I Just Tried a Full Face of Jones Road—These Are the Best Products I'd Actually Buy

Growing up, Bobbi Brown's makeup books were my beauty bibles. The makeup artist is an industry icon, having pioneered her namesake makeup brand back in 1991, but what some may not know is that she actually sold her then makeup brand to Estée Lauder Companies in 1995. As such, she is no longer associated with the brand, plus the non-compete agreement meant she was not permitted to launch anything of her own for 25 years. Fast forward to 2020, and her new beauty brand, Jones Road, was born. And I couldn't have been more excited to try it.

Bobbi Brown pioneered the "no makeup makeup" look in the '90s when she carefully curated a range of neutral lipsticks as a palette-cleansing response to the red hues that dominated women's makeup bags in the '80s. So naturally, it made sense that Jones Road taps into Brown's beauty DNA with easy-to-use, efficacious products reimagined in "clean", high-performing formulas that deliver a "your skin, but better" result. I was curious to know what the best Jones Road products are, so I got my hands on some to put to the test over the past month. Scroll ahead for my honest review of the products that are deserving of a place in your makeup bag.

How We Tested

Eleanor wearing a full face of Jones Road beauty products.

I called in a selection of products from Jones Road, which I put to the test over a month. I tried heroes from the brand, such as the best-selling Miracle Balm and What The Foundation, as well as a mixture of eye makeup, lip and cheek products, skincare and brushes.

The Best Jones Road Beauty Products, Tried and Tested

1. Miracle Balm

This is one of Jones Road's best-known and most-loved products (it’s the best-selling product in Liberty, and one is sold every 30 seconds), but perhaps the most misunderstood if you’re not fully clued up on how to use it. As such, you may have seen divisive reviews of this—people either love it, or don't get it. Bobbi Brown created this multi-purpose balm in a variety of sheer shades to act as a glow-boosting balm, which can be used all over, as a highlighter, blusher or bronzer, depending on which shade you pick. But there's a way to get the most out of this product.

Rather than swirling your finger on the surface of the product, you have to break the "seal" of the balm to enjoy the benefits. It feels a little wrong hacking into a beauty product, but if Bobbi is telling me, I’m listening. I tried a couple of shades in the now sold-out Miracle Balm Palette, as well as the full-sized pot of the Dusty Rose shade (a muted pink), which I used as a blush-highlight hybrid. I personally love a dewy, glassy cheekbone highlight, and this delivers that exact effect. It's very sheer, so if you want a lot of colour payoff as a blush or bronzer, you may prefer The Best Blush or The Bronzer, which are both in powder form.

As I have oily skin, I’d be hesitant to use these all over my face, but if yours leans more dry or mature, you may find the totally sheer Au Nautral shade perfect for imparting glow and radiance. The more bronze-y shades are also great for adding a dewy bronze glow to your complexion, and there are also dedicated highlighter shades with a little more shimmer, which look so pretty tapped onto cheekbones to catch the light beautifully.

2. What The Foundation

Upon opening this glass jar, I was a little nervous. On first impressions, the texture is intimidating (it's thick and balmy), but I was wrong; it doesn't translate onto the skin. In fact, I'd liken this more to a tinted moisturiser. The coverage is sheer, so whilst it managed to even my skin tone nicely, it still let my freckles peek through. Brown recommends using a pea-sized amount for your entire face, and this is plenty; you certainly don't want to pack it on, but you can build it up a little if required. Because you only need a tiny amount, this jar will last a very long time. For areas needing extra coverage, The Face Pencil is best for spot-treating areas.

What The Foundation comes in 14 shades that cater to cool, warm and neutral undertones, and the creamy formula of this tinted balm really melts in and becomes one with your complexion, resulting in a dewy and hydrated look. Like Miracle Balm, you may find this too nourishing if you have oily or acne-prone skin, but those with dry skin who like a radiant finish will love it. In fact, the hydrating formula has been designed so that you don't need to use a moisturiser beforehand, so it's a great multitasker for busy mornings.

Brown is known for favouring fingertips to apply makeup, but this also works well if you're using a foundation brush to buff it into the skin, which I personally prefer. On my combination skin, I needed to tone down the shine with powder in my T-zone and was half expecting my face to look too greasy at the end of the day, but my skin retained a dewy glow that wasn't overly shiny, and it didn't separate in the areas where I'm oilier.

3. Lip And Cheek Stick

Deputy beauty editor Grace Lindsay told me this is one of her favourite blush sticks, so I had high hopes for it. It can be used on both cheeks and the lips, making it a great multipurpose product that won't take up too much room if you're throwing it in your bag for touch-ups. The creamy formula is satiny in its finish and effortlessly melts into the skin, leaving behind a pretty flush on the cheeks and a moisturising veil of colour on the lips.

I tried the shades Rosy Brown and Mauve Rose, which delivered a glossy sheen to my cheeks and lips that could be built up for a bolder pop of colour. I prefer a more subtle look for my blush, and I liked the sheer tint it gave my complexion without looking too done. The only thing I found was that it's hard to retract the product back into the twist-up stick after using it. It did go back down when pushing it with my fingers, but for that reason, I don't push the product out too much when I apply it.

4. The Face Pencil

I'll hold my hands up: I've not used a stick concealer in a very long time. I normally favour cream concealers, so I was worried this could be drying and chalky, but I was pleasantly proved wrong. This formula is really creamy. It glides onto the skin, but magically melts into the skin, whether you're blending out with a sponge or your fingertips. It has a full-coverage matte finish, which is creamy enough to blend around the eyes but still does a great job clinging to oilier areas around the nose and chin.

I liked the precision that the pencil gave me, allowing me to conceal spots and target redness around the nose, and it worked well in a slightly lighter shade to highlight and lift my features. It held up nicely on my combination skin, but if you have a very dry complexion, you may find a cream concealer more hydrating.

5. The Mascara

This is another of Jones Road's best-sellers, and I'd heard great things about this mascara. The wand features a large curved-bristled brush, which hugs the lash line and captures every little lash from the inside to the outer corners to instantly add a false-lash-worthy amount of volume and fanned-out effect in just a couple of swipes. I loved the look it gave my lashes.

I did find that the brush picked up a lot of product on the first try, so I would recommend removing any excess when you first open it to avoid any clumpy situations. One coat gives a fluttery volumised effect, whilst two coats really add drama, especially as this mascara is jet black. The brush itself is chunky, which could get in the way for those with smaller eye shapes or hooded eyes.

6. The Neutralizer Pencil

Like The Face Pencil, this neutraliser has the same creamy consistency in stick form, and helps to colour-correct dark circles under the eyes. I chose the shade Fair Rose, which has a peachy-pink hue to counter purple and blue tones underneath the eyes. Jones Road has a helpful guide on its website for helping you choose the best shade for your skin tone and the undertones of your under-eyes, so I felt confident choosing the right one for me.

I applied this before using The Face Pencil, and found it neutralised the blue tones around the inner corners of my eyes really well, meaning I could use less concealer. I'd recommend ensuring that your skin is nicely moisturised so these pencils glide on easily. I used a finger to tap the product into my skin to blend it, and was amazed at how much brighter my under-eyes looked. This one has a permanent spot in my makeup bag now.

7. The Tinted Face Powder

I never really get on with powders. They always end up looking a little cakey on my skin after a couple of hours, but not this one. It's finely milled and slightly tinted (although there is a translucent shade if you prefer), giving the skin a sheer mattifying tint, taking away excess shine whilst setting makeup in place. Amongst the options are colour-correcting shades such as yellow and rosy pinks, which work to brighten the complexion, so there really is something for everyone here, depending on your skin tone and needs.

I liked applying a touch of this on my chin, nose and forehead after applying What The Foundation to take away excess shine in the places where I end up looking oily during the day, and sweeping a little onto my cheeks to set my makeup. Not only did it prevent my skin from looking oily, but I really noticed that my makeup held on better throughout the day. Some reviewers pointed out that the 6.5g size is a little small for the price, but you only need the tiniest amount to cover the face, so it will last for a long time.

8. The Lippie Stick

This was my favourite lip product I tried from the brand. The Lippie Stick is a velvety tinted balm that imparts a punch of colour to the lips in a way that's sheer and feels very Parisian with an effortless finish. If you hate the feeling of wearing lipstick but still want a sheer hint of colour, I'd highly recommend you try it. It glides on buttery-soft, and my lips feel really smooth after wearing it (that'll be the addition of cocoa butter and plant-based oils), and you can apply a quick swipe for a touch of colour or layer it up for more impact. It's the perfect product to keep in your handbag, but saying that, I did find the magnetic lid a little loose, and it falls off easily, so proceed with caution if you're taking it on the go.

9. Shower Fragrance

I was thrilled when I saw that Jones Road had launched a fragrance, and it was love at first smell for me when this landed on the beauty desk. If you love the scent of fresh laundry or the soapy lather in the shower, you absolutely must try this. It's the ultimate clean-smelling scent that I wear so often and always brings me compliments. It has notes of neroli, orange blossom, and sea spray, which make it feel bright, clean and airy. It's really well priced, too.

10. The Everything Brush

I know that Bobbi Brown likes to use her fingers for foundation application, but you can tell that these brushes were made by a makeup artist. The quality is amazing (this brush will last for many years if you look after it), and the bristles are super soft. If I had to buy just one, I'd choose the aptly named The Everything Brush. From blending foundation to diffusing cream blush or bronzer, this makes light work of any makeup application, delivering a seamless result. The bristles on this brush are tightly packed, making it the perfect density for blending cream products. It's the perfect makeup brush.

11. Just Enough Tinted Moisturizer

The clue is in the name, as this really does impart just enough coverage to give skin a healthy glow, hide blemishes and disguise redness. Packed with sodium hyaluronate (which is smaller in size than hyaluronic acid, so it penetrates the skin more effectively), it works to keep dryness at bay and coverage intact, yet still feels incredibly lightweight on the skin. By the time I left the office at 5 pm, my makeup was still in place, which is no mean feat.

12. The Best Blush

Hands down, this is one of the best powder blushers around. It’s so easy to build, meaning you don’t have to worry about looking like a clown, and best of all, it sits beautifully on the skin without disturbing your base makeup. I also love how it catches the light without using a lot of sparkle. It's also perfect if you have oily skin and want to steer clear of liquid formulas. The only drawback is that it's tiny, and therefore feels a tad overpriced.

13. The Brow Gel

Some brow gels can leave hair feeling stiff, causing eyebrows to flake or look bulky by the end of the day. Thankfully, this one avoids that altogether. The spoolie is the perfect size and glides through brows easily, leaving the right amount of product behind. Enriched with vitamin B5, it helps to condition weaker hairs, leaving brows looking healthier and stronger over time. A tiny bit goes a long way, too, so the tube has lasted for months.