Penélope's Passion I'm A Secret Beautician

The actress’ other talent.

- Victoria Hall

When Woman’s Day meets Penélope Cruz in the garden of the very chic Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat on the French Riviera, the actress looks every inch the glamorous Hollywood icon.

The sexy Spaniard’s dress hugs her petite yet curvaceous figure and, as you’d expect from a former ballerina, her posture is perfect. Only the tiny lines around her eyes as she smiles give away her age – 43.

In the age of social media, where a quick Instagram scroll can tell you where Gwyneth Paltrow is holidaying or how the Beckhams are celebrating their daughter’s birthday, Penélope is a different type of celebrity – one who likes to keep her private life private.

When she started dating now-husband Javier Bardem while they were filming Vicky Cristina Barcelona, they went undetected for months, with rumours instead circulating about Javier and co-star Scarlett Johansson.

They now have two children, Leo, six, and Luna,four. While Javier has continued to make films, Penélope has taken a step back.

“My priorities have really changed over the years,” she explains. “I want to raise my kids and I don’t want to be away from them. The first question I ask about a film is where in the world is it being shot, the next question is when and then I look at the project.