A lot of young girls have twirled around in front of the mirror reciting the iconic phrase “I’m worth it” – and Jessica Rowe is just as giddy at the chance – even if she’s all grown up!
“It really is, for me, a real pinch yourself moment, and when I was able to share it with everyone, it made me quite teary,” Jess tells Woman’s Day of becoming a L’Oreal Paris Partner to help Australian women over 50.
“It is such an honour for me and a privilege to be part of the L’Oreal Paris family.”
She’s worth it
And her real family – daughters Allegra, 17, and Giselle, 15, and husband, Nine newsreader Peter Overton, 58 – couldn’t be prouder.
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“I look at my girls and I go, we’re worth it. And then Petee goes, ‘I’m worth it too'” Jess laughs at their tight-knit clan. “I’m like, ‘Yes you are, Petee.”
“I feel lucky. We’re an incredibly close family and it’s special for my daughters to say, ‘Good on you Mum.’ I think anyone with teenagers…just take those moments whenever we can!”
But Jess says her husband always sings her praises – cosmetic contract or not. Well, most of the time.
“He does,” says Jess with hesitation. “He’s such a darling. I’m just laughing because he doesn’t like that I always wear my pyjamas when I do school drop-off. He’s like, ‘What if something happens?’ And I’m like, ‘It doesn’t matter. It’s fine. But the best decision that I ever made was saying yes to Petee, because he really enables me to be me, and believe in myself.”
Jess says she hasn’t always had the strong sense of confidence she oozes now.
“When I start to look back to when I was a teenager, I’m like, ‘What on earth did I get myself into knots about?’ When you’re young, you don’t see your true beauty. And that’s such a joy about getting older, you’re much more aware of, ‘Actually, I am worth it,’ and, ‘I am beautiful in every single way.”
Better with age
And the 54-year-old confesses her 50s have been even better than her 40s.
“I feel wiser. I’m more unapologetic about my choices. I care less about what people think, and that’s what’s so exciting about being part of the L’Oreal Paris family – that these are the messages they’re spreading to women. When I talk to my friends, it’s like, ‘Yay! It’s in our power.’ We have so much to offer and so much that not only we teach ourselves, but we can teach one another.”
Speaking of friends, Jess says she’s been contemplating following in the footsteps of her celeb bestie Denise Drysdale, 75, by adding acting to her résumé, on top of L’Oreal Paris partner, podcaster, author, newsreader, social media star and, of course, “Crap Housewife”.
“There’s a part of me that thinks, ‘Oh, will I do an acting course? Because I love a bit of performance. I love getting on stage and hosting events.
“In 2019, Neesey [Denise] and I did some crazy live shows around regional Victoria and that was so fun, so maybe I could do some more of that. I think it’s tapping into that inner voice telling me about what’s next and what will bring me joy because that also is what keeps us young at heart,” says Jess.
Trip of a lifetime
Another inspiring female figure in Jess’ life, is her mum, former journalist Penny Rowe, 77.
“My mum is the wisest and most beautiful person I know,” says the star fondly.
“She’s curious. We’re having a bit of an adventure to Scandinavia next year together. We both love reading Scandi noir. Mum’s a huge reader and got me into those books many years ago and so we’ve been obsessed. And you know, life gets in the way and you plan on it and it’s like, ‘Come on, let’s make this happen!’ so I’m making it happen.”
Jess and Pete still have plenty to tick off their bucket list together too.
“We’ve got so many things we want to do. Travel just fills your heart,” she says.
But the family-focused pair are content mainly sticking close to home while their nest is still full.
“We love just hanging with our girls,” says the Sydney-based star. “If we’ve got nothing on, I’m the M-Uber (Mum who Ubers) and Petee’s the D-Uber (Dad who Ubers). So we do that on the weekends and we get takeaway and just watch Netflix.”
Jess says she’s enjoying parenting more now her daughters are teens.
“I did struggle when the girls were small. I found it really boring and tedious,” she says. “As you can tell, I love a chat [laughs]. So I love talking with them. They teach me so much and that brings me a lot of joy.”
