Inside Ruby Fox’s Jaw-Dropping Drag Makeup Transformation
Discover Ruby Fox’s meticulous drag makeup routine and her self-made approach to creating show-stopping, transformative looks.
Ruby Fox, a renowned New York drag performer and beauty creative, showcased her full drag makeup process in Cosmopolitan’s iconic Cosmo Queens series. Famous for her self-taught artistry and all-encompassing DIY approach, Ruby’s looks are as technically impressive as they are personally expressive. Join us as we break down every transformative step of her routine, explore her unique beauty philosophy, and share insights from behind the scenes in the world of drag.
Meet Ruby Fox: The Visionary Behind the Brush
Ruby Fox emerged from New York’s drag scene as a multi-talented force—equally skilled in makeup artistry, costume design, and hair styling. She’s lauded for her ability to dream up elaborate personas and then fully realize them through painstaking technique and strong creative vision. Beyond her drag, Ruby is a designer and musician, embodying the ultimate spirit of DIY. For her, every aspect of drag—makeup, fashion, performance—is a complete self-made art form.
- Self-Taught Artist: Ruby mastered makeup techniques on her own, constantly experimenting until she could create hyper-expressive looks that grab attention.
- DIY Ethic: Every garment, wig, and mix she uses is handcrafted, resulting in a drag character that’s utterly unique and deeply personal.
- Creative Influences: Ruby draws inspiration from pop culture icons, strong women protagonists, retro glamour, and the powerful figures she admired growing up.
The Ultimate Step-by-Step Drag Makeup Transformation
Ruby’s routine isn’t just about looking glamorous—it’s about creating a transformation so complete that she becomes another character entirely. Here’s her full drag makeup tutorial, step-by-step:
1. Skin Preparation and Base Magic
Every showstopping look begins with the canvas. Ruby dedicates time to prepping her skin, ensuring it’s clean and hydrated—a must for makeup longevity and blendability.
- Moisturization: A generous layer of moisturizer sets the groundwork for even makeup application.
- Primer: A primer blurs the skin and helps foundation adhere smoothly, critical for supporting the heavy, high-performance products in drag makeup.
- Blocking Brows: Drag transformations often start with flattening out the natural brow. Ruby applies glue or brow wax, brushing hairs perfectly flat, then reinforcing with powder to create a blank canvas.
2. Contouring & Sculpting: Reshaping the Face
Contouring is key in drag—faces are redefined, cheekbones are carved, and features are exaggerated to read powerfully on stage and in photos.
- Highlight and Shadow: Ruby maps out light and shadow with cream and powder products, dramatically lightening the high points (forehead, under the eyes, center of the nose) and deepening the hollows (cheekbones, jawline, temples).
- Sculpted Nose: She sharpens her nose contour to create unreal dimension, a drag signature that photographs beautifully and survives stage lighting.
3. Brows: Creating the Perfect Expression
With natural brows hidden, Ruby draws on bold, upward-arched brows for maximum impact:
- Mapping: She sketches out new brows higher than her real ones, giving her more lid space and a lifted, dramatic look.
- Precision: A fine-tipped pencil or pomade delivers sharp edges and expressive points. Setting with powder ensures budge-proof brows.
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4. Eye Drama: Lids, Liner, and Lashes
Drag eye makeup is about intensity and illusion. Ruby employs a mix of classic drag tricks and creative flourishes:
- Cut Crease Artistry: To enlarge the eyes, she shades the socket line deeply and cleans up the lid area with concealer, creating surreal depth.
- Eyeliner: A sharp, exaggerated wing stretches out toward the temples, instantly pulling the face upward and outward.
- Eye Shadow: Ruby applies vibrant, contrasting colors across her lids and under her eyes for a multi-dimensional, stage-worthy finish.
- Layered Lashes: Multiple sets of false lashes (sometimes stacked both above and below the eye) complete the illusion, making her eyes gigantic and doll-like.
5. Painting the Rest: Blush, Lips, and Glow
- Blush: Ruby blends bold blush high up on her cheekbones, a drag twist on classic beauty that reads fresh and youthful under lights.
- Lip Crafting: For lips, Ruby overdraws to create a full, animated mouth. She picks rich, high-impact hues and finishes with gloss or metallics for added drama.
- Highlighter: The strategic placement of shimmer on the cheekbones, nose, and browbones brings dimension and an ethereal, photo-ready glow.
6. Setting It All In Place
- Powdering: Generous powder application ensures the makeup won’t move, no matter how intense the performance.
- Finishing Spray: A mist locks in every layer, guaranteeing long wear from the first photo to the final curtain call.
Ruby Fox’s DIY Philosophy: More Than Just Makeup
To Ruby, drag isn’t just about the transformation—it’s about ownership. She insists on making her entire drag self from scratch, ensuring her images remain singular and unmistakably her own.
- Sewing Her Own Costumes: Ruby’s workshop is filled with fabrics and notions as she crafts original outfits for each performance or shoot.
- Custom Hair Styling: Every wig is cut, styled, and maintained by Ruby herself—matching the vibe of her makeup designs.
- Music and Mixes: Ruby often edits her own show mixes and has even begun writing and co-producing her own music for performances, showcasing her multi-faceted creativity.
The Importance of Authenticity
Ruby’s rejection of generic, “one-size-fits-all” drag speaks to her fiercely independent streak. She believes that drag should represent your point of view—not just trends or other people’s expectations.
- Vision-Driven Persona: Each of Ruby’s characters is infused with her distinctive humor, attitude, and perspective.
- Never Limiting Herself: Inspired by strong female icons and her own cosmopolitan upbringing, Ruby’s practice is to never impose creative boundaries.
Cosmo Queens: Celebrating Individuality Through Makeup
Cosmo Queens, Cosmopolitan’s famous video series, spotlights drag performers like Ruby Fox, providing them with a platform to share their stories, techniques, and vision with a wider audience. Each episode functions as both a tutorial and an artistic manifesto, affirming that beauty has no single standard or limit.
- Viewers see not just the application of makeup, but the creation of character, confidence, and artistry.
- The series encourages everyone, regardless of skill level, to experiment and find what makes them feel powerful, glamorous, and authentic.
Tips for Your Own Drag Makeup Journey
Inspired by Ruby Fox? Here’s what you need to know to start experimenting with drag makeup or push your current skills to the next level:
- Invest in Good Tools: Quality brushes, sponges, and products make intricate blending easier and your work more precise.
- Don’t Rush: Complex looks take time, but soaking in the process is part of the fun—and every mistake is a learning opportunity.
- Embrace Experimentation: Try colors and shapes you’d never consider for everyday makeup. Drag thrives on risk-taking.
- Watch Tutorials: Platforms like Cosmo Queens are full of tips, and watching others’ techniques will boost your skills.
- Protect Your Skin: With heavy makeup and removals, a solid skin-care routine is crucial. Cleanse thoroughly and moisturize after every show.
- Celebrate Your Own Vision: Like Ruby, make your looks an extension of yourself—not just copies of current trends.
Fascinating Facts About Drag Makeup and Performance
- Transformation Power: Drag makeup often involves blocking brows, using prosthetics, or reshaping features to create a completely new persona.
- Layering: It’s not unusual for professional queens to use several layers of foundation, contour, and powder for maximum longevity under hot stage lights.
- Battle-Tested Tips: Many queens, including Ruby, have learned the value of setting sprays and adhesives for making makeup sweat-proof and tear-resistant.
- Personal Rituals: Ruby sometimes does her makeup early in the day so she can nap with her face still intact, a strategy for surviving long gigs and hectic schedules.
FAQs: Everything You’ve Wanted to Know About Ruby Fox’s Artistry
How long does Ruby Fox’s makeup look usually take from start to finish?
Most of Ruby’s drag looks take between 45 minutes to an hour, as she prefers to work efficiently and avoid getting bored or frustrated with the process.
Does Ruby create all her own costumes, wigs, and mixes?
Yes. Ruby crafts her costumes, styles her wigs, and edits her mix tapes, making her drag performance a truly personal, holistic art project.
What are Ruby Fox’s biggest inspirations?
She is inspired by strong, iconic women from pop culture, retro aesthetics, and fierce ’90s heroines, along with her own lived experiences.
How can beginners best start experimenting with drag makeup?
Invest in quality basics, follow video tutorials, embrace mistakes, and always remember to care for your skin underneath it all. Most importantly, express your unique vision rather than replicating what you see online.
Where can I watch Ruby Fox’s full transformation?
Ruby’s full makeup routine is available on Cosmopolitan’s Cosmo Queens series, providing a visual, step-by-step look at her artistry and process.
Inspiration to Take Away
Ruby Fox’s transformation proves that makeup is a boundless playground for invention, empowerment, and self-discovery. Whether you’re watching from your bedroom or preparing for your own performance, remember: drag makeup is more than technique—it’s a celebration of personal expression, daring vision, and the courage to stand out.
References
- https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/a33536441/ruby-fox-makeup-transformation-cosmo/
- https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/beauty-hair/makeup/a15739/makeup-magic-the-girl-of-a-thousand-faces-beauty-skills/
- https://www.papermag.com/coolest-person-ruby-fox
- https://www.scribd.com/document/292766922/Cosmopolitan-December-2015-USA
- https://www.zinio.com/au/publications/cosmopolitan-australia/43741/issues/662273/articles
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