Bobbi Brown: Founder and CEO of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics

She's the founder of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, a frequent television guest on Oprah, the Today Show, and Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, but above all Bobbi Brown is a woman on a mission to make fellow women comfortable in their own skin. We spoke with Bobbi about life, love, and beauty secrets - and like her products, she didn't disappoint. Find out how this tenacious woman achieved beauty, fame, and success by following her passion and always staying true to herself.

Savvy Miss: Have you ever questioned or felt insecure about your own looks?
Bobbi Brown: When I was 18, my mother told me that a nose job would make me look more beautiful. After I got over my surprise, I told her that I liked my nose and that plastic surgery wasn’t something I was interested in. It’s a decision I’ll never regret.

SM: Like so many other women, you transferred colleges more than once and even considered dropping out altogether. What kept you from giving up on college?
Brown: My mom steered me in the right direction and encouraged me to follow my passion, which had always been makeup: I loved that something as simple as makeup could make a woman look and feel better. When I discovered Emerson College in Boston, I knew it was the place for me because it allowed me to create my own major [theatrical makeup] that included makeup artistry.

SM: What were some of the jobs you had when you started out as a freelance makeup artist?
Brown: After college, I did two things. I tried to begin my career as a makeup artist and I waited on tables at a local seafood restaurant on the waterfront. The latter is important because it [enabled me] to pay rent and eat! I did makeup for one film while in Boston—a very low budget one. That four-week production was enough for me to realize that the film business was not for me.