The 5 things Andie MacDowell tells everyone to buy

Andie MacDowell is decked out in a bubble-gum pink Michael Kors pantsuit with her signature silver curls worn loose and free. It’s hard not to be taken aback by her radiance, especially when she speaks — her air of kindness and warmth is unmatched.

MacDowell is in Toronto to host L’Oréal Paris’s annual Women of Worth gala — she’s one of the longest-serving faces of the beauty brand. The gala celebrates community changemakers, and at this year’s event, held virtually on International Women’s Day, MacDowell presented the 10 honourees with a $10,000 grant toward their non-profit causes.

“They’re very unique people,” MacDowell says. “It gives you this really warm feeling of hope for humanity — that there are good people out there that care about their community and want to make a difference. It inspires you to be a better person.”

In her own life, MacDowell is inspired by the strength she sees in her personal relationships, including one friend who has stage 4 cancer and another with melanoma who recently had to have her nostril replaced. “I think anytime you see people that have to handle something that’s really difficult, and they do it in a way that is humbling, it affects you,” she explains.

MacDowell is also moved by her daughter Margaret Qualley’s ability to handle difficult situations. She recounts when the 27-year-old actor — the pair recently worked together in the Netflix series Maid — left home 11 years ago. “I recognized at a young age that my daughter was very independent. I let her move to New York when she was 16, but she wasn’t a normal 16-year-old. It took a lot of courage because there were people around me that probably thought I was crazy,” she says. “If I had held her back, it would have been an injustice to her. So for me, it was allowing her to become the person that she was meant to be. Sometimes you have to let people just grow and become themselves.”

It’s part of the reason why she trusts Margaret with just about everything — including what’s on trend. “I think my daughter is very fashion-forward and super cool. I ask her all the questions about how to think about things,” she says with a laugh. “I truly look to her as an adult now. ”

The five items Andie MacDowell tells everyone to buy

Blundstone boots, $240, altitude-sports.com SHOP HERE

“I discovered Blundstones because of my daughter [Margaret]. My sweet son lives in Montana; he and his partner are very humble. I called them up and I said, ‘Do you have Blundstones? Do you realize how cool you are?’ And they just loved hearing that.”

Carhartt jacket, $200, marks.com SHOP HERE

“I think Carhartt is extremely fashion-forward. If you look at what designers are doing, you see it and go, ‘That’s just a rip-off Carhartt shirt!’ And they’re charging ridiculous amounts of money. But you can go buy it at a used clothing store and be very [stylish].”

L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect 4-in-1 Tinted Balm, $19, shoppersdrugmart.ca SHOP HERE

“For my generation, [I like] the L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect 4-in-1 Tinted Balm — that’s what’s on my face right now. I don’t usually like base; I think it’s really hard to find one that actually enhances your skin. This one is moisturizing, so it’s not heavy. It takes the redness out and evens out your skin tone. It actually makes your skin look prettier.”

Mejuri necklace, $200, mejuri.com SHOP HERE

“This necklace is very high-fashion right now. It’s not something I would normally think is cool, but my friend who is a jewelry maker had it on last year, and I was like, ‘Oh, that’s in now?’ It’s so funny, as soon as you know something is high-fashion, you dig it. So here I am.”

L’Oréal Paris Color Riche Reds of Worth Lipstick in Lovely Red, $7, shoppersdrugmart.com SHOP HERE

“There’s a whole new line of red lipsticks by L’Oréal that have really beautiful names. ‘Lovely’ is the one that I really like.”

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Melissa Perdigao is an associate editor at The Kit, writing about beauty and lifestyle. Follow her on Instagram: @itsmelissaliliana