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Beyond her successful country music career, Dolly Parton is known worldwide for her glamorous and over-the-top styles. The 74-year-old Tennessee native is very open about her plastic surgery history and expansive wig collection. Her iconic outfits are frequently only worn once and are featured in museums. Despite her beauty focus, however, Parton’s recently revealed makeup secret fell short of many dermatologists’ recommendations. 

Parton’s journey from Locust Ridge to Dollywood

Although the singer-songwriter’s home is nestled at the foot of the Smoky Mountains, it wasn’t long before she was climbing to the top of the charts. According to the Library of Congress, Parton had made recordings for three different record labels before even earning her high school diploma — with her earliest track, “Puppy Love,” debuting when she was just around 12 years old.  

Parton’s first LP was released in 1967, titled Hello, I’m Dolly. It was a fitting introduction and helped to ensure that the world would never forget her name. Though her life was changing rapidly as a result of her talent, her music remained rooted in her Appalachian childhood and empathy for the working class. 

Even as her wealth and wig collection accumulated, Parton held firm to her rural upbringing. She has said that her bold and flashy style is modeled after the character of a small-town tramp, and she’s proud of it. She’s also used her prior hardships to inspire significant charity work

Her skincare routine is at odds with her luxury lifestyle

Dolly Parton on the TODAY show in a pink dress and full face of makeup
Dolly Parton | Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Parton’s award-winning personality and albums have warranted many different tours over the years. These performances happen all over the country and world, frequently with little rest in between. Constant crowded travel on airplanes or busses mean that hygiene sometimes takes a back seat. In an interview with the New York Times, Parton revealed that her nightly skin routine is to…skip it! 

Instead, the artists says she prefers to clean off her makeup in the morning. “You never know if you’re going to wreck the bus, you never know if you’re going to be somewhere in a hotel and there’s going to be a fire,” she said. The possibility of an unexpected night outing means that Parton stays glammed up for her beauty rest. 

Although this life hack may be discouraged by dermatologists, it makes perfect sense for the Dolly lifestyle. She has previously said that she prefers to be ambulance-ready at all times; she’s proud of her famous look and wants to feel familiar to fans, even in an emergency situation. 

The skinny on Parton’s latest career moves

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With so much going on in Parton’s life, it’s really not too surprising that she doesn’t always prioritize makeup removal. Her touring days are far from over as she prepares for her next stadium takeovers. According to NME, Parton will embark on “Dolly Fest” in 2021 — a global touring celebration of her 75th birthday. The septuagenarian superstar is not slowing down anytime soon. 

Parton has stayed busy as she awaits her venue visits. In October, she released A Holly Dolly Christmas – a long-overdue return to the holiday genre that quickly topped country music charts. November also saw the release of two highly anticipated and warmly received projectsDolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square premiered as a Netflix original musical, and her new memoir is giving fans a look into her “life in lyrics.” 

While it’s impossible to predict what Dolly Parton will do next, one thing is for certain: she’ll conquer it in high heels and a full face of makeup.