I have been a fan of Jennifer Aniston’s forever. I love her cool, laid-back style; from her hair to her clothes she really does make it all look so easy. Because I’ve admired Jennifer so much from afar — she's my favorite actress — I was actually a little nervous to interview her. She couldn’t have been more fun and open during our chat. She dished on everything from how her fiancé, Justin Theroux, would feel if she went under the knife to why she thinks that aging is awesome. Read on for Jennifer’s candid interview.
BB: I have never been more nervous in my life — can I tell you why?
JA: [Laughs.] Sure!
BB: Everyone always asks me, who is your style icon? And it’s you!
JA: Are you kidding me?
BB:
No! I tear pictures out of all those awful magazines with you walking
down the street with your awesome hair and perfect T-shirt and cool
jeans. It is such a unstyle, but it is my style.
JA: You know what that is? It’s just called laziness.
BB: No it’s not, it is perfection — you make it look so easy. Anyway, it’s a girl crush.
JA: You are so
awesome, thank you so much. I am such a fan of your makeup and have been
forever. I literally had to say it three times, “OK, Bobbi Brown is
interviewing me? The makeup artist?” I want you to do my makeup!
BB: It would be a dream, but honestly I would probably tell you that you don’t need any.
JA: Oh you don’t know…
BB: I know. OK
good, so you have to tell me what T-shirts and jeans you love, and about
the blazers you always wear. I want to know everything.
JA: This is my
secret: The trick to T-shirts is I that I usually tailor them. Which is
silly, but it works. Or you just have to find the perfect one. James Perse has really great T-shirts and tank tops, Theory is great for T-shirts and basics, and for jeans, I have these Genetic jeans that they don’t even make anymore. I take the pockets off of Hudson jeans, because I like the fit, but not the pockets. Helmut Lang does a good skinny jean, too. And I wear Saint Laurent jackets.
BB: I have
always wanted to ask you if your stylist Christopher McMillan lives with
you. How does your hair always look like that? Do you wake up with
perfect hair?
JA: Oh god no!
Right now it is in a sweaty ponytail because I just worked out, but my
hair is usually better the day after; it always looks better with that
slept-in look. And Chris doesn’t live with me; I wish he did. I’ve
learned a lot from Chris and I have become very handy with a hair dryer
and a round brush.
BB: Tell me more
about the Living Proof products. They are absolutely amazing; my hair
got really dry from going into the ocean and honestly, they saved me.
They’re excellent!
JA: Have you discovered the Restore Mask yet?
That’s a game changer. I do it every Sunday because I do highlight my
hair. The one thing with hair, as we get older, is it doesn’t
necessarily react as beautifully as it used to when we were in our 20s,
which I never knew. Did you know that, that hair ages?
BB: I am learning that now unfortunately. It grows thinner.
JA: [Laughs.] It loses weight.
BB: Your body doesn’t get thinner, but your hair does. That’s how I know God is not a woman.
BB: Your body doesn’t get thinner, but your hair does. That’s how I know God is not a woman.
JA: I also love the beach spray
because it doesn’t have drying elements in the ingredients. There is no
silicone in any of the Living Proof products. That’s the trick. Most
other products are great at first—there is that love affair period where
your hair just loves it, and then, after a while, it just starts
breaking. And you have to wash it everyday because all this silicone
attracts all this dirt and oil so your hair feels dirty the next day.
That is the thing that feels so great; the products really do what they
promise.
BB: You don’t seem to age! What is your secret?
JA: My dad is
100 percent Greek; he turned 81 and he barely has a wrinkle. And neither
does my grandmother, who was 95 when she died. But it’s also just
water, drinking a lot of water, using really nice good products for your
face. Don’t overproduct, that’s the other thing. Getting proper sleep
is always important.
BB: I read that you are really healthy, you exercise, and you eat good food, too.
JA: I have a Greek salad in front of me, but I also indulge. Oh my god there’s a balance.
BB: So tell me
how you balance it, because I kind of get crazy when I go up and down
with weight. How do you do it? Do eat bread ever?
JA: Yes
definitely! I just had a bagel. I usually give myself bread on the
weekends, but really, my body doesn’t love carbs. These days, if I was
being super picky, I would love to drop 5 pounds. That is just where I
have always been really comfortable at about 110 to 113 pounds. But it
is harder at this age.
BB: One of the
reasons I took this job at Yahoo Beauty is because all my years being a
makeup artist I’ve been interested in the self-esteem issues women face.
I wonder what it’s like from your perspective. What is it like walking
out your door and constantly being photographed? How do you deal with
seeing good — and bad — paparazzi pictures of yourself? How does it
affect your self-esteem?
JA: The truth is
you just go, "If they get a picture, that picture comes and goes, so
who cares?" Then you have 30 mean people who sit at their computers and
spend their entire day picking apart and insulting celebrities about how
ugly they are just so they can feel better — I guess — about
themselves. I don’t understand it. There is also this pressure in
Hollywood to be ageless. I think what I have been witness to, is seeing
women trying to stay ageless with what they are doing to themselves. I
am grateful to learn from their mistakes, because I am not injecting
s**t into my face.
BB: Yay!
JA: No honestly,
I see them and my heart breaks. I think, "Oh god if you only know how
much older you look." They are trying to stop the clock and all you can
see is an insecure person who won’t let themselves just age. I also have
a fiancé; who will put a gun to my head if I touch my face in any way.
BB: My husband
is the same way. When I feel that I am not looking as young and fresh as
I like—usually after a night of tequila and bread—I will put extra
moisturizer and face oil on my skin so that whatever lines are in my
face look better. It is just about being hydrated; that has been my
secret.
JA: Well, that’s
true, it’s hydration, and there are also so many things that women can
do today with technology in terms of LED light therapy, good lasers that
tighten the muscles, and massages for your face—and don’t forget great
creams. I think that’s the route to go. I also understand that age is
kind of awesome. I am fortunate enough to know women like Gloria
Steinem, who I think is one of the most stunning women on the planet,
and doesn’t touch her face. Diane Keaton, Annette Bening, all of these
fabulous fearless women who are flawless, they embrace it! You know, to
each their own; I don’t judge it if you do it, but sometimes I wish I
could beg the people I know, who I am very near and dear to, to not
touch their face.
BB: I think we should encourage women to just be happy with who they are and look in the mirror less.
JA: Look in the mirror less, yes. I also just read that Charlotte Rampling,
who is almost 70 years old, is going to be the face of NARS, I think
that’s awesome! I think fashion people need to start incorporating all
ages, not just these 20-something perfect people, or not just for
anti-aging [ads]. Represent beauty in all ages! You know what I mean?
BB: I do know
and I think it is amazing to have someone who is so well known be such a
great voice of this movement. And it is a movement, I have talked to
Gloria Steinem about it. You are great role model thank you so much for
such a great interview! I can’t wait to meet in person.