Talking Makeup with Bobbi Brown

Elizabeth Siegel,Allure magazine

I recently got to go to the party for Bobbi Brown's Pretty Powerful. The makeup artist extraordinaire's seventh book (out next month) is filled with inspirational stories and some pretty jaw-dropping makeovers. "The book asks women to talk about how they feel about themselves, and share that with each other," said Brown (that's her, above, with Alexa Ray Joel, who performed at the party). "It's based on the idea that women are pretty without makeup, and powerful when they have makeup." We stole Brown away from the festivities for a few minutes to chat.

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How did you choose Katie Holmes as your new brand ambassador?
We met through mutual friends and had tea together, and it just happened organically. I didn't go out and look for a celebrity, or for Katie. But I met her and thought, Oh my god, wouldn't it be great if...? I like that her beauty is very simple. She can run to the park with her daughter without any makeup on. And she can throw on a little bit of makeup and go out for the evening and look pretty amazing.

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Of all the celebrities that you've worked with, who has been your favorite?
Besides Katie? The Rolling Stones, Susan Sarandon, Sienna Miller, and Michelle Obama. She is the coolest female in America to this day. She is so smart. She is so confident. And she is teaching people, by example, how to feed their families right, how to exercise, and how to put the right influence on being a mom.

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I don't know anyone who isn't bothered by under-eye cirles. What's your best tip for covering them up?
Have some really good black glasses! And wear Corrector concealer (Brown's pink- and peach-based concealers for neutralizing dark circles) and blush. That takes attention away from them.

What's the most common makeup mistake you see women make?
A lot of women wear foundation that doesn't match their skin tone. You have to go to a makeup counter and ask an artist to help you pick a shade. Your foundation has to disappear on the side of your face and on your forehead.

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