London - Her glamorous alter-ego Patsy would rather die than stoop to being thrifty.
But Joanna Lumley is proud to be a penny pincher – especially when it comes to her beauty regime.
The Absolutely Fabulous star, 70, revealed she has sworn by a £4 (about R80) moisturiser made by Astral for 40 years.
Miss Lumley, a vocal animal rights campaigner, said: “It comes in a little blue pot, cheap as chips – adore! It has never been tested on animals, and is about the only thing I’ve never developed an allergy to.”
Despite being sent many free products, the actress said she is “faithful to very little” and would rather buy high street brands. “I don’t usually buy expensive products because I’m mean,” she said. Miss Lumley, a grandmother of two, also favours Elnett hairspray, which costs £2.50 and can be bought in Boots and Superdrug.
“Almost everybody I know has a long-standing love affair with Elnett,” she said. “The strong version is like having an iron bedstead on your head.” She prefers doing her own make-up for photo shoots, likes to experiment with hair dye and said she is regularly complimented on her flawless skin.
The actress, who has always denied having had a facelift, said: “There is no real point in me making a pathetic attempt to look like Kristen Stewart’s sister.”
Her thrifty streak extends to her wardrobe as she said she is shocked at the price of clothes. She said: “You see a nice little macintosh and think, ‘That’s adorable and will be about £170,’ and it’s £1 000.”
Miss Lumley, who spoke to The Sunday Times Style magazine with Ab Fab co-star Jennifer Saunders, 58, said she preferred to wait for high street shops to produce copies of designer items. Miss Saunders agreed, saying: “Just wait until Zara does a knock-off”.
Miss Lumley said she is tiring of being asked how hard it is to still find work at 70. “I’m...getting, “What’s it like for older women who can’t get parts? I say ‘I’m sure it must be awful, but don’t ask me, because I never stop working’.”
ITV have just announced a three-part series called Joanna Lumley’s Japan which will see the actress tour the country’s most remote islands.
Daily Mail