At 64, Andie MacDowell does not make beauty an established concept. A state of mind dear to the actress, which she decided to deliver to us during a one-on-one, on the occasion of her visit to the Cannes Film Festival 2022.
Freshly adopted short haircut, and communicative good humor… Andie MacDowell made a splash on the red carpet of the 75th edition of the Cannes film festival. A sensational arrival which seems to have become a habit for the muse of the‘Oreal Paris which, last year was already making one of the most remarkable appearances on La Croisette, with its silver hair assumed. The opportunity for us to meet her, and to learn more about the secrets of her top look and her vision of beauty, after 35 years of collaboration with the cosmetics giant.
You made a very noticeable appearance last year by revealing your natural hair for the first time at the Cannes Film Festival, how do you feel about returning to the red carpet?
Well it makes me very happy that people accept me like that, with the choice I made. Most importantly, I’m thrilled with the support I’ve received for leaving my hair natural. Just before coming, I decided to cut them, to give myself a new look, and I am very happy to be able to give free rein to my creativity.
What is your secret to taking care of your hair?
I use the superb products of the brand Dream Lengths: shampoo, conditioner and mask. I have curly hair which by definition is very dry. So I love doing face masks on weekends when I’m home.
What is your first beauty gesture in the morning?
I drink a lot of water with lemon, or celery juice. On the other hand, I don’t like to eat very much in the morning, but I still try to force myself. On the make-up side, I start by moisturizing my skin with the cream Perfect Age of L’Oreal Paris.
Do you often wear make-up off camera and on set?
In everyday life, I’m very active: I walk every day, I do yoga… So I don’t wear a lot of makeup. I happen to wear lipstick sometimes because it makes me feel good, but most of the time I basically work on my eyebrows because they tend to wavy and go down. I try to tame them and define them with the L’Oréal Paris eyebrow pencil. Sometimes I dare to do more dramatic make-up, but without overdoing it anyway. (laughs)
You have been collaborating with L’Oréal Paris for 35 years, how do you explain this loyalty in your partnership?
When I signed the contract with L’Oreal Paris, I had just learned that I was pregnant. I was therefore very afraid that I would be rejected. And finally I continued to have children while continuing to do advertising campaigns for them, even when I was 8 months pregnant. I also remember doing a shoot just after my daughter was born. She was only 6 months old and I was breastfeeding her. I was always impressed by the fact that they respected that, that they continued to use my image without forgetting that I was a mother. Also, I always liked the fact that when I worked for them, they chose more mature faces. It gave me hope for women, so that we could move on and still be seen as beautiful. I’ve grown with them over time, and I think it’s a really great relationship.
What is your conception of beauty in a woman in three words?
Be authentic, confident, and find joy in being yourself.
Who is your beauty icon?
I think beauty goes beyond looks. So my icons would rather be women who fought for the status of women, like Gloria Steinem. We don’t often think of her as a beauty icon yet she was revolutionary. Without her, we wouldn’t have made so much progress. Otherwise, I would say that it is my friends who inspire me. These women around me who have accomplished things… For me, that’s really beauty, it goes beyond aesthetics.