Beauty

Makeup legend Bobbi Brown poked fun at an influencer who gave her new foundation a bad review

Makeup artist Bobbi Brown in December 2019.
Makeup artist Bobbi Brown in December 2019. Roy Rochlin/Getty Images
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Bobbi Brown doesn't seem to be a fan of the latest questionable beauty video that's garnered attention on TikTok.

The 65-year-old legendary makeup artist took to the platform on Monday with a video of herself slathering a copious amount of the new Jones Road What The Foundation balm across her face. The clip has amassed more than 2.6 million views as of Wednesday. 

"So I always love learning new makeup techniques, and I learned one today," Brown says in the TikTok video. "I'm not sure if it's gonna work, but I'm gonna try."

"Hmm, didn't really work," she adds while laughing after trying the unconventional technique.

 

Brown's video seemingly pokes fun at a controversial TikTok posted by beauty influencer Meredith Duxbury on May 9. Duxbury's video has nearly 14 million views as of Wednesday.

In her review of the Jones Road product, Duxbury covers her face in the product and attempts to use it as a full-coverage foundation rather than a tinted balm.

"Um, you're probably asking me: 'Meredith, what is this?' Well, to be honest, I'm not really sure, but we're gonna find out," she says in the video.

Duxbury also said she was excited to try the product, and labeled herself "the foundation queen" during the review. The latter was a reference to her other makeup videos, where she's often seen rubbing large amounts of foundation into her skin with her hands.

After saying the balm smelled "very strong," Duxbury said she wasn't sure "what to make of this consistency," and showed herself struggling to blend the product with a sponge and brush. 

"It's gonna be a no from me," Duxbury said. "I really wanted to like this though."

 

Duxbury's video led to a wave of both support and backlash.

While some makeup creators said they agreed with her review and didn't like the product, others argued that she knowingly used the product incorrectly and was only attempting to go viral. A few TikTokers also showed how to use the balm correctly.

The influencer previously responded to the backlash and the argument that her review wasn't fair in a second video on May 10.

"I'm all about second chances," she said in the video, which has 6.4 million views as of Wednesday. "I was feeling a full-glam moment yesterday, but I guess this is a tinted balm."

Though she applied the product as intended in the second video, Duxbury still wasn't a fan and said she didn't see even "a slight difference" in her skin after using it.

 

Brown also responded to the controversy before making her satirical TikTok this week.

She posted a video defending the product's scent on Monday, and another clip about the "confusion" surrounding the coverage her product is meant to provide. The latter TikTok, in which she also shows how to use the balm, has more than 600,000 views as of Wednesday.

"What The Foundation is Jones Road's take on what a foundation should be," she said. "It is a skin-like finish, and it is honestly like a tinted-moisture balm, but it adds coverage to most places where you need it."

 

Representatives for Bobbi Brown and Meredith Duxbury did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.

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Amanda Krause
Amanda Krause is a Senior Reporter at Business Insider covering a variety of lifestyle topics.Her work at BI includes profiles of beauty moguls, analyses of celebrity fashion, reviews of trending products, expert interviews across topics, features about booming small businesses and lucrative side hustles, and live coverage of award shows, pageants, and other events. Amanda has also widely covered Disney brands and theme parks, writing everything from slideshows about her experiences on Disney cruises to breaking-news stories focused on major changes and layoffs within the company. She previously appeared on CBS in 2024 to discuss the Met Gala and won an Anthem Award in 2023 for her work on Business Insider's package "Better Me."Amanda graduated from Ramapo College of New Jersey with a degree in Communications and Journalism, and has more than seven years of experience in the lifestyle space.You can email her at akrause@bjinnox.com.ExpertiseFashion, celebrity style, beauty, lifestyle trends, and Disney theme parks.Popular ArticlesI spent under $200 a night to stay at Disney World's cheapest resort. My tiny room was worth the convenience.A woman spent $2 on a necklace that resembled a Tide Pod. It turned out to be a one-of-a-kind art piece worth $3,000.Bobbi Brown is still living a life of luxury and lipstick — and it's all on her own termsA Kansas City store owner thought someone made a fraudulent order on his website. It was actually a legit purchase from Taylor Swift.Beyoncé's mom promised Ty Hunter 20 years ago that she would get him out of his retail job. Now he's styling the biggest stars in Hollywood.I've tested every product in Selena Gomez's makeup line, and almost every item is worth buying