Stefanie Rex/picture alliance via Getty Helen Mirren dishes on her red carpet tips to make the epic strut "bearable" for big events like the Oscars or Cannes Film Festival She also tells PEOPLE what it means to her to be involved with the L'Oréal Paris Lights on Women's Worth Awards Mirren shares her favorite L'Oréal Paris product that she always has in rotation, one that she calls "beautiful" Helen Mirrenhas learned a few tricks from her many red carpets in her career. TheQueenactress, 79, tells PEOPLE that when she sets foot onto a red carpet, she's going to be glamorousherway — whether it's the Oscars or the Cannes Film Festival. And these days, that means making up her own definition of comfort. "I've learned over the years, your shoes have to be bearable," Mirren tells PEOPLE from the Cannes Film Festival. "They don't necessarily have to be comfortable. And in fact, comfortable sometimes is a bit boring and you want cool shoes. But they have to be bearable because if you're in unbearable pain, that is going to reflect on your face and your posture and everything. So you start with the shoes, and just make sure that you're secure in them and they're bearable." MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP via Getty The PEOPLE Appis now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! She says that once she's figured out her "bearable" shoes, she goes for maximum comfort with her outfit, because she has been in a place where she hasn't been comfortable on carpets, and she doesn't mess around with that anymore. And she's also witnessed other stars on carpets — everywhere from the massive steps at the Cannes Film Festival to the grand stage at the Academy Awards — fiddling with their clothes or a poorly fit dress, and she simply doesn't have the time or energy for that anymore. "I've come to a point where I just want [my red carpet outfit] to be comfortable as well," she admits. "Beauty knows no pain. I have been there more than once, you know, sucking up the pain for my vanity. But again, it reflects on your face if you're comfortable. [A red carpet is] a performance. It is like going on stage, really, and I treat it as such. It's a sort of wonderful, fun, silly performance. It's not going to last forever. It has huge meaning for a second or two, and then the meaning is gone and we're onto something else." Mirren, who is a L'Oréal Paris spokesperson, walked the Cannes Film Festival red carpet on May 22 for theColors of Timepremiere in a form-fitting black gownwith long sleeves. It was accented by a Tiffany blue sash around her waist that tied into an oversize bow at her back before floating out into a short train. Mirren topped her look off with a statement fascinator, but the boldest part of her look was her jaw-droppingMargot McKinneynecklace called theMarina Collier. The massive necklace featured three center gemstones totalling over 400 carats. Her first red carpet appearance at this year's festival comes the day before the L'Oréal Paris Lights on Women's Worth Awards. For the fifth year, the brand and the festival are coming together to champion emerging female voices in film. Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Mirren tells PEOPLE that it means a "huge amount" to be involved and help support women in film alongside L'Oréal Paris. "It's always a very moving evening that we give out those awards and they get nominated by their communities," Mirren shares of what it's like to attend the L'Oréal Paris Lights on Women's Worth Awards, taking place this year on May 23. "And [the winners] get a financial donation to their charity, a substantial financial donation. Likewise, the filmmakers get a donation towards financing their next movie, which is great. It makes a huge difference, because it's very difficult to raise finance for any film — the most established filmmakers find it difficult to raise money. So you can imagine a young woman coming into the film industry with all of her ambition and her talent, finding it very hard to get a film off the ground." This year, Academy Award-winning actress and L'Oréal Paris ambassador Viola Davis joins as Juror, following in the footsteps of Elle Fanning and Kate Winslet. Davis will present the 2025 award to one standout female director from the Cannes Short Film Competition or La Cinef selection. Samir Hussein/WireImage The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! During her time in the L'Oréal Paris family, Mirren has not only represented the brand at the Cannes Film Festival in a number of standout looks, but she's also (understandably) picked up her favorite products from the brand. The Oscar-winning actress admits that she's "always up for the latest thing" because the beauty landscape is always changing, but when it comes down to it, one L'Oréal Paris product will always be in her rotation. "There's an incredible leave-in serum that L'Oréal has done, and it's a beautiful, beautiful product," she gushes. "I think it's called theElvive leave-in serum. It's beautiful." Mirren goes on to say that she loves playing around with new products because they quite simply make her "feel good" and at the end of the day that's what matters most for her. "A lot of beauty is to do with how you feel psychologically inside as much as anything," she says. "I think that's where a really nice product [comes in] — it just makes you feel good." Read the original article onPeople
