Drag makeup is an art form. It’s about transforming oneself into an exaggerated, glamorous, and often avant-garde version of beauty that defies traditional gender norms. While drag culture is diverse, the makeup techniques and products used are often universally recognized by queens, kings, and gender-fluid performers. If you’re looking to dive into the world of drag makeup or improve your skills, understanding the essential products and techniques is crucial.
Here’s a comprehensive guide to the drag makeup essentials that will take your look to the next level.
1. Primer: The Foundation for a Flawless Base
What It Does:
The primer is the first step in any drag makeup routine. It creates a smooth, even canvas for the rest of the makeup and ensures that the products last longer throughout the performance or event. Primers help blur imperfections, fill in fine lines, and prevent makeup from settling into pores.
Essential Products:
- Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer: Known for its gripping ability, this primer helps makeup adhere better and last longer.
- Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer: Works great for a matte finish, minimizing the appearance of pores.
2. Full-Coverage Foundation: Creating a Bold, Blank Canvas
What It Does:
In drag makeup, the foundation needs to be strong enough to create a flawless canvas for your transformation. A full-coverage foundation helps you achieve a smooth, even tone and can mask any imperfections or stubble, essential for queens aiming for a polished, feminine look.
Essential Products:
- MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation: A long-wearing foundation with a matte finish and high coverage.
- Too Faced Born This Way Foundation: Offers buildable coverage and a natural, radiant finish.
- Kryolan TV Paint Stick: A heavy-duty option for stage performances, this foundation provides full coverage that can withstand the spotlight.
Pro Tip: Drag queens often use a shade two or three tones lighter than their natural skin color to create a bright, highlighted effect.
3. Color Corrector: Concealing Imperfections
What It Does:
Color correctors are essential in drag makeup to neutralize the skin’s undertones and create a smooth base. If you’re dealing with redness, dark circles, or other discoloration, color correctors can help neutralize these areas before applying foundation.
Essential Products:
- LA Girl Pro Conceal Color Corrector: This concealer comes in various shades to cancel out specific undertones (green for redness, peach for dark circles, yellow for dullness).
- Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector: A peachy tone that cancels out blue-toned dark circles, brightening the under-eye area.
4. Concealer: Highlight and Sculpt
What It Does:
After foundation, concealer is used to brighten and highlight the face. It also provides the opportunity to sculpt the face, enhancing features like the cheekbones, nose, and jawline. Concealer helps with contouring and lifting the face, which is an essential aspect of drag makeup.
Essential Products:
- Tarte Shape Tape Concealer: Famous for its full coverage and long-lasting formula, it’s perfect for brightening the under-eye area and covering blemishes.
- NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer: This concealer offers buildable coverage and works well for highlighting and sculpting.
5. Setting Powder: Locking It All In Place
What It Does:
Setting powder is crucial for keeping your makeup in place and preventing it from smudging or moving throughout the day or performance. Drag queens often “bake” with translucent powder, which involves applying a heavy layer of powder to areas like the under-eye and t-zone to set everything in place.
Essential Products:
- Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder: A cult-favorite that gives a soft matte finish and helps prevent creasing and shine.
- RCMA No-Color Powder: Another popular option in the drag community, this powder is known for its fine texture and ability to set makeup without altering the color of your foundation.
6. Contour: Shaping and Defining
What It Does:
Contouring is perhaps one of the most important techniques in drag makeup. The goal is to sculpt the face to create more feminine or exaggerated features, depending on the drag persona. Contour products are used to add depth and dimension to areas like the cheekbones, jawline, and nose.
Essential Products:
- Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit: This kit includes both cream and powder formulas, providing everything you need to create a contoured look.
- Fenty Beauty Match Stix Matte Contour Skinstick: A cream contour product that blends effortlessly and can be built up for a more dramatic look.
Pro Tip: Drag queens often contour their nose heavily, using a darker shade to narrow the bridge and create a more sculpted appearance.
7. Blush: Adding a Pop of Color
What It Does:
Blush adds a healthy flush of color to the cheeks, giving a youthful and vibrant appearance. In drag makeup, blush is often applied more heavily than in traditional makeup, with some queens even applying it to the temples and nose for a more exaggerated, theatrical look.
Essential Products:
- NARS Blush in Orgasm: A universally flattering peachy-pink blush with a hint of shimmer.
- MAC Powder Blush: Known for its variety of colors and finishes, these blushes are perfect for building color intensity.
8. Highlighter: Glowing Like a Star
What It Does:
Highlighter brings a radiant, dewy glow to the skin, accentuating the high points of the face like the cheekbones, brow bone, and cupid’s bow. In drag, highlighter is often applied generously for an ultra-glamorous, attention-grabbing effect.
Essential Products:
- Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter: Famous for its buttery texture and glowing finish, it’s a drag queen staple.
- Anastasia Beverly Hills Amrezy Highlighter: A golden, radiant highlighter that’s perfect for creating a show-stopping glow.
9. Eyebrow Products: Crafting Bold, Defined Brows
What It Does:
In drag, eyebrows are often bold, dramatic, and heavily sculpted. Drag queens typically “block out” their natural brows before applying new shapes to create a more exaggerated, feminine or stylized look.
Essential Products:
- Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz: A fine-tipped pencil that allows for precise application and natural-looking brow hairs.
- Ben Nye Clown White: Used for blocking out the natural brow, this product helps create a clean canvas for drawing on new brows.
10. Eyeshadow: Bringing Drama to the Eyes
What It Does:
Eyeshadow is one of the most versatile components of drag makeup. Drag queens often experiment with bold, creative, and vibrant eyeshadow looks. Whether it’s a dramatic cut crease, colorful smoky eyes, or a glittery eyelid, eyeshadow is key to creating a mesmerizing eye look.
Essential Products:
- Urban Decay Naked Palette: Known for its wide range of neutral shades that can be used for both daytime and dramatic looks.
- Huda Beauty Obsessions Eyeshadow Palettes: These compact palettes are packed with rich, pigmented shades in both matte and shimmer finishes.
Pro Tip: Drag queens frequently use white eyeliner on the waterline to make their eyes appear larger and more dramatic.
11. False Lashes: Amplifying the Drama
What It Does:
False lashes are a drag makeup must-have. They enhance the eyes, adding volume and length for a more dramatic, glamorous effect. Lashes help complete the exaggerated, larger-than-life aesthetic that defines drag.
Essential Products:
- House of Lashes Iconic Lashes: These lashes offer the perfect balance of volume and length, ideal for drag.
- Ardell Demi Wispies: A more affordable option, these lashes provide a fluttery, dramatic effect.
12. Lip Products: Bold and Beautiful
What It Does:
Drag lips are usually bold, defined, and statement-making. The lips are often overlined for a fuller, more exaggerated appearance. Lip products include lip liners, lipsticks, and glosses, and are essential for completing the look.
Essential Products:
- MAC Lip Pencil in Ruby Woo: A universally flattering red lip liner that works for any drag queen.
- Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick: A long-wearing formula that ensures your lips stay vibrant all night.
13. Setting Spray: Keeping Everything in Place
What It Does:
A setting spray is the final touch in drag makeup. It locks everything in place, ensuring your look stays flawless even under the heat of stage lights or a long night of partying.
Essential Products:
- Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray: This long-lasting formula keeps your makeup intact for hours.
- MAC Prep + Prime Fix+: A versatile mist that hydrates the skin and sets makeup, giving a glowing finish.
Conclusion: Drag Makeup Is All About Expression
Whether you’re creating a classic pageant queen look or experimenting with avant-garde styles, drag makeup is an empowering and creative process. These essentials provide the building blocks for achieving a flawless drag transformation. With the right products and techniques, you can take your drag persona to new heights, transforming yourself into a fierce, glamorous, and confident performer.
Remember, makeup is an art, and there are no rules! Experiment with different colors, shapes, and products to find the look that feels right for you. The drag world is all about pushing boundaries and expressing yourself authentically, so have fun with it.