Kildare's Ally Garvey has become a household name when it comes to the beauty industry

“Grow thick skin and don’t take things too personal. Stay focused, know where you want to go and keep going till you get there. Then when you think you’re there, keep going.”

That's the advice prescribed by Kill resident, Ally Garvey for those who want to eak out a career in the beauty and fashion industry.

A mum of two girls, Ally is a beauty therapist, hair and beauty columnist, and a model. A regular contributor to the Today show on RTE 1, she has become a firm favourite with viewers.

“An opportunity came up and I did a screen test and it went well. I had connections with the PR companies and the brands, so that was an advantage. I started out doing the beauty and kind of slipped into the fashion a bit. It's great, the producers, the crew, everybody is so nice. As corny as it sounds, we are really like a big family.”

As it's live TV, it is a challenging environment. With pros like Maura Derrane and Dáithí Ó Sé at the helm, Ally is in safe hands.

“They are fabulous. They are in the business a long time. They are so nice. They are friends.”

From an early age, it was clear Ally had a zest for life.

“I would say that I was an active child, I was always doing something - ballet dancing, singing, hip hop dancing and I was always around friends. I wanted to be a primary school teacher and at one point I wanted to be a hairdresser.”

Not a lover of the academic side of things when it came to school, she loved the social element as well as French class.

“My first job growing up was working in a hairdresser on a Saturday, I think I got 20 pounds for the day's work. I loved the ‘comings and goings’ of the salon, along with all the gossip and the stories the ladies would tell.”

Originally from Dublin, Ally moved to Kill 15 years ago with Denny, who hails from Rathcoole.

“I lived in Dublin 8 and I went to school right in the heart of Dublin City Centre. I used to walk to Grafton Street on my lunch break, so when I moved to Kill, it was a big change at first.”

“I absolutely love it here. We have great friends, we have a great community. I love to go out for a walk and I love the quietness. It does play a huge part in your health and well being. We really have a lovely community.”

It became clear from early on that Ally was drawn to a certain career path.

“I started modelling when I was just 15, and that is where my love for all things fashion and beauty came from. I then studied Beauty Therapy for two years, which I absolutely loved.

“I suppose my passion is working on telly, presenting/reporting, I just love the whole buzz of it. I am always fascinated on how things work behind camera, so when the opportunity came up for me to be a contributor on the Today show, I jumped at it. Now I cover both fashion and beauty.”

When asked about some of her highlights or personal achievements, she replies without hesitation.

“Oh it has to be my beautiful girls, Pippa (10) and Holly (6), they are my most precious achievements, I live for my two girls. They bring so much joy and love into our lives, and of course one of my greatest highlights is the day I married my best friend Denny. We got married in 2021 in the Shelbourne Hotel with a small group of family and friends. It was such a special day and to have our two girls there was just magic.”

When looking back on her working life so far, what does she wish you’d known at the start.

“That’s a really good question, and I’ve really never thought of this before, but I guess I wish I could tell myself that everyone is just trying to navigate there way through life too, and that things will be ok. The one quote I always try and remind myself off is ‘Your Power is You’ meaning know your strengths and build from there.”

Every day is different and there are pros and cons in working for yourself.

“What I love about the industry is that you meet people from all walks of life, people from all kinds of backgrounds. I've traveled a good bit and some of my closest friends have been with me along the way.”

Fashion and beauty trends change all the time .

“Skinny eyebrows were in at one point and now we are paying for them, Size 0 was all the range for a while, thank god that has changed. Trends evolve over time.”

The online world is a great way to reach out to people and Ally is concious of the power of social media.

However, she believes people should be aware that some products promoted online may have benefits, but consumers should look at the evidence and science behind these items. Urging parents to keep on eye on what their children and teenagers are watching on social media, she says some skincare and beauty items are not suitable for their age groups.

“It's important to invest in skincare and to ensure your skin is healthy if you want flawless skin. That's been a huge trend over the last two to three years and I think that's a good thing.

“People can get overwhelmed, or they don't know where to turn when choosing what to buy.. The advice varies depending on your age category, what category your skin is in. There is no much information out there.”

Ally also points out the huge importance of SPF.

When asked about her goals, she replies; “My passion is TV. I love presenting and reporting and chatting to people. I have dabbled in a bit of radio this year, making contributions on 98fm and Spin 103. But definitely media is where I want to be.”

“I'm a firm believer that people should go with what feels right for them. I'm a strong believer in that gut feeling.”

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