Why Gillian Anderson 'ignores' ageing: 'I behave as I have always behaved - as though I am invincible'
Gillian believes 'we need to be more accepting of ageing, to embrace it’
While many people - especially those in the public eye - might feel a pressure to fight the signs of time as much as possible, Gillian Anderson has an altogether different mindset - and it’s so refreshing.
The X Files star has revealed that she chooses to "ignore" ageing and thinks the conversation about getting older needs to change, with more acceptance and not something to be afraid of or needing "to be fixed".
When asked by Grazia magazine how the 58-year-old feels about getting older, she replied, “I ignore it. I behave as I have always behaved - as though I am invincible and never going to die.”
She added, "There are so many tools for arresting ageing. And as much as the conversation around ageing has evolved, most of the narrative still centres around it being something we should be afraid of, running from, or something that needs to be fixed.
"We need to be more accepting of ageing, to embrace it - we've still got a long way to go."
This is something she’s had to learn herself, too, admitting that she was guilty of being self-critical of her appearance in the past. "I was very judgemental about myself when I was younger. Of how I looked, my weight."
Gillian has really walked the walk when it comes to promoting a more confident attitude as she’s gotten older, and this has included writing her best-selling book all about female pleasure, Want.
Speaking to Stylist in the past, Gillian opened up about the importance behind the book’s message. She said, "Sadly, I think many women worry that at a certain age they won’t be desirable any more, or that they won’t feel desire as it will disappear with menopause or post-menopause.
"Women are starting to realise that life does not end at 50 or at menopause and that there is a whole new world of pleasure out there that they can embrace and lean into."
The Sex Education star has also shared her “very simple” approach to skincare, opting for a less-is-more approach. She has shared with Harpers Bazaar that, far from trying all the latest fads and treatments, she keeps her beauty regime to some simple steps.
"First and foremost, it starts with, are you going to take your make-up off in the evening?
"Now, most of the time I don't wear make-up. If I leave the house, I will have mascara on, and so sometimes it's only, are you going to clean your eyes before you go to sleep or not? And so that's the first step.
"So if I do actually take that step and clean off my makeup or my eye make-up, then I will most likely follow it up with moisture."
She does allow some indulgences, though, with a “glug” of a luxurious bath oil added to her soaks. In an interview with Sheer Luxe, she shared, "Baths are my favourite way to unwind.
There’s always a good glug of oil in my tub from Jo Malone London or Le Labo."
