The Best of Alexis Michelle: Glam Drag Makeup Transformations
Explore Alexis Michelle's most unforgettable drag makeup tutorials, featuring jaw-dropping transformations, insider secrets, and beauty inspiration.
Few queens command a makeup brush—or a camera—like Alexis Michelle. Known for her spellbinding drag artistry and captivating presence on RuPaul’s Drag Race and beyond, Alexis truly shines in her appearances on Cosmopolitan’s Cosmo Queens series. This article delves into Alexis Michelle’s most stunning on-screen makeup transformations, from an uncanny Kris Jenner metamorphosis to her fiercely glamorous red-haired persona. We’ll break down each look step-by-step, highlight the creativity and precision behind her process, and share tips that fans and aspiring queens can use to level up their own glam routines.
Get ready to be inspired by Alexis’s transformative techniques, signature style, and the pure artistry that defines every lewk. Whether you want to recreate her smokey eyes, flawlessly sculpted brows, or dazzling contour, we’ve got every detail covered right here.
Meet Alexis Michelle & Cosmo Queens
Alexis Michelle is a celebrated drag performer, famous for her polished aesthetic, Broadway-worthy stage presence, and a flair for reinvention. Her appearances on Cosmo Queens—Cosmopolitan’s digital makeover series—showcase her top glam moments and bring viewers into her creative process. Each tutorial dissects the artistry of drag makeup and demonstrates just how far talent and personality can go in shaping an unforgettable character.
Whether you’re a makeup beginner, a seasoned artist, or simply love watching bold transformations, Alexis’s Cosmo Queens features are packed with lessons, laughter, and pure glam inspiration.
Iconic Transformation #1: The Kris Jenner Glam
There’s no mistaking the influence of pop culture’s premier momager, and in one of her most memorable makeovers, Alexis Michelle channels Kris Jenner in a tribute that’s equal parts parody, homage, and high-production beauty wizardry.
Let’s break down how Alexis brings Kris’s signature look to stunning life:
- Brow Blocking: The starting point is crucial. Alexis first glues down her natural eyebrows, a staple drag technique that provides a blank canvas for reshaping brows and creating entirely new expressions. After ensuring the brow hairs are flat and secure, she sets them with translucent powder for a budge-proof base.
- Complexion Perfection: Next comes the foundation, concealer, and powder. Alexis goes for high coverage to conceal any textural differences and create a flawless, TV-ready skin finish. A sculpted contour follows, giving structure to the cheekbones and jawline, mirroring Kris’s sharp features.
- Eye Drama: Alexis crafts a classic smokey eye using brown and black eyeshadows, focusing the depth along the upper and lower lash lines. She tops the look with a precise, winged black liner and adds drama to the lashes for ultimate TV-glam realness.
- Fake the Face: Drawing on lifelike arched faux brows helps complete the facial resemblance to Kris. The transformation is all about the details—right down to cheeky highlight and controlled blush.
- The Power Wig: No Kris Jenner look is complete without the iconic pixie-cut wig.
With the finishing touches applied, Alexis emerges as Kris’s near-perfect double, reminding us not just of the power of makeup, but of the art of character creation through transformation.
Step-by-Step: How to Get the Kris Jenner Drag Look
- Begin with Brow Coverage: Use a strong glue stick to fully flatten your brows. Layer with translucent setting powder for a smooth canvas.
- Apply Foundation and Concealer: Opt for a full-coverage foundation to even out your complexion. Use concealer strategically to brighten under the eyes and any high points on the face.
- Contour and Powder: Sculpt the face using cool-toned contour beneath the cheekbones, the jawline, and around the nose.
- Craft a Smokey Eye: Blend brown shadows into the crease and outer corners, deepen with black along the lash line and smoke outward. Add black eyeliner with a subtle wing.
- Add Faux Brows: Draw on crisp, arched brows using a pencil or pomade, referencing Kris Jenner’s iconic shape.
- Lashes and Finishing Touches: Affix dramatic false lashes, buff on blush, highlight, and put on a nude lipstick. Top with the trademark Kris Jenner pixie-cut wig.
Transformation #2: Sultry Red Wig & Bold Beauty
For her second showstopping look, Alexis Michelle shifts gears for a glamorous character defined by a fiery red wig and bold, feminine features. This transformation is a lesson in confidence, edge, and theatrical beauty.
- Fresh Face, Same Essentials: Alexis starts once again by glueing down brows and applying foundation, concealer, cream contour, and powder. This routine sets the perfect base for any drag transformation.
- Sleek Faux Brows: Instead of arched, momager brows, she shapes her faux brows to create a dramatic yet soft look—instantly giving her face a new personality.
- Eye Pop: For the eyes, Alexis applies soft red in the crease, blending with a light brown hue over the lids for dimension. Her sharp, winged liner adds a cat-eye effect that exaggerates the eye shape beautifully.
- Lash & Lip Game: Lush falsies deliver instant drama, while a combination of neutral liquid lipstick and gloss keeps the lips full yet understated.
The overall mood is bombshell meets editorial chic, sealed with a sensual red wig that frames the look and turns heads.
How to Recreate Alexis’s Red Wig Glam
- Prep the Brow Area: Glue down and set the brows before applying cream products.
- Flawless Canvas: Even out the complexion with full-coverage foundation, highlight high points, and sculpt with creams and powders.
- Brow Redefinition: Paint on faux brows to suit your desired character and balance facial proportions.
- Red and Brown Eye Glam: Use soft, warm reds for the crease and blend a gentle brown on the lid. Sharpen with black liner.
- Finishing Details: Attach dramatic strip lashes, sweep on blush, finish lips with nude hues and gloss, and crown the look with a luxurious red wig.
Essential Drag Makeup Techniques
Watching Alexis Michelle perform her makeup artistry unveils the core skills every drag queen builds into their routine. Whether you’re going for over-the-top glam or something more wearable, her process reveals pro secrets:
- Brow Concealment—Key for changing your face shape and granting creative freedom with new brow placements.
- Cream Contour and Layering—A multi-dimensional contour delivers high-impact results, especially under theatrical lighting.
- Precise Winged Liner—Defines the eyes and lengthens their appearance; practice makes perfect!
- Strategic Use of Color—Combining warm and cool shadows produces complex, camera-ready looks.
- Lash Application—Dramatic falsies are a drag must for instant glamour and expression.
- Wig Styling—A flawless wig completes any transformation and signals the finished character.
What others are reading
Professional Tips from Alexis Michelle
- Always set creams and liquids with powder to prevent movement—especially crucial for long shoots or stage performances.
- Don’t stress perfection on the first try: blending and layering are your friends in both eyeshadow and complexion products.
- Reference photos help immensely when recreating celebrity looks, ensuring brows, eyes, and lips match the iconic style you’re after.
- Use white eyeliner in the waterline to open the eyes and create instant doll-like impact.
- For character makeup, exaggerate features such as brows, lips, and cheeks for the stage or camera. Subtlety is lost in the lights!
Influences & The Cosmo Glam Team
Cosmo Queens—produced by the editorial team at Cosmopolitan—provides a platform for legendary transformation artists. Alexis Michelle’s series is championed by Megan Uy, Cosmopolitan’s associate shopping editor. Megan’s keen eye for trendsetting, combined with her behind-the-scenes knowledge of makeup and drag, helps shape these iconic tutorials. She curates each look with intention, blending fun with education so every episode inspires and informs across audience skill levels.
Beyond makeup, Megan and the Cosmo Queens team highlight the importance of self-expression, confidence, and creativity—values central to the drag community and contemporary beauty culture. They encourage viewers to celebrate their individuality, experiment with new styles, and approach beauty with joy and imagination.
Bonus: Drag Families & Creative Collaborations
Drag is a community affair, and Alexis Michelle’s artistry often intersects with other beloved queens. One such collaboration featured her alongside Jan Sport, her drag daughter, for a double-feature tutorial where both showcased wildly different interpretations of beauty.
Jan Sport’s Vivid Look: In their special, Jan made a splash with an all-purple transformation, complete with purple foundation, brows, and over-the-top contour. Black pigment deepened her features, showing how unconventional colors can make for striking, editorial effects. Together, Alexis and Jan prove the boundless creativity within drag makeup, reinforcing that there’s truly no such thing as too bold or too experimental.
Cosmopolitan Video Highlights
- Issa Rae Plays Cosmo’s Cheap Shots
- The Special Stitch Braid Masterpiece
- Nicki Minaj’s Iconic Braids: How-To
- Bubble Braids with Seashell Accents
- Halle Bailey-Inspired Loc Ponytail
- Madison Bailey: The 411
- Jumbo Invisible Locs Tutorial
- Triangle Butterfly Braids
These videos, alongside Alexis Michelle’s features, keep Cosmopolitan at the cutting edge of both hair and makeup trends, serving up endless inspiration for beauty lovers everywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What are Alexis Michelle’s must-have products for drag makeup?
A: Alexis relies on high-coverage foundation, strong brow glue, cream contour, and dramatic false lashes. She emphasizes the importance of setting powders and finishing sprays for makeup that lasts all night.
Q: What’s the secret to blocking eyebrows for drag?
A: The secret is layering: build up multiple coats of glue, smoothing each one flat and powdering in between. This creates a flat surface ready for foundation and new brows.
Q: How do you recreate celebrity drag looks?
A: Use reference images to match key features like brows, lips, and hair shape. Exaggerate these details and lean into character traits for a heightened, theatrical effect.
Q: Which eye makeup tricks can beginners try from Alexis’s tutorials?
A: Beginners can benefit from practicing smokey eyes with brown and black shadows, learning to blend with patience, and developing a steady hand for winged liner.
Q: Why is wig styling important for drag?
A: A well-styled wig frames and elevates the overall look, enhances the illusion, and brings the character’s personality to life. For transformations like Alexis’s Kris Jenner or red-wig glam, the wig is the final, unifying detail.
Get the Look: At-Home Drag Makeup Checklist
- Glue stick and translucent powder (for brow blocking)
- Full-coverage foundation and concealer
- Cream and powder contour/highlight
- Neutral and bold eyeshadow palettes (including browns, reds, blacks)
- Black liquid/gel eyeliner
- False lashes and lash glue
- Brow pencil/pomade for faux brows
- Natural and bold lip colors
- Makeup setting spray
- Pixie and/or statement wig
The Alexis Michelle Takeaway
Whether you’re aiming to impersonate a celebrity or dream up your own statement moment, Alexis Michelle’s drag makeup transformations are a masterclass in confidence, detail, and artistry. Her approach to beauty—equal parts technical skill and fearless creativity—reminds us that great makeup is more than just product application; it’s storytelling, celebration, and joyous self-expression.
References
- https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/a34729068/best-of-alexis-michelle-cosmo/
- https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/a34316344/alexis-michelle-jan-sport-makeup-transformation-cosmo-queens/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fM_DtSfJT0
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_Ybw5ILylA
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xAHtZzpkHE
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EplxDrfqMRk
- https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7wqdth
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