Hi friends! I’m so excited and humbled that you’ve decided to join me here for The Gen X Files: Beauty. The idea for this newsletter came together over the past six months but really kicked into high gear after I read an article in WWD (Women’s Wear Daily) titled Why Gen X Is Beauty’s Most Valuable But Overlooked Demographic. It made me realize just how true that is—and it opened my eyes to the new brands and products launching now that marketers seem to be listening and finally recognizing our importance.
I’m calling this first post X Marks the Spot because it perfectly captures the spirit of The Gen X Files: Beauty. Just like the 'X' on a map points to something valuable or hidden, this series is about uncovering the latest brands and products designed with us—Gen X—in mind. Let’s dive in and see what we discover!
One of my first jobs after college - waaay back in 1995 - was as a PR assistant for makeup guru Bobbi Brown at her newly launched company, then called Bobbi Brown Essentials. Bobbi was a true trailblazer, among the first to create a “makeup artist” brand (a trend that took off in the ‘90’s - remember Stila, Lorac, Trish McEvoy?) Her signature natural- toned lipsticks famously sold out at Bergdorf Goodman in a single day. I was not only an employee, but a HUGE fan of the brand and its products as it expanded into every category. For my 20-something skin it was perfect: Matte formulations were all the rage, and I loved experimenting with all of the rich, dense colors. I even used the Bobbi Brown Heather Eye Pencil as a lip liner to replicate the dark lip liner look we all wore back in the day, ugh.
Flashback to a 20-something me at the Bobbi Brown employee Christmas party, circa December 15, 1995 at 13 Barrow Street (I know because I wrote everything down in a FILOFAX), skiiinny eyebrows and all!
When Bobbi launched her second beauty brand, Jones Road, in 2020, I was intrigued – and was probably one of the first to jump online and order every single product as soon as it went live. I couldn’t wait to see what Bobbi had created next. Now as Jones Road celebrates its four-year anniversary, it’s clear: Like lightning in a bottle, Bobbi has done it again. The products are amazing. The colors are still natural but elevated, and the formulations are groundbreaking AND work great on our Gen X skin. Here’s a little analogy I thought of when comparing the two brands, then and now:
In the '90s, Bobbi Brown Essentials captured the matte, natural tones that perfectly suited our 20-something skin. Today, Jones Road Beauty offers that same effortless vibe for the grown-up Gen X-er, adding a boost—a touch of glow—with multi-purpose products designed for our evolving needs.
But before we dive into the products, a few interesting notes on the brand’s marketing:
Although Jones Road is marketed for “every skin type and tone” it’s not targeted for a specific age group. The focus here is Clean, strategic, high-grade formulations that are easy to use.
IMHO, this makes good sense because Brown’s “less is more” philosophy appeals to a range of generations and smartly doesn’t pigeonhole the brand towards one age group.
That said, if the products are going to appeal to all, the formulations have to be that much better. Most products look good on fresh, 20-something skin, but the more difficult task is to make the same products work for the 40-something, 50-something Gen X-er.
It’s nice to see that the women who appear in the brand’s advertising are a range of real women and models with different ages and ethnicities. This is a home-run when appealing to Gen X: we want to see ourselves reflected back at us, not just young models without a wrinkle in sight!
And finally, here are my Top 5 Jones Road Beauty products where I’d say, X Marks the Spot. These are the ones I’ve uncovered as my favorites after I’ve fully tested, used up and reordered with my hard-earned money. Simply put, they work and they make me feel good. I hope if you try them, they’ll do the same for you.
This is the Jones Road hero product, and the one I was most excited to try. As the name suggests it’s a solid balm but when warmed up on your fingertips can easily be applied to your cheeks, nose and forehead to enhance your skin with moisture, a wash of color and a hint of shine. I love Dusty Rose, a sheer rosy pink tint and in the summer the Bronze shade, which is great when you already have a hint of a tan. Miracle Balm currently comes in an amazing range of 13 shades for all skin tones. The newest one, Pinky Bronze, is probably the one I’ll choose next. I always love a pop of pink blush on my cheeks, I learned this little trick from Bobbi back in the day. It’s a great way to give Gen X skin a little wake up call!
What The Foundation Tinted Moisture Balm
What the Foundation, cutely nicknamed WTF, is a mash-up of a light-medium coverage foundation and a moisture balm. The consistency is like whipped butter. At first I wasn’t sure how much to use, but a little goes a long way. It gives nice sheer coverage but if you have redness, sun spots or acne discoloration, you’ll need to follow up with The Face Pencil for some extra coverage. The formula is like nothing I’ve felt before. When I was younger I might have shied away from the initial thick feeling of it all, but once I tried it, I realized how easily it blends and kind of just gives your complexion a good filtered look. It’s available in 16 shades so everyone is sure to find their match. Actually, I have an empty jar sitting on my desk right now to remind me it’s time to reorder!
I love the Lip and Cheek Stick, it’s very straight forward and that’s what I like about it. I have to admit it wasn’t my first go-to product because I was too into the Miracle Balm in the beginning to give this one its fair shake. But after using up my Dusty Rose Miracle Balm I reverted to the English Rose Lip and Cheek Stick and I haven’t looked back since. It seriously takes me two seconds to finish my makeup once I swipe this on my cheeks, nose and lips. It’s lightweight and buildable, and again, I love the pop of pink it gives me. One thing I will note is that it’s more of a flat color with no shine which I had gotten used to after using Miracle Balm for so long. To counteract that, because I missed the glow, I started layering The Oil Stick on top and…perfection!
Now the name was a little scary at first, I have to admit. Oily skin is not the goal. I also wasn’t exactly sure how I was going to use to this product regularly. But I found an indispensable way once I tried layering it on top of the Lip and Cheek Stick. I dab it on top of the color and blend it in. It gave me the glow I was looking for, and I was sold. You can also use it for dry spots on the face, around your mouth (but not on your lips!) or even on ragged cuticles. The mix of apricot, jojoba, rosehip and sunflower oils smell really good too.
I love this pencil in Brown which is a deep chocolate with a subtle gold pearl touch. It really is the best! I’m always searching for an eye pencil that’s pigmented enough so it doesn’t disappear after an hour but also blendable enough because sometimes I just like to messily apply eye liner on the top and bottom of my lash lines and then smoosh it around with my finger for a slept-in look. On the other hand, sometimes I like a nice, crisp line on top with a little wing. Either way, this pencil delivers with its dense formula and easy application. I have about three pencil nubs sharpened down to nothing at the bottom of my makeup bag that I still can’t part with!
And so, that wraps up my first The Gen X Files: Beauty newsletter. I hope it was a fun read and I can’t thank you enough for scrolling all the way down here. I’d love it if you shared your thoughts and feedback in the Chat. I’ll meet you there to keep this conversation going!
Until the next File,
Faith xx