Actress, producer
and entrepreneur
Reese Witherspoon
is Elizabeth Arden’s
much-loved
“storyteller”. marie
claire beauty directorSally Hunwick travels
to LA, where the
A-lister opens up
about what beauty
means to herFAC E VA L U E
W
hen it comes to life goals, Reese With-
erspoon has ticked off an impressive
number. Academy Award winner?
Tick. Founder of a production com-
pany that aims to put women in lead
roles? Tick. A hit television series? Tick.
Witherspoon has been a trailblazer for women
since she burst onto our big screen in 2001 as the
bubbly (and smart) lawyer in Legally Blonde. Her
undeniable prettiness and upbeat personality made
her an instant star, but her longevity in cutthroat
Hollywood suggests her success is more than skin-
deep. And it’s a sentiment that she reflects on when
marie claire meets with the A-lister in LA.
“I love women who express themselves with their
personalities and just have a strong presence,” Wither-
spoon says. “Awesome women like Diane Keaton and
Jane Fonda; I always [admire] women like that.”
Then there is the star-studded line-up of stellar
female talent in the Foxtel mega-hit, Big Little Lies.Co-produced by Witherspoon, the show’s cast boasts
Nicole Kidman, Zoë Kravitz , Laura Dern and was re-
cently boosted further by the arrival of industry doyen
Meryl Streep.“I love Nicole, she is the best,” says With-
erspoon. “And it was amazing to have Meryl join us.”
It is perhaps Witherspoon’s belief in equality for
women that has led to her role as ambassador for
cosmetics giant Elizabeth Arden. She’s been in the
position as the brand’s storyteller-in-chief for two
years now, and when marie claire sits down with the
Golden Globe winner in a stunning home located in
Beverly Hills (whispered to belong to one of Wither-
spoon’s friends) the title feels apt. Especially when you
consider that this beauty brand was founded by a
woman intent on changing the world.
Elizabeth Arden was undeniably a girl-boss. And
like Witherspoon, she aimed high when it came to
life goals. In 1910, a young Arden revolutionised the
beauty industry by opening her own salon on Fifth
Avenue, New York, famously painting the salon’s front