When did your interest in makeup begin?
Ever since I was a little girl I was interested in makeup. I used to watch my mother put on her white eye shadow and pale pink lipstick in amazement. When I was young I would paint all of my dolls’ faces with makeup, pretending they were real people.

What was your biggest break as a professional makeup artist?
Landing my first Vogue cover with Naomi Campbell

How was the concept for Bobbi Brown Cosmetics born?
I wanted to create brown-based lipsticks (10) that actually flattered women’s lips, rather than looking fake and garish.

At what point did you know for sure your cosmetics line was going to be a success?
When I first launched in Bergdorf’s I thought I was going to sell 100 lip sticks in a month. I sold 100 in the first day!

You unveiled the The Studio in Montclair N.J. which is Bobbi Brown Cosmetics first stand-alone store. What is this store’s mission?
The Studio is more than just a store. Behind the store there is also a huge space which is used as a combination of a training ground for our internal makeup artists which keeps them up to date on Bobbi’s signature tips and techniques and is also a space for conducting training classes for women who are interested in developing their own artistry techniques. The Studio offers the ultimate makeup classes and experiences for to the public. For the full list of services click here.

What’s your favorite new product this year at Bobbi Brown Cosmetics?
I love my New Moisturizing Cream Compact Foundation because it’s the first compact foundation for dry skin that actually looks natural, rather than thick and cakey. Plus, it provides unbelievable all-day moisturization and instantly softens the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Where do you find the muse for creating new makeup looks?
I take my inspiration from the women I meet, and from color – the colors I see in everyday life and especially the colors I see naturally in people’s faces. I am also deeply inspired by my love of art and art stores; there are so many great colors and unexpected textures to explore. As far as the products themselves, very often, I’ll come up with something on the spot– something I mixed together and felt I just had to have in my line.

What have been some of your most memorable celebrity collaborations?
I LOVED working with Susan Sarandon because she is so beautiful not only on the outside but on the inside as well.

What is your number one beauty secret?
Concealer! It’s the secret to the universe. It instantly brightens you face masking you look more awake and refreshed.

What is your philosophy about beauty?
I believe that women should be who they are and that they should keep their makeup and their life simple, real and approachable.

You have written four New York Times best-sellers, where do you draw the inspiration for your books and which book did you enjoy writing most?
Writing books is a way for me to empower women with knowledge. The ideas for the books have come to me in much the same way that the ideas for products come to me. It often starts with a feeling in my gut and I take it from there. For example, I got the idea for Living Beauty (which offers women much needed alternatives to plastic surgery) right around the time when all the extreme makeover shows were reaching critical mass. I felt like someone just needed to say, “Stop. Plastic surgery is not the only option.”

What compelled you to get involved in the Dress for Success organization?
I was at a luncheon when I heard the DFS founder Nancy Lublin talk of how she started DFS with a 5, 000 inheritance from her great-grandfather (Poppy Max). It was a truly inspiring story and I wanted to be a part of the wonderful organization.

To what do you attribute to your successful transition from a makeup artist to multi-faceted business women?
Being nice to everyone—people appreciate niceness. It’s also about working with great people. I often say that it takes a village.

What other passions do you have besides your work?
My family!

It was a pleasure to interview Bobbi you can find out more about her cosmetics line at www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com