Anya Taylor-Joy on Beauty, Ritual, and Loving the "Vehicle" You’re Given
In an industry that often demands conformity, Anya Taylor-Joy has built a career—and a personal brand—on the power of being “wrong.” From the haunting, isolated Thomasin in The Witch to the high-octane fury of Furiosa, she has consistently proven that what the world perceives as “not fitting in” is actually a superpower.
As she fronts the new Dior Addict campaign, the 29-year-old reflects on how she moved from being a self-described “tomboy” to a global fashion icon who uses beauty not as a mask, but as a ritual.
The Power of Being “Wrong”
Taylor-Joy’s approach to her look—which she describes as “unapologetically herself”—is rooted in early childhood experiences. “I was told from a young age that I was wrong in some way, shape, or form,” she reveals. That early exclusion, rather than breaking her, acted as a mechanical trigger. It forced her to realize that the most important relationship a “being” can have is the one they have with themselves.
“I used to think there was a big divorce between how people think about themselves and their bodies,” she explains. “But this is a combined effort that makes up you. Be good to your body and treat it with love. It is the vehicle that allows you to experience everything you love.”
Beauty as a “Personal Prayer”
For Taylor-Joy, the getting-ready process—whether for a red carpet or a film set—isn’t just vanity; it’s a form of mindfulness. She views her beauty routine as an intentional ritual.
- The Scent Capsule: She treats fragrance as a “personal prayer,” using scents to anchor herself. She often ties specific perfumes to her characters, creating a sensory “time capsule” that helps her snap back into her own identity once the filming ends.
- The Bath Ritual: Every day concludes with a self-curated bath, mixing Epsom and magnesium salts with powdered goat’s milk. “That is my ‘me’ time,” she says, noting that even her husband knows the door is closed during this reset period.
- Minimalism: Despite the Dior ambassadorship, her daily habits are surprisingly lean. She favors toners for hydration, a good concealer, and her staple Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil in Berry.
The “Scent of a Psychopath”
Not all olfactory experiments have been pleasant. Taylor-Joy once engineered a custom scent for a character she played—a woman with psychopathic tendencies. She crafted it using notes of honey and vodka. “I spent most of the movie defending her actions,” she recalls. “But as soon as it was over, I was like, ‘Get it off!’ It was a very visceral reaction.” She hasn’t reached for that scent since, preferring to keep her personal “time capsule” clean of the toxic characters she’s inhabited.
A Mindset of “Visual Joy”
When it comes to the red carpet, Taylor-Joy rejects the idea of being “meek.” Whether she’s experimenting with “baby bangs,” a mullet, or extended eyebrows—a bold move she debuted at the Dune premiere—she views pageantry as a gift to the audience. “If there’s pageantry around something that’s going to be consumed by a lot of people, why wouldn’t you want to spark joy?”
The BeingsMag Verdict
At BeingsMag, we look for those who understand the “mechanical” link between the body and the mindset. Anya Taylor-Joy’s philosophy is a perfect example of a high-performance “being” at work. She understands that her body is the vehicle for her creative vision, and her rituals are the fuel that keeps it running.
In a world of fast trends and artificial filters, she serves as a reminder that the most “chic” thing you can be is authentic. Whether she’s in Dior or her own skin, she is successfully navigating the Hollywood “Matrix” by refusing to be anything other than exactly who she was given to be.
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