Stacey Dooley: My Life In Beauty
A toothbrush is my go-to brow tool. It’s a tip I picked up from a make-up artist years ago, and they work so well to groom and shape. Run it through your brows in the opposite direction of the natural hair growth to make them look bushy and healthy. I’ve always wanted thicker brows and this really makes a difference.
The best beauty advice is to be yourself. There is so much temptation to conform and look like everyone else, but being unapologetically yourself is the coolest and most beautiful thing you can do – even if you don’t think it now, you will in the future. Carbon copies are dull and boring, it’s better to be unique and appreciate all types of beauty. It’s not all about symmetry – beauty takes on many forms and it’s important to not have too many expectations of yourself or others.
My desert island beauty buy is coconut oil. I always apply it to the ends of my hair – it stops it frizzing or becoming damaged. The conditioner that comes with Clairol’s dye is also a life-saver – it’s incredibly thick and nourishing, so it always keeps your hair from feeling straw-like after you have it coloured.
For me, hair-washing is overrated. A stylist once told me to avoid washing my hair too much, once a week maximum, and it’s a rule I’ve stuck to ever since. The idea is it prevents you over-stripping your hair of its natural oils and shine. When I do wash it, it’s just with regular shampoo and conditioner, and I rarely heat-style it myself to ensure it’s doesn’t dry out too much.
Dyeing my own hair is far easier than I imagined. I had actually never done my own colour prior to lockdown, as I assumed I wouldn’t be capable, but when it became necessary, it was completely fine – hence why I started using Clairol. My colour is 8WR in Golden Auburn, and it really enhances my natural tone, without ever looking too false or overly rich in pigment.
I’m never without a good tinted balm. In my make-up bag right now, I’ve got my Chantecaille one – they do incredible lip products in so many pretty colours. I also have blotting papers as I get very shiny, and finally, I am never without an old receipt to whack my chewing gum in!
Brown mascara is my favourite make-up product. I used to work at Luton airport (100 years ago) in the perfume and make-up section and this girl always flew through wearing a brown mascara and I thought, how chic is that? Ever since, I’ve been wearing one myself as it’s much more natural-looking but still very flattering and defining. Aside from that, my make-up artist today used Laura Mercier’s concealer which has great coverage, but I usually leave my make-up to the pros – in all honesty, I’m not very good at doing it myself.
Lash curlers are a beauty faux pas for me. I used to curl my lashes all the time when I was young, blowing them with a hairdryer as I went along to make them really hot – they honestly used to ping up and outwards so well. I went a bit overboard though, and they began to fall out, so I recommend giving this a miss – or at least use your curlers without heat.
Skin and haircare is much more my thing. I’m very aware of the mood-boosting power of make-up, but I don’t have enough knowledge to do it properly. Keeping my complexion clean is much more important to me and I’m a big fan of double cleansing – I have muslin cloths left, right and centre at home. I also love the Clarisonic face brush, but I only use it once a week to avoid causing any aggravation. As for brands, I swear by both Avene and Liz Earle’s Hot Cloth Polish Cleanser, but I also adore French supermarket products, including Nuxe – they just work.
A head massage is my favourite treatment. Whenever I go and get my hair cut, I always take them up on the offer of a head massage – it’s just the best treat. In fact, any form of massage is what I would opt for if I were taking some time out to indulge.
The easiest way for me to unwind is in a relaxing bath. I’m a real homebody, and when I do get some time to unwind, it’s all about sitting on the sofa with a cup of tea watching Selling Sunset, or hunkering down in a warm bath. I swear by candles for added relaxation, too. In fact, I have so many at home it might be a fire hazard – Diptyque, Le Labo and Aesop are my favourites.
Being a haircare brand ambassador feels authentic to me. I am so excited to be working with Clairol, mainly because it feels like a very genuine and natural collaboration – my hair has been coloured for years and will continue to be, so this partnership feels totally believable – plus, I really do care about and love good haircare.
Follow Stacey Dooley on Instagram here and visit Clairol.com
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