Dancing With the Stars' Daniella Karagach Shares Her Acne Saviors, Shiny Hair Must-Haves & More
We interviewed Daniella Karagach because we think you'll like her picks at these prices. Some of the products featured are from Daniella's brand Dainty by Daniella Karagach. E! has affiliate relationships, so we may get a commission if you purchase something through our links. Items are sold by the retailer, not E!. Prices are accurate as of publish time.
Dancing With the Stars may exude glitz and glamour on screen, but for Daniella Karagach, the journey behind the scenes has included a personal struggle with skincare. Looking back at her early days on the show, Daniella reveals, "When I first got on the show, my skin went crazy. I had no idea how much makeup I would be wearing. And I never really thought about it. Once they started layering this makeup on me, I never actually knew how to take it off properly." This revelation underscores the less visible challenges faced by performers, where the demands of heavy makeup under hot lights can take a toll on even the most resilient skin.
Beyond the sparkle of the ballroom, Daniella candidly shares the emotional impact of her skincare journey, admitting, "I was crying every single day on tour because I was so depressed with my skin. I was so embarrassed. I felt like when everyone looked at me they only saw my acne. I was in such a bad place. And no one knew because I never talked about it. And it was really scary."
Daniella's honesty sheds light on the pressures of maintaining flawless appearances in the public eye and the silent difficulties that often go unnoticed. Through her story, Daniella brings a raw authenticity to the perception of glamour, offering a glimpse into the vulnerability required to shine under the spotlight.
Beyond skincare, Daniella discusses her fitness essentials, DWTS makeup hacks, her jewelry brand Dainty by Daniella Karagach, and the secrets to maintaining her signature gorgeous hair, which includes a $7.99 product that gives her hair insane shine.
Daniella Karagach's Acne Journey
"It took about a month for my skin to calm down. Once I got off the tour, my skin was just crystal clear. It was just crazy to me because I was really struggling for 2 years. I didn't think there was anything out there that could help. I cannot tell you how grateful I am," Daniella shared.
"The spot treatment is great. It's the only spot treatment I ever found that actually works. Those little stickers never worked for me. They're supposed to suck out the acne, but not for me. With the spot treatment, it literally works overnight. That is my go-to. I swear by it."
" I love the calming toner because it makes me feel clean without drying me out."
Dancing With the Stars Makeup Hacks
"I learned not to put the powder on so heavily, especially if you're doing your makeup a long time in advance and you'll have to reapply it anyway. You develop a lot of creases under the eye, so they say just to keep it fresh, put a little bit of powder, but in order to kind of brighten your face up a little bit they just reapply the concealer," Daniella said.
"The concealer that I personally love is the Nars concealer just because it's very light but it's also a creamy consistency where when I do put it on it kind of just brushes on effortlessly without creasing. And I absolutely love it and I use it for spots too. It covers everything so nicely."
More From Daniella: "This product lasts me forever. I don't know if I'm just not using a lot of it, but I have had it for a year and a half and I'm still good."
Daniella Karagach's Hacks for Gorgeous Hair
"I know everyone's hair is different and some people have had their hair not grow back after a haircut. For me, I trim the dead ends four times a year and that seems to keep my hair healthy. I don't color it too often. I color it maybe three times a year and I think that keeps my hair healthy too," Daniella advised.
"I use the Tresemme hairspray because it just makes my hair so shiny. It just keeps my hair in place all day, which I really love for when I dance. Especially in the California heat."
Daniella's secret to a sleek bun? She says, "I use Dae Cream as a base to just to get my hair out of my face."
"Dry shampoo is definitely a game changer. My holy grail is the Moroccan Oil Light Tones. That is the only dry shampoo that actually works on my hair. It smells good and it matches my hair tone perfectly. It never looks I have it in my hair."
Shoppers Agree: Daniella's go-to dry shampoo has 8,800+ 5-star Amazon reviews.
"I also like the Moroccon Oil dry shampoo because if you have darker hair, they have one for dark tone. With dark hair, dry shampoo can leave a white cast, so the dark tones is one a lot of people like."
Tips From Daniella: "What I will say though is that a lot of the time if you're not using the right product, it can also cause acne. Some products like a dry shampoo or something else you use on your scalp can transfer over into your forehead and that can be a trigger for acne too. So, I try to use it very carefully and not too often."
Daniella Karagach's Fitness Essentials
"I want to keep moving and performing. That's where my passion is. Somebody asked me 'If you're a billionaire right now, you wouldn't have to work a day in your life. Would you still do the show?' Yes, I would. That's my passion," Daniella shared.
"You might think this is weird, but I always have a Theraband with me. I never feel complete without it. It just gives me resistance and makes me feel more connected before I start my warm up or whatever."
More From Daniella: "That's always in my dance bag. You will not find me doing it in a coffee shop, but I'm sure it will definitely be with me."
Shoppers Agree: Daniella's fitness must-have has 17,500+ 5-star Amazon reviews.
"The Hyperice is a good one too. It's the best thing ever."
"Hyperice has a foam roller, which is just amazing."
Daniella Karagach's Morning Must-Have
"I love coffee. I wish I had a Nespresso sponsorship. If I could have any sponsorship, it would be with Nespresso."
"I go through so much espresso in a month. It's crazy. I put my in-laws on it. I got my mom a machine too. We all love it so much."
Shoppers Agree: This espresso machine has 12,400+ 5-star Amazon reviews.
Dainty by Daniella Karagach Jewelry
"I actually started this brand because I'm allergic to nickel, brass and other materials people like to dip jewelry in. When it starts rusting, I get bad rashes. I could never find anything at a good price that worked," Daniella recalled.
"My favorite is the 11:11 pendant. I see 11:11 everywhere. It's a staple and the back has 'trust the process' on it. It's a little reminder and that's something that makes my jewelry unique. It has little quotes that I live by. It's just a reminder that no matter what happens, even if there are more downs than ups, it happens for a reason. You just have to trust it and keep striving towards your goals.That's my favorite."
More on the Brand: "I don't want to be spending thousands of dollars on jewelry that I'm going to be switching out all the time anyway. I was tired of buying cheap crap that I'm not going to wear because it's gonna rust in the pool and stuff like that. It is a big passion of mine just to make sure that good quality could be accessible to people."
If you want to do more DWTS-inspired shopping, you will love these picks from Britt Stewart.