Jennifer Lawrence has been doing press the past few weeks because she’s promoting her latest advertising contract: she’s the face of Dior’s Joy perfume. I have no idea what it smells like – perfume peeps, does it smell good? I like a light floral or anything that smells really clean and soapy. Sometimes I go for a dark, earthy scent, especially in winter. Anyway, because Jennifer is Jennifer, very little of her promotional interviews are actually about perfume. They’re about… everything else, really. She chatted with InStyle about beauty, fashion, diets and more. You can read the full piece here. Some highlights:
She’s not convinced that she’s pretty: “When I was growing up, my brothers used to tell me I was ugly. Butt-ugly, to be exact. One time I went into the kitchen and said, ‘Mom, am I pretty?’ And she said, ‘It doesn’t matter.’ She refused to answer! I was fortunate to go through a lot of my life without being too concerned about my appearance.”
Her style: “Um, ’90s sex worker who’s just won her case in court. I like the style of the ’90s — a little bit androgynous but also elegant. I love mixing it up.”
Her craziest hair moment: “One time I went on a cruise, and I chopped it all off. And I remember that [when I got back to school] I went into the gymnasium and the whole place went quiet because I had this full-blown curly ’fro. It was the worst haircut of my life. But I still go through phases when I want to cut off all my hair.
Skin care: “Well, I have really dry skin, so I wear night cream even during the day. I’m also really, really good about sunblock. And, in theory, I get microdermabrasion once a month, although that’s one of those things I always find myself postponing.
When she feels the most beautiful: “Honestly, when I’m at my most disciplined. Like, when I’m really making myself go to the gym. Which is a joke, because I definitely pay more for canceled workouts than actual ones. But when I’m there and running on the treadmill, that’s when I feel most powerful.
Unrealistic beauty standards: “I just like it when everyone’s honest. If you are 20 pounds underweight and talk about eating pizza and fried chicken all the time, that’s not going to make people feel good about themselves. If I’m going to the Oscars or having a movie premiere — I won’t lie — I’m probably eating differently from how I would in my regular life to fit into those dresses. And I feel comfortable saying that.
Whether she’s on social media: “I’m on it. But I’m a voyeur: I watch, I don’t speak. There is always so much backlash. So many people are listening and paying attention, and they have so many opinions about absolutely everything. I really don’t want to welcome that unless it’s absolutely necessary. I don’t want to put myself out there for no reason. Unless I’m promoting something or something really burns my onions, you won’t hear from me.
What she’s learned in her 28 years: “Everything gets better as you get older. It’s easier to cut through things, and everything gets simplified. Physically, everything gets worse. Like, why does my neck hurt? Why are my knees cracking? But emotionally, it gets better.
Just wait until she stands up and something on her body cracks and she doesn’t even know what it was. Hint: that recently happened to me. I stood up and it felt like every joint cracked simultaneously and there was a series of loud pops. As for the rest of it, she sounds fine. She’s right about a lot of things – you should be honest about your diet, you should do what makes you comfortable, and ‘90s style was absolutely the best. I wish ‘90s style would come back with a vengeance. Also: “‘Mom, am I pretty?’ And she said, ‘It doesn’t matter.’” SAVAGE.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Backgrid and Dior.
I like her mom’s answer. That’s a feminist answer.
Jen must have ruined he body with all the stunts she had done. To have stuff creaking and cracking in your 20s is not right, unless you have some major traumas.
When my daughter was little, even a baby, I used to catch myself saying, “You’re so cuuute– I mean, you’re so smaaaaart!” “Awww, my pretty girl– I mean, my strong girl!” She was all of those things of course.
Whenever people tell my sister how pretty my niece is she replies with “She’s really smart and funny” I’ve always loved that.
@Rhys Not necessarily. I’m two years older than her and my bones crack. My knees hurt if I’m walking up the stairs or kneeling. All bodies are different.
Eh, sort of. We can damage our ligaments and tendons through routine use just as easily as traumatic injury. It took ten years of carrying too much heavy stuff on my shoulders while bussing/walking to work for my snapping scapula syndrome to set in, but I damn well had it by 28.
This being said, a lot of that cracking is the bursting of carbon dioxide bubbles in the cavities surrounding your joints. Not necessarily a sign of damage unless it’s accompanied with consistent pain.
i have chronic neck and shoulder pain from my rack of doom – and Im early 30s. Thankfully getting a reduction soon because the pain is constant and chronic and makes me feel much older than I am.
Jen came across well in this interview but actors are pretty phoney. It wouldn”t surprise me if that story about her mother was someone else’s story and she just ‘borrowed’ it to sound cool.
Feminist answer, that’s exactly right
I’m so glad that 90s fashion is making a comeback! I’m rocking cute fanny packs (hip sacks now) all the time now. I miss the 90s so damn much!
The flannel and black skinny jeans with rock tees. I am beyond stoked about that. The other thing I am over the moon about? Not having to tame the beast that is my hair. Oh yeah……
Looking at the past through rose colored glasses is a sign of getting old. 90s culture was pretty good but personally that decade was a huge disappointment.
Oh please , she knew she was pretty. She was model first wasn’t she ?
@Rose not necessarily. One of my good friends was a model and she does not ever think she is pretty. They work in an industry in a society that convinced women that whatever we do is not enough. Even beautiful people can have low self-esteem.
The beauty industry is designed to make even the most traditionally attractive women feel like shit. There’s a reason why beautiful women are always downplaying their own looks. A woman objectified on a magazine cover is gorgeous and sexy because it’s for male consumption. A woman appreciating herself in a mirror, however, is a vain and arrogant creature. Anything to break down female self-esteem and consume them with image.
I could be totally wrong, but I’ve noticed that the people who aren’t good-looking seem more conceited about their looks than the actual good-looking people. I noticed this early on in high school — it’s always struck me as a strange phenomenon. The ones who are actually good-looking by high conventional standards don’t seem to talk about their looks as much.
I’ve also noticed that pretty women seem to dole out compliments to other women more than the women who are less-goodlooking but seem to enjoy talking about other women’s looks. Again, very strange phenomenon. Ditto for good-looking men.
Sure, in grade school young people are very insecure and many overcompensate by projecting a conceited attitude. But as people get older and their looks change you see that attractive people are absolutley consumed by their image because society has conditioned them to believe that is all they are worth. Women like Christie Brinkley, who has admitted this herself, have serious anxiety about aging and losing their looks. I’m not that great looking but as an adult I am much more confident in my looks AND value. Also, in my experience, the more attractive of man I date the more obsessed they are with their looks. My recent ex was very conventionally attractive, 6’2 and bright blue eyes, and the most insecrue man I have dated in the last 10 years. I think as you get older you will realize this is the pattern for most.
I think people like Christie Brinkley have anxiety because they’re models. Their entire career is based on their looks. I would be anxious too if I knew my whole career rided on my looks.
But I’ve generally found good-looking people in other industries seem to be less weird about other people’s looks than the people who aren’t quite as good-looking. Sure, they could be vain about their own looks in their private life.. But they never really seem outwardly critical about what’s going on with the looks of others.
I think I remember reading where she said she did a shoot for an Abercrombie & Fitch ad but they ended up not picking her for the final ad because her face wasn’t natural looking in the photos. That’s got to feel unpleasant on the ego.
I believe her when she says that she doesn’t think she’s pretty – it’s a whole other ballgame when you’re in an industry that compares levels of beauty amongst people who are already better-looking than the ordinary population.
I realized that when I became eligible to get married. I’m from a conservative culture where arranged marriage is still a thing, and people are generally pretty sexist. During this process – which I’ve opted out of now – I was told flaws that I didn’t know actually existed. Forehead too big, eyes too wide apart, too thin, big nose, dry hair – and I’m supposed to be an “attractive” girl. What an Earth. I felt like a contestant for a dog show.
wow, just wow. i’m sorry you had to go through that ; /
Wow that’s terrible to have “flaws” listed like that. Hard to hear shite like that. Poor you!!
Anything to make women feel like the most worthless of property.
Thanks for the support, everyone. I hope this transaction-based system dies out.
I will never not love combat boots with skirts. It made going to concerts so much more comfortable.
I never totally stopped wearing them, really, but I recently started wearing them again in a big way. Even to work. Docs with my suits kind of make me feel badass. I used to believe if you wore something the first time it came around, it meant you were too old to wear them when they came around again. What a pleasant surprise to find out stuff comes back when you’re 45, just in time for you not to give a crap about those rules anymore!
I still wear band shirts and converse or docs. I’m glad to know I’m not a walking fashion faux pas, lol
I’m 40 and still wearing docs too! Love them. They make me happy and I dont give a fork about whether or not they are appropriate.
I still wear that to concerts. Always a skirt or dress and in the summer with sandals, in the winter with leather boots and leggings underneath. Comfortable to the max and I’ve been doing that for 10 years.
Sound like my mom. I got notice that I received my university degree in the mail. I open the letter and tell my mom. She goes, “that’s what we sent you to do”.
@endoplasmic *HUG*
I always liked her. Who’s the guy?
I’ll always love my high school fashion from the early 90’s. Nothing is more comfy and cute as plaid flannel shirts and Doc Martens. Docs and flannels are still part of my winter clothing
NIce interview, one of her best IMO.
I love the pic with her in the water. Stunning.
I recently watched her movies back to back, now I understand her charm, not to mention she got the best bod ever! Not typical hollywood skinny, just perfect.
@ reloaded yep I have always been in awe of her body.
eh, all my children are “beautiful”. And I tell them so when they ask, am I pretty, am I your favorite, am I the smartest? I get that as a mother and a woman we shouldn’t put beauty over brains etc but honestly, aren’t all people beautiful?
Most of them, but not all. Sorry. #EmperorOrange
I have three girls and tell them they are clever, hard working, great problem solvers, strong, kind, loyal, and beautiful. I grew up in a big family that never discussed looks. I just assumed it meant everyone thought I was ugly.
I think getting too hung up on it one way or another is what’s damaging.
I like her answer about when she feels most beautiful. When I’m working out, taking good care of my skin, eating well, etc., that’s when I feel most beautiful and powerful, too.
A lot of people on this site say they don’t think she’s very special-looking (despite being very fit), so I can see why she wouldn’t acknowledge that she thinks she’s pretty.
I think she looks rare in that her body is perfect and paired with a timeless, almost silent movie looking baby face. So yeah, she is special. I remember seeing the first photo of her and asking myself “who is THAT!?” Also remember her first Oscars. She looked so perfect in that red dress I’ll never forget it.
She is incontestably beautiful this is favorable in the world we live in but it is not the most important, your character, your simplicity and honesty define her very well.