It’s often said that the clothes we wear speak volumes about who we are. But it’s our faces, front and center, that house the features we use to communicate the most. After all, an eye roll or a bite of the tongue convey more than words can. Add makeup to this already-layered communication instrument and your face becomes a dynamic playground of identity and self-expression.
Indeed, the unique makeup looks we create help express our moods, our beauty ideals and, ultimately, who we are.
In honor of Pride Month, Girlboss asked five self-taught creatives from the LGBTIQ community, along with their allies, to explore the transformative power of makeup and its power to communicate identity. These are the unique makeup and beauty looks they shared.
Gloria, 33, founder of NOTO Botanics / makeup artist / poet
How do you identify?
I am very much queer. My girlfriend lives in New York City, so I am enjoying bi-coastal living. I feel open to sexual fluidity and gender identity. I never could understand only identifying in one solid way, even as a kid. This related to not just sex and gender but also to music, style, and personality type.
What does pride mean to you?
Not having to apologize or feel the need to apologize for who I am, who I love, and what I believe in. To feel good in knowing I am being authentic to myself and proud of who I am, as a person, how I treat others, how I treat myself, and what I believe in. At its core, always coming back to love.
Pretend you were meeting someone for the first time. How would you introduce yourself? What should they know about you?
I would look them straight in the eyes, smile, shake their hand firmly and say, “Hello, lovely to meet you.” Or, I’d hug them. I would let them know they are seen, and we are connecting in that moment.
When did you first start using makeup? What was the experience like?
I think I was about seven. I have a much older sister and mother who both wore makeup and I would watch them in the mirror. My sister treated me like a living doll sometimes and would turn the day into a photoshoot with me as the model. Covered in makeup, hairspray, and ruffles—that’s when I knew makeup was a form of power and self-expression, long before I even know what those words meant.
How have you come to use makeup as a way of expressing your identity?
I went to a private Christian school in high school that didn’t allow for any individual self-expression. When I went to art college, I went to the extreme of goth and started painting masks on my face. I became a living expression of the characters I transformed myself into.
Complete this sentence:
“When I wear makeup, I feel …. Whatever it is I want to feel and become in that moment. Whatever story I am trying to tell in that moment.”
Here’s how I created my look:
I patted Ono Ono on to my lips with my fingertips. Then I got a small eyeshadow brush and added Gingers to the back of my hand. I buffed the orange color on my top eye lids and under eye area. To give it a more greasy and burnt orange color, I added Ono ONO on top. Finally, I added the NOTO Hydra highlighter on my cupid’s bow, nose, and temples for an all-over highlight.
Pierre Davis, 28, she/her/hers, fashion designer / creative director
How do you identify yourself?
Well, I’m trans. But at the end of the day I’m a boss and I’m a Queen. I identify myself as a Queen!
What does pride mean to you?
Pride to me means not caring what anyone thinks. Dressing how you want to dress. Not letting anyone take you away from being your true self. Pride is being strong and connecting to the community for our rights and what we believe in.
Pretend you were meeting someone for the first time. How would you introduce yourself? What should they know about you?
I’m always so mysterious. I would start off by giving my name, of course. And, if they were interested, I would start talking about fashion.
When did you first start using makeup? What was the experience like?
I starting using gloss and lipsticks at an early age, but I started doing full face beats in high school and college when I would go out at night.
How have you come to use makeup as a way of expressing your identity?
I have used makeup more to express how I feel in a given moment. I go from a natural beach glow to using super bright eye pallets. It’s all based on how I feel!
Complete this sentence:
“When I wear makeup, I feel …. glamorous. Always fabulous.”
Here’s how I created my look:
It was simple. I first started with my eyeshadow. Then I did my eyeliner. I also added a glitter eyeliner, and last was lipstick!
Paige Marton, 28, she/her/hers, makeup artist and studio manager at May Lindstrom Skin
What does allyship mean to you?
There’s nothing more important to me than my community. My allyship means I’m a productive member and I offer my support, time, and emotional and physical labor to my queer friends. Being an ally is the most important role I have, but it’s not about me. It’s not about projecting my experiences onto someone else’s story. It means I must listen to my community’s voice and use my privilege to help create an infrastructure that supports and uplifts that voice.
Pretend you were meeting someone for the first time. How would you introduce yourself? What should they know about you?
Oh, maybe something like: “Hi, there. My name’s Paige and I spent most of my life being trained and educated in fine art. In the past couple of years I’ve channeled that fine art into makeup art. I prioritize self care in all its forms, so it should come as no surprise that I’m a Taurus and a hedonist. I’m also the unlicensed esthetician my friends and I can’t afford, so get at me for product recs.”
When did you first start using makeup? What was the experience like?
Growing up I looked up to the coolest girl I knew: my camp counselor. She had a bad attitude, fairy tramp stamp, and loved doing everyone’s makeup—a true icon! That was my first opportunity to play around with products. I remember loving the variety of colors and textures. One time, she gave me a bright blue eye and glossy red lips. It was my Jessica Rabbit moment, and it made me feel sexy before I knew what sex was.
How have you come to use makeup as a way of expressing your identity?
I think the easiest way for people to be expressive is through the way that they dress. For me that has always been a challenge. I am thiccc and unfortunately the fashion industry has been an exclusionary place for me. It’s hard to find the look I want with the clothing that’s available to fat women. That’s why I found myself using makeup as a tool to express my mood and identity. Makeup can be just as impactful as clothing and, for me, it’s much more accessible.
Complete this sentence:
“When I wear makeup, I feel … bossy.”
Here’s how I created my look:
Starting with the inner corner of your eye, apply the rose color with your finger, and bring it all the way up to the brow bone. Continue to pat in the color until you reach the center of your eye. This look plays with negative space so it’s important to focus the pigment on your inner corner and leave the outer corner of your eye bare.
Now, take the lighter, flamingo pink color, and apply it again to your inner eye just under the browbone. Use a crease brush to soften the edges or any hard lines. Add some mascara and keep your face fresh and dewy to compliment your eye beat. Finish the look by applying too much lipgloss—because there’s actually no such thing as too much lipgloss.
Selena, 22, she/her/hers, makeup artist
Pretend you were meeting someone for the first time. How would you introduce yourself? What should they know about you?
I’m Selena and I’m a Virgo 
When did you first start using makeup? What was the experience like?
I started using makeup when I was 12. One of my first and favorite experiences with makeup was when I first tried liquid eyeliner (I started with pencil). I poked myself in the eye with the tip and my whole eyeball/vision turned black! I was so scared, I thought I poked my whole eyeball out of its socket! Safe to say I was slightly traumatized.
How have you come to use makeup as a way of expressing your identity?
I lost my mom, boyfriend, and grandma all in the same month when I was 16. That’s when I started using makeup in this way as a coping mechanism/a mask. It made people think I was dealing with everything okay, that I was fine. And it worked. So, fast-forward six years later, and here I am.
My makeup has evolved a lot, always adapting to whatever it is I’m going through. I scroll through my social feed and with each makeup look, I can remember how I felt. Today, however, I feel my current makeup style expresses my identity more than it ever has.
Complete this sentence:
“When I wear makeup, I feel … myself.”
Here’s how I created my look:
I start by focusing on my skin. I’ll use the Kat Von D Lock-It foundation and set it with a Laura Mercier powder. Next, I’ll contour using the Kat Von D contouring kit. Once I have my base, I start lining my lips with black into my desired shape (do whatever you want!), then I’ll fill them in with a lighter shade. Once they’re dry, I top it with some gloss.
Then I go in with the Tattoo liner and start drawing desired shapes around my eyes. The tip on this liner is very sharp and allows you to draw lines easily. This is where you have fun—think BIG and SHARP. I chose no lashes for my look today, and instead made do by drawing fake lashes with liner.
Bella, 22, she/her/hers, DJ/Model
Pretend you were meeting someone for the first time. How would you introduce yourself? What should they know about you?
“Hey, I’m Bella. I’m an emotional Sagittarius and a part-time comedian born and raised in Los Angeles.”
When did you first start using makeup? What was the experience like?
I started experimenting with makeup as a baby, maybe when I was four years old. I used to play with my mom’s kit, specifically her baby blue eyeshadow. I actually started wearing makeup at 14 even though my mom would only let me wear mascara and lipgloss. Unknown to her, I would take her blush and black, liquid eyeliner and pack it on at school and wash it off before going home.
I would get made fun of a lot because I didn’t like blending my blush but I didn’t really care. I did what I wanted with my makeup and I sill live by that rule.
How have you come to use makeup as a way of expressing your identity?
Makeup has practically become me—my identity. I’m known for my baby blue eyeshadow with a strong winged eyeliner and a brown lip liner. I find that I do my makeup depending on my moods or feelings and that alone is self-expression. Sometimes, I’ll even do a full clown face as a social experiment to make people a little uncomfortable. I want to normalize ALL makeup, not just the glam that everyone is so used to. I think it’s important to be a weirdo and inspire other people like me.
Complete this sentence:
“When I wear makeup, I feel … powerful.”
Here’s how I created my look:
I always start by priming my face. (I like the NYX one.)
Next, I apply my foundation.
For this look I used an Estée Lauder foundation and set it with the Kat Von D Lock-It Powder. I then usually contour with a blush. (Right now I like the Taste one.) I like to do my eyes next, so for this look I applied my liquid eyeliner starting at my inner corner. I then winged it out on my crease till it touched my brow bone.
Last is my lips, which is my most important step in this beauty look. I used my Sephora liquid lippie to outline my lips and I applied lipgloss in the center. I don’t really like a full, blended lip. Just a little lighter in the center to create a fuller lip will do. You can then add mascara to your look or some false lashes! And that’s it!
