ACE STACE
Inside Stacey Solomon’s savvy makeover – with £1k wigs, gleaming veneers & style evolution which is making her millions
Experts say Stacey's "authentic and down-to-earth image" will help her career
WHEN Stacey Solomon cut ties with fast fashion label In The Style back in September, fans were in tears.
But this is just the most recent part of a 15 year makeover reinventing herself from an X Factor runner-up to Britain’s biggest mum-fluencer, PR experts say.
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Mum-of-five Stacey shot to fame after finishing third on The X Factor in 2009.
Since then, she’s become a Loose Women panellist, the host of numerous telly shows, and totted up six million followers on Instagram who hang on to her every word.
Her earnings reportedly started climbing consistently from 2012, which has boosted her estimated net worth to a cool £5 million.
Sarah Stephens, PR expert at Tree Communications, says: “Viewers of The X Factor fell in love with Stacey because of her authenticity and how down-to-earth honest she was.
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“She has cleverly evolved her image from being ‘the girl next door’ into a down-to-earth, straight-forward mum that continues to embrace honesty and authenticity.”
Alongside Stacey’s financial and career growth has been a physical transformation.
The 35-year-old rocked up to her audition for The X Factor aged just 19 in denim shorts and a white tee.
These days, she loves a ball gown for the red carpets, smart-casual outfits for her everyday and elaborate fancy dress when she’s trying to entertain her children.
Most read in Celebrity
Fabulous takes a look at Stacey’s transformation over the last 15 years and how it has helped her career along the way…
Mane event & £1k wigs
Sarah says: “Stacey’s hair has evolved to match her brand.
Loose Women legends sparks rumours she'll QUIT TV to be a stay-at-home mum
“And it speaks volumes now that she only really adds extensions or a hair piece for special events.
“It makes her seem much more authentic and relatable to her audience.”
But it hasn’t always been this way for the Loose Women panellist.
In 2010, Stacey returned to screens on I’m A Celeb with a new hairdo - she’d ditched her warm-toned blonde from X Factor in favour of her natural brown locks.
But after being crowned Queen of the Jungle, she went for a dirty blonde dip-dye to complement her brown roots.
Stacey Solomon's career so far
Stacey Solomon has been a familiar face on viewers' screens for over a decade. Let's take a look back at her career.
The X Factor (2009): Stacey competed in series six of long-running ITV singing competition The X Factor. During her time in the show, she was mentored by Danni Minogue in the 'Girls' category. The star finished in third place, behind Joe McElderry and Olly Murs.
I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here (2010); In late 2010, Stacey headed to the infamous I'm A Celeb Aussie jungle. After 21 days, she triumphed to win the tenth series. It was through I'm A Celeb that she met future husband Joe Swash - who'd won two years earlier and was hosting the ITV2 spinoff.
Celebrity Juice (2011―2013, 2016―2019): The star appeared as a panellist on 21 episodes of the comedy panel game show hosted by Keith Lemon. Stacey was a regular in the 21st series, broadcast in 2019.
Loose Women (2016 - present): Stacey has been a permanent panel member of the daytime show since 2016. She previously made guest appearances in 2011 and 2012.
Sort Your Life Out (2022 -present): This BBC show sees Stacey, with the help of an expert team, transform participants' living spaces after removing clutter.
By 2012, she was back to the warm-toned blonde the nation fell in love with, and gradually began topping up the bleach until she was primarily blonde.
This switching, swapping and bleaching went on for a further six years, causing Stacey to develop “wiry, broken strands and a psoriasis-ridden scalp”.
She told Fabulous in 2018: “My ends are bleached within an inch of their lives, so I look like I have zebra hair that fades into yellow noodles.”
As a result, she splurged £1,000 on a blonde wig to cover the years of damage, which she affectionately nicknamed Suze.
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Under the wig, she grew her natural hair out and kept bleach to a minimum, opting for warm reds, oranges and manageable blonde hues in recent years.
PR and entertainment expert Lynn Carratt says: “Stacey used to wear a £1,000 wig because years of bleaching, toning and blow-drying had damaged her natural hair.
“It led to psoriasis and itchiness of her scalp.
“Over the years, she wanted to dye and straighten her hair to change her look to make her feel more comfortable in herself, but it's taken a toll on her hair.
“She experimented with the different looks and finally found happiness with her natural hair.”
Teethy business
Pregnancy wreaked havoc on Stacey’s teeth.
The Loose Women star has sons Zachary, 16, and Leighton, 12, from previous relationships, and Rex, five, Rose, three, and two-year-old Belle with husband Joe Swash.
When she was pregnant for the second time in 2012, her teeth “crumbled”. They turned yellow and brown, before ultimately falling out.
After being left embarrassed and in pain, she had no choice but to opt for replacements, telling Fabulous afterwards: “I have veneers and my real teeth underneath are like brown pegs.
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“The truth is, though, I would never have opted for veneers.
"I loved my old teeth and am not a fan of changing myself in any way.
“In the first few months of my second pregnancy, I was seeing the dentist more than my midwife. I endured problem after problem.”
Hormonal changes during pregnancy can make your gums more vulnerable to plaque, leading to inflammation and bleeding, according to the NHS.
It is officially known as pregnancy gingivitis and it’s something lots of women suffer with in silence.
In a world where some celebrities deny getting work done, she doesn’t and people love her for it
Sarah Stephens
According to PR expert Sarah, Stacey’s honesty about her mouthy makeover was a good move for her career.
She tells: “The public appreciates her down to earth honesty about these things.
“In a world where some celebrities deny getting work done, she doesn’t and people love her for it.”
Skin secrets
Stacey is one of thousands of women in the UK who have dealt with adult acne at some point in their adult life.
Aged 26 in 2016, she suddenly started getting clusters of spots around her cheeks and chin despite making no changes to her lifestyle.
By 2018, the telly star had “craters and scars” left behind from some of the stubborn spots she’d developed.
She told Fabulous at the time: “When I first met Joe, the prospect of taking my make-up off in front of him was excruciating.
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“I couldn't bear the thought of him seeing all of my spots and damaged skin.
“So, I got up at 3am, every morning, and put my foundation on in the sweltering heat… and I topped it up continuously throughout the day.”
Fast forward to 2024, Stacey’s skin has improved - but she doesn’t shy away from showcasing make-up free days or the odd spot that she gets to her six million Instagram followers.
Lynn says: “Stacey is very open and transparent on social media.
Stacey ultimately prefers to be open and honest about her face and body, emphasising that she is a real person
Lynn Carratt
“She shares with her followers that she prefers to stay natural and often reminds herself that she's great just the way she is.
“Although she feels pressure to undergo procedures or minor tweaks, she believes it's an unhealthy mindset.
“While she has tried Botox in the past, she ultimately prefers to be open and honest about her face and body, emphasising that she is a real person.”
We also know that the mum-of-five uses bargain brands like Elf, L’Oreal and NYX for her skincare, as well as the odd facial when she’s been wearing a lot of make-up for work.
New style
Stacey cut ties with fast fashion label In The Style in September after working with the brand for three years.
Since then, a shift in her fashion sense has been noted by fans and experts alike.
She has ditched the athleisure looks that were typical to her collections and is dressing more sophisticated, including wide leg smart trousers and a boxy knit to mark daughter Rose's third birthday.
For a date night with Joe in November, she rocked a satin collared shirt, a silver maxi skirt and black heeled boots with a pointed toe.
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Sarah points out: “This smart-casual look is more in keeping with her overall style as a mum.
“It’s more authentic to her too; it makes her much more relatable.”
Stacey is still wearing high-street brands like Primark and Never Fully Dressed, but her styling approach has evolved - and according to Sarah, this new style is sure to be a hit with her fans.
She adds: “The mum market wants people who are real and who they can relate to.
“People who they feel are genuine, normal people despite the celebrity status and money.
“I think her authentic, down-to-earth and honest image that is being created through her brand will only help her career in the long term.”
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According to previous reports, Stacey is on track to earn over £1.5 million next year flogging beauty products.
She set up a new company named Belle & Rose Ltd in February this year with plans to sell beauty products and tools in “specialised stores”.
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