The gift that keeps on giving – Bobbi Brown’s ‘How To’
Doing the usual window shopping at Elys, which is a rather nice shopping centre in Wimbledon, London, I noticed that the Bobbi Brown counter had a professional make-up artist who was applying make-up and discussing with their client about what was being applied. Enquiring more about this, it turns out that Bobbi Brown offer a free make-up lesson. Without any hesitation I signed myself up to see what all the fuss was about.
Not only did I receive some brilliant tips and tricks that I still use in my daily routine, but I’ve also learned how best to utilise the lessons not only for my own everyday use, but also for when a special occasion requires it.
Personalised lessons
Bobbi Brown offers personalised make-up lessons at all of their counters throughout the UK. While this is not a standard offering at Bobbi Brown globally, it might be worth checking with your local counter to see if they can also offer a lesson.
You can book either through the Bobbi Brown (UK) website, by calling or directly at the counter. Depending on the lesson you are after, a single session can go from 15 minutes to an hour. If the day is not busy and you have the time, it is not uncommon for the lesson to go longer.
There are two types of lessons available – free and paid. The free ones are mostly about educating you on techniques related to the selected lesson, whereas the paid ones are designed to get you ready for a specific event, like a party or a wedding.
The process
The ‘How To’ consists of a make-up lesson given to you by a Bobbi Brown make-up artist who explains exactly what they are doing to achieve the given look. At the end of the session, you are provided with a completed form with all the products, their shades and where they were applied. This is designed not just to make purchasing the exact product for you easier, but is a great reference for the future.
The whole process is very smooth and you will leave knowing exactly how to recreate the look you wanted as well as what resources and tools are needed for it. The make-up artists are knowledgeable and friendly. In the beginning they will discuss with you what you looking to learn and adjust the lesson to your specific needs.
I have attended four of those lessons at Bobbi Brown so far and I have to say, there is much more to it than meets the eye. I keep coming back for more and every time I leave with some new trick or technique that I can then apply to my daily routine.
What will you learn?
First of all, you get to learn what look you can get with Bobbi Brown products. There are various lessons for a number of contexts. The names of the lessons are very self-explanatory, e.g. Bronze & Glow, Look Less Tried and Get Ready in 5 Minutes.
Secondly, you learn what works for you and what is a good look that you can achieve. If you communicate that you are open for their ideas of what look they think would be good for you, they will offer a lot of advice and options for you to choose from.
Thirdly, you get an update on what’s trending in make-up right now. Think about how the desired shape and contour of eyebrows changes over time. I don’t know about you, but I tend to stick to my usual make-up routine. It takes someone with authority to show me what the newer trends are and to make me feel confident to change something. This will only happen if I believe it works for me. This is what you can get at the ‘How To’ lesson.
To top it all off, most of the ‘How To’ lessons are free. I usually buy a couple of products at the end of the session only because I normally use them in my routine, but it is neither required nor expected.
The unexpected bonus
Why not schedule a lesson before you head for a date, dinner or a party? I have done that on two occasions and I got complemented on my new look throughout the whole evening. Not to mention, my make-up remained untouched until I removed it after the event. While Bobbi Brown do offer a paid lesson specifically for a party, in my experience their free ones are just as good.
The ‘How To’ appeals to me because it keeps me up-to-date with make-up tricks and current trends. I don’t have to spend time on doing any research on my own or watching tutorials online. Also, the look they offer is subtle and elegant which is what works for me. I need an everyday make-up that enhances my looks and helps me feel confident because I know this make-up looks best on me. And of course, the less time it takes to apply, the better!
Other brands worth trying too
If you want to try some other brands, there are also Charlotte Tilbury’s lessons with senior and retail artists. These are not free, however the service is usually redeemable towards the product.
If you want to get more inspired, perhaps the creative workshops at Chanel would be of interest to you.
Just say ‘yes’
It’s always worth experimenting, even just a little bit. You never know, you might get a useful tip or piece of advice from a beauty expert that will save you loads of time! Let me know how it went and what you’ve learnt.
