On Monday I got to meet the gorgeous Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters. Unless you’ve been living under a ROCK, you’ll know that Demi-Leigh made the whole nation very proud when she was crowned the 66th Miss Universe a few weeks back. Demi-Leigh is based in NYC, but has been in South Africa for the last few days for her official homecoming celebrations.
Listening to Demi-Leigh chat about life, love, challenges and beauty was a treat – and I was impressed at just how accessible and down-to-earth she is. “Winning the Miss Universe title was not only a personal victory, but a victory for the whole rainbow nation. I couldn’t be more proud to represent South Africa. I hope this will inspire every single girl with a dream so she understands that with hard work and dedication any dream is attainable,” says Demi-Leigh.
How incredibly beautiful is this dress by designer Claudio Galuzzi?
I loved how Demi explained how she wanted to use her profile and be a voice to speak up for her country and the women of the world. She mentioned how thankful she was to have had the opportunity to be Miss South Africa prior to winning the Miss Universe title, as this really prepared her for Miss Universe.
When Demi was asked who her biggest inspiration is, she answered by saying it’s her 12 year old half sister. “She was born without a cerebellum, so is very, very disabled. She can’t speak, eat by herself or even sit up. She also has bad epilepsy. She is my biggest inspiration and inspires me to be the best at everything I do.” I won’t lie, I (along with a few other ed’s) shed a tear.
We then got to chatting about her hair and makeup regime. “Taking good care of my hair is just as important to me as taking good care of my body and soul,” added the new Miss Universe. She revealed that she currently washes her hair every second or third day and prefers a Tea Tree Oil Shampoo to remove impurities and excess scalp build up, balance scalp oils and maintain ideal moisture levels. Demi-Leigh has a lot of hair, which can be heavy and tends to lack volume. Her fix for this is a dry shampoo which lifts her roots and gives her hair great body, whilst preventing it from getting oily fast.
Her favourite hair tool is the CHI Ellipse Teflon and Titanium Styling Wand to create perfect curls and waves. When not on the go, Demi-Leigh likes to treat her hair with a Hair Mask which she says is perfect for reviving your hair on that day off. “Just like our bodies need rest, so does our hair. I put a hair mask on twice a month and walk around with it for a whole day.”
The above products can be purchased HERE
Her trick to hide a bad hair day? “I have a small box containing hair pins and clips that I always have in my bag. For bad hair days, a top knot is my best friend.”
When it comes to her makeup routine, she had the following to say, “I could not live without a great brow pencil or crayon as I believe the brows frame the face and make such a statement. I also love red lipstick because it makes a very powerful statement and pulls a look together. A pretty flush is so important, so I’d say blusher is an essential makeup item.”
I had to ask her if she had a signature scent, to which she replied “yes”. Demi-Leigh adores the Balmain Extatic Gold Musk (R1195 for a 90ml EDT) – Buy HERE
A special thanks to Inge Peacock, MD of GlamIt for hosting us. Glamit are the South African distributors of CHI and official hair care sponsor of the Miss Universe Organization.
To purchase the hair products used by Demi-Leigh or for more information on CHI, visit www.glamit.co.za
