The truth is, I wish I’d been surrounded by a little less showbiz growing up; a little less of a focus on looks. My parents were both actors who had nose jobs in the 1950s, believing it would help them in their careers – that was what people did back then. Having said that, as a young kid I felt cute and beautiful; my appearance never even occurred to me until I was older and being photographed for my own acting headshots. I noticed that photographers would say, ‘Don’t smile,’ and I was thinking, ‘What’s wrong with my smile?’ And then I realised, oh, it’s my nose, which started the trajectory for what was a big story in my life. [Jennifer went on to have rhinoplasty, and has since spoken about how, in her case, she thinks it negatively affected her career.]
We’re never going to get away from the looks thing, but we ought to focus more attention on what makes us valuable people; what makes us successful human beings. Can you imagine, at your own funeral, someone saying, ‘She was so pretty... she was always the prettiest’? That would be the saddest eulogy! When I leave this world, what legacy do I want to leave behind? ‘She was always so curious, so interested; she loved helping people and showed up when I needed her.’ These are the things I want people to say about me.
I would bet my life on the fact that a woman’s second half of her life is the best half. At this point, you have the experience of knowing that things go pear-shaped, and that you survive. Also, you have a sense of how much time you want to spend thinking about yourself, spending money on yourself, working on yourself... it’s a lot of self! I don’t want to be spending time chasing a part of my life that’s gone.
In my youth, I often heard, ‘Wow, you have the greatest hair,’ and I just never considered that it wouldn’t always be the case. But during the pandemic, I started to notice that it wasn’t feeling so great any more; all of a sudden, it didn’t feel like my hair.
I think it had probably been happening since menopause. So my colourist, Tracey Cunningham, recommended Hårklinikken. I'd never heard of it, but I met the brand founder Lars Skjøth (he puts the energy into creating it as only someone losing
their own hair would), and I started using it exactly as he told me to. I used the Stabilizing Scalp Shampoo, £34, Daily Conditioner, £38 and Hair Gain Extract, £69 (the extract is the magic) scalp treatment. My hair was dry at first, but then it started to adjust and grow very fast, especially around the hairline. I’m thrilled with it. Honestly, if you've had any hair loss, you have to try this.
Although I switch around my skincare, I always like Biologique Recherche – I love its Lotion P50, £94. It’s one of those products that everyone loves. I think it’s really good for balancing and exfoliating without being aggressive. I also use Earthen SkinCare InstantPeel Exfoliant, £56, after a shower. I just use a little and it rolls off any skin that’s dead while keeping any that’s not. I tried some laser therapies recently, too, but I didn’t love them. I don’t like messing around with the skin’s lipid barrier; I don’t like to disrupt its ecosystem. I like beauty that’s low maintenance and not too expensive.
The more makeup I wear, I find that the older and less like myself I look. I love having as little on my face as possible; just enough to make me feel a bit better. For that reason, I really like Chanel Les Beiges Water-Fresh Tint in Medium, £52 – it’s very sheer and glowy – with a little Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder in Golden Light, £39, on top. I also like Jones Road Miracle Balm in Dusty Rose, £36, and Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks in Petal, £44; anything that feels like it sinks into the skin, rather than as if I have makeup on. I smudge Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Shadow in Plum, £26 , around my eyes and then I’ll use my Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Taupe, £23, on my lips. I don’t have big lips (and I don’t have filler injections), so I don’t like to wear bright colours. This is a tawny shade that, when I use it to line just outside the lipline, creates natural-looking shadow, which I’ll finish with a little gloss.
Smell is such a powerful connector – you either like someone’s smell or you don’t. And that smell is as important as anything else. It’s energy, it’s part of you and I don’t want to ever cover it up. I like scent to smell a little bit like a body; a little bit like a clean armpit, which is probably why I love musk fragrances. I used to wear Kiehl’s Original Musk EDT, £48, when I was younger, and today I buy musk oil from Amazon.
Speaking of armpits, I’m not a fan of strong deodorants or body sprays, but I recently found one that I love – Corpus Natural Deodorant in Third Rose, £24. It’s really good.
I’m a big sleeper – I love sleep – and I think that’s one of the best beauty secrets. That, and always telling the truth.
Jennifer Grey is a brand ambassador for Hårklinikken. Out Of The Corner: A Memoir (Ballantine Books) by Jennifer Grey is available to buy on Amazon.
