Bobbi Brown--This famous make-up guru spoke to us just days before delivering her third son. Check here for her secrets to looking great while you wait for your baby.
Who Is Bobbi Brown?
You may not recognise Bobbi Brown's name immediately, but you know her style. This talented make-up artist and cosmetics designer is credited with creating the look of the 90s: fresh, natural, modern. Using a palette of primarily warm, sheer, muted earth tones, Brown created a revolutionary make-up style that accentuates a woman's natural beauty without giving her that "made up" appearance. Brown devotees include Christy Turlington, Meg Ryan, Andie MacDowell, and thousands of women around the world who want to look natural, but pulled together, with minimal effort. We grabbed Brown for a quick chat just days before she delivered her third son. Here's what she had to say about beauty and babies.
Bobbi's Secret to Balancing Work and Family Life
Despite the fact that she still works as a make-up artist and runs a successful cosmetics company (Bobbi Brown Essentials is now a $50 million business), Brown, 41, still makes plenty of time for her family. It's clear that husband Steven Plofker, a lawyer and real estate developer, and her older sons, Dylan, eight, and Dakota, five, come first in Brown's life.
Her secret, she says, is remarkably simple: "I prioritise and organise and I don't get stressed out." She's also home every night by 6pm. Her advice to other expecting mums is the same. "Remember, you're pregnant and having a baby, which is something so special. Don't give yourself a hard time," she says. Brown admits this pregnancy is a bit easier since she's such a pro now. "I feel much more relaxed this time. Nothing is a surprise to me. I also know it will be over soon."
What's her favourite thing about being pregnant again? "That I will be having another baby. I also love feeling the baby moving." Being pregnant has helped create some cherished moments for Brown and her two sons. "My boys are constantly touching and kissing my stomach" she says. As a way to include them even more in the pregnancy, Brown has asked Dylan and Dakota to help her name the baby. "But we don't have any names picked out yet," she says.
The Surprising Ways Pregnancy Changes Your Appearance
Pregnant women are beautiful, no doubt about it. But in addition to that tell-tale rosy glow (which is actually caused by increased blood flow in your body), pregnancy can also stimulate some less desirable changes in your appearance. You probably expected the bloating and weight gain, but did you also know that your skin could become blotchy, prone to acne, and dry or oily, and your hair texture thinner or thicker? These are some of the outward signs of the internal hormonal changes you're going through now. But that doesn't mean you have to grin and bear them.
Pregnancy is a great time to re-evaluate your beauty routine, according to Brown- and to experiment a little. "One of the biggest beauty mistakes women make during their pregnancy is using no make-up and also changing their hairstyle dramatically. Make-up can do wonders during your pregnancy. It can be used as a tool to feel pretty and in control," says Brown. That's particularly important during this time when many women feel they've lost control of their bodies. So go ahead and have some fun: "Make-up can be washed off -it isn't permanent" says Brown, "and it's a great way to make yourself feel good."
The Best Make-up for Pregnant Women
"I like to recommend that pregnant women keep their beauty routine simple and easy," says Brown. Her list of essentials includes a concealer for blotchy or uneven areas and dark undereye circles, yellow-toned foundation (which Brown swears is best for all skin types), a pink blush, and your favourite lip colour. For best results, Brown recommends first putting on concealer (one shade lighter than your foundation) just where it seems necessary, because that may be all you need. Then apply foundation, but only on the areas without concealer. Doubling up just cancels out the effect of the concealer, she says.
What about those days when you don't have time for a full make up or you really just need a lift? "Blush is the best way to give yourself a boost," says Brown. Her signature technique is to apply a bronzer or skin tone blush across the whole cheek as a base and then a splash of pink right on the 'apple' for a natural, I-just-finished-exercising, look. Pregnant women can also give themselves a beauty and mood boost by spritzing on a clean, fresh scent. Choose something light and pretty, says Brown, since your sense of smell is heightened during pregnancy.
What to Wear During Pregnancy
You can probably guess how Brown, one of the world's greatest advocates of body acceptance and natural beauty, feels about maternity clothes. She hardly ever wears them, preferring instead to dress in comfortable clothes that reveal to the world her growing body and baby. "I stick with wearing sleek, black, comfortable clothing that shows you are pregnant. I love to wear a basic body and slimming skirt," she says. Brown also raids her husband's closet for big button-down shirts to wear with leggings or pregnancy jeans.
Find Your Own Style
We can all use a little beauty (and mothering!) advice now and then, but it's important to do what feels right to you. Brown's advice to all women is this: "Develop your own beauty style. Look for the traits that make you special and learn to accentuate them, and then build your personal style around them. And more than anything, strive to feel good about yourself. When you feel confident, strong, and pretty on the inside, you will surely look pretty on the outside, too." And above all, don't forget to enjoy yourself and cherish those precious moments that seem to surface without warning in every mother's day. Brown's favourite time is just after her kids come out of the bath. "There's just something," she says wistfully. "I smell their hair. I give them a hug...any mother knows."
No comments:
Post a Comment