IN CONVERSATION WITH HANNAH MURRAY

interview by MAREK BARTEK

With over 20 years of experience under her belt, celebrity, fashion and beauty makeup artist, Hannah Murray, became Bobbi Brown’s first Global Artistic Director in 2021. Recently launching her limited-edition makeup collection Desert Dreamer, we caught up with Murray to discuss the release of the collection, inspirations but also current aspirations for the company.

all images courtesy of BOBBI BROWN

You’ve launched a new collection called Desert Dreamer. Could you tell us about the collection and the inspiration behind it? Was there one particular place, image or moment that became the starting point for the collection?

For this collection I wanted to embrace a more feminine and bohemian 70s beauty, something more free-spirited and dreamy. I really had this strong image in my head of a woman at dusk, in Joshua Tree, California (a place I’ve travelled to many times for shoots as well as personally), her skin sun-kissed and weathered from being outside all day, her pale blonde hair blowing against her cheek and her eyes glistening with liquid metals on her eyelids. A Festival Girl of the Future — she was the Muse.  

“Effortless beauty” is central to your work, although creating something that looks effortless can, ironically, require a lot of thought and effort. What makes a product genuinely effortless or intuitive to use?

Firstly I’m a very tactile make up artist, I love to use my fingers to apply product and mix colors and melt things into the skin so it doesn’t sit in a cosmetic way.  So that means I want high performance products that do the work for you.  Products that can be used as boldly or as sheer as you wish, and are flattering on all skin-tones.  I also want to be able to use the products quickly and without a mirror if necessary.  That’s why there’s been a lot more innovation in cream products at Bobbi Brown. Products you can use on the go and that stay put all day. 

The collection includes both earthy, weathered shades and much more striking metallics. What was the process of balancing these contrasts and how they tie into the desert inspiration?

I think something I do very instinctively with make up is to juxtapose different textures and tones for modernity and balance.  Introducing the more earthy, weathered colors of the cheek and lip products was not only to evoke the ‘desert girl’ vibe but also because it grounds the metallic eyes. It makes the look more modern and cool. With anything too pink or colourful on the lips and cheeks, the overall effect would be too sweet and ethereal. I wanted this woman to have strength.

As for the shades selected for the Molten Metal Shadow Sticks — these came from the mystical desert skies when everything starts to turn lilac and pink and green. The colours for the Lip Tint Liners were inspired by my favourite 90s brown lipstick muses — Drew Barrymore, Winona Ryder, Naomi, Cindy and others — a concise edit of the ultimate neutral shades but in this beautiful modern lip stain formula.  And the Skin Enhancer Sticks are the perfect shades to create that sun-kissed, “I’ve been outside all day” healthy glow.  

If someone were to experience Desert Dreamer through just one product, which would you choose, and how would you wear it?

Hard to choose my favorite product but the Molten Metal Shadow Sticks really capture the spirit of the collection.  These can be applied boldly to the eyelid and then soften the edges with your finger, they can be used along the lash line or on the inner corner of eye, blended softly as a diluted wash on the centre of the lids, or you could use one color into another color.  Rose Quartz is very wearable for those who are scared of colour!  For the artists out there, the long-wear metallic formula is unique in that you can apply on top of the original application without it flaking or the product pulling off, its so smooth and stays all day long. I just used the Titanium, Antique Gold and Violet Chrome colours at NYFW at Altuzarra SS27 applied as a bold line along the socket — it was so quick and effective.

In previous interviews, you’ve said that you believe in embracing individuality rather than covering or erasing features. How does that philosophy translate into the looks you create and your decisions about colour, texture and finish during product development?

When developing products the team and I are really looking to create products that feel beautiful on the skin, apply effortlessly, are long-wearing and in most cases now, improve the texture of your skin over time. The Lip Tint Liners, for example, not only needed to look good in my collection but needed to really mimic the natural lip colour across all skin tones. We didn’t want the brights and berries usually associated with lip stains. These create the effect of your lips but better. So there is a lot of testing and swatching and mixing to get the tone just right. Same for the texture and finish. These apply smoothly, don’t grab onto any dry areas and feel completely weightless.  

Bobbi Brown has a very established idea of natural beauty. As its first Global Artistic Director, which parts of that heritage are you working to preserve, and which have you been challenging?

I loved Bobbi Brown products growing up and, as a young make up artist, my kit was filled with the products. I love how accessible and trusted this brand is and that’s something I am very keen on preserving. We both have very similar beauty philosophies of embracing individual beauty, allowing skin to show through, bringing out the best in yourself.

But also I hope to bring a more modern expression to the brand, to be more aspirational. For me, simple make up can still be bold and striking. You don't need 10 steps to create a look. These limited-edition collections give me an opportunity to create something more editorial and expressive for those who want to try something a bit different but we’re also working hard to introduce newness and innovation into our core line whilst not losing sight of who our Bobbi customer is.

After working in fashion and celebrity beauty for almost twenty years, what have people taught you about makeup? Is there a traditional beauty rule you would like people to stop following?

Skin prep is everything. If the skin is nourished and plump and massaged, you end up using way less foundation. Vitamin Enriched Face Base Plus is my everyday hero product I massage into skin for a few minutes to get the blood flowing, and I often end up using just concealer where needed instead of a full face of base.  Also, as we get older, less powder under the eyes.  Be clever with a brightening concealer, applied where needed.  And the tiniest dusting of powder.

The only thing I would like to see less of is too much of everything — base, brows, eyeshadow, lashes, bronzer, contour, blusher, lip liner, lipstick.... I like to pick 2 features and make those the focus and have a light hand with everything else.