10 of the Most Fascinating Beauty Facts From The Bachelor You Probably Don't Know

It wouldn't be TV without an on-call glam squad, but when The Bachelor's cameras start rolling, that small team is reserved for the show's lead. For example, Gina Modica has been the go-to makeup artist for several seasons now, glamming, mattifying, and touching up female and male leads alike. Cary Fetman is the show's head stylist.

Things aren't quite as glamorous for the rest of the cast. Unlike the leads, contestants only have access to the pros on arrivals night (first impressions on the show are everything, after all) and on the final episode to prepare for their (hopeful) engagements. Apart from that, all contestants are responsible for their looks, head to toe. This includes hair, makeup, nails, and clothing — all at their own expense.

It's no secret that many contestants on The Bachelor end up becoming friends outside of the show. In some cases, those close bonds may begin with beauty. Former contestants, including Rachel Lindsay, have said they arrived at the mansion with limited makeup skills and bare bones routines. "On the show, it's because of the girls' multiple makeup bags that I actually now know how to apply makeup," she told POPSUGAR in a previous interview. By the time the women leave the mansion (or whatever city the show whisked them off to that episode), their skills are fine-tuned.

For really lucky contestants, beauty professionals may be among the group. Season 23's Elyse Michelle, a professional makeup artist, often shared her knowledge with other women in the house.

Whether or not you're a serial overpacker, the show's alleged two suitcase rule is enough to stress anyone out, especially considering a wardrobe of cocktail dresses, beauty products, and heels is required — and the length of the stay is unpredictable. This means that contestants have to be extrastrategic about how and what they pack, plus how much space they can spare for makeup, hair, and skincare products. All of that said, the contestants do receive a gift bag filled with sponsor merch upon arrival, which reportedly includes swimsuits, clothes, and beauty products. And according to several interviews with Bustle, this rule may not be so strict after all.

Although each episode is neatly packed into two hours in the editing room, there's a lot more footage behind the scenes. Each activity, date, and, of course, rose ceremony can drag on for hours, sometimes well into the early hours of the morning. This means frequent touch-ups are a must.

And for Bachelor in Paradise contestants? They might as well rethink their beauty routines completely. The weather on the island is a constant mix of heat and humidity, and the rooms aren't equipped with air conditioning. Many contestants choose to pare down (or completely forego) certain parts of their normal routines.

Don't let the idea of the iconic Bachelor mansion fool you; there's no dedicated glam room or endless mirror space. Instead, five to six girls are required to share a bathroom, or find their own means of getting ready. Veteran contestant Ashley Iaconetti Haibon, for example, got savvy and brought her very own mini makeup station to Paradise.

Ironically enough, Paradise is the only show in the franchise with a "fancy" glam room — er, area. "It's almost like a vanity setup, with mirrors and chairs, but it's all outside," Raven Gates previously told POPSUGAR.

Personal time, access to real life, and normal social contact are just a few things the women give up to participate on The Bachelor. For many, appearing on the show has proven to be quite a big financial investment, too. Apart from leaving their day jobs behind, contestants may spend extravagantly on impressive clothing and beauty services. In Olivia Caridi's case, investing in private makeup lessons was also on her list of preshow to-do's. According to Allure, she hired a makeup artist with reality TV experience to teach her the ins and outs of contouring before meeting season 20's Ben Higgins.

Sure, contestants may not be allowed to leave the property during filming, but there is a silver lining: members of the production team can get them what they need. Past contestants have reported that this usually consists of giving producers or handlers money to buy items at drugstores. It's also been rumoured that the show will bring waxers to the mansion or allow contestants to order items online.

True to the show's unpredictable nature — from which five women will be chosen for a group date to who's going home that week — the amount of time contestants have to get camera- (and, of course, date-) ready can vary drastically. For rose ceremonies, it can be several hours. Between an activity and a group date, Catherine Giudici-Lowe told Allure the group is given 45 minutes and access to a hotel room to shower and freshen up. In Paradise, they may have 30 minutes to an hour after being selected for a date.

Remember what we said about sweat-proof makeup, looking camera-ready, and showbiz? Yeah, that means men wear makeup on the show, too. As mentioned previously, Gina Modica is on call for both the lead bachelorette and bachelor. And for men, her job doesn't necessarily stop at skincare recommendations. Here's a preview of the products she used on Colton during season 23. We'd be willing to bet contestants on The Bachelorette pack their fair share of products, too.