If ever a moment demonstrated the evolution of Samantha Jones, it was Kim Cattrall's pared back ‘no makeup’ makeup look at the GLAMOUR Women Of The Year Awards 2022, in partnership with Samsung. When the Sex & The City icon walked the red carpet, she was an aspirational example of timeless and ageless beauty.
Coupled with a chic black David Koma cocktail dress, Kim Cattrall's natural makeup look was both effortless and classic. Instead of a heavy blanket of foundation and a strong lip, her base was lightweight with an emphasis on glow and fresh skin, a faint peachy contour for those famous cheekbones, brown eyeliner concentrated in a heavier line on the upper lid, a your-lip-but-better rose shade – and little else. And the effect was mesmerising.
As GLAMOUR's Screen Icon recipient, Kim's statement beauty look also hinged on an important message for women everywhere. “Feminism to me is about equal rights, so I feel that no matter where I am, sticking up for my point of view as a woman, especially as a woman of my age - I'm in my sixties now - I know who I am and I feel that when people hire me, its not just for talent its for my self-knowledge,” Kim told GLAMOUR UK. “I think that is, on a daily basis, a battle you have to continue to wage against people's perceptions of who you are and what you are.”
The actor takes home GLAMOUR's Screen Icon Award.
To that end, the makeup brief for the night was minimalist. “I just want to look and feel fresh,” says Kim. “I just got off a plane a day and a half ago so I wanted something really simple and again I want people to see me.”
It's certainly a far cry from the loud prints, big shoulder pads and contrasting colours that were a penchant for Samantha Jones in her power dressing days. But perhaps Kim's new relaxed approach to red carpet glamour is a reflection of a new mindset. “I feel most empowered when I'm most relaxed, when I'm myself,” she says.
Something tells us Samantha would approve.
Meanwhile, ahead of receiving her award, Kim spoke to GLAMOUR about her biggest inspiration - her mother!
“She was an immigrant to a strange country with two young kids, and she was truly a trailblazer. She brought up four children and had a very full life,” she explained. “When I look back on what the world in 1929 was like when she was born - she always gave me the opportunity to speak up about what I wanted to do. She was so very much behind women's rights and was pro-choice, even before that was a thing.”
Talking about the moment she felt her most empowered, Kim said: “When I'm not relaxed and mostly myself, and not having to perform, and it's mostly in an environment that I can control such as my home.”
Honouring the women who define the moment.
When discussing the legacy that Sex and the City has on women today, Kim noted: “There are many legacies from the show that you can pick and choose from. I always thought of the show as four women portraying one whole woman. We all have moments like those individual characters. We can all relate. I think that was really an earth-shattering time for women to see and reflect on how they are, what they talk about, and what friendship means, so all of those things are still relevant in their own way.”
Speaking of feminism, Kim added: "Feminism to me is about equal rights, so I feel that no matter where I am, sticking up for my point of view as a woman, especially as a woman of my age, (I'm in my sixties now), I know who I am, and I feel that when people hire me, it's not just for my talent, it's for my self-knowledge. I think that's on a daily basis, a battle you have to continue to wage against people's perceptions of who you are and what you are
She also spoke of the biggest thing she had to overcome when it came to her career, which was “people's perception of who I am”.
“When I finished the series of Sex and the City, I went to the West End because I was not done yet. I wanted to not just be in London on the West End, I wanted the thrill and just to get better at what I love doing, and that's being an actress. So that was always something I never tired of,” Kim said.
For more from GLAMOUR's Acting Associate Beauty Director, Fiona Embleton, follow her on Instagram @fiembleton.
The actor takes home GLAMOUR's Women of the Year TV actor award.
