Still Bobbi

By: Bobbi Brown

Narrated by: Bobbi Brown

“She didn’t just change how people wear makeup—she changed how they see themselves” (Charlamagne tha God, for the Time 100 Most Influential People list). Bobbi Brown, beauty mogul and visionary, opens up in her first memoir about the true story: reinvention, resilience, and the power of staying real.

Bobbi Brown has never written her life story…until now.

In Still Bobbi, she reveals how a young girl from suburban Chicago who was bored at school but had a budding entrepreneurial spirit that she inherited from her Papa Sam, grew up to become a makeup artist to the stars and a beauty industry icon who built two juggernaut brands. The development of Bobbi’s revolutionary, yet simple no makeup makeup philosophy was informed early by two powerful, yet diametrically different women in her life: her loving and very glamorous mother who struggled with mental health issues and her equally-loving, but very practical, non-nonsense, Aunt Alice. In Still Bobbi, Bobbi reveals how these two women, along with her own Midwestern work ethic and personal resilience, continue to inform her life and career to this day.

In the early ’90s, when makeup trends were about covering, contouring, and transforming, Bobbi blazed her own path, using makeup that accentuated a woman’s natural beauty. In the process, she revolutionized the makeup industry. At twenty-five, Bobbi moved to New York City to become a makeup artist and she hustled to break into the very gated fashion and beauty industry. Eight years, later, she got a Vogue cover. By age thirty-seven, she sold her namesake brand (and her name) to Estee Lauder for a life-changing sum. She spent the next twenty-two years building her brand into a one billion business until one day, she was called upstairs and unceremoniously told she was no longer in charge of the brand she built. At fifty-nine years old, she had to reinvent herself and begin all over again.

Bobbi’s vision, creativity, and resilience are fully visible in these pages. Through ups and downs, her North Star has remained consistent—embrace who you are, flaws, freckles, and wrinkles included. This is not just Bobbi’s beauty philosophy—it’s how she lives her life. Real is better than fake. Simple is better than complicated. Family comes first. And when real life throws you obstacles, pivot and just figure it out.

After all this time, after all, she’s Still Bobbi.

Fresh

A poignant story about a gal who ended up exactly where she was meant to be. So refreshing.

The real deal

This is the first book I have read of Bobbi’s. I loved her honesty. She owns her successes and her learning experiences. I’m proud to be a Jones Road junkie. I feel like I am making a political statement as I apply makeup; this is me!!

Inspiring

What an inspiring memoir. Loved it. Honest and bald. Really appreciate the author and the authenticity this book is written with.

Blown away

It was wonderful and so inspiring!!! Truly remarkable to learn about Bobbi Brown and her incredible partnership with her husband, Steven. Thank you!!!

Authenticity at every level

I really enjoyed this book. I didn’t know anything about her. I’m not a big Makeup person, but I had heard of her brand. I’m also similar in age and noticed how natural she is and how comfortable she is with aging, especially being in the beauty industry. Because of that I wanted to know more about her and, all the while reading this book, I felt as if as crazy as it sounds, like I knew her. I shared so many of her core beliefs, and have a lot of similarities to how I treat people, my customers, my staff. While she’s made a lot more money from her business that I could ever hope to for mine, she is a true inspiration and deserves all the success and happiness that life offers. Maybe one day I’ll meet her here in Houston. She’s truly amazing.