Table of Contents
Are you also constantly fascinated by the aesthetics and makeup artistry of our drag queens? If you’ve ever tried your hand at it in front of the mirror and ended up looking more like you’re heading to a carnival than a revue theater, don’t get discouraged. Makeup is a skill that requires practice, and most drag queens weren’t natural talents at the start either. Once you know the basics of good drag queen makeup, it’ll become much easier to put yourself in the spotlight.
How to Hide Your Beard
Some of you might be among the lucky men whose shaved face leaves no beard shadow behind. Realistically, that’s a rarity. If you have a dark beard, it won’t be completely invisible even after a thorough wet shave.
For drag queen makeup, this shadow can be a challenge, so the right tools are essential. Generally, most drag queens (and women) use a primer before applying makeup, as it helps it adhere better. However, a primer alone isn’t enough to conceal your beard.
This is where camouflage makeup comes into play! It offers ultra-high coverage and can make skin imperfections, beard shadows, and even tattoos disappear.
A Colorful Surprise: Choose Orange Camouflage Makeup!
Don’t worry—you won’t end up looking like an American politician! This technique works because of physics. When light hits a dark beard shadow, it reflects a bluish hue. Orange counteracts blue, neutralizing the color.
How to “Remove” Your Beard for Drag Queen Makeup:
- Apply the orange camouflage makeup with a sponge over all areas where your beard shadow is visible.
- Don’t panic—you’ll look like half an orange, but that’s intentional.
- In the next step, apply a full-coverage foundation.
Tip: There’s a great tutorial on YouTube that guides you step by step. If you’re unsure whether your beard shadow is truly hidden, watch it and be amazed.
The Right Foundation for Your Look
There seem to be 1,001 foundation shades, so finding the perfect match can be tricky. Here’s a handy tip: buy two and mix them!
Get a very dark and a very light shade, and you can create your own custom foundation at home—the ideal base for your drag queen makeup. Make sure both products are from the same brand to ensure the textures match, avoiding the mishap of mixing a creamy and a liquid product.
Once you’ve found your dream shade, apply the foundation with a makeup brush and blend it into your neck for a seamless transition. If there are any edges left, take some regular moisturizer and “pull” the color downwards. This creates a smooth transition, giving your look a more authentic feel.
Contours and Highlights for a Feminine Look
Your beard shadow is hidden, your complexion is even, but your masculine facial features are still evident. Feminine contours are the gamechanger for perfect drag queen makeup. Light and shadow are the secrets, created using highlights and contouring.
Fair Warning: This step takes the longest to master. Watch YouTube tutorials and learn step by step how to make your features more feminine.
Your Shopping List:
- Makeup sponge
- Contouring brush
- Contouring palette (with multiple shades)
- Bronzer
The Dark Shade
Start by defining your nose, forehead, chin, and cheeks with the darkest shade. Use the contouring brush to draw a defined line along your jawline, cheekbones, temples, and the sides of your nose. You can even adjust these lines to create more feminine features.
The Light Shade
Apply the lightest contouring shade to areas where light naturally hits your face, such as the bridge of your nose, under your eyebrows, your cupid’s bow, and the inner corners of your eyes.
Blending
Contouring can look harsh, so blending is key. Use a makeup sponge to soften the lines, making the overall look appear more natural. Finish with a bronzer to add a sun-kissed glow—this step is optional but softens the contours.
Pro Tip: As a man, you likely have a square-shaped face. By applying the dark contour shade below your cheekbones and blending towards the center, your face will appear longer, and your cheekbones will look slimmer.
Look Into My Eyes, Darling!
With your makeup basics complete, it’s time to add color! Let’s start with the eyes. Get yourself an eyeshadow base to make the colors more vibrant and long-lasting. Don’t hold back—sparkling metallic eyes can divert attention from minor makeup mistakes.
Your Shopping List:
- Eyeshadow base, setting powder, and a bold eyeshadow palette
- Glue stick, eyebrow pencil
- Liquid eyeliner, white and black kohl pencils
- False lashes and lash glue
- Highlighter for the inner corners of your eyes
- Flat eyeshadow brush, blending brush
Creating Stunning Drag Queen Makeup for the eyes:
- Apply the eyeshadow base with your fingers over the entire lid for a long-lasting and intense color.
- Block your eyebrows with a glue stick. Dust the area generously with powder to mattify it. Then, use the eyebrow pencil to draw dramatic, arched brows.
- Choose a base color for your lid and apply it evenly. Neutral tones like pale pink make a great starting point.
- The cut crease is a signature drag queen technique that makes your eyes appear larger. Use a flat brush and a bold color to draw a sharp line along your crease. Blend the upper edge with a blending brush for a softer look.
- Apply a vibrant eyeshadow color (metallics work well) starting at the outer corner and blend towards the center.
- Draw a winged eyeliner for a striking almond shape, extending it to the outer corner.
- Drag looks thrive on exaggerated lashes. Use lash glue to apply long false lashes directly onto the lash line, pressing them until they’re secure.
- Highlight your lower waterline with white kohl for an open-eye effect. Add a touch of dark eyeshadow beneath it and blend for a dramatic finish.
- Finally, use a shimmering highlighter on the inner corners of your eyes for a finishing touch.
Pro Tip: Coordinate your eye colors with your accessories. Gold and silver combos are just as stunning as Pride colors.
Red Lips Are Made for Kissing
The perfect pout is the finishing touch to your drag queen makeup and the quickest to achieve. Grab a lip liner, lipstick in your desired shade, a lip brush, and optional lip gloss.
How To:
- Start with the lip liner, ideally one shade darker than your lipstick. Outline your lips slightly above the natural line for a fuller look.
- Fill in your lips entirely with the liner—this creates a base that makes your lipstick last longer.
- Use the lip brush to apply lipstick, working precisely and blending softly into the lip liner.
- For a glossy look, dab a little lip gloss in the center of your bottom lip.
- Prefer a matte finish? Press a tissue between your lips and set the lipstick with loose powder.
Made a small mistake? Use a cotton swab to correct any edges. Now you’re ready to hit the town—your drag queen makeup is flawless!
|