Helen Mirren Gave Us Whiplash With Her XXL Hair Extensions at Cannes

HAIR TRENDSHelen Mirren Gave Us Whiplash With Her XXL Hair Extensions at CannesGive the rest of us a chance, Helen. 

By Elle Turner

May 31, 2022

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So… did anyone else see Dame Helen Mirren casually annihilate the red carpet at Cannes over Memorial Day weekend? While the millennial and Gen Z babes tottered in giving it the most, our national treasure shimmied in, swirled bestie Andie MacDowell past the photographers, offered up a hair toss, and called it a day, while everyone else watched on speechless. 

As for that hair toss? It was whiplash city. Dame Helen had a lot to work with since she served up phenomenal, XXL butt-skimming, milky platinum blonde strands, created by L'Oréal Paris global hair artist Stephane Lancien, who snatched her hair half-up in the most immaculate partial updo to clear her face at the front but bring the drama at the back.

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We weren't the only ones who were gob-smacked. Pro hairstylist and Evo's international creative director, Tom Smith, took to Instagram to break the look down. "You won't believe who owns this hair," he said. "Helen Mirren!"

Smith went on to explain: "I think this might be the coolest thing I've ever seen. I love challenging age stereotypes and I just think that [Dame Helen, 76] is so smart and so bold for doing something so current, so out there, and so unexpected."

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XXL lengths have been steadily taking off with celebs such as Lizzo, Kim Kardashian, Zendaya and Dua Lipa, all switching out shorter cuts for the ultra-long style, and Dame Helen took the Cannes red carpet as an opportunity to show she's bang up to date with the trend, too.

"That extreme length is absolutely a trend this summer. I've been talking a lot about Rapunzel lengths and super bright platinum," explained Tom. "This of course is that white-gray, creamy beautiful color. Some of it's her natural color, and yeah there's a lot of extensions in there but wow, what a statement. She looks amazing."

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And she wasn't about to let her makeup slip, either. Helen rocked statement eyes with exaggerated dagger liner, paired with fresh skin and nude lips. To create the look, makeup artist Val Garland, L'Oréal Paris's global makeup director, buffed the brand's True Match Nude Plumping Tinted Serum into Helen's skin for the base, before blending the Life's A Peach blush on top. She used the new 36H Infallible Grip Automatic Gel Liner to create the winged liner, bumped up lashes with the Collagen Mascara, and finished Mirren's lips with the Glow Paradise Balm-In-Lipstick.

So, yep, just another lesson in how to win the red carpet. Give the rest of us a chance, Helen.

This story originally appeared on glamour.co.uk. 

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More from the red carpet at Cannes:

• Kristen Stewart Got an Asymmetric Lob, so I'm Growing Out My Pixie Now
• Eva Longoria's Cannes Ponytail and Curtain Bangs Belong in the Louvre
• Elle Fanning Brought Princesscore Hair to the Cannes Red Carpet

Now, see a makeup artist's daily routine:

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Elle Turner joined GLAMOUR as Deputy Beauty Editor in June 2019. Elle previously worked for The Telegraph and was part of The Pool’s founding team. She has built up a vast knowledge of the digital landscape and is an award-nominated beauty journalist. Her special interests include in-depth skincare (the more... Read more

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