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You don’t have to be rich and famous to age well. Helen Mirren, who will turn 80 this July, credits a life well-lived as her top beauty tip. But she also praises a handful of products, and all of them can be found in the drugstore!
Of course, Mirren has access to the best experts, treatments and products in the world, a fact that makes her list of no-fuss, low-cost beauty classics even more surprising and delightful!
Related: 7 Most Flattering Makeup Looks for Mature Skin, According to Celebrity Makeup Artists
Check out the products she’s mentioned several times over the years—not one of which is over $15:
1. Nivea Creme, $12
To combat dryness, Mirren says she doesn’t wash her face too often, and her skincare routine is primarily about moisturizer. “I always moisturize when I go to bed, and then I always moisturize in the morning. It just makes me feel better,” Mirren told Byrdie.
For more than ten years, the actress has used “good old Nivea for dry skin,” she toldNew Beauty.
2. Essie Nail Polish in Ballet Slippers, $9
“I usually carry a little nail polish in the same colour that I’ve got on, just in case,” she toldHarper’s Bazaar. She often wears the famous light pink shade “Ballet Slippers,” which goes with everything.
3. Castor Oil, $10
To the surprise of many of her followers, Mirren posted on Instagram that she uses castor oil as part of her beauty regimen.
“I like castor oil, not for its laxative properties, but for hair, skin, nails. in tiny amounts,” she wrote. Castor oil can be anti-inflammatory, moisturizing and hydrating, according to Medical News Today.
Related: The Best Anti-Aging Skincare Routine for Women Over 50, According to Celebrity Estheticians
4. Elnett Hairspray, $14
Mirren says the smell of Elnett has been with her for her “whole life” and stylists always tell her “it’s the best.”
“Every hairdresser that has ever had my hair go through their hands has used it,” she told New Beauty. “Of all of the amazing products that have come out since it launched, I don’t know how long ago, it has been the consistent one.” Fun fact: it launched in 1960, when Mirren was 15 years old.
5. L’Oreal Paris Foundation, $14
Mirren is a spokeswoman for L’Oreal Paris, and her makeup artist, Jo Strettell, chose this foundation formula because it’s hydrating, Prevention reported. Mirren lets the makeup artist take the lead: “I never tell a make-up artist what to do. I say, ‘Do what you like! Do what you think is the right thing to do.’ Make-up artists are creative, they’re artists, and I love to see what someone else might make of my face,” she told Harper’sBazaar.
You’ve likely used at least one of the products on this list already—they have stood the test of time and are true classics—just like Mirren herself.
Related: I’m Martha Stewart’s Dermatologist—These Are The 3 Products I Recommend for Glowing Skin at 83
Helen Mirren Loves These 5 Beauty Products Under $15 first appeared on Parade on May 22, 2025
