Dolly Parton has a special way of doing just about everything in life. And apparently, her skin care habits are no different.
In a new interview with The New York Times, the 73-year-old icon admitted that she always sleeps in her makeup. “I clean my face in the morning,” she said.
Never mind that practically every dermatologist on the planet advises against this. Parton, in Dolly Parton fashion, is completely unapologetic about it. Her reasoning? She wants to look good in case of an emergency.
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“You never know if you’re going to wreck the [tour] bus, you never know if you’re going to be somewhere in a hotel and there’s going to be a fire,” she said. “So I leave my makeup on at night and clean my face in the morning.”
In all fairness, this is Dolly Parton we’re talking about, and she’s known for doing whatever the heck she wants. Also, her skin looks pretty good, so apparently she’s one of the few people who can actually get away with this bad habit.
Ok, but really, why is it so bad to sleep with makeup on?
Unfortunately, it’s not something the average person should try, says Gary Goldenberg, MD, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital. “Sleeping in your makeup is one of the worst things you can do for your skin,” he says. “Makeup occludes pores and can cause acne. Bacteria, dirt, and environmental pollutants can get trapped under makeup and do serious damage to your skin, including skin infection.”
Sleeping in your makeup can also make your skin age faster since it can increase oxidative stress by not allowing your skin to renew itself, Dr. Goldenberg says.
If you wear makeup, it’s crucial to remove it daily—and to do it right, says Joshua Zeichner, MD, a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist and director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Medical Center. “If you are wearing a full face of makeup, you may need a makeup remover in addition to your traditional cleanser,” he says. Then, after your makeup is removed, consider using a serum with retinol and a good moisturizer to give your skin an overall boost, Dr. Goldenberg says.
And, since everyone has had those nights where you just can’t pull yourself out of bed to wash your face, Dr. Zeichner recommends keeping makeup-removing towelettes in your nightstand for emergencies.
Despite the fact that Dolly’s habit is ill-advised, it’s pretty unlikely that Parton is going to stop sleeping in her makeup any time soon. After all, she’s Dolly Parton, and she makes no excuses for that. You do you, Dolly!
Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master’s degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.