As one of the most famous makeup artists in the world, beauty entrepreneur Bobbi Brown, 67, has made a name for herself as a 'pro-aging' ambassador.
From learning to embrace her individuality in her forties after selling her eponymous makeup brand, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics to Estee Lauder, to launching her global beauty brand, Jones Road Beauty at 62, Bobbi is proof that success and happiness has no age limit and she is busier and happier than ever.
During a recent talk at The New Pause Symposium with actress Naomi Watts and journalist and author Tamsen Fadal, the queen of aging powerfully and authentically reflected on how she has found true happiness later in life.
© Michael Stewart"I've been there, I've done it," Bobbi says of her journey through midlife, menopause and career reinvention. "I just can't believe how lucky I am to do what I love and to meet all these incredible women."
Bobbi is adamant that any woman can thrive during midlife and menopause, it's just about reframing it in your mind and taking up a positive mindset.
Follow Bobbi's three rules on reframing midlife...
1. Move forward during menopause
"When I left my last company [Bobbi Brown Cosmetics], I was 59, and I had no idea what I was going to do. I launched Jones Road the day the non-compete was up at 62 years old."
© Getty2. Profit from self-acceptance
The beauty founder is proof that life and career don’t have to slow down after 60 and she believes that finding self-acceptance in her 40s helped her life thrive.
"In my twenties, I became a makeup artist," Bobbi explains. "At the time I was always worried: 'Am I wearing the right thing?'; 'Is my makeup right?' Then in my thirties, I became a corporate citizen, trying to pretend I was one of them. It was in my forties I finally said, 'I don't want to be like that.' I realized that's what confidence is. People say, 'You're so confident.' I'm not confident; I'm just comfortable with who I am."
READ: How successful women navigate perimenopause at work: setting boundaries, owning symptoms and more
Bobbi believes that being comfortable in your skin and liking who you are is a big driver for personal and professional growth in midlife and beyond.
"I wore blue jeans to the White House - no one noticed, no one cared" she explained when reflecting on her 'second act' career. "I realized how much more comfortable I was being myself. I will always be proud of who I am."
3. Take risks and challenge yourself
Mother-of-one, Bobbi recognizes that starting a new beauty brand at 62 was a risk, but she believes that taking chances later in life, whether they are big or small, is empowering and keeps you learning - which she believes is so important at any stage of life.
"I don't believe in failure. You always do something else. If something didn't work, I ask, 'What did I learn from it?' And that's important."
"I'm not an adrenaline junkie, but I'm not afraid to try something new. I love doing things I've never done before," she explains. "I became editor-in-chief of Yahoo Beauty—I didn't even know how to type! I did it because I thought, 'Oh, that’s so interesting and fun.' I get bored otherwise."
Say HELLO! to your Second Act
HELLO!'s Second Act is a newsletter for women in midlife and beyond. It's completely free to sign up and is a one-stop-shop for advice and inspiration on the issues our Second Act community have told us matter most: health, relationships, travel, menopause, divorce, careers, finance and more.
