Inside Ruby Roo’s Electric Blue Drag Makeup Transformation

Experience every jaw-dropping detail of Ruby Roo’s high-voltage drag queen makeover in this step-by-step beauty transformation.

By Medha deb
Created on

NYC drag queen Ruby Roo channels dazzling boldness and unfiltered creativity in her latest Cosmo Queens makeup transformation—a look that’s as electrifying as it is aspirational. With a palette dominated by electric blue and a sharp eye for detail, Ruby’s process is part performance, part artistry, and an all-in lesson in high-voltage self-expression. If you’ve ever wondered how a show-stopping drag look comes together, here’s a close, step-by-step breakdown—complete with pro-level tricks and every accessory that brings Ruby’s head-turning persona to life.

About Cosmo Queens

Cosmo Queens is Cosmopolitan’s popular video series spotlighting drag queens as they transform, in real time, into their onstage alter-egos. Each episode not only delivers eye-popping glam, but also pulls back the curtain on techniques, artistry, and the confidence-driving power of drag makeup. In this special feature, Ruby Roo electrifies the screen with a makeup tutorial that’s both mesmerizing to watch and surprisingly approachable for beauty enthusiasts at any skill level.

Step-by-Step: Ruby Roo’s Electrifying Makeup Process

Ever wanted to dive into the secret techniques behind a drag queen’s transformation? Ruby Roo’s routine combines classic drag staples with her signature energy and color story. Here’s her process, from fresh face to iconic final reveal:

1. Flawless Base Building

  • Foundation: Ruby applies a full-coverage foundation using a sponge, evening out her complexion and creating a picture-ready canvas.
  • Brow Blocking: Using a purple glue stick—yes, the same sort you’d find in a classroom—she glues down her natural brows. She then presses setting powder over the glue to keep those hairs flat, before brushing on concealer for a seamless finish. This time-tested drag trick lets her sculpt entirely new brow shapes without distraction.

2. Sculpting Dimension: Contouring Magic

  • With two contrasting brown shades, Ruby contours her forehead and the hollows of her cheeks, carving out bold dimension for the classic drag silhouette. The sharp lines and blended shadows instantly start transforming her face into her drag persona.
  • She dusts blue eyeshadow on the tip of her nose—an unexpected pop that foreshadows the color journey to come.

3. High-Voltage Brows

  • Ruby maps out new, dramatic brows using a firm brush and white cream pigment as the base.
  • The look escalates as she shades the brow ends with blue eyeshadow, blending it into the white to create a striking ombré effect—unique, graphic, and unmistakably Ruby.

4. Show-Stopping Eye Makeup

  • Cat Eye Liner: She lines her eyelids with a thick, winged cat eye, framing the eyes for maximum drama.
  • Brow Bone Accent: A burgundy shadow is swept beneath her new brows for vivid definition, topped by a wash of pink for warmth and contrast.
  • Signature Details: Finishing touches include white and blue highlighted accents, shimmer at the inner corners, and deliberate blending.

5. Under Eye ‘Baking’ & Blushing

  • She bakes the under-eye area with pressed powder—a method that sets concealer and defines facial features under stage lights.
  • Blush is applied generously to the cheeks and, in a Ruby twist, to the nose—adding cartoonish vitality and tying the face together visually.

6. Lashes and Finishing the Eyes

  • Her lashes are first coated in black mascara, then layered with dramatic falsies—the kind that practically reach the eyebrows, ensuring her expressions land as vividly on stage as they do up close.
  • Extra shimmer in the eye’s inner corners ensures every flutter and blink is magnetic under the lights.
  • Finally, she places her signature beauty mark, a bold little dot that’s instantly recognizable.

7. Ruby’s Signature Lips: The Ombré Method

The lips are a masterwork of five precise steps, engineered for drag perfection:

  1. Base Lipstick: Lays down the primary lip color as a foundation.
  2. Liquid Lip Overlining: Uses liquid lipstick to outline well outside the natural lip line, creating a plush, high-impact shape.
  3. Depth: The corners of the lips are deepened with mauve eyeshadow, building shadow and fullness.
  4. Center Highlight: A soft, light-pink shadow is blended in the middle for a plumping, 3D effect.
  5. White Accent: Dabbing white at the very center amplifies dimension and the signature ombré ‘pop.’

It’s a series of steps that goes beyond classic lining, resulting in a vibrant, editorial-ready mouth that’s instantly selfie-approved.

8. The Electric Ensemble: Accessories and Wig Reveal

  • For the final transformation, Ruby unveils a neon wig that matches both her outfit and makeup. The synergy between hair, clothes, and complexion makes the entire look feel almost superhuman.
  • Accessories—often glittering, always bold—are the final punctuation. They are essential to complete the transformation from Ruby’s base identity into her 100% drag alter-ego.

Pro Drag Queen Makeup Tips from Ruby Roo’s Routine

  • Brow Blocking: Use school glue sticks (safe for skin) to achieve a perfectly flat base for brows—let each layer dry thoroughly before adding powder and concealer.
  • Color Play: Don’t shy away from using bold eyeshadows and blushes in unconventional places, like the bridge and tip of the nose, for extra theatricality.
  • Ombré Effects: Blend multiple lip shades and highlight the center for maximum fullness.
  • Setting: Bake under your eyes and high points with powder to ensure creamy products don’t move under hot lights or throughout a long night.
  • Lash Drama: Stack two pairs of falsies, or pick extra bold lashes, to ensure they’re visible from the next block over.

Ruby Roo: Beyond Makeup

Ruby Roo is more than a makeup artist—she’s a full-fledged performer, personality, and creative force. Based in New York City, she’s celebrated for blending classic drag influence with colorful, energetic modernity. Her fearless approach to makeup reflects her stage presence: dynamic, unapologetic, and fiercely fun. As drag continues to inspire mainstream beauty, artists like Ruby enlist and redefine makeup not just as enhancement, but as art, statement, and self-celebration.

Frequently Asked Questions: All Things Drag Makeup

Q: What is “brow blocking” and why is it essential for drag makeup?

“Brow blocking” uses a glue stick and layers of concealer and powder to flatten natural eyebrows, creating a blank canvas for drawing exaggerated or totally new brow shapes typical in drag looks.

Q: Why do drag queens use such heavy foundation and contour?

Stage lighting and photography can wash out natural features. Heavy foundation and contouring carve out the bone structure, exaggerate shape, and correct shadows for a bold, defined onstage face.

Q: What’s the benefit of “baking” with powder under the eyes?

Baking sets liquid and cream makeup, prevents creasing, and sharply defines lines (like the cheekbone). It keeps makeup looking flawless for long hours under hot lights.

Q: How do drag queens choose their signature colors?

Signature colors are chosen to evoke persona, mood, or stand out on stage. Ruby’s electric blue, for instance, signals energy and is thematically woven from eyeshadow to accessories for cohesion.

Q: What makes a wig “drag-worthy”?

Volume and color! Drag wigs are almost always oversized, bold, and color-matched to the overall look. Neon, pastels, and highly stylized cuts are especially popular for performance impact.

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Final Thoughts: Makeup as Art, Drag as Empowerment

Watching Ruby Roo’s transformation is a masterclass not only in advanced beauty technique, but also in the transformative power of self-expression. Each brushstroke, contour, and color choice is a confrontation with the ordinary—a reminder that, with the right tools and intention, makeup can become a full-blown art form. Whether you’re dialing up your daily look or just appreciating drag’s cultural impact, Ruby Roo’s electric blue transformation is a celebration of individuality, artistry, and what it means to take the stage—whether that’s under the spotlight or in everyday life.

Medha Deb is an editor with a master's degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of Hyderabad. She believes that her qualification has helped her develop a deep understanding of language and its application in various contexts.

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