American makeup artist, entrepreneur, and author who revolutionized the beauty industry with her “natural makeup” philosophy.
Bobbi Brown was born on April 14, 1957, in the state of Illinois.
She studied theatrical makeup and photography at Emerson College in Boston, then moved to New York City in 1980 to work as a freelance makeup artist. Frustrated by the garish, overdone looks dominating the industry, she developed a signature style emphasizing moderation and natural tones — landing high-profile cover shoots for Vogue and Glamour in the process.
In 1991, she launched Bobbi Brown Cosmetics with a line of just 10 neutral-shade lipsticks at Bergdorf Goodman. The line sold 100 units on day one (her monthly projection). Estée Lauder Companies acquired the brand in 1995 for a reported $74.5 million, and Brown remained as Chief Creative Officer until stepping down in October 2016.
After her departure, she became a serial entrepreneur, launching:
- justBOBBI.com (2018) — a digital beauty/lifestyle editorial site
- The George (2018) — a boutique hotel in Montclair, NJ, with her husband Steven Plofker
- Jones Road Beauty (October 2020) — a clean beauty brand that became an instant viral hit
She is also a best-selling author (10 books), a certified health coach, and was named to Time’s 100 Most Influential People in 2025. She holds honorary doctorates from four universities and was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2013. She lives in Montclair, New Jersey.
Bobbi Brown is 69 years old in 2026.