Dolly Parton has a rule. You will never see her without her "face on."
One of my favorite stars on this planet laughs in that soft, country way. "Cindy, the only way you'll ever see my outside without my makeup and hair on is if my husband had a heart attack!" she cries.
"Even then, I'd have to give some serious thought to going outside with no makeup. I just can't stand it!" she drawls.
One of the biggest stars in the world, Dolly is now adding author to the mix with her amazing new book "Dream More: Celebrate the Dreamer in You." Dolly gives her home spun life advice in the book, but I couldn't resist zeroing in on her beauty and dieting tips and "pretty" life lessons.
DOLLY PARTON'S BEAUTY AND DIETING TIPS:
*WHEN TRAVELING LEAVE YOUR MAKEUP ON OVERNIGHT. She knows, she knows. Every makeup expert and skin care guru insists you wash up at night. Not Dolly! "I leave my makeup on at night and clean my face in the morning when I'm on the road. What if there is an earthquake or a fire? If I had to hit the streets, at least my face would be on!" She giggles and adds, "I know it's stupid. I know it's vein. But I think, 'Oh Lord, all of those celebrities caught drunk and in all those horrible mug shots with no makeup on. I'm never going to be caught in the streets like one of those folks!"
*THE HIGHER THE HAIR, THE CLOSER TO GOD. "I like to overdo the hair," Dolly says. "I love when my hair is too big. It makes me feel all done up, which makes me feel good."
*DON'T THINK NIGHT VS. DAY MAKEUP. "I wear the same makeup in the daytime as I do at night," Dolly says. "I just love a completely made up, fancy face. It's my idea of looking good. If you don't think so, go less in the day. But I feel with all my makeup on, I can do my best. It just suits my personality although putting it all on is a lot of hard work."
*DON'T SWEAT AGING. "I thought the most about getting older at 50 than at any other time in my life. I had that feeling of, 'I probably lived half my life if I live to be 100. For a moment, 50 sounded awful, but after I got over the actual birthday I never thought that way again."
She adds, "If you got a good attitude and you're mellow about it then aging won't bother you. The key here is keeping that good attitude."
"If you can be around nieces and nephews or grandchildren, do it. There is something about being around younger people that makes me feel young. You have to be young for them."
*REMEMBER TO SPARKLE. "You should adopt my motto when it comes to fashion," Dolly advises. "Never let a rhinestone go unturned or unworn!"
*PICK YOUR CRITICS. "My husband thinks I'm beautiful …all the time," Dolly says. "If you have somebody who loves you even when you know you look ugly then you know you've got a good guy!"
*DIETING TIP WE LOVE - EVEN WHEN YOU HAVE THE TEENIEST WAIST IN SHOW BIZ, PIG OUT ONCE IN AWHILE. This brings Dolly to how she will celebrate Christmas this year. "I have all these little nieces and nephews. I love having cookie night. All the kids come over and they call me Aunt Granny," she says. "My grand nieces call me GG, for Great Granny.
"We play and I have a big 'ol dinner at my house," she says. "Then we go and have Christmas with my husband's family and make our little trips around."
"Yes, I pig out at this time of year," she admits. "But I'm short and I'm getting older, so I have to watch it."
She laughs and adds, "I have a farm girl's appetite, but that's fine because on Christmas, I don't do anything but eat. I start the night before and eat all the next day until midnight the next night. Then I try to forget it all happened!"
She laughs.
"There is no way I'm not going to eat on Christmas – and eat anything I want," she says. "I'll eat the whole pumpkin pie. I crave cornbread stuffing and giblet gravy.
"Miss Cindy, stop these kind of questions right now! You're making me hungry!"
