Reese Witherspoon Says Daughter Ava Phillippe, 19, Taught Her How to Apply Highlighter

Reese Witherspoon has been pampered by Hollywood’s hottest makeup artists since before her daughter Ava Phillippe was born. But these days, the 19-year-old is one of the few people the actress trusts to give her makeup tips.

“I learn a lot from my daughter [about makeup],” says Witherspoon, revealing that Ava honed her skills by watching YouTube tutorials. “Her understanding of how to apply it is so extensive.”

Speaking to PEOPLE about her latest charitable makeup collaboration with Elizabeth Arden, Witherspoon, 42, adds that Ava’s application techniques are especially solid when it comes to eyeshadow and highlighter.

“If I have to do my makeup for a dinner or something, I’ll be like, ‘Ava, can you fix my eyeshadow? I can’t remember what goes in the crease,’ because she has this intense knowledge about how to shade. It’s crazy.”

“She [also] taught me how to put highlighter on my brow bones and the top of my cheekbones. I really liked the way it looked, so now it’s just become part of my makeup routine.”

Witherspoon says her look-a-like daughter has been a pro of sorts for a couple of years. “She knew how to do a beautiful red carpet look by the time she was 17 years old.”

Of course, Ava’s makeup expertise isn’t the only thing the doting mom admires about her daughter.

Last summer Witherspoon threw a joint graduation party for her high school graduate, Ava, and her junior high graduate, son Deacon.

“I’m so proud of her,” says Witherspoon of her daughter, who’s now in college. “She’s just an extraordinary young woman who is passionate about the world, and making change, and helping people. I feel really privileged to be her mom.”

(People)