Cheryl Riddle Dolly Parton Makeup Artist

Okay, grab your coffee (or iced tea, if you’re feeling like a true Southerner), because I have a story that’s glittering, heartwarming, and just a little bit magical. We’re talking about the woman behind the iconic, the legendary, the Dolly Parton face: Cheryl Riddle.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. “A makeup artist? For Dolly Parton? Is that like a professional cloud painter for the sky?” Pretty much. Because Dolly’s face isn’t just a face—it’s a masterpiece of joy, rhinestones, and eyeliner that could stop traffic. And for over 30 years, Cheryl has been the quiet architect of that masterpiece.

Let’s get one thing straight: Cheryl Riddle is not just a makeup artist. She’s a translator. She takes Dolly’s spontaneous ideas—“Cheryl, I want to look like a disco angel who just ate a rainbow!”—and turns them into wearable (if you’re brave) looks. She’s the calm in the chaos of wigs, fringe, and that laugh that could power a small city. Without Cheryl, Dolly would still be fabulous. But with her, she’s operatic.

Their partnership started in the 1980s, back when big hair was a sport and blue eyeshadow was a personality trait. Cheryl, a Nashville native, had the patience of a saint and the steady hand of a brain surgeon. Dolly? Dolly needed someone who could handle a lot of shimmer without blinking. “She taught me that makeup isn’t about hiding,” Cheryl once said. “It’s about celebrating what makes you you—plus maybe a little extra glitter.” That’s the secret. Dolly doesn’t wear makeup to cover up; she wears it to show up.

I love this detail: apparently, Cheryl keeps a special “Dolly kit” that’s separate from her other clients. Why? Because Dolly’s shades of foundation, bronzer, and especially that iconic pink lipstick are custom-blended. You can’t just walk into a drugstore and buy “Dolly Parton Pink.” It doesn’t exist. It’s a color made of pure southern hospitality and stage lights. And Cheryl guards those formulas like a dragon guarding a treasure hoard of wigs.

Dolly Parton's Dollywood Foundation Makes $4.5 Million Investment in

But here’s what really gets me. Cheryl once said that her job is 10% makeup and 90% making Dolly laugh. Imagine that as your career objective. “Make your boss cackle while you paint her eyelids with thunder.” It’s a beautiful reminder that beauty isn’t a serious, sterile process. It’s a playground. One minute, you’re blending contour; the next, you’re telling a story about a runaway goat in Pigeon Forge. That’s the Cheryl Riddle way.

Does she ever get nervous? Oh, honey. She once had to do Dolly’s makeup for a high-profile event on a moving bus, swerving through Tennessee hills. “I held my brushes like a bullfighter,” she laughed. And Dolly? Dolly just sat there, reading a book, trusting Cheryl completely. That’s the bond: absolute trust, doused in setting spray.

Dolly Parton Without Makeup Young

Now, here’s the life lesson I’m stealing from this article. Cheryl Riddle doesn’t try to make Dolly look younger or different. She enhances what’s already magical. She amplifies Dolly’s joy, her mischief, her heart. And let’s be honest: isn’t that what we all need? A friend (or a makeup artist) who sees our inner glitter and helps us put it on display?

So next time you swipe on some lipstick or dust on bronzer, think of Cheryl and Dolly on that bumpy bus. Think of two women, decades into a friendship, laughing while painting a face that’s touched millions. Makeup isn’t a mask; it’s a megaphone. It’s saying: “Here I am, world. I’m shiny, I’m extra, and I’m me.”

Cheryl Riddle taught us that the most beautiful thing you can wear isn’t a perfect wingtip liner. It’s the confidence to let someone help you sparkle—and to sparkle unapologetically. So go ahead. Add that extra blush. Sing karaoke badly. Wear the sequined dress on a Tuesday. Because if Dolly has taught us anything, it’s that life is too short to be beige. And if Cheryl has taught us anything? Always have a good setting spray and even better laugh. Now go forth and shimmer, darling.