With an acting career spanning six decades, having got her first big theatre break in the sixties and picking up an Oscar, an Emmy and a Tony since award then, Dame Helen Mirren is an icon. And as a regular feature on the red carpets of award ceremonies, major premieres and events like the Cannes Film Festival, as well as her role as a L’Oréal Paris ambassador, she is no stranger to getting glam.
Though healthy, glowing skin that's been warmed with the best blusher is probably the closest thing to her signature makeup look, Dame Helen is also not afraid to experiment with her hair and makeup choices—remember that viral blue hair moment?
We take a look back on some of her best hair and makeup looks from over the years.
Helen Mirren's best beauty looks from over the years
Inner corner sparkle and flushed cheeks
We love everything about this makeup look – the sparkly shadow at the inner corner of the eyes, the healthy flush of the best blusher and the rosy pink lipstick, not to mention the layered short bob hairstyle. Love it as much as we do? We've popped some suggestions for recreating it below.
Copy the look...
RRP: £20 | A super sheeny, sparkly and lightweight option, this is one of our beauty team's favourite options for drawing attention to the inner corners of the eyes.
RRP: £27 | A great lightweight powder blusher that can be built for more intense colour, this is a great VIEVE product to have in your makeup bag for adding a healthy flush to your complexion.
RRP: £37 | With rich colour payoff and a gorgeous satiny finish, this luxurious lipstick from Givenchy not only feels great to wear but also dreamy to apply.
The long bob and red lip
Dame Helen Mirren looks gorgeous with everything from super short to ultra long hair, and we love this sharp, slightly asymmetric long bob on her. Paired with one of the best red lipsticks, it made for a winning look at the 2024 Annual American Cinematheque Awards.
Neutral pink tones
We love the cohesion of the matching fresh neutral pink cheeks and lipstick here, which Helen wore to the Madres Paralelas red carpet at the 2021 Venice International Film Festival.
Slicked back curved under bob
We love the chic and striking look of this swept back and ultra curved under bob, paired with fresh and glowy cheeks, shimmery pink lipstick and inner eye corner sparkle – seen on the Cannes 2024 red carpet.
Multi-tonal blue hair
We love the mermaid vibes of the aforementioned viral blue hair moment, which Helen stepped out with at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival – a look that was achieved with the help of the L'Oréal Paris Colorista Spray.
The quiffed updo
Feeling like a nod to one of the most popular '80s hairstyles, we're real fans of this quiffed updo, which Dame Helen wore to the Monte-Carlo Gala For Planetary Health in 2020.
Bronzed radiance
A healthy dose of bronzer is undoubtedly behind this sunkissed look Helen wore to the London screening of Golda in 2023, paired with a soft smokey eye and coral lip.
Hollywood glam
Serving serious Breakfast At Tiffany's with this high updo, pictured around 1995, this red lipstick look oozes Hollywood glamour. And just check out those diamonds!
The voluminous bun
One of our favourite hair up hairstyles, the humble bun works for an off-duty look or on the red carpet – as Helen perfectly demonstrated for the London screening of Shazam! Fury of the Gods in 2023.
The mega eyeliner wing
One of our favourite liquid eyeliner looks, this statement wing is both intense and elegant. Helen opted for this dramatic look at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival for the screening of Mother And Son (Un Petit Frère).
Super sheeny pink lipstick
This Golden Globes hair and makeup look ticks a lot of boxes – we love the sweeping side parting and slicked down updo, the sweep of eyeliner and the ultra shiny pink lip.
The rounded bob
Another strong case for the power of a well-cut bob, we love the blunt, curved ends of this hairstyle on Helen Mirren – and the bold pink-red lipstick too, naturally.
S-shaped waves
These S-shaped waves are sheer perfection, and we love the inclusion of a headband with this lengthy style. Helen paired her waves with soft smokey eye makeup and a deep, muted pink lipstick for the LA premiere of Shazam! Fury Of The Gods in 2023.
The choppy, feathered bob
Variations of fringe hairstyles will always be on trend and we're big fans of the feathered version alongside Helen's layered bob here – as seen at the 2017 Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences' Annual Governors Awards.
The undone updo
We're big fans of this slightly wispy, undone look for a lived-in, chic vibe. Helen stepped out with this look for the Annette screening at Cannes 2021.
Rose gold hair
Yet another colourful hair move, paired with a classic swept-back short bob, Dame Helen's pink hair look was one of the most memorable beauty looks from the 2019 Cannes Film Festival red carpet.
Ultra long hair with a wispy fringe
A real throwback – and proof that Helen has always suited longer hair – we love the subtly wispy fringe here in this picture of the star from around 1970. A classic '70s hairstyle.
The short rounded bob
We love this shorter bob and its rounded silhouette, seen at Cannes 2018. This is another example of what seems to be one of Dame Helen's go-to makeup looks – sheeny pink lip, flushed cheeks and a highlighted inner corner of the eye – finished off with tightlined eyes.
The feathered long bob
Falling somewhere between a long bob and a shag haircut, we love the Farrah Fawcett-esque feathering of Dame Helen's hair here – as seen at the AARP's Annual Movies For Grownups Awards in 2018.
The messy bun
Ah, the messy bun. A failsafe look for any occasion, including a red carpet. We love Helen's addition of a headband to elevate this hairstyle even further, as seen at the 2022 SAG Awards.
Coral tones
Matching your lipstick and blusher shades is an easy way to create a pulled together makeup look without much effort; Helen wore this coral ensemble to the LA premiere of the HBO series Catherine The Great in 2019, paired with a swept back voluminous updo.
Glittery eyes and sheeny lips
Look closely and you'll see that Helen's liquid liner is adorned with multidimensional glitter for her appearance on the runway during the Le Défilé L'Oréal Paris show during Paris Fashion Week in 2019. This is a great choice of party makeup when you're in need of an easy win.
The fuchsia lip
This look is another strong case for the power of blusher, but it's the bold fuchsia lipstick with its sheeny finish that is the real focal point of this look, which Helen wore to the Warner Bros. Pictures “The Big Picture” Presentation during CinemaCon 2022.
The full fringe and a red lip
A full fringe is something that many people try at least once (we can think of very few celebrities who we've never seen with one) and a look that Dame Helen can seriously pull off – paired here with a bold red lipstick for the 2016 Pirelli Calendar unveiling gala.
The wavy lob
A long bob (AKA "lob") styled with undone waves is a classic, worn here by Dame Helen to The Hollywood Reporter's Women in Entertainment Gala in 2023. Proving that beach hair waves can work for any occasion, Dame Helen's 'do is both unfussy and chic.
The curled bob with glossy lips
Lip gloss was big in the noughties, as were tonged curls, so it's no surprise that Helen was a fan of both back in the '00s. Here she is pictured at the 33rd International Emmy Awards Gala all the way back in 2005.
The sleek side parted bob
Perhaps it's intentional, perhaps not, but this short bob is giving us serious roaring twenties vibes. Paired with a soft, smudged eye and peachy pink tones, Dame Helen wore this look to the world premiere of Collateral Beauty in 2016.
Ultra glowy skin
In our opinion, Helen Mirren's complexion always looks glowy and radiant, but especially so here. She wore this healthy bronzed look and offset her hair with a hot pink headband during the Ora! Film Festival in 2023.
Ultra defined eyes
Liner doesn't have to be crisp and precise to define the eyes; a little smudged pencil can work wonders for drawing attention to them, too – as seen here on Helen during the European premiere of Collateral Beauty in 2016. Finish with a bit of the best volumising mascara and you're good to go.
Classic smokey eye
Incorporating grey tones, this feels like a classic take on a soft smokey eye, which Helen Mirren opted for on the red carpet of the SAG Awards back in 2005.
Pastel pink blush and lip
Proving again that pairing your blusher and lipstick is always a good idea, Helen opted for a soft pastel or petal pink for both when she attended the Telluride Film Festival in 2021.
The berry lip
With her sweeping side fringe perfectly offsetting her short bob, it's the berry lipstick shade that is the focal point of Dame Helen's look here – as seen at the Golden Globes in 2020.
