Makeup Tips from Miami’s Most Fab

I get frequent e mails from ladies asking me questions about makeup. What’s the best brand? What will last the longest? Where can I find the brightest colors?

I know what works best for me, but I figured it couldn’t hurt to turn to some true divas who know makeup from makeup. Beauties who use makeup to transform their look completely from day to night. I reached out to my amigas in gorgeousness — three of Miami’s most fabulous drag queens.

My last post on drag queen makeup was forever and a day ago, so I’m long overdue for a fresh update.

Who better to ask than three of my favorite divas who live, love and entertain in the 305? As a special bonus, I’m gonna throw in my two cents with a special makeup recommendation for each of these faboosh ladies.

Let’s kick things off with the stunning, the electric, the diva Miss Elaine Lancaster. Her glamorous photo is by Howard Austin Feld. You can find her on Facebook, and while you’re at it, join her fan club Friends of Elaine Lancaster. Tell her Afrobella sent ya!

Take it away, Elaine!

1 – What inspires your look? There are so many kinds of drag, what led you to express yourself this way?

I guess my look was inspired, at first, by the ladies of Dynasty. Now I get inspiration from everywhere.

2 – How would you describe your aesthetic?

I want to dress for myself & how I feel that day/evening. Plus i TRY to be appropriate for the event/location.

3 — What are your go-to tools of the trade? What makeup brands work the best for your needs?

I love MAC Cosmetics, but really am learning to love MAKE-UP FOREVER… amazing colors.

4 — What’s your advice for young queens on the come-up — in the physical sense and in the sense of entering this new and exciting world?

It’s the hardest job you’ll ever love if you do it right.

5 — What do you want the world to know about the Diva, Miss Elaine Lancaster?

“I can’t cover up my feelings In the name of love, or play it safe… For a while that was easy… And if living for myself is what I’m guilty of Go on and sentence me I’ll still be free…….IT’S MY TURN…….” Diana Ross

Oh Elaine. Quoting one of my all time beauty icons. LOVES it!

My makeup recommendation for Elaine — Make Up For Ever’s Aqua Eyes Collector. 25 gorgeously pigmented waterproof eyeliner pencils, the better to highlight those gorgeous peepers.

Next up, I had to holla at ADORA. Why? Because her makeup is among the most outlandish and outstanding in the biz.

Look at THAT. I don’t know many other people who can pull that off, and Adora does it so effortlessly every day. I HAD to find out what inspired this look. It was a bit tricky because English is not Adora’s first language. But I think we figured it out! (PS: Adora’s photo is by Alexis Trigouria).

1 – What inspires your look? There are so many kinds of drag, what led you to express yourself this way?

My look was inspire by cartoons, 1950 ‘s and 60’s vedettes (which I believe are dancing girls?) and I thought that this kind of drag was the most fun and creative.

2 – How would you describe your aesthetic?

Adora’s aesthetics is a mix of camp and glamour.

3 – What are your go-to tools of the trade? What makeup brands work the best for your needs?

For Adora’s “natural looks” she uses MAC full coverage, with a mix of colors from Coty powder. White pigment as eye shadow from MAC, water proof eye liner from MAC, the eye lashes she just let them grow, contour from MAC , lipstick and lip gloss from whoever and all this depends on the event, time of the day or just the mood.

4 — What’s your advice for young queens on the come-up — in the physical sense and in the sense of entering this new and exciting world?

For the new girls I have advice — BE YOURSELF the looks are second, the talent has to be always first, one can have a fabulous figure and looks… no talent? No thank you! So there you have it girls before you go out there, make sure that you can entertain!

Adora’s web site is AdoraMiami.com.

What’s my product recommendation for Adora? Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics. The brand is all about mixing and matching, expressing yourself, and creating your own vision. The multi purpose cosmetics are made for mixing and everyone I know who has tried their lip tar absolutely RAVES about it. And their colors come in a range Adora would adore.

Last but so certainly not least is my friend Shelley Novak — photo by Desi. We clicked with each other years ago, when I interviewed her for Miami New Times.

Since then she’s retired like Cher, and returned for a glorious revival on the SoBe circuit.
Shelley is like no other queen on scene. Gloriously hairy, carefree, hilarious, honest, and extremely knowlegable about many things pop cultural and cinematic, Shelly rocks. Point blank, period.

Take it away, Shelley!

1 – What inspires your look? There are so many kinds of drag, what led you to express yourself this way?

I’m a dash of Donna Mills of Knots Landing mixed with a healthy dose of Divine with a sprinkle of David Lynch.

2 – How would you describe your aesthetic?

Barney Rubble in a dress.

3- What are your go-to tools of the trade? What makeup brands work the best for your needs?

Max Factor pan stick, which is very hard to find now that Max Factor went under thanks to his rapist grandson’s expensive trial.

4 — What’s your advice for young queens on the come-up — in the physical sense and in the sense of entering this new and exciting world?

Take every job you can, get paid in cash and always try to get paid ahead of the event if you can!

5 — What do you want the world to know about the inimitable Shelly Novak?

That I’m on chapter three of my memoirs (finally).

I can’t wait to read them. I wish I was around to help co-write them! Shelley’s got a wealth of material, and she’s fun to interview. TRUST.

You can find Shelley exclusively on Facebook by joining I’ll Shave Tomorrow: The Shelley Novak fan club. Ha!

In terms of makeup, Shelley’s gonna have to upgrade from Max Factor, because boo hoo — the brand responsible for coining the term makeup and countless innovations in the world of beauty is not going to be for sale in the USA for much longer. Now’s the time to expand the makeup horizons.

For super duper unbeatable coverage, I recommend Shelley check out Prescriptives AnyWearMulti-Purpose Makeup Stick with SPF 15. Speaking from experience, this brand gives amazing coverage, comes in just about any shade you can dream of, and will last for ages and protect your skin from the scorching Miami sun.

I’m hoping to interview another fabulous queen about makeup soon, so stay tuned. If you have questions or loving comments for Miami’s most fab, feel free to leave them below.

Thanks Elaine, Adora, and Shelley — keep shining and know that Afrobella loves ya!