5 Drag Queen Makeup Tricks to Apply to Your Routine

Many of the trending beauty looks you adore have origins in drag queen makeup. Before heavy contouring and baking entered the mainstream, bar queens were already serving face with these transformative techniques. So, it goes without saying that they’re the best mentors for elevating your makeup game. Who else can glam up better than them? Read on to learn the best hacks for perfecting a full-beat face, courtesy of five drag queens.

The healthier your skin is, the better your makeup will look. It’s a mantra all drag performers live by. Wearing layers of foundation almost daily can clog the pores, which is why they go hard on skin prep. Take it from Pearl Liaison who follows a strict routine. “Nobody’s skin is meant to wear drag queen makeup multiple times a week. If you’re not taking proper care of your face, it looks like a dumpster.” 

She starts her routine by shaving her face to remove any stubble and peach fuzz. This helps her achieve a baby-smooth canvas for her foundation. Then, she washes her face with a foaming cleanser and a facial massager. If you have acne-prone skin like Pearl’s, try Dove Facial Cleansing Mousse Oil Control Care with 40% Active-boost serum and hyaluronic acid. It helps get rid of shine and makes your pores less visible.

You might consider applying moisturizer at this point, but Pearl recommends using a sheet mask to save time. Peel it off after 10 minutes and fan the remaining essence out. “I’m going to let that sit there. She’s going to act as a moisturizer and primer for your makeup,” she says.

Drag-level snatched bone structure doesn’t come naturally. It’s an illusion meticulously crafted with tapes (surprise!). The concept is straightforward: place medical-grade tapes with bungee cords on both sides of the forehead and cheekbones at an upward angle. This instant face-lift trick can be worn for up to 12 hours, but sweat and oil from the skin can loosen the adhesive more quickly.

Miss Fame has a few tips to make her face tapes last longer. First, she wipes the areas where the tapes will be applied with alcohol. After that, she applies silicone glue to the skin for extra durability, though she says this is optional. The last step is puncturing the tapes with a small needle. “The tiny holes give the tape more grip,” she explains.

How do you hide the tapes? Miss Fame suggests, “If you’re doing it on natural hair, do a center part. You can drop it and hide the bungee cords inside.”

The charm of drag queen makeup is in the very detailed eye look. Not a single stroke is out of place, no matter how dramatic the design is. The secret? It’s finishing your eye makeup before working on your complexion, according to Jaida Essence Hall.

Jaida loves using tapes to create the meanest cut-creases in existence. Once she’s done with her eye makeup, she takes off the tapes and reveals sharp, precise lines that instantly switch her look into diva mode. “Brush off any excess or powder that fell off before you move forward,” she urges. If you notice uneven lines, fix them with a cotton bud soaked in makeup remover.

If you’re not wearing contour, you’re not wearing drag queen makeup. Period. Every queen has her own special way of sculpting her mug for the gods. Valentina, for example, uses three contour products to define her cheekbones and jawlines.

Her technique involves carving out the hollows of her cheeks and jawlines with a darker cream foundation before setting it with powder. Next, she goes in with a cool-toned contour powder, followed by a warmer shade to bronze out her complexion. “This adds some warmth and not making you look so dry and ashy. It makes me feel fish, girl,” Valentina adds.

Valentina highlights the space between her cheekbones and jaws with a powder foundation. Blend any harsh lines, and your chiseled face will boot the house down.

Bigger is better in drag queen makeup, so overlining your pout is a must. Lucky for you, it’s pretty easy to do, as long as you have steady hands.

Trinket Estrange shares beginner-friendly tips to draw juicy red lips using only four products. “I overdraw my cupid’s bow with a nude pink lipliner and connect it to the corners of my lips.” She advises against overfilling the sides of the mouth as it doesn’t look realistic. For the bottom lip, she overdraws the middle part and slightly rounds out the corners.

Moving on, she cleans up the edges with concealer before applying lipstick. Glaze your lips nicely with a gloss as a finishing touch to really amp up the fabulosity.

Drag queen makeup may seem over the top, but there’s no denying that the techniques are way ahead of the curve. Whether you prefer a clean or siren-like look, these beauty tricks can be applied to various aesthetics. Face tapes with thin eyebrows and winged eyeliner? Glamazon contouring and latte makeup? Sickening.