Why Dolly Parton Fans Will Likely Never See Her Without Makeup

Since releasing her debut album in the 1960s, Dolly Parton has become much more than a singer. In fact, she has become a cultural institution. Thanks to her signature look, unmistakable vocal range, and business savvy, Parton has inspired generations with her achievements both on stage and off. But almost no one has seen Parton without makeup. Here’s why.

Few country stars are as iconic as the ‘Jolene’ singer

Even though Parton has been in the business for more than 60 years, she hasn’t really changed her look all that much. And to her credit, this approach has lent the singer a certain sense of timelessness. It’s precisely why she’s been able to spin her success on the charts into so many other projects, including her famous Dollywood theme park.

Over the years, Parton shared inspirations behind her music as well as how she arrived on her signature look. In particular, she’s addressed her reasoning for wearing wigs. In part, Parton made the decision to embrace wigs because of their convenience. Moreover, she inadvertently damaged her hair in her younger years. But what of her signature makeup style?

Where can fans see Dolly Parton with no makeup?

Parton’s makeup has become a key part of her onstage look. But fans might be curious about what the music legend looks like without any makeup on. If so, they’re out of luck. As Parton once told The New York Times, she’s always wearing makeup, even to bed.

“I clean my face in the mornings. 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. So I leave my makeup on at night and clean my face in the morning.”

So it seems Parton’s longtime husband, Carl Thomas Dean, is one of the only people who sees the singer without her makeup on. If anything, fans might be reassured to learn Parton is essentially the same whether or not she’s on camera or making a public appearance.

Dolly Parton stuck with her makeup, despite other singers’ advice

Parton’s makeup routine feels like it’s evolved based on personal experience. Nevertheless, she chose to stick not only with her beauty practices but persisted with her personal style despite criticisms. Even some of Parton’s peers advised her to “tone it down,” she told Elle.

“I figured if my work was truly good enough, people would eventually recognize that. It was about me knowing who I was, being happy with me, and feeling comfortable in the way I presented myself. If I was happy, I could make other people happy. That’s how I’ve always looked at it: that I look totally artificial, but I am totally real, as a writer, as a professional, as a human being. A rhinestone shines just as good as a diamond.”

Clearly, fans aren’t complaining. Few stars have owned their personal sense of style as thoroughly as Parton.