Beauty
Meet Hannah Murray, Bobbi Brown’s First-Ever Global Artistic Director
British makeup artist Hannah Murray talks about her “flawless but light-handed” approach….
Even on Zoom, Hannah Murray has great posture. The British makeup artist comes by her enviable body mechanics honestly: As a lithe teenager growing up in Gloucestershire, England, in the mid-’90s, Murray trained rigorously at the English National Ballet School in London, where Diana, the Princess of Wales, was famously a patron. “I was determined and a perfectionist. I was blinkered and focused,” she says of her ambitions to become a professional dancer, until a debilitating injury sidelined her at age 19 and subsequent injuries forced her to hang up her slippers for good. But ballet’s loss has been the beauty world’s gain. In her nearly 20-year career, Murray has channeled that same discipline into a skin-focused natural approach to minimal makeup that has earned her countless magazine covers and one very exciting new contract: Today, Murray officially begins her role as the first-ever global artistic director for Bobbi Brown Cosmetics as the brand celebrates its 30th anniversary.
“I’ve always loved the products. I remember when I first bought the pro face palette; it had every color you could possibly imagine, every foundation, corrector, and concealer—even the darkest espresso in 1992,” says Murray—a nod to an ethos that has always prioritized what she describes as “approachability, artistry, and the celebration of real beauty.” Although Murray has never met Brown, the pioneering founder who stepped away from her New York–based company in 2016 after 25 years at its helm, she has long admired her legacy, which she hopes to imbue with a “fresh eye” toward everything from product development to building a presence backstage: At Gabriela Hearst’s spring show in Paris, Murray multitasked Bobbi Brown’s Crushed Shine Jelly Stick in Honey, a blendable cream, on eyelids and lips for a wash of tawny color. This technique—as well as frequently reaching for the brand’s translucent Lip Balm to dab onto cheekbones for a “gorgeous glow”—offers stealth, Zoom-friendly tricks for perking up tired skin. (For anyone still hoarding pieces from Topshop’s well-loved and now discontinued makeup collection, which Murray developed in 2010, those cult-favorite cheek gels serve a similar purpose).
“Ten layers of makeup, that’s not me,” Murray says, emphasizing her attention to subtle details, such as an extra-thin brushstroke of Bobbi Brown’s Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner along the upper lash line to define eyes “without looking like you have any eyeliner on,” and a fluffy brow courtesy of the brand’s Natural Brow Shaper & Hair Touch Up, which creates separation and adds a tint but never feels makeup-y. (“Brush, brush, brush the hairs upward,” she advises.) Murray hopes that this kind of focus will help strengthen the brand’s authority with artists while also speaking to what she sees as the “flawless but light-handed” direction that beauty is heading—a boon to the work from home lifestyle that many of us have adopted in the COVID-19 era (and may never give up).
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Carmen Bryan’s Cryptic Post Stirs the Pot in Jay-Z Controversy
The hip-hop industry currently faces substantial controversy as Jay-Z finds himself in the eye of a storm. Allegations of sexual assault stemming from a 2000 afterparty involving the illustrious rap mogul and disgraced music executive Diddy have ignited fierce public debate. While Jay-Z categorically denies the accusations and expresses his intent to contest the lawsuit, the court of public sentiment appears to have already rendered its verdict. Further complicating this turmoil is the involvement of Carmen Bryan, a name from Jay’s contentious history, which has added a chilling layer to the evolving situation.
Carmen Bryan, recognized for her decade-long affair with the Brooklyn rapper, recently took to Instagram with a cryptic yet pointed post. Although she refrained from naming anyone directly, Bryan suggested that loyalty often supersedes ethical morality in cases involving influential individuals. “These days, people don’t defend what is right; they defend who they like,” she wrote. Her parting shot, “And that’s why we call you a groupie,” felt like a verbal mic drop, leaving little doubt about who her words targeted.
The intrigue didn’t stop there. Bryan shared a snapshot of Jay-Z’s lyrics from his 2010 track “Monster,” honing in on a particularly unsettling line: “Kill a block, I murder the avenues, I rape and pillage your village, women and children.” Though these lyrics were part of a more extensive metaphorical verse showcasing a “monster” persona, their resurfacing in this context feels calculated and ominous.
Bryan is no stranger to controversy, having previously aired her grievances toward Jay-Z. In her 2006 memoir, It’s No Secret: From Nas to Jay-Z, Seduction to Scandal, she detailed their affair and its tumultuous fallout. Additionally, she revealed in a 2017 interview that she had been pregnant with Jay-Z’s child, only to suffer a miscarriage. The relationship, fraught with personal and public conflict, remains a blemish on Jay-Z’s meticulously crafted, otherwise carefully curated narrative. Carmen Bryan’s multifaceted approach raises pertinent questions: Is she simply sharing her perspective on morality in the industry, or does she possess additional undisclosed knowledge?
While the allegations against Jay-Z are still under legal evaluation, Bryan’s Instagram post has reignited another dimension to the complex and polarizing discussions about power dynamics, accountability, and the ethical responsibilities of those influential individuals in the spotlight. Her courageous decision to use Jay-Z’s lyrics against him paints a stark picture that forces fans and critics alike to reckon with the blurred lines between art and reality.
As the legal proceedings involving Jay-Z progress, the public remains split amid this developing saga. While Jay-Z’s peers have predominantly expressed skepticism toward the allegations, the enduring legacy of this iconic figure hangs in precarious balance, with shadows from the past casting long and potentially damning silhouettes.
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Jay-Z Engrossed in Fresh Allegations as Tony Buzbee Claims More Victims
In a stunning twist to an already high-stakes legal dispute unfolding with the intensity of a Hollywood thriller, Jay-Z, one of music’s most preeminent figures, finds himself at the center of an explosive allegation involving minors. This drama stems from accusations brought forth by attorney Tony Buzbee and has escalated a conflict that began with a lawsuit over alleged extortion. Buzbee, who represents a woman accusing the music mogul of sexually assaulting her at the 2000 MTV VMAs afterparty, claims there are additional alleged victims, involving both male and female minors.
Jay-Z and his attorney, Alex Spiro, aren’t backing down. They have initiated a countersuit against Buzbee, vehemently denying the allegations and characterizing them as “entirely fabricated and malicious.” Spiro’s filing asserts that Buzbee’s accusations are part of a calculated scheme to tarnish the rapper’s reputation and coerce a settlement. “These baseless accusations are nothing more than a weapon in a calculated plot,” Spiro stated, doubling down on their stance that the allegations are devoid of any factual basis.
The case took another dramatic turn when the woman Buzbee represents amended her lawsuit against Diddy to include Jay-Z. The timing of the amendment and the salacious nature of the claims have fueled a media frenzy, leaving the hip-hop icon fighting a battle both in the courtroom and in the court of public opinion.
Late Sunday, Jay-Z fired back with a defiant statement on X (formerly Twitter). “What he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle,” he wrote. “No sir, it had the opposite effect! It made me want to expose you for the fraud you are in a VERY public fashion. So no, I will not give you ONE RED PENNY!!”
This case is now racing against the clock, with Jay-Z’s legal representatives seeking an emergency hearing to address the allegations. Their urgency stems from the relentless media coverage, which poses a substantial risk to the Roc Nation founder’s reputation. This matter extends beyond a mere legal confrontation; it encompasses significant implications beyond the courtroom, a fight for his legacy.
The stakes are exceptionally high. Legal counsel Buzbee hints at the potential existence of additional alleged victims, thereby intensifying the spotlight scrutiny placed on both parties involved. With careers, reputations, and justice on the line, this legal showdown is poised to become a critical juncture within the music and entertainment industry. For fans and observers alike, the unfolding circumstances prompt inquiries regarding the veracity of the claims and the tactical weaponization of reputation in the court of public discourse.
