Confessions of a Drag Baby: From Makeup Mishaps to Backstage Drama

Hi, friends!

Let's be honest...

Every drag performer starts somewhere.

Some people begin looking like polished professionals.

I looked like I'd rubbed dirt on my face and confidently called it contour.

When I first stepped into drag, I was convinced I had everything figured out. I had thrift store finds, more makeup than any reasonable person should own, and enough confidence to walk onto a stage pretending I knew exactly what I was doing.

The confidence was real.

The makeup skills...

Not so much.

Looking back at those early photos is equal parts horrifying and hilarious.

I spent hours watching YouTube tutorials, asking anyone who knew makeup for advice, experimenting in front of the mirror, wiping it all off, and starting over again.

Every terrible attempt taught me something.

And honestly, that's part of the fun.

Then came my second performance.

That's when I learned another important lesson:

Drag isn't just makeup and costumes.

It's people.

Like every community, there can be gossip, hurt feelings, misunderstandings, and a little bit of drama. Hearing whispers backstage caught me completely off guard. I walked into drag expecting glitter and applause.

Nobody warned me about backstage politics.

Thankfully, that wasn't the whole story.

For every difficult moment, there were ten people who reminded me why I fell in love with drag in the first place.

I've been incredibly lucky to find performers who believed in me before I fully believed in myself. A drag mother who always had my back. Queens who welcomed me, encouraged me, and introduced me to audiences with genuine excitement. Friends who answered my endless questions without making me feel like a burden.

That's the side of drag people don't always see.

The community.

The mentorship.

The friendships that form backstage while someone is borrowing eyelash glue or helping zip up a costume.

That's where the magic really happens.

As I've continued performing, I've realized something else.

My favorite part of drag isn't trying to look perfect.

It's making people smile.

If people leave one of my performances laughing a little harder, cheering a little louder, or feeling a little more comfortable being themselves, then I've done what I came to do.

That's worth far more than a perfect contour.

Don't get me wrong—I still have my moments.

Like the time I accidentally moisturized my face with face wash in a hotel and gave myself an impressive rash.

Or the now-infamous eyelash glue incident.

Apparently my relationship with adhesives is... complicated.

But every performer has stories like that.

The mistakes become memories.

The disasters become inside jokes.

And eventually, the things that embarrassed you become the stories that make everyone laugh backstage.

So if you're just starting your own drag journey, don't stress about being perfect.

Your makeup will improve.

Your performances will improve.

Your confidence will grow.

Just don't lose the reason you started in the first place.

As for me...

I'm still learning.

Still laughing at myself.

Still occasionally making spectacular mistakes.

And honestly?

I wouldn't have it any other way.