‘I’m Very Clear About What I Want’: Melissa Leong Is Doing Her Own Hair & Makeup On MasterChef This Year
Going into her third year as a MasterChef Australia judge, Melissa Leong has been mixing things up behind the scenes. The Gold Logie nominee — who's become just as popular for her sartorial choices as her insightful food knowledge — reveals she's done her own hair and makeup at home for the second half of the season (as of last Sunday's episode).
Her bold lippie has still managed to survive any smudges when she's tasted the food (please tell us your secrets!) and the TV star says that she's feeling her best.
"I've been doing my own hair and makeup for the last couple of months, which is just such a wonderful thing because I get to listen to podcasts and not be at work as early which is brilliant," she tells Refinery29 Australia.
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"I have a makeup background and it's just lovely to be able to be in control of that part of my creative process as well, and it's fun."
Former MasterChef contestant Poh Ling Yeow has also previously spoken about her preference to create her own beauty looks.
"I don’t believe in TV or film makeup. It’s a really dated concept that it needs to be heavier," the former makeup artist told Natural Instinct. "Whatever you see in real life gets picked up on camera. I always do my own makeup and I literally don’t change a thing."
Since joining MasterChef as a judge alongside Jock Zonfrillo and Andy Allen in 2020, Leong's food-proof lipstick, statement earrings and colourful wardrobe have often been the subject of viewers' tweets.
Mel should do a Master Class on how to keep perfect lipstick,perfect.#MasterChefAU
— robair🌻 (@robair20) May 4, 2022
The winner of this season of #MasterChefAU is the staying power of Mel's red lipstick.
— Diana (@diana_liwen) April 19, 2022
Mel to please do a web series on how to eat & consistently keep red lipstick on #MasterChefAU
— Bethanie Blanchard (@beth_blanchard) July 13, 2021
I'm really loving Mel's earrings, top and lipstick combination tonight. #MasterChefAU
— Melissa Blackwood 🌈🌸🌻 (@lilmissmel) July 6, 2021
To think all we had in the #MasterChefAU fashion stakes for eleven years was colourful cravats... can’t believe we lived without Melissa’s looks
— Claire (@goudagoddess) June 22, 2020
Gold Logie for @fooderati's earrings #MasterChefAU finale.
— Beverley Wang (@beverleywang) July 13, 2021
"I've always had ultimate say over how I look," she says of being hands-on in the process of selecting outfits with the on-set stylist.
"And I think... that's really important for humans in general to be able to express themselves in the way that they see themselves. So I'm very clear about what I want to look like and how I wish to project myself."
Leong recently made headlines for her Gold Logie nomination as the only woman of colour to be up for the top TV industry award this year.
"Ten-year-old Mel would never have dreamed a weird, late bloomer outcast migrant kid like me would be nominated for a bloody GOLD LOGIE..." she wrote on Instagram.
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The 40-year-old is also in the running for the Silver Logie for Most Popular Presenter, while MasterChef Australia is nominated for Most Popular Reality Program.
This year's season called MasterChef Australia: Fans & Favourites features 12 'favourites' from previous seasons and 12 'fans' who are amateur home cooks.
In terms of the cast, the favourites include Julie Goodwin (Season 1), Billie McKay (Season 7), Sashi Cheliah (Season 10), Alvin Quah (Season 2), Michael Weldon (Season 3) Mindy Woods (Season 4), Christina Batista (Season 5), Sarah Todd (Season 6), John Carasig (Season 7), Aldo Ortado (Season 10), Minoli De Silva (Season 13) and Tommy Pham (Season 13).
The fans are Ali Stoner, Jenn Lee, Chris Tran, Daniel Lamble, Dulan Hapuarachchi, Harry Tomlinson, Keyma Vasquez Montero, Matt Landmark, Max Krapivsky, Melanie Persson, Montana Hughes and Steph Woon.
MasterChef Australia: Fans & Favourites airs Sunday to Thursday at 7:30pm on Channel 10 and 10Play.
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