Beauty takes time

          Makeup does wonders for people by helping them achieve a certain look and in the case of Drag Queens, it allows men the opportunity to appear like the opposite sex. This task is no easy feat, but with a variety of M.A.C products and time, they can achieve their fabulous looks.

 

 

1.  Eyebrows: It all begins with the eyebrows. Women typically have softer and thinner eyebrows, which is why it is important that the Queens conceal and draw on their eyebrows. First step is to essentially make the eyebrows disappear by either applying a glue stick or related product like spirit gum directly to the brows in order to flatten them down. Using tape on the foreheads to raise the skin is a common practice in order to make the structure of the face look more surprised and lifted and help the eyebrows become less visible. After the eyebrows are flattened, face powder is used to prep the whole face so then the foundation can be applied.

 

2. Foundation:  Foundation is a key aspect because once the eyebrows are gone, the whole face must be one color in order to get the flawless skin look, which also means that there should be no sign of facial hair as well. Once the right color has been applied, it is important for the Queens to set their foundation with powder so that their makeup doesn’t crease while working it on stage.

 

3. Contour: To help soften the lines of the male face and create a narrow face shape the best trick is to contour. By applying highlight under the eyes, forehead, chin, and lines along the nose it allows the men to manipulate their features into looking more feminine. A lighter shade than the foundation is used and a variety of brushes from beauty blenders to M.A.C brushes of different shape and brush texture are relied on to blend harsh and unnatural lines away.

 

4. Eye shadow: With their faces prepped and made to look as smooth and free of blemishes, the fun part begins. Applying eye shadow in whichever color is of course up to the performer themselves. To create a smoky eye look, it is best to use a combination of lighter shades blending into darker black shades is used. The most crucial part with eye shadow is blending the colors so that they fade into each other and there is no visible line where one color starts and the other ends. How dramatic the eyes look is up to discretion and can be played around with until a certain look (impersonating a certain celebrity or achieving the makeup look of a certain era) is obtained. Using a dark eye shadow and combining it with pencil eyeliner helps the Drag Queens in achieving dramatic winged eyeliner that does not require any liquid eyeliner. Makeup that contains a higher pigment, typically the more pricier ones, are best since they stay on longer and dramatic enough to be seen from far away.

 

 

5. Eyebrows and Eyelashes: No one looks the same without eyebrows so after the fun and creative eye shadow is applied, eyebrows are stenciled on to be how thin or thick the performer wants it to be. Same goes for eyelashes. To make the eyes pop, most Drag Queens use false eyelashes and coats of their favorite brand mascara to draw attention to their eyes.

 

6. Lips: Finally the face is almost complete and all that lies is the lips. Creating fuller lips comes from using lip liner to line the lips starting from the inner corner and working outward. Then any shade of lipstick can be used and for extra flair a hint of shiny lip gloss is applied.

 

Transforming into Drag Queens takes way more time than the 12 minute makeup tutorials found on YouTube, but with a creative touch a plain face can be made into looking like a fabulous Drag Queen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Costumes and Wigs:

     To complete the whole Drag Queen persona, most Queens combine their makeup and wig with a flair to create a certain personality. Some Queens like “Anya Knuts” from Shark Club for example, buy a wig and cut them up themselves. Anya transformed an 18 inch long blonde wig and created a layered look just below the shoulders. This along with a leather body suit helped complete her “whore” type personality she wants to showcase. Other Queens have different personalities they like to embody whether it’s a “sleep with anything that comes along look” or Disney princesses, these Queens create their own personal style.

 

      Other Queens like to shop at local stores like Forever 21 or if they have the time, they sew their own costumes. When it comes to shoes, some Queens are lucky to find the right sized heel in the women’s department, other times it is difficult to find the perfect shoe since men’s feet are usually larger than women’s.

 

     Finding the right wig and costume, sets all the makeup together and the Queen’s personality hits the stage!