Viola Davis says beauty “is not defined by youth,” as she becomes the new face of L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect — which is specifically designed for women over 50.

The 54-year-old actress has said she was thrilled to get the chance to work with the major beauty label because she feels as though someone “finally sees” her beauty.

Asked what it felt like to be approached by the brand, she told InStyle magazine: “It’s like someone finally sees me. Many women get to a certain point in their lives and no one looks at them or values them anymore – as if they are invisible, you know? The fact is that beauty is not something that can just be defined by youth.”

The Widows star is “completely into” make-up now that she’s reached her 50s, and said that while she never bothered with products when she was younger, she now feels as though she’s “released [her] inner woman.”

She added: “I’m completely into everything from under-eye moisturizer to all shades of lipstick, which is surprising because I never used any products in my twenties. Now I have about 30 bottles of perfume alone; each one is for a different occasion. I feel more girlish and buoyant in my fifties than I ever have before. I’ve released my inner woman!”

Over the past few years, Davis has become known for embracing her natural hair after having previously covered it up with wigs, and has now said her decision to make the switch came as she was tired of “not feeling pretty enough.”

She said: “I’m at a period where I want to step into who I am. I’ve spent too long not feeling pretty or feminine enough — not feeling enough. And part of that was about my hair!

“Like any fear in life, I had to deal with it. So when I was nominated for The Help in 2012, I walked down the Oscars red carpet, one of the most public events known to mankind, with my natural hair.

“It’s been great, though I do have my moments. I always say that when Black women who have gone natural get together, it’s like being in an AA group. The conversations are like, ‘How long have you been natural?’ ‘Oh, two months today. I have good days and bad days. But mostly good days. Sometimes I put a wig on; sometimes I take it off.'”