Description
Welcome to Drag Makeup 101, in which we will cover the building blocks of gender transformation makeup: your basic kit (products) needs, brow cover, colour correcting, face sculpting (contouring and highlight), eye makeup and characterization. Unlock your inner glamazon and let’s get sickening! Open to people of any genders who want to explore any gender or lack thereof.
This workshop will be hands-on! We will present material and lead by example, but students will be encouraged to work on their makeup as we lead them through the various steps and develop their skills. For this reason, the first session will cover basic products and what makes a solid basic kit. The full list will be sent in advance, but is not a mandatory purchase if you want to take this class; we can still help you understand all the fundamentals with what you have on hand.
This workshop is geared toward people who have no knowledge of drag makeup and for those who want to to perfect their basic understanding of transformative makeup. Every week we will be building on your knowledge from the previous class. We strongly suggest arriving prepared with everything you’ve learned in the previous week, so you can follow along in real time.
Teacher Bio
Uma Gahd; everybody’s favourite unofficial auntie. A Broadway babe with a penchant for classic pop culture, she has graced stages across Montreal (including Bar Le Cocktail, Cafe Cléo, Cabaret Mado, and even the illustrious Centaur Theatre!) with her high energy, high concept, and high-larious numbers and hosting!
If you haven’t seen Gahd in the flesh yet, where have you been? She is Runner up of Mx. Fierté 2018, Host and judge for Bagel Burlesque Expo 2017, 2018 and 2019, a proud geek of Burlesgeek, and she was voted #1 Drag Queen in Cult Montréal 2019, as well as Queen of Canada 2018 by werrrk.com!
Links to Uma’s work, reviews and media attention
- Facebook.com
- CBC Interview
- Instagram
- Montreal Theatre Hub Interview
- MTL Virtual Drag Show, Youtube
Workshop Breakdown
Workshop 1: Get your kit on and let’s cover those brows.
We will go over the products that we consider essential and explain how to make wise choices for your wallet. You may want to wait until after this first workshop to go purchase your full kit. We will also go over brow cover, so you don’t all need to commit and shave your brows! You will need a glue stick, setting powder or baby powder and a triangle sponge (see list of supplies).
Workshop 2: Face, face, face!
We will go over everything you need to know and understand in order to transform your face. Foundation, contouring, highlight, sculpting, etc. We suggest arriving with your brows already covered if you want to follow along in real time.
Workshop 3: The eyes are the windows to the soul.
We will go over basic eye shapes and the fundamentals of application as well as transformation. We suggest arriving with your brows covered and your foundation and contouring done.
Workshop 4: The final touch.
We will go over lips, eyelashes, highlighter, glitter and setting spray. These final touches will bring your look to the next level. We recommend arriving with your brows covered, your foundation and contouring done and with your eyes complete as well.
Materials
The following is a list of recommended tools for your makeup bag to ensure you get the most out of the workshop.
Face:
Foundation – Cream, or liquid FULL COVERAGE foundation (Kryolan, Ben Nye, Maybelline, Juvia’s Place, etc.)
- Base foundation that matches your overall skin tone.
- Highlight shade. This can be any shade that is around 3 shades lighter than your base, or white for fair skin.
- Contour shade. A foundation that is at least 3 shades darker than your base.
Brow Cover – We will be using glue stick. Eylmer’s Purple-to-Clear stick is the standard. We will also be discussing wax, spirit gum, and other coverage techniques.
Blush – Saturated or buildable colours. Eyeshadows can double as blush.
Powders – Setting powders for face. (Ben Nye, Coty Airspun, etc.)
- Translucent setting powder. Colourless and used over all makeup.
Adjust for your skin tone; white for fair skin, or a shade three tones lighter for darker skin ( Banana Powder for complexions with yellow undertones, or perhaps something more orange). Used for creating a base for colours and some fine highlighting.
- Contour. A shade matching your contour cream foundation. This one can usually be a matte powder foundation; choose a cool-toned shade, darker than your skin tone. Avoid orange-toned or shimmery bronzers.
Eyes:
Eyeshadow – Any shade(s) you like. Preselected palettes are often easily blendable and take out some guesswork. When in doubt go with shades of brown and black. A good quality black eyeshadow is a MUST. (Consider Juvia’s Place, James Charles, ColourPop!, Nyx, or ELF, etc.)
Eyeliner – Depending on the shapes you would like to create, you can choose the type of eyeliner; pencil, cream, liquid, pen, etc. Detailed designs or sharp wings require liquid or pen. Black eyeliner is the most versatile. (Nyx, KVD Beauty, ELF, etc.)
Mascara – Any black mascara will work. Don’t get too caught up in the special attributes. Just get a black one.
Lashes – “Beauty Lashes” that you purchase at the pharmacy do not usually work as drag top-lashes. Long, full, or “stacked” 301 lashes are classic, but you can shop around for a preferred style. “Beauty lashes” can be appropriate for a bottom lash.
Lash Glue – Any glue works. Take note of latex content if you have an allergy. Also note if you are purchasing a glue that dries black, or clear. I find clear is more versatile.
Lips:
Lipstick – Any shade that you like. It should emphasize your mouth, so shades that resemble too closely your base foundation should be avoided for now. Matte formulas are usually easier to work with. Liquid lipsticks are an excellent choice, but any lipstick can work well (Nyx Liquid Lipstick, Maybelline, MAC, etc.)
Lipliner – A shade that matches your lipstick exactly or is two or three shades darker. Many lipsticks have a matching shade, but you are free to mix and match brands.
Tools:
Beauty Blender – A very dense sponge that is usually used damp to spread and blend foundations.
Brush Kit – A variety of brushes is useful, but some basics to keep in mind are; Blush brush, loose powder brush or large powder puff, contour powder brush, colour packing brush, pencil shadow brush, fluffy blending brush (one for dark shades and one for light is useful), fine angle brush, lip/concealer brush, larger concealer brush, fan brush for highlighter.
Triangle sponges – These are a useful alternative for beauty blenders, but are a bit harder to use. They are used for brow cover and beard cover.
Optional products:
Fair Powder – This is a useful transitional colour when fine tuning some styles of contouring, for blending areas where a paler highlight meets a base foundation colour, etc. (If you have a darker skin tone, look for a powder that is somewhere between your lightest highlight shade and your base shade. If your lightest highlight shade isn’t particularly far from your foundation, as may be the case with Banana Powder for example, consider buying an even lighter shade to use as a peak highlight, rather than as a transitional shade.)
Highlighter – These popular “shiny/shimmery” face powders or liquids are used to reflect light and add dimension to the face. They are a nice finishing touch, but are not necessary.
Beard Cover – Used to conceal the darkness of beard hair under foundation (this is mostly needed if your skin tone is very fair and you have dark hairs. Darker skin tones and people with light hair might not need beard cover. You can also decide to rock your pilosity!), you can use any liquid or cream product that is an orange, peach, or salmon colour. Matte lipstick, cream eyeshadow or blush, etc.
Glitter/Glitter Base – Makeup grade glitter, and a specialty base adds a fabulous element to your makeup. Do not use craft glitter, and buy biodegradable glitter when possible.
Setting Spray – Helps fix your makeup so it lasts longer.
Primer – this can help your foundation stick better and can help balance out your skin type issues (oily, dry, large pores, etc.).[:fr]The following is a list of recommended tools for your makeup bag to ensure you get the most out of the workshop.
Beauty Blender – A very dense sponge that is usually used damp to spread and blend foundations.
Brush Kit – A variety of brushes is useful, but some basics to keep in mind are; Blush brush, loose powder brush or large powder puff, contour powder brush, colour packing brush, pencil shadow brush, fluffy blending brush (one for dark shades and one for light is useful), fine angle brush, lip/concealer brush, larger concealer brush, fan brush for highlighter.
Triangle sponges – These are a useful alternative for beauty blenders, but are a bit harder to use. They are used for brow cover and beard cover.
Optional products:
Fair Powder – This is a useful transitional colour when fine tuning some styles of contouring, for blending areas where a white highlight meets a base foundation colour, etc. (If you have a darker skin tone, look for a powder that is somewhere between your lightest highlight shade and your base shade. If your lightest highlight shade isn’t particularly far from your foundation, as may be the case with Banana Powder for example, consider buying an even lighter shade to use as a peak highlight, rather than as a transitional shade.)
Highlighter – These popular “shiny/shimmery” face powders or liquids are used to reflect light and add dimension to the face. They are a nice finishing touch, but are not necessary.
Beard Cover – Used to conceal the darkness of beard hair under foundation, you can use any liquid or cream product that is an orange, peach, or salmon colour. Matte lipstick, cream eyeshadow or blush, etc.
Glitter/Glitter Base – Makeup grade glitter, and a specialty base adds a fabulous element to your makeup. Do not use craft glitter, and buy biodegradable glitter when possible.
Setting Spray – Helps fix your makeup so it lasts longer.
Primer – this can help your foundation stick better and can help balance out your skin type issues (oily, dry, large pores, etc.)
