Dame Helen Mirren is the new face of L'Oreal.

The 69-year-old actress will join the likes of Lara Stone, Cherl Fernandez-Versini, Blake Lively, and Eva Longoria in representing the cosmetics brand in her first-ever beauty endorsement deal and hopes to encourage women to ''make the most'' of their natural looks.

Helen said: ''I am not gorgeous and I never was, but I was always OK looking and I'm keen to stay that way.

''I have always loved the L'Oreal Paris brand, and I hope I can inspire other women towards greater confidence by making the most of their natural good looks. We are all worth it!''

The 'Red' actress has previously admitted she doesn't have a regular beauty routine but loves experimenting with new products.

She said recently: ''I don't really know what a beauty routine is. But I love beauty products, and I'm always trying new ones. I wear make-up every day.

'I love putting it on, and I get really into it: a little bit of this here, a little bit of that there - but then I stand back and look in the mirror and it's awful! It's absolutely true that, as you get older, you have to wear less and less make-up.''

And despite her huge wealth, Helen - who is married to director Taylor Hackford - has previously confessed to cutting her own hair and buying bargain beauty products.

She has said: ''You don't have to spend a lot of money to get quality stuff nowadays.''