Dame Helen Mirren doesn’t play by the rulebook. In fact, she wholly rejects it. When it comes to beauty standards, the award-winning actor has been a pioneer in shifting the narrative around ageing, challenging antiquated thinking and imploring us to do the same.
Progress, as such, has been made. Many brands now reject the term 'anti-ageing': US skincare import Drunk Elephant repackaged its marketing to focus on 'pro skin' while the International Institute For Anti Ageing (home to Environ et al) rebranded as 'Active Ageing' in 2022. Fast forward to today and terms like 'longevity skincare' are starting to filter onto the skincare shelves with formulas that centre on cellular skin health.
But still, there are more boundaries to push and old habits to break away from. The rather sobering stats speak for themselves. According to the world health organisation, 1 in 2 people are ageist. Yet, according to George Lee, an Independent Ageism Expert at the National Innovation Centre for Ageing, 80% of us don’t want to be defined by age.
New research also connects the dots between our perception on ageing and life expectancy. One 2002 study titled Longevity Increased By Positive Self-Perceptions Of Aging found that if we are more positive about ageing, we could live up to 7 and a half years longer. Meanwhile, further research proves that the more negative we are about ageing, the more our stress levels increase – by a staggering 40%.
Here, ELLE UK hears Helen Mirren discuss the importance of changing the narrative around ageing in an exclusive talk with L'Oréal Paris...
On rejecting the term 'anti-ageing'...
‘Anti-ageing pisses me off so much!,' says the L'Oréal Paris Global Ambassador. ‘Whether you’re 25 or 45, you look great for who you are – not for how old you are.'
On important life lessons...
‘I’m learning more about life,' says Mirren. 'Thinking about how old we feel; I feel the age that I am. With all the curiosity I have about life; the knowledge I have, the fear I have about life. In the fullest possible sense, I love being the age I am – so why would I want to be someone else?’
On her constant mantras...
‘Don’t let anyone take your space from you. There’s no one else in the world like you – take your space and maintain it,' she says. 'Fight for women in public life too, in politics and every profession. The more we have women in those roles the more the world will change for everyone.'
On positive change...
‘It’s an uncomfortable moment when you realise in your industry that they didn’t want me because I was good but because I was young. It was a whole different attitude and understanding in those days. It’s changing now, thankfully – life has considerably changed. I feel lucky that I hit that age at a time when things were changing,’ she explains.
On breaking the beauty rules...
‘I don’t ever obey any rules of any sort. I love makeup; I love the way mascara can make your face look different which I believe comes from being an actress. I love wearing things that might be inappropriate or letting your hair do its thing – and not being a slave to having your hair done,' Mirren explains. ‘I grew my hair long deliberately because I knew that was a deemed inappropriate as you get older,’ she concludes.
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