RuPaul Drag Race contestant Hollywould Starr drops her makeup routine
Hollywould Starr, from RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under Season 3, spills all the best beauty secrets of the industry.
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I don’t know about you, but when it comes to giving makeup advice and knowing exactly what products will last through the night, there’s few people more qualified than a certified drag queen.
You’ll recognise Hollywould Starr from her time on RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under where she placed 4th in season three. And while Ms Starr hasn’t heard from RuPaul since leaving the show, she did reveal the one piece of advice that stuck with her.
Most recently, Hollywould was the headline DJ at the Midsumma Festival down in Melbourne, a gig she describes as “the best day”.
We sat down with the Sydney-based beauty to learn all about the tips and tricks of a flawless beauty routine and the products that are actually worth investing in.
WHAT PRODUCTS ARE IN HOLLYWOULD STARR’S MAKEUP BAG?
“Okay, so what’s important for me always is skin prep. It’s the most important thing in makeup just because if you have good skin then your makeup is going to go on smooth and it’s going to last all day. So I start with a primer. Right now I’m on the NYX cosmetics. It’s very hydrating because sometimes I get dry skin, but it has electrolytes in it.”
NYX Plump Right Back Primer, $14.97 (down from $29.95) at Amazon Australia
“And then also I go in with the NYX cosmetics smoothing primer as well, it kind of fills in the pores. So I use that all over my face first.”
NYX Pore Filler Primer, $13.49 (down from $26.99) at Amazon Australia
“The foundation that I’m using right now, what am I using? I always switch them up. I use a little bit of Kryolan just because it’s very thick. If it’s a long day, I’ll use the Kryolan paint stick just in my beard area and in my eyebrows as well. I shave my eyebrows, they’re very smooth, I draw them on but I’ll use that first.”
Kryolan TV Paintstick Foundation,$52 at Adore Beauty
“Right now I’m using Pat McGrath beautiful foundation, it goes in very smooth. It’s a little bit expensive, but it’s worth it.”
Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation, $120 at Sephora
“And then for concealer, right now I’m using Laura Mercier. They have a beautiful, beautiful concealer.”
Laura Mercier Mercier Flawless Fusion Ultra-Longwear Concealer, $61.73 at Amazon Australia
“I’m using this new blush from Made By Mitchell and it’s beautiful. So stunning. I saw it on Instagram and it was just so pigmented, goes on so smooth and blends out beautifully.”
Made By Mitchell Blursh Pod Domed Blusher, $21.30 (down from $30.50) at Beauty Bay
“And then Anastasia Beverly Hills highlighter in my eyebrow area and on my cheekbone.”
Anastasia Beverly Hills Highlighter Pressed Powder, $66 at Sephora
“The best setting powder is the Huda Beauty Easy Bake. So I’m using the Kunafa, which is kind of like a banana colour. I use that in the T-zones. It goes on smooth, it blurs the skin, it’s so beautiful.”
Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Powder. $66 at Sephora
“I’ll use the NYX Mattifying Spray and it kind of gives me some movement and I won’t feel as dry as I go onto the day.”
NYX Professional Makeup Setting Spray, $17.99 at Adore Beauty
“Once I finish my eyes I’ll use a fixing spray and that will set my face. I can pour a glass of water on my face right now and it won’t [move].”
L’Oreal Paris Infallible 3-Second Setting Mist, $17.99 (down from $29.99) at Priceline
WHAT’S HOLLYWOULD STARR’S BEST MAKEUP HACK?
“You have to make sure you set your eyeliner. If you’re wearing or putting anything wet on your face, you have to make sure that you set it with powder if you want it to last all day. If you’re doing a black wing, you have to make sure that you set it with a black powder from your eyeshadow palette. It’ll never move, it won’t budge.”
ISMINE Single Black Matte Eyeshadow, $21.83 at Amazon
Another beauty-adjacent hack? Hollywould swears by her BIGSOFTI ring light for the perfect selfie. “It’s perfect. I love them, especially if you’re in a club or something and you’re like, ‘let’s take a photo!’ I’ll just bring up my big softy ring light and they’re like, ‘how is that so bright?’”
BIGSOFTI One + Universal Clip Pack, $170 at Sephora
WHAT PRODUCTS ARE IN HOLLYWOULD STARR’S SKINCARE ROUTINE?
“I use coconut oil and micellar water, mostly for my eyes, and just makeup wipes. It’s so easy, it just comes right off.”
Honest to Goodness Organic Coconut Oil, $19.25 at Amazon Australia
Garnier Hyaluronic Aloe Hydrating Micellar Cleansing Water, $8.09 at Amazon Australia
“Right now I’m using a Neutrogena cleanser with hyaluronic acid, things that are good for your skin.”
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Face Cleanser, $8.49 at Amazon Australia
“Right now I’m using the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Water Cream. It’s beautiful, it smells great and I love when you put on a moisturiser and it just feels like you’re getting a facial. That’s what that one feels like for me.”
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Water Cream, $149 at Charlotte Tilbury
ONE PRODUCT ALL THE QUEENS FROM RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE LOVED?
“We all agreed on the Anastasia Beverly Hills Nouveau Palette. It's this beautiful purple and black eyeshadow palette and it has every colour under the sun from orange to just neon green to white to black to browns. And I think we probably all agreed that the Anastasia Beverly Hills eyeshadow palettes are amazing.”
Anastasia Beverly Hills Nouveau Eyeshadow Palette, $94 at Anastasia Beverly Hills
WHAT HAIR TOOLS DOES HOLLYWOULD STARR USE ON HER WIGS?
“I usually wear human hair, so I use a GHD straightener but I want to try one of those Dyson AirWraps. I think it would be really fun. But there’s nothing like an old fashioned straighter.”
GHD Original Hair Straightener, $270 at GHD
Dyson Airwrap i.d.™ multi-styler and dryer, $849 at Dyson Australia
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