Rayne: Honestly, it’s like a war paint you put on. I put this on and no one can tell me nothing. I know I look gorgeous.
Maximo Xtravaganza (dancer): Makeup makes me feel powerful because it allows me to express how I feel inside.
Xana Whoria: I feel most comfortable and powerful in my makeup. Putting it on makes me feel like the best version of myself.
Robin Fierce: Makeup is freedom. Freedom to express. Freedom to create. An escape that can be kinda magical. But it’s also kinda like a home where you can just be you.
Plasma: It feels like I’m putting on my hero costume, my super suit. It’s not a defense mechanism, [though]… it’s more about unleashing your inner potential once you get rid of your outer insecurity.
Photography by Flavia Daniele
Photography by Flavia Daniele
What’s your favorite part of the makeup process?
Briar Blush: I love doing my eyes. I think eyes are the windows to the soul.
Indigo Inferno: My lips. Lipstick is my last step and it brings everything together. I always love a nineties nude lip with a dark liner.
Daniella Darling: I’m a lips girl. Even if I have no makeup on, I still like to have a red lip. Every time I put the lip on, I feel like everything comes together and I’m ready to go.
Sunday: My favorite step is always [to put in] contacts. I love how contacts can really transform a look.
Rify Royalty: It would have to be my eyebrows.
Shia Ho: Playing with lights and darks to create shadows and highlights to change the way my face looks with makeup. Being able to transform your face with makeup is really exciting for me.
Digna: I would say lashes. Because once you get the lashes on, you just feel like you’re that girl.
What was your makeup inspiration for today?
Atomic Annie: I went with sort of a ’60s mod vibe.
Jazzmint Dash: A pickle. Surprise!
Lemon: I wanted to look like a deliciously sexy baby who’s just come fresh out of the womb. I’m dripping and dewy.
Dev doee: When I started to think about red, I thought of roses and blood.