Helen Mirren Dishes on Cutting Her Own Hair and Pulling Off Red Lipstick at 68

The celebrated actress has some beauty pro tips for you

If Helen Mirren has a pro tip, we're shushing everyone in the room so we don't miss a word.

That's why we're obsessed with all her beauty advice in Redbook's August issue. She's got a new movie, The Hundred-Foot Journey, out this August, and with her 69th birthday just around the corner, she's looking fan-freaking-tastic.

There's a million reasons to love the iconic actress, and here's one more: she cuts her own hair. "Not always, but yes, I can't handle going to the hairdresser every six weeks, so I only go about once a year," she revealed. "In between, I get out the scissors and do something, usually rather disastrously. Sometimes I'll even chop my hair the morning of a big red carpet event."

She's also a beauty junkie, but has a few tried and true favorites. "One thing I consistently use is Latisse [the prescription lash-growth serum]. It really works, and if your eyelashes look great, you can let a lot of other things be crap," she said.

And what about that flawless skin? "Lately I've been using a Kate Somerville face wash, but I'm also a great believer in drugstore products," she said. "You don't have to spend a lot of money to get quality stuff nowadays. A brand like L'Oréal has amazing technology."

And here's maybe our favorite Helen gem on aging gracefully: "It's absolutely true that as you get older, you have to wear less and less makeup. You can get away with naked eyes if you've got red lips. Or red lips and sunglasses."

So go on and take notes on what you've just learned and heed Dame Helen Mirren's advice!

For more on Helen, pick up the August issue of Redbook.