Getting to know our very own Miss Universe, Demi-Leigh Nel Peters

Newly crowned Miss Universe, Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, returned to South African soil this week for her official homecoming celebration. The affair took place at the beautiful Old Mutual House in Bishopscourt and came complete with an array of inspiring speakers, a delicious high tea and some wonderful hair and beauty secrets from our very own Miss Universe.

The picturesque venue was beautifully laid out and the event started with a talk by #GirlBoss Inge Peacock, Managing Director of GlamIt. Being the exclusive stockist of CHI – the official haircare sponsor of Miss Universe, Inge was delighted to see a local woman sitting on the universal throne.

“At Glamit, we empower women to look fabulous, feel gorgeous and express their own inner beauty. We believe that in order to be truly glamorous, one should also be socially conscious. Demi-Leigh completely embodies these qualities and we are proud to be affiliated with this phenomenal woman who is truly deserving of her title,” says Peacock.

Les Aupias also gave an incredible speech on being the best version of yourself that you can possibly be and left me feeling inspired to achieve the very best that I can. It is not often that one listens to a speech that leaves you feeling so utterly inspired and energized and, from the moment that Les started speaking, one could feel all the women in the room collectively get stronger and feel a little more empowered. My favorite thing that she said was that “strength and glamour are inseparable.”

Rene de Wit – one of the most talented makeup artists and CHI ambassador, shared some industry secrets and self-confidence tips noting that no one looks like an Instagram picture. She stressed the importance of taking care of yourself and to stop the self-hate. Rene also referred to Bobbi Brown’s Life lessons including ”being grateful”for everything before jokingly adding that one always needs spanx!

Getting to know Miss Universe

The star of the show however, was the beautiful Demi-Leigh who entered wearing a stunning Galluzzi e Gini Gown and towering heels. With her makeup done by Rene and her hair by CHI stylist, Julián Maciás, she sat down and answered some of our questions while sharing really great advice. Listening to her chat was so inspiring and motivational and seeing how down-to-earth and kind she is made us all proud of the fact that she is representing our country on a global scale.

When asked about her top three makeup products, she responded that she always loves a good brow pencil, a red lip and a good blush which she loves to double-up as an eyeshadow if she doesn’t have much space in her bag. And her favorite scent? The Balmain Extatic Gold Musk.

Self-care is absolutely important and Miss Universes added that “taking good care of my hair is just as important to me as taking good care of my body and soul”. She revealed that she currently washes her hair every second or third day with CHI Tea Tree Oil Shampoo to remove impurities and excess scalp build up, balance scalp oils and maintain ideal moisture levels. She follows this with the CHI Tea Tree Oil Conditioner to replenish, moisturize and nourish her hair and scalp.

Demi-Leigh divulged that she has a lot of hair, which can be heavy and lacks the volume she would like. Her fix for this is the CHI Dry Shampoo, which lifts her roots and gives her hair great body, whilst preventing it from getting oily too fast.

The beauty queen swears by using good tools to keep her locks looking and feeling good and is a massive fan of the CHI 1″ Volcanic Lava Ceramic Hairstyling Iron. “When I’m on the road I like to have one tool for multiple uses and the Hairstyling Iron is perfect for straightening my hair or making beautiful waves.” Her other top tool picks include the CHI Rocket Dryer which dries her thick tresses 50% faster than regular dryers and the CHI Ellipse Teflon and Titanium Styling Wand to create perfect curls and waves. Before styling, she uses the CHI Rose Hip Oil Repair & Shine Leave-In Tonic to instantly add moisture, shine and strength, whilst eliminating frizz and controlling static for smooth, manageable hair.

When not on the go, Demi-Leigh likes to treat her hair with the CHI Tea Tree Oil 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.” She also said that when she has a 16 hour flight, she puts on a hair mask and ties her hair up in a bun before catching up on some much deserved rest.

When asked by Les whether she thinks that women can have a strong voice, Demi-Leigh noted that she definitely does. “I was given a wonderful platform being Miss South Africa but I was given an even bigger platform to be Miss Universe and I really hope to use this platform to be a voice to those who do not have one.”

“It just makes me so sad to see people waste potential and opportunity. There are so many people that’s too lazy to use it and there are people who don’t have that opportunity”