Keeping up appearances

Faye Smythe and Te Kohe Tuhaka. Photo / Norrie Montgomery

They may have starred together on Shortland Street but actors Faye Smythe and Te Kohe Tuhaka are worlds apart when it comes to buying beauty products.

Smythe plays nurse Tania Jeffries on the country's favourite TV street and her partner, Tuhaka, previously played the character Kingi Te Wake.

Their faces must bear the scrutiny of the dreaded camera close-up. But does that mean that Tuhaka is a metrosexual who spends as much as his partner on beauty products to hide the blemishes? Not likely.

As with the gender divide in most other couples, Smythe spends far more on beauty and grooming - in time and money. The 23-year-old spends more than $2500 a year on her body and does not deny her love of looking good.

"Make-up is my thing," she says. "Make-up and shoes."

Smythe saves some money, because the Shortland Street producers maintain her character's look by paying for the styling of her long, brown locks.

But that doesn't stop her enjoying a splurge on other beauty products.

"I like to buy a certain amount of new stuff; you try and stay away from the shops as much as possible because they've always got something new."

She admits boyfriend Tuhaka can be baffled by the regime.

"He can't understand why I have an eye cream for the day and one for night.

"I try not to tell him how much things are but he does think it's a bit mad."

But Tuhaka is not entirely in the clear. The 27-year-old spends about $1700 a year on his own beauty care, eyebrow shaping and skin care.

When it comes to shampoo, though, he simply chooses whichever one has the nicest smell.

He is still bewildered and amazed by Smythe's make-up routine.

"It's pretty amazing. I sometimes watch her put her make up on and say 'how do you know where to put that on?'

"The frustrating part is waiting for her to finish. I always tell Faye to start maybe two days before we go anywhere."