Jones Road Makeup Review: Bobbi Brown’s Clean Beauty Products

Bobbi Brown’s new beauty line, Jones Road, launched during the pandemic with an aim for easy-to-use, high-performance, clean looks. “It’s a clean, easy look for all skin types and tones, and you don’t need to be a makeup artist to use it,” says the founder and makeup artist.

Brown is one of the greats of the beauty industry—she pioneered the “no makeup look” before it was a trend, and has helped people feel empowered by enhancing their natural beauty for decades. Since I was born, my mom has been a huge fan of her eponymous makeup line (Brown sold it in 1995 and left in 2016), so I grew up seeing Brown’s name on the blush compacts piled up on her dresser or lip gloss tubes in her purse. Now, with Jones Road Beauty going viral, Brown is reaching a new audience—still with the same philosophy of creating a “less is more” look that leaves you feeling comfortable and confident.

“Jones Road is for anyone who loves a natural, glowing look that lets you look like yourself on your best day,” says Brown. “Most women don’t want to wear too much – they want to use makeup to look good. Most women don’t want to look trendy – they want beauty products that are clean, easy to apply and basically work.” Jones Road insists That ideal. That sheer, natural beauty that now feels more modern than the whole look.”

I tested five of Jones Road’s new and best-selling makeup products, from TikTok-famous What the Foundation to a really good cleansing mascara.

Jones Road and Credo $38

Jones Road’s bestseller, Miracle Balm, is the ultimate combination of skincare and makeup. Made with Jojoba Seed Oil, Argan Oil and Vitamin E, this emollient-rich balm melts into the face for a sheer layer of moisture and color. “It’s my go-to product because when I wear it, I immediately look better,” says Brown. “It adds a layer of soft-focus moisture that refines your skin. It also reflects light, so it adds a touch of radiance just where you need it—cheeks, eyelids, or lips.”

Of Miracle Balm’s nine shades, I tested Flushed (a rose), Magic Hour (a bronze shimmer), and Au Naturel (a sheer shade). The latter is more of a skin enhancer than anything else, as it imparts a luminous glow. With just a touch of blush, Flushed delivers the purest rosy color. My favorite is Magic Hour, which I use as a highlighter after applying What the Foundation and The Best Blush. It blends perfectly with foundation and has a luminous finish for a natural-looking highlight. I can see why Miracle Balm is the most popular multi-purpose makeup product—the color is so sheer that you can apply it however you want, on its own or layered over foundation. Just remember to break up the surface of the balm with your fingers or a beauty spatula on first application. This helps you get the softer part of the formula, which you can then warm up with your fingers before applying.

Jones Road and Credo $44

What Foundation is the standout product that amazes me the most. It provides very natural light coverage, evens out my skin tone, and dare I say dolphin skin effect with one product. I’m not a typical foundation wearer — I’ll just wear a little under eye concealer most days — and even when I’m testing how well they work, they end up at the bottom of a ton of makeup. However, this product has found a permanent place in my makeup bag. I tested both shades and found that beige was the perfect base tone for me, but for my summery tan, a few dabs of a mid-tone help add some warmth. For application, I opt to blend it with my fingers, but it also works well with a thick makeup brush or makeup sponge. Thanks to a mix of natural oils and moisturizing ingredients like Sodium Hyaluronate, this creamy foundation looks like a tinted moisturizer and feels rich to the touch.

Jones Road and Credo $25

The Face Pencil is another great example of Jones Road’s versatility. It’s a handy concealer pen that covers redness, dark circles, and blemishes. Brown says it’s a favorite of makeup artists, who love the 25-shade range and its blendability. I love that it covers under eyes and hides redness around nose. I tested four shades—7, 8, 9, and 10—and found that having a few shades on hand was great. I use 7 (a light shade with a neutral undertone) to brighten the under eye area and even out redness around the nose and 8 (a light/medium shade with a peach undertone) for the true color Match to cover blemishes.

Jones Road and Credo $28

New for this fall, The Best Blush was created by Brown because she always has a great powder blush in her back pocket. “Powder blush was my foundation growing up,” she shares. “Pink has always been my go-to go-to as a makeup artist, and it’s just as important in my own beauty routine. Even on days when I don’t wear makeup, you’ll find pink on my cheeks…even in imitation A pinch for a natural flush. It’s the easiest way to lift and improve your skin.”

Available in five rose shades, the talc-free formula is lightweight and looks super natural, but it can also build up more color. The squalane-infused powder can be worn over bare skin without looking chalky, or layered with Miracle Balm (for added luminosity, according to Brown). Rosy and Sandy are the shades that work best for me and I apply them easily with the Jones Road Blush Brush. I also like to swipe some on my ring finger and tap the color on my eyelids for an easy monochromatic look.

Jones Road and Credo $26

Brown says mascara is another MUA favorite. “It’s very difficult to make a clean black mascara, but we seem to have gotten the hang of it,” she says. To be honest, I didn’t expect to enjoy The Mascara as much as I do now. My lashes are stubborn and straight and I need a high performance mascara to keep them lifted all day long. The mascara’s extra-large, curved wand coats my lashes generously with just one swipe, and the conditioning formula effortlessly supports lashes and adds length. However, it’s not smudge-proof for me, so I’ve found that the best way I get long-lasting curls is to apply a first coat of The Mascara, followed by my favorite smudge-proof mascara Twenty/Twenty Beauty’s Sweeping mascara.

Using the above products – in addition to The Lip Tint in Nude Rose and my favorite brow products – I was able to get my makeup done in 10 minutes. Admittedly, the final look has become my default look since I first tested these products, and I’ve recreated it for work events and date nights alike.

While I haven’t come across any drawbacks that prevent me from getting full access to any Jones Road product, there are a few things to know before trying it out for myself. The light, “no-makeup” makeup the line achieves doesn’t quite reflect how the product feels on the skin. Miracle Balm and What the Foundation in particular feel rich and heavy—some reviewers noted a “sticky” feel—because their formulas contain emollient ingredients. I think I’d love to feel the extra moisture in the cold winter months, but it will take some getting used to. There are also comments that What the Foundation is grainy – I’ve experienced this in the Beige jar, but not in Medium. I believe it has something to do with how the ingredients settle in the container, but I was able to massage the product in without issue and a little bit of the formula blended without a trace. It’s also nice to see SPF in What the Foundation formulas, as similar products that act as tinted moisturizers, like Ilia’s Super Skin Tint, have this benefit.

Makeup lovers who love the minimalist aesthetic and easy-to-use products of Ilia, Merit, Saie, and Glossier will appreciate the versatility of Jones Road. It’s the base products—The Face Pencil, What the Foundation, and Miracle Balm—that really make Jones Road shine. They provide a seamless base for barely-there looks and pair perfectly not only with other Jones Road products, but also with makeup from the aforementioned brands.

While Jones Road’s prices are slightly higher than other no-makeup beauty brands, its products feel like professional makeup tools thanks to Brown’s expertise. A clean beauty brand (the brand avoids 2,700 potentially harmful ingredients), focused on performance, the products first and foremost feel like makeup in a professional MUA kit—because that’s what they’re for. Brown created Jones Road to fill a gap in her own kit, and the result is quality cosmetics that both professionals and beginners can benefit from.

While we didn’t test it for this story, Jones Road also has a line of skincare—so it has everything you could possibly need if you want to stay true to a brand in your beauty routine.

It’s clear that Brown has always been committed to creating high-performance cosmetics that work for everyone. Whether you’re shopping for the kids, yourself, or mom, Jones Road has something for any age, skin type, or beauty routine. Best for those who prefer a natural, your-but-better look, these products are great for building confidence in your makeup skills and yourself.