Customer Reviews

Bobbi Brown Living Beauty

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Bobbi Brown is an incredible makeup artist. I've seen her personally as well as the work of several other top names in the business, and moreso than any of the others, she has a way of turning the average woman into a glowing version of herself and doing so in a way that is easy to replicate and not over-the-top.

This "you but improved" philosophy rings through in all of her books, including the new Living Beauty. Living Beauty is geared towards a more "experienced" reader, i.e., those in their 40s and older, but I am in my early 30s and still find the book very informative.

As with her other books, Brown's most recent publication takes a holistic approach to beauty, covering not only skin care and makeup, but also fitness, nutrition, menopause issues (including bioidentical hormone replacement a la Suzanne Somers), giving birth in your 40s, cosmetic surgery, age-appropriate clothing and hair. The book also contains advice on aging and beauty from a number of famous sophisticates (Susan Sarandon, Vera Wang, Vanessa williams, Marcia Gay Harden, etc., etc.). There are lovely makeovers throughout with explanations of how they were done - makeovers that are actually doable and wearable (no ultra-smokey eye and nude-invisible lips). My favorite parts of the book are the little tidbits of advice from Bobbi scattered throughout - things she has learned throughout the years - e.g., "Watching Adam Sandler in the movie Click I learned that we shouldn't wish away all those annoying tasks. It's called life and it goes fast enough anyway."

I took off one star from my rating solely because there's a lot of information in here that is included in Bobbi's other books and because its applicability is age-specific (20-somethings need not apply...). But, for those over 40 ladies (or younger Brown fans) who want a little life boost without looking like Ivana Trump, I'd highly recommend adding this book to your library.

"Living Beauty" is the fourth book by well-known makeup artist Bobbi Brown. Her earlier books were aimed at a teens, women of color and (the first one) at a general audience. The target audience for this book is Brown's own age cohorts -- baby boomers.

There won't be many surprises for those who have read Brown's earlier books. The books are broadly focused on general well-being and lifestyle rather than just makeup. But makeup advice certainly has to be what most of the book's readers are wanting and expecting.

Bobbi Brown is one of the most highly-esteemed makeup artists in the business. Her style of makeup is generally very conservative and minimalist. (Her detractors' nickname for her is Bobbi Blah.) She's a sort of anti-makeup makeup artist. Her philosphy is on the very opposite end of the spectrum from the late Kevyn Aucoin who believed in makeup's power to change a woman for the better from the outside in.

There are obviously a lot of women out there who do share Ms. Brown's affinity for a very natural, unmadeup look. This book has good, generally very sound, advice on which colors to choose in order to pull off her trademark "you but better" look. The makeup application tips in the book are pretty basic. To me, it raises the question: if a woman is at all interested in makeup, wouldn't she know the basics by the time she reached her forties, fifies, older?

I have never had much interest in Bobbi Brown's lifestyle and nutrition tips. This information would have more credibility coming from a nutritionist or someone else expert in those areas. I am a bit more troubled by the information on bioidentical hormones. I would think a woman would be better advised to seek the advice of her gynecologist. I really just wish Ms. Brown would stick to the areas in which she is an expert.

It is a nice change of pace to see women, real grown-up women, pictured in this book and looking gorgeous. In many books on makeup, the only models are girls in their late teens or early twenties. It's good for women, whatever age they may be, to know that they can be considered beautiful, too.

Bobbi Brown has been a leading name in the beauty business for over 25 years, with her own well-known makeup products, and has made up some of the most well-known women in show business, such as Scarlett Johannson and Sienna Miller.

In this book, you will find much more than your standard tips--you find invaluable insight into your changing needs as you move into your 30s, 40s, 50, and 60s. Recognizing the changes that skin goes through with age, such as increased dryness, wrinkles, loss of tautness and lack of radiance, Bobbi provides us with sound advice and suggestions on the best way to maximize what you've got at every stage in life.

Instead of trying to change your aging face with botox or facelifts, or to cover it up with tons of makeup, which ends up looking worse, Bobbi shows you how to accentuate the positive and minimize the parts which you want to deflect attention from. Often, with skillfully applied concealer and blush, a haircut that complements you, and the right amount of color in the right places, you can be transformed. She illustrates this through a number of case studies, showing before and after pictures of women at all stages of life, and we can see firsthand what the right makeup can do.

This book was a refreshing change from the usual beauty books on the market, which tend to be mainly focused on the 20-something woman, and instead deals with the real issue of aging skin, and the need to adjust your makeup bag to match the adjustments in your physiology.

A very interesting read. I picked up a number of tips from for myself, my girlfriends, and my mom!

Armchair Interviews says: We have to "face" our aging face and learn from this book.

The best portions of Bobbi's latest book are the complete makeovers and the sections on skin care and makeup techniques. Oh, the sheer POWER of well applied under eye concealer! It's astounding what an immediate difference it can make, especially when accompanied by a drop or two of "get the red out" eye drops. The tips about putting together a classic wardrobe have been covered before by other authors, but it's nice to see them incorporated into a book about midlife. Bobbi oddly puts the made over women into almost identical "uniforms"; still, they all looked much better than before.

There is helpful advice on various non surgical skin procedures. While this information can easily be found for free on the net, it's fun to see the before and after photos. I have to wonder how much of the improvement was due to Bobbi's makeup magic. It might have been better to show three photos rather than two, one of the women without makeup before the procedure, one without makeup AFTER the procedure, and one of the post procedure result with Bobbi's makeup.

The advice about diet, exercise, drinking lots of water and portion control is good but not revelatory. And, sorry Bobbi, "plain 'greek' yogurt with chocolate protein powder" will NEVER make my list of favorite treats. There's a smattering of spritualism, as well as info on teeth bleaching, midlife pregnancy, menopause, and cutting edge hormone replacement therapy. Bobbi also addresses problems such as dry skin and adult acne.

Two minor nitpicks; I don't think that Bobbi pays enough attention to eyebrows. Beautifully shaped, full brows can dramatically improve the appearance of a mature woman. Natural beauty aside, it's a myth that your natural brow shape is always the best for your face. Also, there is no index; the table of contents does not list all points made in each chapter, so you must hunt to review specific information.

I disagree with the editorial reviewer on one point; it was the fact that the "women who get it" were not famous that made this chapter refreshing. They are for the most part simply fabulous looking women who happen to be 40+. Though they share the pages with Bobbi's celebrity clients, NORMAL (albeit successful) women are front and center here. That's what ultimately makes this worth the read.

IMO, Bobbi Brown is one of the two most gifted makeup artists of this generation. Only the late Kevyn Aucoin can compare, and his style was often more dramatic and fantasy based. Bobbi's real life philosophy has helped women of all ages and races look at themselves and makeup in a new way to enhance their own, unique beauty. This book will have you celebrating the arc of life as you move beautifully through your middle years.

This book is as lovely as its promise. I love the way it uses real women of the Boomer generation along with some gorgeous celebrities who've managed to "age gracefully." Bobbi Brown's grooming tips are, for the most part, sensible and easy to follow. I appreciated the focus on authenticity and celebrating a woman's own style. This is a book about coming into your own -- not trying to mask the inevitable signs of aging. I was also surprised (and impressed) that she didn't push her own products -- which truly lends credibility to this attractively produced guide. My only caveat is the section on Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy. BRHT sounds like a dream come true, and I would love to use it -- but wish there were more research on the subject. At this point in time, we are taking chances if we use bioidentical hormones. Otherwise, I would give this book five stars for its beautiful content.

If everyone looked like Bobbi Brown when they turn 50, it doesn't seem like it would be such a big deal after all. She's beautiful--everyday beautiful, not "an army of people worked on me for hours" beautiful.

I like her book because reading it makes everyday beauty seem accessible to all of us. That's why I like that she didn't use all really well known beauties in her photos. I want to know that the more average among us can look that good. Actually, I don't believe we are all "beautiful", in the common sense of the word. I do believe we can all be attractive, and this book helps and inspires to be our best, both inside and out.

It covers topics such as drinking water, diet (not "dieting"), what a dermatologist can do for you (interesting chapter--not too "botoxy"), how to achieve a "flawless skin", before and after photos, beauty issues (like thin lips, lines around the mouth, etc.).

I drink more water and feel a tad more confident after reading this book. That's why I'm going to read it again. Confidence really is beautiful!

I'm only 35, but I am interested in how to preserve what I have now and continue to age gracefully. I love Bobbi Brown's products and have all of her other books. I was excited to read this one, too, although it really is geared to the more mature woman. While much of her advice in this book seems to be simply regurgitated from earlier books, there is some prized information on the different ways in which to tackle aging - via products and/or procedures. Bobbi is anti-plastic surgery, which I can appreciate (but ask me again about my stance on that in 10 years!) and so has tried virtually every alternative procedure herself to combat aging, and she also pofiles other women who have had these procedures done. Interesting to read in their own words how they felt about the process, and if they were happy with the results, would do it again, etc. Included is a chapter on nutrition which I didn't really think was necessary from a make-up artist. It's all information we already know - nothing new there. But I understand that she is trying to go for the "whole" approach - not just bits and pieces. All in all, I respect her approach to beauty, she's always focused on the individual rather than the cookie-cutter look and is a smart woman. She definitely appeals to me as a woman who is aging gracefully.

The book does a very good job of pointing to how to look naturally attractive. It explains product ingredients very well so one does not waste money on skin products with false claims. Also, it does a great job on makeup techniques for those over forty. This is an excellent reference for the baby boomer who wants to look their best without a knife. It does not treat ageing as an illness or aim for a twenty-something look. It is a practicle and effective guide that takes the mystery out of looking current and classy enabling one to present a natural as opposed to tortured look.

I was expecting more actual instruction and tips for applying makeup on an older face. There are photos of befores and afters, and guess what? they all look the same! and there is practically no "how-tos" on how to do what she shows. This is like a book-length article from a woman's magazine. Not very helpful.

The book is well written and has nice photos. The makeup tips are also good. The biggest appeal for this book is how it helps women feel better about themselves while showing how to highlight their natural beauty. I also bought Carmindy's "5 minute face" book and love it as well. They're different but but both women love women and find beauty in all faces. Good gift for a sister who still wears pancake makeup and blue eye shadow (mine).