At Women’s Health, we use the term “limitless” often. It’s how we express the idea that no matter your age, ability, or experience level, there’s nothing out of your reach—and that plent of wisdom and opportunity comes with growing older. To flip the script on an oft-cited trope, it’s not all downhill from here.
Could there be a more apt embodiment of this idea than Dame Helen Mirren? At age 78, she shows no signs of stopping: Mirren recently portrayed former Israeli prime minster Golda Meir in a buzzed-about recent biopic and, most recently, she walked the runway during Paris Fashion Week as part of the 6th annual L’Oréal Paris “Walk Your Worth” fashion show, a celebration of women’s empowerment. (Mirren has been a L’Oréal Paris global ambassador since 2014).
So, what does this dynamic, complicated woman wish to add to the beauty conversation? “I do bang on about this a bit, but I wish we could take the word ‘beauty’ out of it altogether,” Mirren says. “Because it’s not about beauty—beauty has become a general way to talk about wellness, which is a much better word.”
That doesn’t mean that Mirren can’t appreciate a good skincare product—especially one that won’t break the bank. Here, the actor reveals the serum she can’t live without, why she hasn’t tried any cosmetic treatments, and what she feels is the “Michelangelo” of hair products.
The drugstore serum Mirren uses daily
The star’s lifestyle means her skin is often put through the wringer: “As an actor, you’re being made up every day on a film set, and sometimes the makeup goes on beautifully and other times it just doesn’t,” she says.
It’s why she’s so judicious when it comes to choosing the products she’ll put on her face. “Generally, I do love those light hydrating serums as opposed to the heavy creams,” Mirren says. “I mean, sometimes you need that cream, and you slather it on and let it do its thing. But with a serum, you put it on and immediately feel fresh and clean—and makeup always goes on great.”
So, which one does Mirren use. You’ll be thrilled to know it’s the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Derm Intensives 1.5% Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum—available for about 30 bucks are your nearest drugstore or on Amazon. What makes it so great? A super-lightweight gel texture means it glides onto skin. Plus, this one blends two sizes of molecular weight hyaluronic acid (both high and low) to more comprehensively hydrate skin.
The inside-out habits she relies upon for glowing skin
When it comes to her skincare routine, Mirren happily admits she’s “a minimalist.” “I don’t really have a routine,” she says. But that doesn’t mean the star doesn’t prioritize self-care. “Of course, the best thing that we can do for our skin is to take care of the inside of our bodies,” she says. “So, I would say the number one beauty tip is don’t smoke. Number two is don’t drink too much alcohol. In fact, don’t do too much of anything.”
The scent-memory hairspray she’s used for years
Is there one beauty product with an aroma that immediately transport you back to a specific place and time? My guess would be yes. For most people, it’s a perfume or a deliciously scented body cream. For Helen Mirren, it’s hairspray. More specifically, L’Oréal Paris Elnett Satin Extra Strong Hold Hairspray. “It’s the most familiar smell to me,” she says. “Every hairdresser for my whole life has used it and they still do.
Of course, the classic product—recently reformulated with new packaging—has other attributes. With just six ingredients, and zero silicones, it provides no-crunch style longevity with a unique micro-dispersion technology that evenly coats every strand. “It holds, but it’s so light and it brushes out if you want to remove it,” Mirren says. “It’s an absolute classic. It’s like the Michelangelo of hair products; it never goes away.”
Why she’s not a big facial person
Mirren’s not one to hit the spa for a treatment—and it’s not from lack of interest. “I’m told these treatments work best when you receive multiple over six weeks, and I’m just never in one place long enough,” she admits.”
When she does have a facial she always emerges “feeling great” and thinking, “Gosh, I should do this more often.” But for the most part, she’s a DIY kind of girl: “Sometimes, I’ll give myself a little mask,” she says. “But even when I colored my hair, which I didn’t do very often, I always did it at home. It’s the absolute truth.”
What she’d like to see more of in beauty for older women
Mirren admits that “the world is a much more complex, more interesting place, which is so exciting. You can be all kinds of ages and sizes, and I find the individuality of each person so interesting and absorbing and fascinating and inspiring.” And she’d like to see more of that reflected in media and beauty campaigns. “I love swagger and things that give you confidence.”
Amen, sister.
Brian Underwood is the beauty director at Women’s Health. He is an award-winning journalist with more than 15 years of experience covering beauty and lifestyle for several national media outlets and previously served as beauty and wellness director at Oprah Daily. His work has appeared in Woman’s Day, Life & Style Weekly, Good Housekeeping, and many more. He also serves as a member of the Skin Cancer Foundation’s gala committee and lives in New York City with his daughter.
