Why Andie MacDowell Has Deleted The Word ‘Old’ From Her Vocabulary

On the last Tuesday in August, Andie MacDowell’s schedule is straight-up stuffed. She’s juggling a string of video calls in between takes on-set, all while gearing up for L’Oréal Paris’ Women Of Worth celebration, the honorees just announced on Sept. 4, later this fall. The pep in her voice camouflages it all though. MacDowell did yoga this morning — “what better way to start your day?” she smiles. Really, that positive, easygoing attitude can sum up a lot of what the actor is about right now, from the beauty products MacDowell relies on to her approach to aging. Despite decades in the spotlight and a truly universal appeal, you get that sense that, no matter where she is, MacDowell is really just happy to be there.

Part of MacDowell’s perspective certainly has to be thanks to her general industry longevity. Not only was she a top model for even longer than she’s been a beloved movie star, but she has the distinction of serving as a L’Oréal spokeswoman since 1986 — which means she has a unique perspective on the beauty industry’s changes and growth few others do.

As she gears up for another year celebrating the brand’s Women Of Worth philanthropy initiative, MacDowell talks to TZR about this year’s honorees, her favorite products of the moment, and how her own beauty philosophy has transformed since turning 60.

Her Hair & Makeup Must-Haves

She has quite a few famous features, but one area MacDowell likes to focus on is her full, perfectly feathered brows. “I love to do my eyebrows,” she shares, specifically calling out the twist-up pencils that help fill them in and create hairlike strokes. “As you get older, you lose your eyebrows, and I do feel that they’re something that really makes me me — and plus, your eyebrows get unruly as you get older, so I have to get them to go in the right place.”

These days, MacDowell is all about what she calls “grocery store makeup” — just little feature-enhancing touches here and there for everyday, the sort of look you’d apply for running errands. “I just like to fine tune a few things,” she explains. At the top of the list is mascara, and her favorite is the L'Oréal Paris Telescopic Lift Mascara. Paired with the brand’s Bright Reveal sunscreen — especially critical considering she lives at the beach — she’s armed for the supermarket, yoga, and beyond.

Of course, these days, reflective silver hair is MacDowell’s aesthetic calling card. Keeping its cool-toned luster the right shade, though, requires careful maintenance. For that, she turns to the L'Oréal Paris Elvive Hyaluron Shampoo & Conditioner duo. “So many of the products out there for silver hair are too purple,” she explains. “This one truly makes your hair silver — it doesn't make your hair purple, so I love this product. I use it all the time.”

Her Personal Beauty Philosophy

Self-worth isn’t just part of a catchy slogan for MacDowell. She says maintaining that sense of worthiness is a key part of her approach to aging, and it’s not always an easy one. “The journey is different — it's a unique journey, aging,” she explains. “A lot of the things that we put so much emphasis on as being important start to melt away and and you really need to respect yourself. I've used the term ‘old’ [before] and now I kind of regret it. I don't like that term, because even though it's the truth, there's such a negative connotation that goes with it.” Instead, she prefers something like vintage or venerable, or even distinguished, “which is something we always gave to men, but definitely we are too.”

Crucial for navigating this next life chapter is self-care in its most literal sense. “I work out a lot, I really take care of my body,” she MacDowell shares, saying that it’s about wanting to be and feel strong. “It’s not so much that I'm worried about living forever, I just want to live with dignity and power. I'm more conscious of that now than ever. I know all about food and health, and I study it because I want to live a very strong, powerful life.”

Paying It Forward

Part of MacDowell’s energy is her connection with the next generation, in both professional and casual capacities. She excitedly explains that she’s noticed a real shift in the social climate, especially as it pertains to young up-and-comers. “I feel it with young people, they’re just curious,” she says. “They're interested in me, they're accepting and loving, and I think there's a big change in evolution happening with people and humans, where we see each other in a different light. I'm learning constantly from my kids in a much more powerful way than we did 20 or 30 years ago.”

She pays it forward with projects like Women Of Worth, which she’s immersed herself in. The specially-chosen honorees are all supporting a particular cause, and will receive $25,000 toward furthering it. “A lot of times, [the honorees] go through this whole process because something really difficult has happened to them. Maybe it’s something that they know firsthand, and they do something about it. So it is really fulfilling for them to cathartic to be able to go through this whole process.”

At 66 years old and 38 years into her L’Oréal Paris partnership, MacDowell’s zest for life hasn’t waned.