Lifestyle Beauty & Style Celebrity Skincare Anne Hathaway Is 'Thrilled' to Be Shiseido's Ambassador: 'I'm Punching Above My Weight Class' (Exclusive) The actress tells PEOPLE all about her exciting new beauty gig By Brittany Talarico Brittany Talarico Brittany Talarico is PEOPLE's Deputy Style Director, where she oversees the brand's digital Style and Beauty coverage. This includes running lead on the Met Gala, which is among PEOPLE.com's top-trafficked red carpet events every year, interviewing the industry's top influencers (including all the Kardashian-Jenners), and breaking A-list celeb news (a New Jersey shore native, it is no surprise that her favorite interview ever was with Bruce Springsteen). Brittany is a style contributor to People Every Day Podcast and has represented the brand on national TV programs including Good Morning America and The CW's two TV specials on the British Royals. She joined PEOPLE from Cosmopolitan in 2013, where she was an Associate Editor. People Editorial Guidelines Updated on September 18, 2023 03:27PM EDT Close Photo: Courtesy of Shiseido Anne Hathaway is having the best time ever. From commanding the red carpet in scene-stealing style to fronting campaigns for Bulgari and Versace, the Oscar winner is everywhere right now. And her streak just got even hotter with a major beauty contract now in her powerhouse portfolio. Hathaway is the new celebrity ambassador for Japanese skincare brand Shiseido’s Vital Perfection product range, a pinch-me moment for the star who says she’s “thrilled” the brand thought of her. “I feel like I’m punching above my weight class with this one,” she tells PEOPLE at a New York City party celebrating her partnership. “I've known about Shiseido as a company since I was first starting out as an actress. I worked with a makeup artist who used Shiseido products on me, so I've always known their quality.” For Hathaway, learning more about Shiseido’s legacy has been an invigorating experience. “It was amazing to realize that a company so timeless, so synonymous with excellence and care and thoughtfulness could want me,” she shares. “It was an incredible compliment and I decided to say yes before they changed their minds.” Courtesy of Shiseido Anne Hathaway on Her Fashion Renaissance: 'I've Never Had This Much Fun' Shiseido’s Vice President Echo Lo said teaming with Hathaway was an organic fit from the beginning. “Anne collaborated with us through the entire creative process to craft Vital Perfection’s personal expression,” she shared. Taylor Jewell To achieve her glowy complexion, the star turns to two products over and over again: Shiseido’s Vital Perfection Uplifting Firming Cream ($140) and Uplifting and Firming Eye Mask ($85), the latter which has become a go-to for traveling. "I didn't know that there was skincare specifically designed for skin in its fifth decade,” Hathaway, 40, tells PEOPLE. As she looks ahead, she says, “I’m thrilled to have that extra little bit of support.” Anne Hathaway Says She's 'Really Switched on by Gen Z' When It Comes to Style While the star says she doesn’t adhere to a singular beauty philosophy, she does have one style mantra she returns to time and time again: “Don't take it too seriously!” Taylor Jewell Hathaway works closely with her “dear friend,” stylist Erin Walsh, on all her show-stopping carpet looks, including the incandescent, golden CD Greene gown she wore to celebrate her Shiseido ambassadorship. “We both believe that style is an expression,” Hathway says of collaborating with Walsh. “When I get to be with Erin is when I get to play. And I trust her, which makes me feel like I can be braver.”