What is Drag?
Drag performance is a huge part of modern culture, and it has so many overlaps with cosplay, makeup, lenses, and horror, meaning that it’s the perfect concept to look at for our Halloween ideas!
The term Drag refers to any exaggerated gender expression. This can be exaggerated femininity or exaggerated masculinity, but essentially, it just involves playing with how you express yourself, just like any makeup does! First used in the 1870s to describe male actors playing female characters, the concept of Drag evolved over time, blossoming in the 1920s with the emergence of Vaudeville theatre, which allowed the performers to express themselves with big, exaggerated features that could be seen even from the back row.
Throughout the prohibition era and the Second World War, Drag flourished in secret, and with the start of the 70s and 80s, it finally began to make its way into mainstream pop culture; think Rocky Horror Picture Show, RuPaul, and more!
Not only is Drag makeup a fun way of playing with characters and self-expression, but it’s also become a huge pillar of culture, saturating every aspect of life. In the makeup world, for instance, Drag artists are often the first to inspire new trends: just look at the cut crease and contouring crazes of the 2010s!
But how does Drag relate to Halloween? And can everyone create a satisfying Drag look this spooky season?
Drag Halloween
The link between horror and Drag has always been strong, with campy horror movies like The Rocky Horror Picture Show gaining huge cult followings over time.
Just like Drag, Spooky Season is all about having fun with makeup, outfits, and the way you express yourself. So why not go the whole way, and exaggerate your Halloween makeup even more this year, taking inspiration from gorgeous Drag looks to create an otherworldly, stunning costume?
Take a classic film character like Dracula: with a little gaunt contouring, an overlined black lip, and our Vampire Red Lenses, you’ll have the perfect exaggerated vampire look to stun everyone you meet!
Want more Drag ideas? Check out these two stunning looks from @callicoquette for the perfect inspiration!
Frankenstein Bride
This gorgeous Frankenstein Bride look is bound to be timeless! Based on the 1935 film ‘The Bride of Frankenstein’, this concept is nothing if not perfectly spooky. Though this tried-and-true look is a Halloween classic, this Drag design (art by @callicoquette) gives it new life. The exaggerated makeup, hair, and outfit have all the trappings of an eerie Halloween dress-up, plus a little extra sparkle. @callicoquette chose to pair this look with our new UV Green Cosplay Lenses. With their marbled effect, glowing pigment, and small pupil holes, these lenses are the perfect terrifying accessory for this look!
Frankenstein Bride Tutorial
So, how does @callicoquette do it? Well…
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First, she starts with a base of block green, contouring on top with white paint. This is something anyone can do, so get painting!
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Calli then uses powder to set her base, so that the look can last all Halloween long.
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Next, the details! Using different sizes of brushes, Calli sketches out the wide, jagged design of the eyeshadow, extending the eyes so that they look larger and elongated.
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Calli’s eye design is a mix of whites, blacks, greens, and purples. This is perfect for the Hollywood Frankenbride look, but you can always switch up your own character, using other colors for an individual Drag look.
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Use smaller brushes for details, or try out one of our Paintglow Makeup Sticks, as Calli is doing, to get precision in your makeup!
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Once you’ve added shadow and liner to your heart’s content, it’s time for the finishing touches- lips, lashes, and lenses!
And voila- the perfect Drag Halloween look! Just look at how gorgeous @callicoquette’s makeup looks with the addition of the wig and the outfit. Absolutely petrifying- and made even better under UV light. Our Cosplay UV Lenses have never looked better!
Cannibal
If you’re not a fan of old-time classics and prefer gory horror, there’s no need to fear- @callicoquette has another Drag look perfect for you! This cannibal concept is ideal for fans of bloody SFX styles. If you want to go all out this Halloween, this is the look for you. Alongside the sprays of blood and life-like faces, Calli chose to use an asymmetrical lens look, pairing one of our Red Mini Sclera Lenses with one of our Reaper White Lenses. This gives the cannibal a spooky, bloodshot look that would be just as perfect for a zombie or vampire costume.
Cannibal Tutorial
Here is Calli’s process for the cannibal look, step by step:
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Starting with a neutral, contoured base, Calli applies powder over everything to set the look.
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From here, it’s time to sketch out the patterns of your look. Calli elongates the eyes with large triangles, using our Red Mehron Paradise Paint to paint the red lines. Use different sizes of brushes to fill in the gaps, and keep shading until you’ve got the desired effect.
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Just like with the Frankenstein Bride look, we now want to go in with more detail. Use smaller brushes to add fine lines and eyeliner.
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Calli takes some time to go back over the base, using a deep red color to contour her face, and foundation to cut a dramatic line under her cheekbones.
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Next, it’s time for the finishing touches! Lips, lashes, lenses, and this time… fake blood! @callicoquette uses our Paintglow SFX Fake Blood, spreading it abundantly around the face with her fingers. This gives a blood-splattered, messy effect that’s perfect for a gory look!
And here is the final look! We’re obsessed with the dramatic asymmetry of the makeup, and with the blood-splatter effect of our lenses. Paired with a terrifyingly gory outfit and leather accessories, this Drag Cannibal look is one for the books. Want to see more of Calli’s Halloween looks? Check out our socials this spooky season for more peeks behind the curtain!
So, we hope that this blog has given you some new ideas for a Halloween look that’s out of this world! Why do the usual drab ghost looks when you can elevate any makeup to the next level, and create a Drag masterpiece that everyone will be obsessed with?
If you want to check out more of our affiliates and their Halloween looks, take a peek at our Affiliate Gallery, full of top-notch content and inspiration.
And if you create your own Drag Halloween look, be sure to tag us @colouredcontacts. We’re so excited to see what you create this spooky season!
![Red Mini Sclera [Darth Maul] | @sallyquinncreations](https://cdn.colouredcontacts.com/prod/cache/sylius_shop_product_original/sylius/2f/7b/c1c6ab294224c94907138f9f91a1.png)
