every beauty professional has their non-negotiable steps. In our series, Like A Pro, we tap experts for the top three techniques they absolutely swear by. Here, you'll hear from a variety of industry insiders on the fail-safe tricks they always keep in their back pockets. We're all about simplifying your beauty regimen wherever you can, and sometimes the best routines are as easy as 1, 2, 3.

Growing up, one of my most prized beauty possessions was a little tube of Bobbi Brown lip gloss. It was a rosy pink, slightly sheer, and oh-so-balmy. It was from my mom's makeup collection, and wearing it made me feel like the most sophisticated high schooler in all of Nebraska.

Fast-forward to my current beauty editor status, and even still, nothing makes me feel cooler than wearing something that Bobbi Brown had a hand in creating, such as her newest endeavor Jones Road Beauty. (The no-makeup makeup line offers everything a no-fuss beauty fan like me could want: delicate finishes, natural aesthetics, multiuse tools). So imagine my delight when Brown herself joined me on my podcast Clean Beauty School to talk about her game-changing career, makeup truths, and well-being habits.

I was awe-struck, to say the least. The episode is filled with advice (beauty and otherwise), so give it a listen for all the tips. And in the meantime, here are three makeup tricks everyone should know.

Skin care is the basis for everything.

Makeup is only as good as the canvas under it. "You have to start with your skin, which includes eating right and treating it with the best-quality things possible for you. This makes a big difference," she says. "And most important is a good moisturizer. I think of moisturizer not just as something that's going to change my skin over time, but I want it to make my skin look instantly better too."

Yes, a hydrating cream or lotion will of course strengthen your skin barrier and keep your complexion looking supple and youthful in the long run—but that immediate plumping isn't so bad either. "Some days I put moisturizer on—and I layer a couple of them on—and then I look in the mirror, 'I'm like, oh my God, I look so much better.' Because guess what? I was probably dehydrated."

Play with light.

"I'm all about the light," says Brown. And you can tell it in her product formulations: Each is spectacular at reflecting a glow in the most delicious ways. Most notably, is the best-selling Miracle Balms, which imparts a soft-focus sheen that highlights any area it touches.

And according to Brown, the best way to work with light-catching makeup (such as balms and highlighters) is to mix and match shades and finishes depending on the area: "I use multiple at a time: I wear shimmery pale color on my eyes, but then one with more color on my face," she says, which not only plays with the wide variety of skin tones each of us has on our face—but will provide dimension. That takes a look from flat to elevated in no time.

Tap on some color.

A creamy, blendable blush can help any complexion come to life. "I think everyone looks better with blush. So whether it's just a bit of color or a brighter shade, that's up to you," she says. The Jones Road numbers (called the Lip and Cheek Tint), come in eight shades and practically melt into skin. As for application, that's tailored to your face shape and final look—for more information, check out our guide to applying rouge.