Helen Mirren's Timeless Beauty Advice Will Make You Think of Aging Differently

Dame Helen Mirren's beauty advice is simply ageless.

In fact, the Queen actress wants people to know that getting older is nothing to fuss or freak out over.

"It's nature, it's what happens," the 78-year-old icon told E! News in an exclusive interview. "And, as they say, along with getting older comes a certain kind of wisdom, a certain kind of understanding of that fact."

As for why the Oscar winner has this refreshing outlook on beauty? She learned the best lesson from her mother, Kathleen Alexandrina Eva Matilda Kitty Rogers.

"My mother said the greatest thing to me: 'Never be afraid of getting older,'" Helen recalled. "Of course, when you're 18, middle age is like a foreign country. It's so far away from you. But, you know, when you arrive in that country, you realize that country has great things. Maybe you like that country better than the country you left behind."

As she put it, "All I can say is, don't worry [about aging]. It's cool."

The Barbie star isn't just destigmatizing the old-age beliefs about women's appearances, either. She's also challenging the unrealistic standards women face with their jobs through L'Oréal Paris' new "Worth It Resume" campaign, which aims to disrupt the pressure women feel about their career and champion their setbacks.

"You absolutely have to take risks," Helen, who is an ambassador for the brand, said. "My mantra has always been: 'Do what you're afraid of.' If you're really s--t scared, do it because that means it's going to challenge you, and there's a reason why you're scared of it."

The worst that can happen with stepping out of your comfort zone, Helen noted, is that you grow from the experience.

"We talk about success all the time," the Red actress pointed out. "But, in reality, success is built on failure. It's trying and failing, trying and failing, trying and failing. You might say, excuse my language, 'I f--ked that up.' But next time, you'll have learned from that and do it in a different way, or you won't do that again. It's a positive thing."

Just like aging, taking chances is part of life.

"You never know what you're capable of doing until you challenge yourself," Helen shared. "And we're all capable of much more than we imagine. Women of every age must embrace and never be afraid of failure. See it as a beautiful stepping stone."

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