Dame Helen Mirren, the celebrated Oscar-winning actress, has offered a refreshingly candid take on beauty, ageing, and the pressures faced by women in the public eye. At 80, she has become a prominent face for beauty giant L'Oreal, promoting its Age Perfect hair dye range, yet she personally champions a strikingly different approach.
The 'Can't Be Bothered' Philosophy
In a recent discussion about her personal style, Dame Helen, renowned for her sleek white bob, dismissed any notion that her choice to forgo hair colour is an act of bravery. "I don't colour my hair at all because I can't be bothered," she declared. The actress elaborated, stating it was not about courage but sheer practicality. "It's not being brave or anything. I just can't be fussed with it," she explained, noting her hair was always blonde and would naturally lighten in the sun anyway, gradually turning white over time.
Challenging Stereotypes and Ageist Norms
This is not the first time Dame Helen has pushed back against restrictive beauty standards. Back in 2023, she publicly hit back at the stereotype that older women should not have long hair after she debuted a longer style while promoting her role in 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods'. She revealed she had grown her hair during the Covid lockdowns and decided to keep it, simply because she "couldn't be bothered" to cut it. "You're not supposed to have longer hair after a certain age," she said on 'Lorraine', adding that she found her new look "pretty cool" and "quite radical".
Her scepticism extends beyond haircare. She has previously voiced doubts about the efficacy of some beauty products, like moisturisers, humourously admitting that while they "probably does f*** all, it makes me feel better."
A Lifelong Advocate Against Ageism
Dame Helen has consistently used her platform to challenge ageism, particularly in the beauty and entertainment industries. In a powerful 2019 interview with Grazia, she criticised the practice of selling anti-ageing products using teenage models, calling it "extremely annoying to women of my generation." She insisted that her generation has been subjected to such ageism for "far too long."
Speaking on the broader experience of ageing, she champions continued vitality and passion. "Life doesn't stop. And creativity doesn't stop and passion doesn't stop and energy doesn't stop, unless you decide to stop it," she asserted. Her advice is one of self-motivation and finding enjoyment, a philosophy that clearly guides her own choices, from her hair colour to her acclaimed career.
