Cheryl Burke on DWTS Beauty Secrets, Aging in Public and Her Filipino Identity

Gloss Angeles

Cheryl Burke, a two-time Dancing with the Stars Mirrorball champion, opens up about her journey beyond the stage lights and elaborate beauty routines that defined her

Key takeaways

• Beauty is evolving beyond stage makeup and spray tans; Cheryl now embraces her natural skin tone and self-expression outside of performance standards.
• Reconnecting with her Filipino heritage has become a meaningful part of her identity and personal growth.

Main topics

• Reevaluating beauty standards after decades on Dancing with the Stars
• Cheryl Burke's Filipino identity and cultural reconnection

Notable quotes

"I've been loving YouTube like long form lately. And I have just been watching, I would say, hundreds and hours of just tutorials."

"It's not about hiding anymore—it's about enhancing instead of concealing."

Conclusion

Cheryl Burke's journey on Gloss Angeles is one of self-discovery, cultural pride, and

Transcript preview

Speaker 1 (0:04) Hi Speaker 2 (0:06) Kirby. Hi Sarah. Welcome to Los Angeles. Speaker 2 (0:14) For nearly two decades, Cheryl Burke's job required transforming into the ultimate ballroom fantasy. Spray tanned, rhinestone, contoured, lashed, and lit for television. As a two-time Mirabal champion and one of the longest-running professional dancers on Dancing with the Stars, she spent 26 seasons being judged, not only for how she danced, but for how she looked doing it. Now, Cheryl is figuring out what beauty looks like when it's no longer part of the costume. We talk about the wildly extensive Dancing with the Stars beauty routine. self-tanning versus spray tanning, her relationship with her Filipino identity, and why she loves being a part of the Sephora squad. Speaker 3 (0:48) Cheryl Burke, welcome to Los Angeles. Thanks for having me. I love you girls. I listen to you guys all the Speaker 1 (0:54) time. Speaker 3 (0:54) You look so beautiful. So gorgeous. This Speaker 1 (0:56) hair. Did you do this yourself? I did. The whole thing. Makeup, hair. I mean, this is unusual. And Speaker 3 (1:02) that Speaker 1 (1:02) is, no, Speaker 2 (1:03) that Speaker 1 (1:03) is why she's on the Sephora squad. Speaker 2 (1:05) Ladies and gentlemen. The squad taught me this. Speaker 1 (1:06) The squad. I mean, I think also years of being on television. Actually, that. Yeah. Honestly, I've been like, I've been loving YouTube like long form lately. And I have just been watching, I would say, hundreds and hours of just tutorials. I'm just like really into learning lately. Especially just makeup application. Just like a new way of applying it. Like I can put stage makeup on in two seconds, right? Right. Speaker 3 (1:30) But Speaker 1 (1:30) it's like really trying to. enhance instead of, you know, hide. Speaker 3 (1:35) Yeah. 100%. Love Speaker 1 (1:37) that. Speaker 3 (1:37) What are you using on your hair? Speaker 1 (1:39) Oh my God. Well, first of all, half of this is extensions. Love. Um, and same. Yeah. Speaker 3 (1:45) Well, Speaker 1 (1:45) yeah, I did. And then I cut it, Speaker 2 (1:49) but I'll come back. I'll come back to it. Speaker 1 (1:50) Um, what is this? So I, well, I first, I washed it two days ago. So then what do I use? I use, Oh, Rose. I love their products. And then I use Gisu, the leave-in mask. I don't even use the rose conditioner because I just find it doesn't really condition. But my hair has been, or maybe not this set of extensions, but in general has been through the ringer when it comes to just hot tools and everything. But I've been using this Shark. That's not supposed to be like actual heat. It's supposed to this newer shark that just came out that is supposed to be like not bad for your hair. Is Speaker 2 (2:23) it Speaker 1 (2:23) a version of the flex style? I think so. And it's really actually more, I have every Dyson you can possibly think of. And I have to say that this actually wraps your hair and it does so quickly. Yes. And Speaker 3 (2:35) like Speaker 2 (2:35) very strong, right? So strong. Yeah. So Speaker 3 (2:38) loud, but so strong. I'm really curious what you're going to think about it though in a few months. Why? Because Sarah and I have had. A meeting of the minds about this because we love both Dyson and Shark. And we love Shark because it really does hold that curl and does the wrap really well. And we feel like the hair dryer is more powerful. Right. But then we noticed her hair was a Speaker 2 (2:57) little less sleek than it used to be when we were using the Dyson. Like shiny? We just feel like the heat may or this whatever technology Speaker 1 (3:08) is maybe damaging our Speaker 2 (3:10) hair quicker than maybe like. The Dyson. No, I find Speaker 1 (3:14) the opposite. Did you use this newer shark? Maybe. The Ion Flex? Speaker 3 (3:19) Yes. Speaker 2 (3:20) There's Speaker 3 (3:20) a million of them. There's literally no one Speaker 2 (3:23) of Speaker 3 (3:23) them. Maybe we Speaker 2 (3:24) don't have the most updated version. Speaker 3 (3:25) No, but. Speaker 2 (3:26) The purple one? You don't have the purple one? I don't have Speaker 3 (3:28) the purple one. That's Speaker 2 (3:29) the Speaker 3 (3:29) one that we got when Speaker 2 (3:29) we saw Chris Appleton. Oh, okay. See, I haven't used it. Speaker 2 (3:34) Everyone listening, Speaker 1 (3:34) we understand this is an embarrassment of riches. I was supposed to teach Chris Appleton how to dance, but we never got to it because he's doing Strictly Come Dancing right now. Oh my gosh. I was like, wait, so you want me to come out of retirement and you want me to teach you? I was like, I have to dig up these dance shoes and just scheduling didn't work, but I was about to. I was going to do it for him. Was Speaker 3 (3:53) there a trade like, okay, you're going Speaker 1 (3:55) to do my hair? I was going to meet him first and then I was going to threaten him after. Yeah. Speaker 2 (3:58) Yes. Yeah. So are the shoes truly like... Hung? Like you haven't danced in a real- Hung. Like Hung Van Gogh. Hung. Yes. Wow. Speaker 1 (4:07) Okay. And you don't miss it sometimes? I miss, I think I miss dancing. I don't necessarily miss competing. Yeah. But, you know, it's interesting because obviously I started off dance as my passion, right? Like, well, my mom's passion first and then my passion. And then, you know, doing something like Dancing with Stars and then competing, it turned into quickly just a business, you know? And so when- When it gets to that level, I think it's kind of hard to, or remember at least, like where the passion started and, you know, learning again. But I think, you know, for me doing Dancing with the Stars for so many years, it was just teaching, teaching, teaching, and not necessarily learning and crafting and my skill and just being better at, you know, dance in general. So that's when it started getting a little bit redundant for me. Speaker 3 (4:53) Last year, you were a guest judge on the Halloween episode, which is always my favorite. But there was a lot of conversation about that episode, right? Like, and did it make you feel like, I thought I had it hard when I was competing, the judges have it worse or? Nothing, that was nothing. Speaker 1 (5:15) Girl, that was nothing. I was like, okay, so it is what I always thought it would be. It's so much easier. It's so much easier. But it's also, I understand how hard it can be in the backlash, but I think I'm so used to the backlash at this point that. It wasn't my first rodeo. Obviously, you know, there was controversy. But, I mean, this is a show. It is what it is. I don't even Speaker 3 (5:37) remember what the controversy was. I just remember. It Speaker 1 (5:40) was Alex. It was because I gave her a nine. Oh, yeah. Speaker 3 (5:43) And then Speaker 1 (5:44) domino effect. Speaker 3 (5:45) Yes. I had nothing to do with it. Oh, my Speaker 2 (5:47) gosh. Speaker 3 (5:48) But Carrie Ann also gets it, I think, harder than Derek. or Bruno as well. I agree. You know what I mean? Yes. Like the women. Yes. The conversation around Carrie Ann, I think is completely unfair and ridiculous. And I actually really like that she gives criticisms because sometimes when I'm watching the show, I'm a diehard. Yeah. Dancing with the stars. When I'm watching the show, I'm like. You and your mom, right? Yes. We're like, why are they not giving threes and fours right out the gate? Thank Speaker 1 (6:16) you. I know. Like first week, I didn't know where to go. I need to see three, four, and five. I know. I know. I agree. I agree. So do you like judging? I mean, I do. I love judging. I think for me, what was most important for me to guess judge, whether I do it again or not, it's irrelevant. It's more about how can these couples go back and actually work on the critique. And so I did my homework. you know, prior to coming on the show. And I just basically from process of elimination, just figured out, okay, which dance do they have left? Because like, I want to be able to give feedback that they can take back in the studio regardless. So if I say, okay, well, let's say you're doing a waltz and your extension is wrong, but then you're not doing a waltz or any type of ballroom dance next week or for the rest of the competition. What is the point? There's no point in me even talking about that. But when it comes to like, you know, The reason why I gave Alex a nine, it was actually, and I will say this, it was Val's fault because Val, Corey didn't, you know, stay in hold. And from when I was talking to the executives, they said that the rules still are the same. Like Tango, you're not supposed to break hold. And really, you know, that's, I mean, it wasn't because of her actual quality of movement. I mean, she was amazing. They were both amazing. It's just rules are rules. It's harder to abide by ballroom dancing rules than it is to freestyle out there. If that was the case, then what's the point of the show? Yeah, and there's also Speaker 3 (7:39) so many people that are watching the show that have actually zero experience, period, or knowledge of Speaker 1 (7:46) like me. Well, there's a whole new fan base and they're aggressive. Yeah. Some of those people are very aggressive. You know, they get really, you know, passionate about, which is amazing. I think this is why the show Speaker 3 (7:56) is- Speaker 1 (7:56) Good for the show, yeah. Absolutely. Speaker 3 (7:58) Yeah. My whole thing is like the judges know what they're looking for. I think we should trust them to know what they're looking for. I, I obviously, like I said, obsessed. I posted and was like, I don't think booing should be allowed from the audience. Interesting. I, I, because it always was having to carry in and it always happened. If even the most minor criticism. took place. And I'm like, we need to hear critique. I get it that you are a fan of these people, but like, we need to actually hear this so they can get better and we can follow them along the journey. It drives me crazy when I hear. What Speaker 1 (8:36) happens if they do, do they get like the security comes up and they get taken out of the ballroom? That would be Speaker 3 (8:42) an amazing piece of television to witness people get escorted out. Speaker 1 (8:46) Let's do it. ABC. The Speaker 3 (8:47) only Speaker 1 (8:47) time that that happened was when I danced with Ryan Lochte when we got. There was protesters that were basically charging the stage. And I've never seen our security, shout out to Dave, run so fast across the dance floor and tackle this guy to the floor. They cut the commercial, but I was just in shock. I was like, what is happening here? What's going on? Yeah. You're like, this Speaker 2 (9:09) is Speaker 1 (9:10) a dance show. By the way, decades ago, I feel like now. Ryan Speaker 3 (9:13) Lochte blast from the past. Okay. So Cheryl, you talked about your beautiful hair. Do you use any styling products Speaker 1 (9:22) outside of like the tools? Okay. So Chris McMillan has this like blow dry. I just soak my hair in that and it helps because it's also a heat protectant. So I think that's something like new-ish that I've been doing. And then I just used today at least the Wow Moose. That was it. Just because I saw someone on Instagram do it. They're like, don't forget the moose. And I was like, okay. I love this. Speaker 2 (9:44) That Speaker 1 (9:44) was it. Oh, and then the way that I curled my hair, it's supposed to be like, I guess you're not supposed to have it at an angle. You're supposed to have it completely horizontal. Oh, yeah. Did you know that? No, I didn't. I do mix it up sometimes. It changes the game. There is a difference. It is a big difference. I've never done it like that. Like I was like, okay, elbow 90 degrees. We're doing it. And it worked. Speaker 2 (10:05) Well, yeah, it's working for you for sure. Your hair looks so fabulous. What is on your face? Speaker 1 (10:11) Oh, well, this Speaker 2 (10:13) gorgeous face. Well, Speaker 1 (10:14) I did write it down because I was told to write. You're Speaker 2 (10:17) going Speaker 1 (10:17) to ask me this. Armani Luminous Silk, not the old. I was actually contemplating. I was like, is it that old? Is it expired if I use the old formula? But no, we use the new one. New one's fine. And Hung Van Gogh, his new neutrals eyeshadow palette. Though I have that long big daddy one, but you know, not everyone has it. So you don't talk too much about it. And then what else? Oh. The no anti-blush thing is killing me because I just wanted to pile on the blush. But I have, what do I have? I have True Harmony MAC, but also on the eyes as well. I use it for my eyes. What else am I missing? Oh, lips. Violette FR Calisone. So good. Bisou Balm is the best. It's the best. Have you tried their new shade? I, is it the brown one? Yes. Yes. It's great. She's a genius. She really is. I mean, she just is so innovative. I mean, I feel like everyone is then, you know, making similar products. And then my lip liner, Double Shot MPH. Speaker 3 (11:23) Yes. Love MPH. We Speaker 1 (11:25) have Speaker 3 (11:25) similar makeup bags. Yes. Oh my God. You Speaker 1 (11:27) should see my car right now because I'm staying in LA for the week. I have a few events that I'm attending and I just, my makeup collection, it's insanity. It really is. Yeah. It's an addiction. Speaker 2 (11:39) It is. Yeah. But you're, it's a safe space here. Yeah. Speaker 1 (11:42) I was like, you're among your people. It could be worse. It Speaker 3 (11:44) could Speaker 1 (11:44) be worse. Speaker 3 (11:45) Yeah. You're among your people. Okay, Cheryl. So for nearly two decades, beauty was a huge part of your job and how you presented yourself to the world. You were tanned, you were contoured, you were lashed, you were costumed and you were lit for ballroom television. How you look now is different from what people saw on TV at the time. When you left Dancing with the Stars, how did you figure out? what you actually thought was beautiful versus how you were maybe told that you should present. Yeah. Speaker 1 (12:14) You know, I'm still figuring it out. I think, I think it's also about being comfortable enough to showcase, you know, the real me and, and hearing people talk about it at the same time. Right. So that's been challenging because it's like, no, I'm not bleaching my skin guys. Like I'm, this is just, you know, Cheryl underneath the layers and layers of tan, like. tanning was my, it's like, I used to go to tanning beds. I went to sunset tan during the off season just to keep up with the tan. And so people are just not used to seeing me without anything, like just completely just me and either am I. So like, we're still figuring it out, but I'm embracing, you know, more of just what I naturally see, which is freckles and just, you know, my natural skin color ish. I mean, I did put. I'm not going to lie. We definitely put some self-tan on, but it has, it's an adjustment and it is very vulnerable because people are still obviously commenting about, you know, the way I look and I basically, everything is completely different in their eyes. So from like restructuring my whole face or whatever people think that they think, you know, it's really none of my business, but. Yeah, it's interesting because I'm also in this process of just discovering who I am and what I love and and just, I guess, the person underneath the mask and the stage makeup that I've. been, not hiding, but that I've