We’ve RuPaul’s Drag Race seasons, not only from queens who portray accurate femme-presenting illusions but also from queens who turn themselves into larger-than-life creatures. Because beauty and drag standards are subjective, so is what these artists do with makeup.
The best makeup queens on Drag Race come from many different styles, either having pieces of art on their faces or presenting themselves so beautifully that they impact the mainstream world of makeup. Because it is impossible to rank such different styles of drag against one another, this list simply celebrates the ten best Drag Race queens who represent the very best makeup artists of the franchise.
ACID BETTY
It didn’t take very long for Drag Race fans to realize just how talented Acid Betty was on season 8. The queen already came to the show with a pretty significant reputation built in Brooklyn, and she certainly did not disappoint when it came to looks and makeup skills.
Even many years after season 8 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Acid Betty is still ed as one of the most inventive makeup queens of the franchise. Her work after the show has certainly contributed to that reputation as well, as a quick scroll on Betty’s Instagram reveals how consistently creative the queen is able to be with her face.
BLU HYDRANGEA
Certain fans have yet to catch up to RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, but it is safe to say that most people are already quite familiar with Blu Hydrangea, the queen from Northern Ireland. While the drag scene in the U.K. is often described as not being very looks-oriented, Blu undoubtedly definitely broke through on Drag Race due to her incredible makeup skills.
In hindsight, it is possible that Blu Hydrangea will be most ed for her one-eyed look on Drag Race UK season 1. However, the queen did slay the runway all season long with great makeup skills and a charisma that is very unique to her.
NINA FLOWERS
Season 1 contestant Nina Flowers is the original Drag Race queen who showcased creative makeup skills on the show that went beyond the female illusion. Given that Nina landed as the runner-up of the season, it was pretty clear that the show would be open to more queens who took these chances in the future.
During her time on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 1, Nina Flowers was able to showcase her out-of-the-box makeup work even more, clearly spreading her influence, given that the show had then moved on to crowning someone like Sharon Needles as the winner of season 4.
ROXXXY ANDREWS
She may have struggled with certain challenges on season 5 and All Stars 2, but make no mistake: Roxxxy Andrews is highly regarded by her peers as absolute drag excellence.
Even during her original season, it was pretty clear that Roxxxy took drag very seriously and was an incredibly skilled makeup artist and female illusionist. After all, she won the first challenge (turning pieces from a dumpster into glamorous drag) and the makeover challenge. On All Stars 2 (and beyond), the glow-up just kept getting brighter and brighter. Before and after her time on Drag Race, Roxxxy Andrews is still a fan of competing for drag titles such as Miss Continental.
MISS FAME
Miss Fame’s brand is excellence, and it really shows. Over the course of many years since Drag Race season 7 aired, Miss Fame has been on a constant upswing in her career, and it is largely due to her incredible makeup skills that have translated into the world of mainstream fashion.
Miss Fame is constantly spotted at New York Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week, and the likes. What’s more, the queen’s work has been featured on huge publications such as Harper’s Bazaar Singapore and Vogue Portugal (to name a few). In turn, all of Miss Fame’s achievements in the world of fashion design, modeling, and makeup have come together for the queen’s very own makeup line, called Miss Fame Beauty.
NINA BO’NINA BROWN
Season 9 of Drag Race was, unfortunately, a very weird journey for Nina Bo’Nina Brown. The queen constantly got in her head, making her feel less-than and preventing her personality and talents to shine through. However, one thing did become clear from what Nina gave us on season 9: she was an incredible illusionist who could pull off not only femme-presenting looks, but also resemble animals, fruits, and just about anything else you can think of.
Even if certain RuPaul’s Drag Race fans didn’t love Nina Bo’Nina Brown on the show, there is a virtually unanimous consensus that the queen is a very talented makeup artist who can do things most other drag performers couldn’t pull off.
RAJA
From the very first episode of season 3, it was pretty clear that there was something special and elevated about Raja. Overall, the queen was mostly known for her fashion sense and creativity during Drag Race. However, it just so happens that Raja’s forte is makeup, even if that wasn’t necessarily in the spotlight on the show.
Raja worked for years as a makeup artist in Los Angeles, which included being on Adam Lambert’s glam squad for many years while he toured around the world. After Drag Race, Raja kept delivering iconic looks and being a hardworking makeup professional in the scene.
Ultimately, this queen’s repertoire and great eye for fashion and makeup landed her on the World of Wonder web series Fashion Photo RuView, where she (alongside Raven) critiques looks from runways, social media, and Drag Race episodes.
TRIXIE MATTEL
Trixie Mattel came to mainstream consciousness on season 7 of Drag Race, which was known for having a significant number of queens who looked very objectively pretty as femme-presenting personas. In turn, Trixie’s outrageous makeup style came off a little off-putting that year, despite the fact that she was the contestant who was actually trying something different.
Over the years, Trixie Mattel has certainly gained many followers and a lot of praise for having an iconic and instantly-recognizable makeup style. She is currently one of the most successful queens to have ever been on Drag Race, headlining several solo tours around the world and even launching her very own makeup line, Trixie Cosmetics.
KIM CHI
If season 7 of Drag Race taught the producers anything, is that fans were craving interesting characters–not just pretty girls. On season 8, along came Kim Chi, a shy Korean-American queen who was terrible at dancing but fantastic at makeup.
In many ways, Kim Chi symbolizes the best that there is when it comes to out-of-the-box makeup looks on Drag Race. Unlike most of her peers, Kim is not trying to present herself as female, nor as a scary monster to look at. Instead, Kim Chi is often described as a walking work of art, with makeup looks that truly belong in a museum. Recently, Kim Chi also launched her own makeup brand, which is called KimChi Chic Beauty.
RAVEN
The entire ranking on this list is certainly subjective and open for discussion, but RuPaul’s makeup for years) praised Raven’s work.
By the time season 9 came around and Mathu had to step away from his responsibilities to do Ru’s face, Raven was brought in for the task. Currently, the queen is still responsible for RuPaul’s makeup. With so many achievements and praises from Drag Race insiders and peers, Raven certainly seems to be the queen with the best makeup skills and the most consistent and longstanding body of work in the entire franchise.