From Andie Macdowell to Meryl Streep, these 5 women are redefining how beauty only grows with age

Going against the grain when it comes to beauty is a tiresome feat. In a society that loves to talk about beauty, preach unrealistic standards and impose the normative caricature on every woman, just the mere notion of being comfortable in your own skin is one of rebellion. However, moving beyond the blueprint is even more tedious when one grows beyond the years of youth. Often, the most sought-after quest (Amen, Mother Gothel), the fixation on youth is rather a relegated and regressive one.

From the gentle creases around the eyes and the fine lines while smiling to the silver streaked hair as well as the soft skin that encompasses you in a hug—that is the beauty of aged beauty.  Every phase of life unravels a new archetype of beauty that deserves adulation, and there are some celebrities who are attesting, perhaps even revolutionising the trope of ageless beauty. Embodying the pristine sense of beauty, these icons are making a case for authenticity. 

5 ICONIC CELEBS EMBRACING THE FLAWS OF AGEING, FLAWLESSLY

1. Andie Macdowell

Seldom remembered for her wild and enigmatic grey hair, Andie has truly been one of the consistent symbols of ageless beauty. At the 78th Cannes Film Festival, the Groundhog Day actress spoke to Elite Daily about how she is tired of trying to look young and doesn’t care for the nonsensical pursuit anymore. However, she has spoken for the cause on multiple occasions. Back in 2021, the actress had used the same platform to embrace her black and silver hair, attesting them as an appendage to her personality. “I was so cautious because I didn’t want anybody to be upset and I was trying to figure out how I could wear wigs to please people. But then once I did it, it was just so clear to me that my instincts were right because I’ve never felt more powerful. I feel more honest. I feel like I’m not pretending. I feel really comfortable. And in a lot of ways, I think it’s more striking on my face,” the actress told another publication at the time. Styling them in all the ways possible, she has truly made statements time and again, with our favourites from Cannes this year. 

2. Jodie Foster 

Another actress holding the court for the famously called salt-and-pepper hair is Jodie Foster, who has also chosen to be all natural when it comes to beauty. In an interview with the Interview Magazine in 2023, she opened up about the stereotype of people opting for cosmetic surgeries to plump up their faces around the age of 50; however, she has always been the one to break the mould. “I didn’t want that life, but I also knew that I couldn’t compete with my old self. So my fifties were tough,” said the actress before experiencing a shift in her attitude in the 60s.

3. Salma Hayek

A long-standing vocal advocate of ageless beauty has always been Salma Hayek. Be it social media, her various interviews or her own beauty line—Nuance,  she has never shied away from expressing her holistic approach to beauty that focuses on self-acceptance and inner confidence. Infact, her brand philosophy also resides in her grandmother’s beauty regime. With her recent cover of the 2025 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, she has proved that she has practiced all that she has preached over the years. On a dismissal of botox, she revealed in an interview with Elle that her secret beauty ingredient remains to be Tepezcohuite, (add a line on what it is) that's used to regenerate skin. She even took to social media not very long ago to express her desire to embrace her greys too and her decision to do away with hair dyes, proving her commitment to age like she was destined to. 

4. Julia Roberts 

Julia Roberts, the Pretty Woman actress, has always been the quintessential “pretty girl,” who has always appealed to the masses for her natural beauty. In an interview with Elle, she raised her concerns on the state of society being dysmorphic which doesn’t really allow women to even give themselves a chance to see what they'll look like as older persons. Considering not getting a facelift done as a risk according to Hollywood standards, the actress has always rightfully relegated the notion of artificial procedures as an unfortunate occurrence. 

5. Meryl Streep

The G.O.A.T. actress of Hollywood, Meryl Streep, has always exuded palpable exuberance in all of her appearances, be it off-screen or on-screen. For her, growing older was equivalent to finding a sense of freedom as well as a celebration of her life’s journey. Always in a celebration of love and life, she has praised herself and her features with humour and confidence, which has radiated through the years. Her quintessential advice? "Don't waste so much time worrying about your skin or your weight. Develop what you do, what you put your hands on in the world," said the legendary actress during a conversation with Jane Pauley at Indiana University.

From the rejection of cosmetic norms and even an ancestral approach to skincare, these women have chosen to wear their skin for what it truly is. Joining the wave are other women like Pamela Anderson, who embraced a makeup-free appearance at Paris Fashion Week; Kate Winslet, who has defied the societal pressures of plastic surgery; and Indian icons like Sharmila Tagore and Zeenat Aman, who have aged like regalia personified. Together, these women are curating an evolution of beauty and power.

Sources: British Vogue, Interview magazine, Elle, Indiana University.