FROM doing the hair and make-up for stars of the silver screen to rubbing shoulders with royalty, a Penarth salon owner has proven she has what it takes to have her own name in lights.

Over the last 30 years Allison Sing has worked with a host of TV and film stars, getting them ready before the high definition cameras start rolling.

Despite setting up her own salon in Penarth town centre in 2013, Hair or Make Up on Windsor Terrace, she still finds time to work behind the scenes in blockbuster films.

Her latest work includes the fairytale musical ‘Into the Woods’, which is in cinemas now, where she worked alongside the likes of Johnny Depp, Meryl Streep and James Cordon.

 

As well as working on films including Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, King Kong, Sleepy Hollow and Made in Dagenham, she has also worked on popular TV shows including Doctor Who, Downton Abbey, Eastenders, The Sarah Jane Adventures and The Indian Doctor.

After starting out working for the Welsh National Opera Alli was spotted by Oscar winning makeup artist Peter King, when he asked her to work with him at the Swansea Grand Theatre whilst the National Theatre was closed down for renovation work.

“It was supposed to be for four weeks but it ended up being 10 years,” she said.

She has since gone on to work on many of his films, as well as juggling television work.

During her career she has got used to working 14 hour days up to six days a week. She would also be called up for films at short notice, spending as much as six months on a film at a time.

“I would always have two suitcases packed; one for cold weather and one for warm weather,” she said.

“The hardest part is the continuous hours, but it’s a job that I love doing.”

She is now set to concentrate on working at the salon and is limiting herself to one film a year.

Alli, who lives in Caversham Park in Penarth, added that the salon had recently opened on Monday’s so that it could cater for cancer patients to help those that are losing their hair and make sure their wigs fit properly.

“It’s nice to give something back as it’s lovely seeing them come back when their hair has grown back again,” she said.

“It makes you really humble when you see cancer patients you realise the importance of everything in life.

“If someone’s hair falls in the wrong place during a scene it’s unfortunate, but it’s not the end of the world.”

She added that despite working with a host of film stars she didn’t get intimidated.

“At the end of day on a film set you are there to do a job and the people that are there are professional actors.”

She added that two of her favourite people to work with were Dame Diana Rigg and Michael Caine, who she described as the “perfect gentleman”.

During her career she has also been given the opportunity to meet royalty in the form of Princess Diana and the Queen.

“Meeting Princess Di was the only time I was left speechless,” she said.

“She was really lovely and humble, and had an amazing aura.”

She added: “It was really nice that when I saw her again as she remembered me and asked how my little boy was.”