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Meet the presenters > Alison Young

Meet the presenters

Alison Young

Beauty is so much more than a job for Alison! After her beauty therapy training, she worked in beauty salons, trained an elite team at Clarins and finally worked as Head Therapist at the exclusive Grayshott Hall health spa. In 1995 Alison joined QVC to offer her no-nonsense beauty advice. Now you can read her answers to your questions in her beauty bible. She lives in Surrey with her husband, Simon.

'For me and my husband it was love at first sight!'

Favourite Colour?

Blue. I wear it a lot and always choose blue horse rugs.

Favourite Food?

I love coffee éclairs, though I'm not allowed them, and shepherd's pie with cheesy topping.

Favourite Film?

National Velvet and International Velvet - I'm a pony mad girl and always will be.

Favourite Book?

My Friend Flicker, I've read it about 30 or 40 times. It's the start of a series by Mary O'Hara about the love a boy has for his horse. I still read the same copy I've had since I was 8 or 9 years old, and it still makes me cry!

Do you have any pets?

Two dogs called Zack and Ziggy, and five horses. There's Alliarna (a nickname the directors have for me) and Figo (after the footballer), who were both born after Today's Special Value launches, and Poppy, Carriotta and Quanda.

What do you enjoy doing?

Everything and anything to do with horses - I do all the hard work myself, from breaking them in to harrowing fields. I don't mind getting my hands dirty.

What's the first record you ever bought?

Either an Elvis Priestly or David Bowie one. As a child I was a massive fan of them both.

What can't you live without?

My husband, my horses and my dogs. Beauty-wise it would be moisturisers - for lips, face, hands or body. When I go away I take more skincare than clothes.

Do you believe in love at first sight?

Yes - for me and my husband it was love at first sight. He badgered me with messages and tried to order me from QVC! He eventually got my number from Julia Roberts.

What's been your silliest moment at QVC?

Slipping on fake tan and breaking my wrist. I knew I'd broken it, but it was the Ojon launch that afternoon which I didn't want to miss, so I worked all day before going to hospital.

What's the scariest thing you've ever done?

Being thrown off a horse is frightening - that second in the air when everything's in slow motion and you're wondering what's going to happen. I always get back on though.

Quick facts

Star sign

Cancer

Favourite QVC products

Alison's Beauty Bible