Beauty’s days with the beast for TV documentary

Freelance make-up artist Louisa Day is starring in the Channel 4 series, which investigates the extremes of discrimination and, each week, brings together an appearance-conscious person with someone who is disfigured.

Louisa, of Colney Heath, landed a role last year, while working at Debenhams in Oxford Street.

She said: “At that point I was really self-conscious and it came across as almost an arrogance, even though it wasn’t, as I always had a full face of make-up on even if I was going into work at 8am.

“Looking after my appearance was kind of like my full-time job.”

Louisa was teamed up with Adam Pearson, who has the genetic condition neurofibromatosis, which has caused malign tumours to grow over his face, affecting his sight and speech.

But – in an unexpected twist – it was Adam who made immediate judgments.

She said: “It was a real reversal. He really did tear into me at one point, saying I was a wannabe WAG who would do anything for money.

“He said some really horrible things, but he now does throw his hands up over it as he knows it was wrong as he did what he expected me to do to him.”

The pair were filmed going on each other’s typical days, before spending time reflecting on events.

Louisa said: “On the last day I had to take my make-up off and I got upset, but I was feeling so guilty as Adam was standing in front of me and there’s nothing he can do about the way he looks.

“It was very emotional, I must have cried a million times.

“The whole experience put things into perspective, but I’m not going to say I don’t wear make-up any more as I enjoy it and I don’t ever feel the need to remove it.”

Despite admitting she originally thought the show would be fun and a possible opportunity to build a television career, Louisa added: “When I look back on it now it was the best experience ever, regardless of whether or not it would be on TV.”

* Catch Beauty and the Beast: Ugly Face of Prejudice on Channel 4 tomorrow (Wednesday) at 8pm.