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Each week, we’ll be taking a peek into some of our faves’ makeup bags to see their must-have products, because we’re nosey. This week, it’s the turn of 21 year-old singer songwriter and drag/burlesque performer Mars.
Her earliest makeup memories
“I first played with makeup when I was a kid, thinking somehow that my Mum wouldn’t notice if I had slapped myself with blush and made my brows look like morbidly obese snakes that had been thrown in a bog. (Shup you, at least it was better than overplucking).
I didn’t do it to feel more attractive, I did it because it was rebellious. It thrilled me. Femininity is such a taboo thing for a boy to play with because we live in a deeply misogynistic society.
“One of the reasons why I want to do drag is because I want to show boys that embracing their femininity is the exact opposite of degrading which is what we are lead to believe, it’s the single most empowering thing I’ve ever done and I would encourage everyone (not just boys, everyone of every gender) to try drag at least once. You’ll never be the same!
“That’s why, when I apply my makeup now it’s like my war paint, when I perform I’m going to battle. I’m just trying to deconstruct gender one cheap pleather ensemble at a time.”
Her makeup bag and what’s inside
“Kryolan TV Paint Stick literally covers the sins of the world. I have four different shades which I use for cream foundation, contour and highlights. Everyone from baby queens to the queens who make $10,000 a night wear this and swear by it. I am genuinely suspicious of those who don’t wear it.
Kryolan TV Paint Stick maskworld.com
maskworld.com
“Every drag queen obviously uses several metric tons of mascara and practically every girl out there uses it frequently too, but what people forget is that mascara can be incredible in the eyebrows as well. I am one of the only drag queens I’ve ever come across who almost never glues my brows down. I adore gigantic bushy dark brows – they’re the most unique part of my makeup. Using mascara instead of just a pencil/pomade etc means I can brush my brows upwards to lift them, darken them and give more space for eyeshadow while feminising my face. I can also delicately pull them closer together (the closer your brows are together the smaller your nose looks, you’re welcome) and I can coat each and every hair to give myself a super dense intense brow with a lot more dimension.
“Cheap pressed colored powder? I don’t know her. Using cheap pressed coloured powder destroyed highlights, contours and base I took so long to make with cream and added so much texture to my skin. Uneven application of powder made applying contour powder, blush and highlight so much more difficult because you need a smooth and truly dry base. Always use a translucent powder, like RCMA No Color Loose Powder to ensure the best possible blending of your base. If you’re performing in intense conditions with heavy lights and heat, you can put on as much as you want and it won’t add unnecessary colour and disrupt any blending. But only use as much powder as you need. Something Miss Fame taught me is that powder can not only bring out a lot of unwanted texture but can also hugely age the appearance of the face. I’m not the most beautiful drag queen out there so I need to cling on to my youth as much as possible, I mean I’m 21, I’m practically ancient … So I can’t say less is always more, I mean I am a drag queen, but what I’ll say is … Use wisely, Brenda!
RCMA No Colour powder Beauty Bay
Beauty Bay
“Red is my staple colour. I am always wearing something red whether it’s my outfit, wig, the blood of my exes or my makeup, absolutely no exception. I use ‘Crimson’ blush by NYX as a bright red eye shadow, it’s the only thing I’ve found that gives you a true red result without becoming too pink. Red brings out the life in everyone’s eyes regardless of colour, but especially with mine as they’re very blue. I also use an Inglot red lip tint underneath as an eyeshadow primer to give the reddest effect possible. Red or dead!
NYX blush in 'Crimson' Debenhams
Debenhams
“I don’t trust a drag queen who doesn’t overdraw the life out of her lips. And I certainly don’t trust a drag queen who uses a bullet lipstick. It’s unholy. I haven’t exactly been blessed with the juiciest lips a gal can find. But it’s fun to pretend, so I practically draw my lips up to my nose. But because my lip shape is so artificial, making sure it doesn’t budge is absolutely essential. I use Jeffree Star liquid lipsticks because they literally do not move all night and I always use a dark colour so that the lines of my real lips are concealed as much as possible. My job title is drag queen but in reality I am a con artist. (top tip – always smile when applying your lip shape especially for the bottom lip. This means you’ll know exactly what they’ll look like when you’re reciting prayers, singing Enya covers or shouting at the paparazzi).
Jeffree Star Cosmetics liquid lipstick in 'Androgyny' Beauty Bay
Beauty Bay
“I truly am white as can be, which is why I need extremely bright highlights on the high points on my face (except my chin, it’s already the size of a small child) to get the dimensions I want. People achieve this by baking but I have very dry skin and an excess of powder on the face is the devil for texture and aging, so I use a pure white super buttery Inglot white shadow to lock in my highlights further and make sure my cheekbones look as high as the Himalayas without adding texture. It also covers a universe of mistakes, of which I make many. I may be a fantastic knitter, a supermodel, a Bollywood legend and a lollipop lady but but one thing I certainly am not is a MUA. I couldn’t do drag without it. Or you!”
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Monday 23 December, 2024
Monday 23 December, 2024
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What's in my makeup bag? Mars
Each week, we’ll be taking a peek into some of our faves’ makeup bags to see their must-have products, because we’re nosey. This week, it’s the turn of 21 year-old singer songwriter and drag/burlesque performer Mars.
Her earliest makeup memories
“I first played with makeup when I was a kid, thinking somehow that my Mum wouldn’t notice if I had slapped myself with blush and made my brows look like morbidly obese snakes that had been thrown in a bog. (Shup you, at least it was better than overplucking).
“One of the reasons why I want to do drag is because I want to show boys that embracing their femininity is the exact opposite of degrading which is what we are lead to believe, it’s the single most empowering thing I’ve ever done and I would encourage everyone (not just boys, everyone of every gender) to try drag at least once. You’ll never be the same!
“That’s why, when I apply my makeup now it’s like my war paint, when I perform I’m going to battle. I’m just trying to deconstruct gender one cheap pleather ensemble at a time.”
Her makeup bag and what’s inside
“Kryolan TV Paint Stick literally covers the sins of the world. I have four different shades which I use for cream foundation, contour and highlights. Everyone from baby queens to the queens who make $10,000 a night wear this and swear by it. I am genuinely suspicious of those who don’t wear it.
“Every drag queen obviously uses several metric tons of mascara and practically every girl out there uses it frequently too, but what people forget is that mascara can be incredible in the eyebrows as well. I am one of the only drag queens I’ve ever come across who almost never glues my brows down. I adore gigantic bushy dark brows – they’re the most unique part of my makeup. Using mascara instead of just a pencil/pomade etc means I can brush my brows upwards to lift them, darken them and give more space for eyeshadow while feminising my face. I can also delicately pull them closer together (the closer your brows are together the smaller your nose looks, you’re welcome) and I can coat each and every hair to give myself a super dense intense brow with a lot more dimension.
“Cheap pressed colored powder? I don’t know her. Using cheap pressed coloured powder destroyed highlights, contours and base I took so long to make with cream and added so much texture to my skin. Uneven application of powder made applying contour powder, blush and highlight so much more difficult because you need a smooth and truly dry base. Always use a translucent powder, like RCMA No Color Loose Powder to ensure the best possible blending of your base. If you’re performing in intense conditions with heavy lights and heat, you can put on as much as you want and it won’t add unnecessary colour and disrupt any blending. But only use as much powder as you need. Something Miss Fame taught me is that powder can not only bring out a lot of unwanted texture but can also hugely age the appearance of the face. I’m not the most beautiful drag queen out there so I need to cling on to my youth as much as possible, I mean I’m 21, I’m practically ancient … So I can’t say less is always more, I mean I am a drag queen, but what I’ll say is … Use wisely, Brenda!
“Red is my staple colour. I am always wearing something red whether it’s my outfit, wig, the blood of my exes or my makeup, absolutely no exception. I use ‘Crimson’ blush by NYX as a bright red eye shadow, it’s the only thing I’ve found that gives you a true red result without becoming too pink. Red brings out the life in everyone’s eyes regardless of colour, but especially with mine as they’re very blue. I also use an Inglot red lip tint underneath as an eyeshadow primer to give the reddest effect possible. Red or dead!
“I don’t trust a drag queen who doesn’t overdraw the life out of her lips. And I certainly don’t trust a drag queen who uses a bullet lipstick. It’s unholy. I haven’t exactly been blessed with the juiciest lips a gal can find. But it’s fun to pretend, so I practically draw my lips up to my nose. But because my lip shape is so artificial, making sure it doesn’t budge is absolutely essential. I use Jeffree Star liquid lipsticks because they literally do not move all night and I always use a dark colour so that the lines of my real lips are concealed as much as possible. My job title is drag queen but in reality I am a con artist. (top tip – always smile when applying your lip shape especially for the bottom lip. This means you’ll know exactly what they’ll look like when you’re reciting prayers, singing Enya covers or shouting at the paparazzi).
“I truly am white as can be, which is why I need extremely bright highlights on the high points on my face (except my chin, it’s already the size of a small child) to get the dimensions I want. People achieve this by baking but I have very dry skin and an excess of powder on the face is the devil for texture and aging, so I use a pure white super buttery Inglot white shadow to lock in my highlights further and make sure my cheekbones look as high as the Himalayas without adding texture. It also covers a universe of mistakes, of which I make many. I may be a fantastic knitter, a supermodel, a Bollywood legend and a lollipop lady but but one thing I certainly am not is a MUA. I couldn’t do drag without it. Or you!”
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in my bag Mars