For those of you new to beauty, Bobbi Brown has a strong belief in teaching women to be their own beauty experts. Sure she has thousands of professional make-up artists manning her beauty counters, but they're there to help you.

'We empower women with the knowledge and products they need to look and feel their best,' says Bobbi.

Which is precisely why she's set up free make-up lessons at Bobbi Brown counters around the world. The complimentary lessons range from five minutes (if you're dashing into the store quickly), to 20 minutes (if you're looking to kill time between the movies and dinner), and even 45 minutes (if you want an intense lesson for a special occasion). These lessons focus on the basics and the building blocks to great skin, concentrate on brows, cheeks and lips, and even revolve around seasonal looks and trends.

BeautySA spent a morning with Gerhard Naude, senior Bobbi Brown make-up artist and trainer, who took us through the Secret to Perfect Skin lesson.



'We only suggest you do one lesson at a time, as there's quite a lot of information we give our customers,' says Gerhard. 'We ask a lot of questions and really get to know your skin before we make any recommendations. It's about what's best for you and your daily routine.'

We definitely agree with Gerhard. Gabi's lesson was only 20 minutes, but there was so much to take in; everything from Bobbi's philosophy and lesson menu to personalised tips and must-have products.

Here are a few tips we picked up from Gerhard:
1. The secret to perfect skin is a lifestyle; it's about the skin underneath the make-up.
2. Bobbi believes in prevention, not cure. So make sure you use an eye cream every day and night, even if you're in your 20s. The sooner you start the better. TRY: Bobbi's Eye Repair Cream, R700.
3. Use a lip balm that contains beeswax; it locks in moisture, especially during the harsh winter months. TRY: the Lip Balm SPF 15, R215.
4. When you're trying to find your perfect foundation match, give the test swatches a few minutes to oxidise on your skin before you begin blending. The colour often changes to its real shade on your skin during this time.
5. Use a corrector first to address the problem and then a concealer to cover what's remaining. This way you'll use less concealer and avoid 'caking' on the product. We love Bobbi's Creamy Corrector & Concealer, R350.
6. It's best to have two separate brushes for a concealer and a corrector. But if you only have one, always clean your brush before you use each product.
7. When applying foundation, use a sponge for a full coverage effect, a brush for medium coverage or your finger for sheer coverage.
8. Use a bronzer one shade darker than your skin tone all over your face and neck – this ensures your neck and face are one colour.
9. Apply a powder blush over a cream blush, but only on the apples of your cheeks. This makes it instant 'long-wearing'.
10. After applying mascara, make sure the tips of your eyelashes rest above your top lash line, not in line with or below the lash line.



During Gabi's lesson, we learnt that the mirror is the most important teaching tool. You need to constantly watch what's being done as the make-up artists teach by getting you to do your own make-up. They'll start on one half of your face, and then get you to replicate what they've done on the other half.

Bobbi is inviting everyone to stop by a counter where her team will show you how to look and feel your best. The one-on-one appointment with a professional make-up artist is free (their treat) and you'll receive a personalised face chart.

Visit the website or follow them on Facebook to find Bobbi Brown counters and events in your area.