5 Drag Queens On The Beauty Icons That Have Shaped Their Artistry

If you’ve ever gasped at a glittery cut crease on the runway or copied a sky-high ponytail for a night out, chances are you’re witnessing the ripple effect of drag. Drag queens have long been the unsung architects of bold, unapologetic beauty, shaping trends that make their way from underground clubs to the red carpet and everywhere in between.

Take, for example, Chappell Roan, whose theatrical glam and maximalist style reflect a deep connection to drag culture — she’s paid homage to legends like Divine in her performances and even booked drag queens as her openers. While many pop juggernauts, from Madonna to Lady Gaga to Doja Cat, have borrowed from the drag playbook, Roan stands out for how fully drag informs her aesthetic and stagecraft. She's part of a broader cultural moment: icons like Shania Twain, Diana Ross, and even Melissa McCarthy have acknowledged drag as an influence, showing how deeply its impact has rippled across pop and performance.

But if drag queens have inspired our favorite artists and beauty trends, who inspired them? In honor of Pride Month, TZR asked some of the most captivating queens in the game to name their ultimate beauty muses — and spill tea on who shaped their aesthetic identities. Keep reading to see exactly who inspired drag icons like Kim Chi, Symone, Peaches Christ, and others, pushing them to always dream bigger and paint even bolder.

Symone, Winner Of RuPaul's Drag Race, Season 13

Who were your earliest beauty idols, and what about their looks captivated you?

There’s something about the effervescence of Diana Ross that I just really, really love. I also love Rihanna — that's a big one for me. But who has really pushed my makeup artistry a lot further is Doechii. I like how much fun she has with makeup. It’s always her, but it's really fun. She experiments a lot. So, right now, those three women are teaching me a lot, makeup-wise.

Have you ever replicated or re-created any of their looks?

They’ve always been on my mood board. I'll take one thing, like a lip from this person, an eye from this person, a cheek from this girl, and put it all together to make Symone. I think that’s what you should do. Just take your favorite thing and tweak it to make it your own.

Peaches Christ, Filmmaker, Event Producer, & Co-Host Of Midnight Mass Podcast

Who were your earliest beauty idols?

The first name that bursts into my brain is Elvira. As a kid, I was spellbound. She wasn’t just beautiful, she was otherworldly. I thought she was the most stunning woman on the planet. Honestly? I still do. What I didn’t fully grasp back then was that what captivated me wasn’t conventional beauty, it was drag. Elvira’s towering hair, exaggerated hourglass, dagger nails, and hypnotic makeup were high camp perfection. She was a walking work of goth drag art, and I was obsessed.

Looking back, all my early beauty inspirations shared one thing: they were extreme. Larger-than-life. Unapologetically themselves. Cyndi Lauper’s technicolor punk princess chaos, Divine’s divine filth glamour, Grace Jones’ sculptural androgyny, Madonna’s constantly shifting shape, Siouxsie Sioux's witch glam, and Boy George’s gender-fabulous makeup — all of them gave me permission to be loud, queer, and visible. My beauty idols weren’t about blending in. They were about turning heads and maybe spinning them all the way around. Oh yeah, Pete Burns too!

How have your beauty inspirations evolved over time, and how do they show up in your current drag aesthetic?

My beauty inspirations have definitely evolved, though I wouldn't say they've changed so much as expanded. It’s like I’ve been stirring a bubbling cauldron of glam, gore, and goddess energy — and with every movie I watched or icon I discovered, I tossed in another ingredient. When I first saw Tura Satana in Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! or dove into the decadent drama of Elizabeth Taylor, those fierce femme energies lodged themselves deep in my psyche. Tina Turner’s unstoppable power, Rossy de Palma’s surrealist elegance, Wendy O. Williams’ punk ferocity — they all became part of the spell.

But it doesn’t stop at divas. My cauldron also overflows with horror. I’ve drawn inspiration from monsters just as much as movie stars. I’ve created tribute looks to Pinhead, Freddy Krueger, Leatherface — beauty and terror are not opposites in my world, they’re dance partners. My drag aesthetic now is a twisted love letter to all the femme fatales, freaks, and forces of nature who dared to look too much — because too much is exactly enough.

What role has beauty played in your journey as a drag artist?

Beauty has played an enormous role in my journey — not just as a drag artist, but as a fully actualized weirdo. Once I realized that beauty isn’t some universal standard but a completely subjective, shape-shifting force, everything changed. Drag was never about "female illusion" for me — it was about reclaiming the femininity I was taught to suppress, and unleashing it through costume, makeup, wigs, and full-throttle glamour.

I love creating looks that I find absolutely stunning — even if they make someone else want to puke. One of my all-time favorites is my Pinhead tribute. People have literally gagged at it (and not in the fun, ballroom way), but to me, it’s haunting and beautiful. It makes me feel pretty. That’s the power of drag — it allows us to define beauty on our own warped, wonderful terms.

And yes, fragrance is the invisible finishing touch. I always carry a few tiny Jo Malone bottles with me and choose the scent that best matches the energy of the look. Sometimes it’s dark and smoky, sometimes it’s floral and perverse. Either way, I want the audience to catch a whiff and feel the fantasy. My fans get that — because they know that real beauty has a little blood on it.

Kim Chi, Founder & CEO Of KimChi Chic Beauty

Who were your earliest beauty idols?

Pat McGrath and all of her work, especially for [John] Galliano. Bold use of colors, shapes, and sizes! The sheer genius of her audacity!

How have your beauty inspirations evolved over time, and how do they show up in your current drag aesthetic?

I feel like my makeup gets bolder and crazier over time. I am not afraid to take risks and chances because at the end of the day, everything can be wiped away and started over!

What role has beauty played in your journey as a drag artist?

Out of drag, I am soft spoken, possibly introverted at times. When I transform through the power of makeup, I sort of feel like Sailor Moon going through her magical transformation. At the end of the process, here comes this glamazon who is loud and possibly even a little overconfident, and she's loving every second!

Pickle, Drag Laureate, The City Of West Hollywood, & Executive Director Of Drag Arts Lab

Who were your earliest beauty idols?

When I saw Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia in Star Wars: A New Hope, her cinnamon bun hair absolutely captivated me. I am still obsessed with Star Wars today, and I love that my backdoor into such a nerdy thing was hair and beauty. I loved her weird white dress (why did it have a hood??), and I would pretend to be her. I think the hair was so wacky that it struck me as beautiful and unique. My other beauty idol was Julie Andrews, who starred in The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins. I used to jump off the back porch with an umbrella, and parasols were my first accessory. In my tween years, I idolized Princess Peach and her gown as well as Glinda the Good. I was interested in the Queen and period costume, and all the rituals that come with that. Anything with a bustle caught my attention. Oh, and every woman who appears in Pee Wee Herman's Christmas Special.

How have your beauty inspirations evolved over time, and how do they show up in your current drag aesthetic?

Reflecting on it now, I totally see a connection that beauty idols growing up were people like Carrie Fisher and Julie Andrews, because I've always been drawn to a very simple makeup look in drag. When I do my makeup, I want to be as simple and elegant as possible; I focus on shaping my brows rather than re-drawing them, I don't use cut creases, and I use peachy, pastel colors on my eyes. My goal with my drag makeup is to amplify my eyes and soften my face. I've tried more intense looks in drag because I LOVE wild makeup looks on other performers, but it never feels right. Pickle is simple and soft in the face. I look at Pat McGrath and Bobbi Brown as big inspirations, and I try to apply their techniques where I can.

What role has beauty played in your journey as a drag artist?

One of the powers of drag is that it's always aspirational. Drag loses a lot of its magic if it's over-resourced, in a way. Beauty, hair, and fragrance give us the opportunity to shape a new narrative from whatever we're working with. Specifically, fragrance — I use Le Labo to create an illusion of sophistication and elegance, even though my outfit was cobbled together by me in my tiny apartment. But investing in one key product that is luxurious makes me feel elegant and stunning.

I like to think that my understanding of beauty and fashion has become more sophisticated over time. I lean on my dear friend Jordan Service, who is a fashion designer and photographer, and has taught me a lot about the mechanics of fashion, which has allowed me to sharpen my eye. I believe that some people have effortless taste and that's their talent, but I also believe that taste can be acquired and honed. So much of becoming a drag artist and evolving creatively in this art form is cultivating an aesthetic and a point of view. It's not like acting where a costume department dresses you — in drag, you ARE the costume department. That is one of the rewards of drag! I have come to appreciate aesthetics that I wouldn't necessarily be able to pull off.

Heidi N’ Closet, Voted Miss Congeniality, RuPaul's Drag Race, Season 12

Who were your earliest beauty idols?

I would say my earliest beauty idol was my grandmother and all the women that I went to church with. It was like a fashion show every week. My grandmother loved wearing large hats and bedazzled pins, but what I remember so vividly was the smell of her makeup when she’d apply it in the morning.

How have your beauty inspirations evolved over time, and how do they show up in your current drag aesthetic?

They’ve evolved since I learned the ancient art of blending!!!! As you can see today, I finally know how to blend now, lol. These days, my drag aesthetic is all about full glam with staying power. I need products that can keep up with me under the lights, on stage, and everywhere in between. My look isn’t complete without a primer. My go-to is e.l.f. Cosmetics’ Power Grip Primer — it gives me that smooth, snatched base every time.

What role has beauty played in your journey as a drag artist?

I grew up pretty shy and quiet for the most part, but I always had a big personality underneath. I feel like makeup and hair (not fragrance because I'm allergic to most perfumes!) helped me pull that personality out and not hide it. Having so many people and brands support my journey has also been a huge help! Take e.l.f. — they’ve brought me into some of the most fabulous moments of my career, from Judge Beauty to the “Sunhinged” comedy special. It's partnerships exactly like this one that have ensured I feel seen, empowered, and celebrated for all that I am.