100 Years of Drag Makeup | Allure

Take a look back at the last century of the most popular and sometimes controversial drag makeup. From the popular "Pansy craze" of 1920s New York and the DIY makeup of WWII drag performances in the 1940s, to the bright pink lipstick of Crystal LaBeija in the 1960s and global fame RuPaul by the 1990s, heres how drag makeup has transformed over the last century.
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100 Years of Drag Makeup | Allure

[@RolyWestYT]

Choices

[@arthurchase7028]

Yea...

[@miriamhappe1066]

seeing you here is amazing as heck! i even read this comment in your voice, including flipping your fan. haahhaah

[@comicalsun2316]

😂😂😂

[@LoveNia122]

......were made.

[@diamond0859]

Lol🤣🤣🤣

[@ZoraTheberge]

Y’all couldn’t get a drag queen to do the makeup?

[@emmastalletti7097]

3:21 There is a drag queen 🤦🏼‍♀️

[@lol-d1h2g]

jason is a drag queen. you’ll see him towards the end

[@brvndxxxn]

Or a talented makeup artist.

[@Pipsqueaker88]

@@brvndxxxn yea

[@elma8467]

@@brvndxxxn 💀💀

[@ThinkingWoman30]

Am I the only one triggered when I see people do foundation and you can tell it doesn’t match their skin tone?

[@cholompe]

James Charles must be your sleep paralysis demon

[@breathinariana3825]

I hate it

[@breathinariana3825]

@@cholompe I- sksjskksjsks

[@PhoebeThutlweLungaPhoebuster]

I’m honestly tiggered more than I use to with inappropriate ashy ness of these queens in their makeup

[@PandoraBoxx]

While the sentiment is certainly appreciated, this is an embarrassment to the art of Drag. This video clearly shows there was either no budget, no real knowledge of Drag or just a way to capitalize on the popularity of drag. Next time hire drag queens to do something speaking on 100 Years of Drag Makeup. This $1.98 budget isn’t it. And that’s being generous on the budget.

[@SirJakesterman]

Totally agree. They should’ve let the queens they hired to model do their own makeup... or hired drag makeup artists if they wanted the painting on camera... I live in NYC and have seen three of these queens and they are absolutely fierce, and incredibly talented, and I’m sure they were mortified...

[@ireneminel9482]

If Pandora says so, I agree

[@born2blow85]

Totally agree Pandora, this is an outright disgrace 🙅🏽‍♀️🤦🏾‍♀️

[@Silviaeb]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@yesuui]

PREACH QUEEN!

[@LauraTheFanGirl]

Did no one teach these makeup artists about blocking brows or how to put makeup over your facial hair??

[@amber-wr4gb]

guess they were in a hurry

[@LauraTheFanGirl]

Elksie yes so? I’m also a proud bisexual woman with a older brother that does drag.

[@LauraTheFanGirl]

Amber Zaki True. But I’ve never seen RuPaul looking that rough 😂 And lady Bunny

[@d.c8400]

I mean gluestick was not invented until the late 1960s and we're not used worldwide for makeup until the late 70s soooooo if you look closely in all the drag post 70s they all have blocked brows

[@LauraTheFanGirl]

The wierd wierdo Veru true. They could be trying to copy how the makeup was done back then. But still they look ROUGH 😂

[@TheBassgurl]

This is “Halloween” drag with really bad makeup and “party city’ wigs.

[@benjaminemmanuelsalomonort4838]

Me: Allure go back to party city that u belong!

[@anamin2973]

Haters gonna hate 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@christopherbennett5858]

That Crystal wig was way too flat.

[@thelucaspaes6610]

Yaaaas

[@grandcarriage1]

I think you’re still being too kind

[@fawnspace5692]

We’re not gonna mention ballroom culture in the 80’s and 90’s? No? Ok werk

[@jesykahashope]

Literally thought this exact thing lol

[@NomadAngie]

They also forgot the trans women who fought on the Stonewall Riots.

[@pavunakid1704]

At least they mention Crystal

[@tcookie]

I know right? Also what about the 80s New Romantic embrace of drag and androgyny like Pete Burns, Boy George, etc.

[@scarlettroger1508]

Absolutely, well said👏🏼

[@luciferkhun]

Im sorry but for a drag content video these makeup artists are so bad at there job. Like please. Its about drag get some serious prof makeup artists. These makeups are unacceptablr

[@sarahmccoy4792]

*wrap

[@joj3734]

i think maybe theyre trying to imitate the amateurish makeup application of the day?

[@minaashido7038]

* unacceptable Btw true they did do a very bad job but there is like no nice way to say it -^-

[@alicjak973]

I think the same, like they don't know how to make this kind of makeup

[@knpernicanoable]

It miiight be because drag was for a stage. It wasnt these peoples whole personality like how it is now. Drag was a job not a lifestyle. And men then were still men... Not these floating monstrosities we see now

[@DeJaSkye]

As a drag queen I’m highly offended by this video. You should’ve had a drag queen makeup artist not someone that looked at drag pictures. Horrible application! Horrible execution! Bad video! needs to be redone and someone that knows their way around a mans face to feminize and apply should do it. So upsetting :(

[@reyna9038]

DeJa Skye Wait isn’t this like history of drag so maybe in the past they didn’t know how to make the face more feminine

[@lilliemano399]

I’m so sorry this is awful! I feel like all of their videos are not accurate, they should for sure have a professional doing their videos because they always end up offending people for disregarding their culture (which is totally reasonable)

[@MrMd217]

Let’s talk about the poster for the queen! Absolutely gorgeous! It’s a shame none of the girls looked as fabulous in this video!

[@DeJaSkye]

Matthew Darnell YES THAT PART

[@loverofteaandspice]

@@reyna9038 Oh they did, they really did. There was quite a drag community in the 1890's and before that! I read a book about it- I can try and find some representatives of that era in particular if you want me to!

[@megannwalsh]

Maybe get drag queens to do their own makeup bc most of these were horrific.

[@saubhagyatandon4787]

Do u think 100 years ago drag queens looked soo flawless as they do now

[@DatVo-tl2dw]

Svgsgn Etujfg obviously not but these.. the wigs the looks the makeup was BOTCHED

[@fasionkilller1999]

T

[@trishabaeee]

The only one that’s accurately bad is RuPaul

[@danapereira101]

@@DatVo-tl2dw honey am that is his drag started they didn’t start off pretty these tricks came over time hun

[@astridjoyce]

They need some better makeup artists

[@AugustEverywhere]

Allure: Let's jump on the drag queen bandwagon. Someone go down to CVS and buy $20 worth of makeup and grab any dude who's there browsing.

[@bushra.7759]

💀💀💀💀💀

[@bananzie94]

Apparently these are real drag queens, who weren't permitted to do their own make up and had their wigs wrecked on set.

[@LithuniumSnowx]

This has to be the worst video y’all have uploaded to date

[@TheLiteralLatest]

Lithunium Snow LITERALLY.

[@diajle1710]

their videos never meant to be accurate, but yes they do tell history in a cool way, u just stop being spoiled, u certainly don't represent the majority of drag queens thro history that fought for real things and would appreciate their struggle during that times being told in this video

[@fuckit4512]

Are you hating on drag queens

[@benjamintic3653]

@Lol Lmao he hates on the budget that was given to this video. It looks like they used one pallet for the entire video for whole faces.

[@lilosurmer4466]

@@diajle1710 it's bad quality though. What does it have to do with the fights by the drag queens? Their makeup is better than that, if you look at picture, more extravagant. And if it's not supposed to be accurate, what's the point of making a video showing decade by decade how people dresse

[@caljernes]

Very informative but the title doesn't make any justification to the make ups. They are all hideous! they should've gotten real drag queens to do their make ups! or maybe they should've guess drag queens instead. smh.

[@NomadAngie]

I'm mad that they didn't find someone that resembled Divine a little more.

[@Eliz149149]

I’m sorry but this is so bad, the mug boot, the whole thing boot. The rupaul, lady bunny and Sasha velour MUG BOOT

[@sellkiies1730]

Divine and Crystal Labeija too The level of disrespect.

[@Eliz149149]

Sellkiies yah them too.

[@atsuki18]

the sasha was the only kinda decent one and it isnt even that pretty lmao

[@Eliz149149]

Irelia MY POINT!!!!

[@benjamintic3653]

Sasha being the prime queen of 2010's is a dissrespect to a lot of other queens. Yea, Sasha is amazing, but when I think of drag in 2010's my mind doesn't go to Sasha first.

[@isabellasims1346]

YOU CAN TELL THE GUY FOR 1940S WAS JUST SO EXCITED TO GET DONE UP AW

[@dinonuggies5551]

Isabella Sims FINALLY A COMMENT I AGREE WITH-

[@krazykrazy14100]

Which makes me even MORE upset that he couldn't get a fierce transformstion! Ugh

[@eddiePUGILIST]

They're a drag queen in NYC..

[@bananzie94]

She's called Vanna Deux, a working queen in NYC

[@snakkomsex]

The drg queens/models were great. I hope they redo this with better makeup.

[@zimsearchmister1712]

LOL THE RUPAUL ONE HAD ME ROLLING RuPaul looks like a goddess on the screen. Girlll I know everyone is *dragging* the makeup but, it was really just laughable.

[@ryeryeflow]

Your makeup artists don't even know how to pick the foundations to fit the models' undertones...

[@nirmalasingh7677]

oh Drag makeup is the most fabulous of fabulous..... couldn't you have found a makeup artist who knew what they were doing????? The 1950 model slayed as she sat down...... what you did on her was underwhelming.... I call for a do over.

[@michqlle1862]

Or atleast MUAs who could match their foundation properly

[@_Astral_Traveller_]

I'm sick of these comments, P don't take in the possible factors, like they could've tried but no one would do it, they might no have been paying enough or no one was available. These things do happen

[@casswashwash1070]

@@_Astral_Traveller_ thats a terrible excuse. Just dont make the vid until you have the ppl you need.

[@_Astral_Traveller_]

@@casswashwash1070 well sometimes those things do happen, they were probably on a timer-type thing and had to get the video out. Why does nobody think about the more realistic situations and have to project so much hate

[@shelby8032]

the pic of rupaul at 4:47 I'm crying

[@james-1110]

Imagine if they did Trixie Mattel

[@aspartamef2x214]

Jay Gatz I hope she does a reaction video to this

[@psychodivaconstructfm]

LMAO trixie will be triggered by the way they put on her makeup

[@MilliaRage91]

Oh, gurl, pls don't

[@evae6129]

The makeup here was genuinely awful, I’m sorry but the makeup artists clearly had zero experience. That foundation almost killed me.

[@kerizmahnicholle2349]

I'm appauled. As a drag and makeup artist myself I'm insulted. This was horrific

[@yesuui]

y’all did the drag community dirty 😐 hire REAL drag queens next time, they’ll teach you a thing or 2 about drag

[@brvndxxxn]

On behalf of the drag community. This video is a major insult. I feel insulted.

[@drakmaaaaa2729]

OK it's bad. Like reslly bad but insulted is a stretch

[@fishy9465]

I feel insulted as well.

[@Tarasbasement]

Drakmaa aaa no it’s really not a stretch

[@arifk1337]

WOW the poor makeup and hair just got worse throughout. It's a bit disappointing to portray drag that way, an industry where performers take pride in creating the feminine illusion. All you did was paint them yellow and chuck some glitter and a wonky winged liner 🤣

[@itsjoeycaleb]

Please redo this with successful queens doing the makeup. Show the best the community has to offer, not just an attempt.

[@ronnieangelo4555]

The only drag I'm seeing here is the thing commenters do in this video lol delete this

[@Bibornfromaboombox]

Trixie and Valentina should have been here too, let's be real the eyebrows of Valentina and Trixies makeup look and Ravens legendary MUG are iconic and shaped the future of drag for years to come

[@boss1boy]

Valentina???

[@suemesue9324]

Ikrrrr this makeup is horrible!

[@nikkosalvador3374]

Lmao! Valentina just stole Raven's face like any other younger queens.

[@kenkie3173]

I'm sorry (I'm relatively new to the LGBT community) but what's mug mean? I've been seeing it in the comments

[@boss1boy]

@@kenkie3173 mug is your face.

[@elmtheenby8462]

None of these looks were executed remotely well and they missed so many details in all the queen's faces. At least learn to block out brows and beards well.

[@dust.pixxie]

These poor make-up people have no clue how to apply drag makeup...We love a droopy lash

[@danielh.4004]

All these looks and y’all couldn’t get their foundation matched to their skin tone? Okay James Charles.

[@navxthe]

Category is “100 years of first time in drag”

[@guzmanrodriguezsergio2479]

Like Tatianna would say: CHOICES.

[@samelliott5919]

Surely, during pride especially, this would have been a great time to put the focus on actual Drag artists and not a lackluster makeup team

[@TheVivienneX]

I’m loving the reference points and the education side, but those make up jobs are an insult to our craft. How hard would it have been to hire an actual drag queen to do the make ups? Very, very disappointing

[@scoutisrllycool2991]

U got makeup artist that can’t even cover the eyebrows

[@MerriSpaulding]

Pretty easily some of the worst drag makeup I’ve ever seen.

[@janayarroyo22]

Drag Culture IS historical 💄

[@amandastout1948]

Until the era of Nell Gwynne, females on stage were Sasha Grey, not Meryl Streep. Men did all the parts for serious theater. Don't think the men on stage didn't get campy with it---THIS was why Shakespeare limited womens' roles in his dramas in ways he didn't in his comedies.

[@scarlettroger1508]

This is highly embarrassing. You’ve just done a complete disservice to the art of drag. Drag is stylish, beautiful and deeply personal and must be treated with the utmost respect.

[@maddi6081]

I kinda like watching these “history of” videos. They’re all just so bad.. under researched and poorly executed

[@antinachrist]

As a drag Performer and Makeup artist - this is very unprofessional. And i am not even blaming the MUAs here case just because you are a Makeupartist doesn't mean you can do drag makeup. I dont want to know how much time they had and how much you paid them. Also most of it is not historical correct. And drag kings exist too.

[@fishy9465]

As a fellow drag artist, I feel very insulted. This is just Unprofessional and truly embarrassing. Could they just get a drag queen to do it?

[@paddyc4926]

Clearly these “artists” were too lazy to do any research. I don’t mind so much that the make-up and hair was unflattering and amateurish, but there was absolutely no sense of period.

[@jw1422]

I see they chose project runway RuPaul as their reference

[@b.n1429]

I am deadddddd

[@florenciamondaca6983]

I'm soooooo pissed off, those hair and makeup (especially hair), look absolutely nothing like the photos you're showing. Literally everyone in the comments is telling you that you are doing it wrong

[@eddiePUGILIST]

Lol right?? Like the visible lace on the lace front wig XD. The point of a lace front is so the hairline doesn't show and even then, if they're going off of historical accuracy, it's highly improbable that queens in the 1950s would have access to a lace front. Other than Hollywood/ Broadway, they only became accessible in the last 10 years, if that.

[@nadiah6169]

Who recognised the Sasha Velour makeup right away? We STAN

[@MOriole449]

Sasha Velour would never step out of the house looking like that

[@nigoramamadalieva7102]

OK I’m sorry but it looks like a five-year-old did their make up but also the last one is not what drag looks like today at all

[@ekisharajendran6083]

I know! I was expecting a mug beat to the gods.. but got quite the opposite

[@brandyloutherback9288]

Allure: Gets drunk then looks at drag makeup!

[@keroroplatoon3216]

Love the sentiment of the video but y’all really should’ve collabed with actual drag queens for this, just on principle, but also because the eyebrow blocking... horrendous. Redo!

[@eraser4476]

For those who disliked because of the offense when using drag makeup wrong, thank you. For those who disliked because you hate drag and you're homophobic, get a life.

[@_Astral_Traveller_]

Omg calm down everyone is entitled to opinions, but you just need to calm down "get a life" is very rude and really you shouldn't be saying that to people because it can take tolls on ppl with bad mental health. So please just don't go around being rude to people like this it isn't right, so please calm down

[@ChrissyMariTV]

Lmfao they wrong for this 🤷🏽‍♀️😂🤘🏽🌈💯let’s do a redo Allure !!!

[@marsiimel]

I feel like yall disrespected Sasha so hard... More like yall trolled drag

[@skepchik8989]

Thanks for that embarrassment to historical drag. Can I have those minutes back please?

[@opalamrah1920]

First of all, I KNOW y’all did NOT compare that slack job to the beauty that is Crystal LaBeija!

[@Dan-B]

The makeup artist had self admittedly “never done drag makeup” If you’re going to co opt a culture Allure, at least pay it proper homage by doing it right.

[@txtbit]

yuh get in to it

[@mzfreddie]

It is painfully clear none of these men they dressed in drag saw what they looked like with the make up on until they walked off camera. Otherwise they wouldn't look so happy. Especially if they were actual drag queens.

[@tepeshie3793]

the fact that to wong fu thanks for everything julie newmar was not mentioned in this is criminal. Noxeema, Vida and Chi-Chi (though they may had been fictional drag queens) had little 6-7 year old me wanting to look like Noxeema and run around the house with feather boas and metalic lipstick.

[@the_latchie]

4:38 RuPaul sweetie I’m so sorry 😐

[@Gunkgay]

“She is bald and goes without a wig, making her dramatic makeup the focus of her look” did my dad write this

[@jennaschraut5859]

This is a really depressing representation of the artistry that is drag makeup. I don't know if they just don't give them any time? Or if it was just too out of their wheelhouse? Sad.

[@R1L3Y73]

As someone who has been a drag queen for going on 5 years... Try again :( I was so excited when I saw the video title but so disappointed in the looks. The makeup application was horrendous. Truly.

[@auroratanganelli2361]

well, even if the makeup technique is awful, I was expecting to see the 2020 decade. You cannot call a video "100 years of beauty" if you basically show just 90 years of beauty.

[@fishy9465]

They should have hired a drag queen to do it.

[@msky30001]

Y’all really disrespected my culture like that... props for effort i guess

[@angelina-pm5bf]

0:36 a man who got famous for looking like a woman releases his own beauty magazine and makeup line..... is jeffree star a reincarnation of him?

[@Xxxypher]

The reference picture for the 1940s has the best make-up in the entirety of this video. I'm a drag performer and watching this video is just embarrassing, and kind of offensive. I am gobsmacked at how poorly executed each look was. It genuinely looked like there was no care for quality and just wanted to seem on trend. If you truly want to do drag justice use drag performers with make-up artistry - that isn't hard to come by. It is clear as daylight that the make-up artists in this video are out of the depth here. Take a leaf out of Vanity Fairs book with their 100 Years of Drag. The models did a great job though.

[@lmbmua7430]

6:08 min on drugs. Delete this pls.

[@franfresher964]

Alternate title 6:24 of busted makeup.

[@silly_goose47]

That makeup ain’t it sis. It’s like they put it on in five minutes while also having no idea what they’re doing. And are we just gonna ignore the wigs?

[@avoizing]

why are all of these looks so bad... wtf is this honestly

[@hadiyah212]

Where are the drag kings?

[@carism9778]

The makeup for this is rly bad 😔

[@Ohimnotjoking]

Is there no budget this time around?

[@eddiePUGILIST]

G-G-G-Gia!

[@eggcartonej1785]

3:50 I heard the pop

[@aliciagoldsby1039]

I know Allure felt so good having all those POC on set. And I’m proud of you too, but for 100 years of drag - I probably would’ve hired professional drag queens 🤷🏾‍♀️ I’m no big time magazine exec, but oh God @ 3:39 🤦🏾‍♀️ It takes a lot to disrespect Divine yet you managed

[@ladyburst8930]

Am I the only one upset that the foundation doesnt match the rest of the body ?

[@OsagieGuobadia]

Definitely, this is exactly how American's next top Transgender model would be like. : )

[@danieltran8508]

You cannot do the ICONIC Raven’s make up for the 2010s? Clearly everyone’s having Raven’s makeup on or at least inspired by hers nowadays

[@ethan4907]

I don’t hate this video but there are a lot of things that could’ve been done differently. Firstly, maybe have a drag queen to do the makeup? For me as a queen, I find that my face is more extravagant that “normal” beauty makeup. It’s as if beauty makeup is water colours and drag makeup is acrylic paint. You can use a paintbrush on them both but you require different skills to master them both. Second, this shows a very closed view of the drag community. Men dressing up as women or more traditionally feminine. Drag was hugely influenced by things such as the club kids movement, ballroom, rupaul, and the trans community. We have so many wonderful performers that do drag so I believe that it’s very one-sided to not mention those influences in a video titled “the history of drag”. Lastly this video reminds us that somewhere in the world, it is always 5’oclock

[@marlywalalangi4637]

5:47 handsome Squidward

[@kunojaga]

Allure: saw a drag queen once, decided to make a video about drag make-up history.

[@margod51]

These foundation and brow cover jobs are like,criminal.

[@nadiah6169]

Yessss I love this series

[@puggyrach]

Ohh yessssssss !!!!!

[@puggyrach]

The should do 100 years of nails

[@En_tonadas]

IT IS AWFUL SEEING HOW HAVING SUCH AMAZING DRAG MAKEUP ARTISTS AND DRAG QUEENS IN THE WORLD TO MAKE THIS VIDEO SOMETHING WORTH WATCHING, ENDED UP HIRING PEOPLE WHO CLEARLY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT DRAG MAKEUP, BROW BLOCKING TECHNIQUES OR EVEN FINDING THE RIGHT FOUNDATION FOR EACH SKIN TONE. IF YOU WANT TO PROMOTE AND CREATE VISIBILITY FOR THE DRAG COMMUNITY AND HISTORY, YOU COULD START INVOLVING ACTUAL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO DO SO.

[@ra3_ven239]

I see where Jeffery Star got his look

[@azrasoylu3683]

waow they really used the same foundation to every person omg

[@una5788]

YES SASHA VELOUR

[@jojom9111]

Omg this was terrible they needed to bring in real drag queens with a love for the history of drag, like this looked like boys first time in drag. Drag is an art an art that regular make up artist do not know how to apply

[@MahouHomo]

Thanks, Allure, I feel better about my drag now!

[@Khensani]

wow, glad you guys thought it would be cool to just publish something on a topic you clearly don't know much about and then not getting even one actual drag queen to do the makeup

[@alihaydarcolak8534]

Sasha is really the game changer! She does nobody does and elevates the Drag to another level!

[@TightTifannyPussPuss]

looooool yall just gonna pretend like Raven's mug didnt get ripped off by every drag queen on the 2010s, trixies mug is also iconic, cause both queen's makeup has influenced the current state of drag culture

[@she-hulkim1285]

Ja’Nequa, me too lol they probably knew they couldn’t make any like hers since they completely trashed everyone else’s.

[@valentinamarino3412]

Also Valentina's

[@TightTifannyPussPuss]

@@valentinamarino3412 noo

[@indiablack4638]

I hope y’all arent proud of this mess.

[@karleighstephano2898]

1:06 The way he walked in with such presence and confidence... You know that thats a drag queen. Flawless. Her too: 1:55 i love them so much😍 edit: omg her tooooo im obsessed 2:38

[@BurginMackey]

The Pansy Craze was 1930-1933, not in the 20s. Also, Julian Eltinge was really popular in the 10s as a stage performer and just did some movies in the 20s. Literally just wrong only 10 seconds in. This is horrible drag makeup, was there any research done? Maybe ask an actual queen or drag makeup historian.

[@jonathanhoffmanjb7631]

um sasha velour won in 2017 not 2010, and the makeup is so wrong in a bunch of these.

[@smeyerson94]

Y'all really did these models dirty. This is so bad it's homophobic lmao those eyebrows are OaTmEaL hunny

[@isabela2220]

lmao i really don’t think sasha velour was the most influential queen of this century but go off

[@hamstercom23]

Name checks out.

[@LLbitty1]

No color correction or anything? Lolol can't believe they did them like that. Drag is an art form. You can't just slap on bad makeup and bad wigs on and call it drag. Unless that's your intent.