‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Alum Trixie Mattel Reveals Her Makeup Routine and Why She Travels With a Full Suitcase of Wigs
Trixie Mattel is a superstar in the drag community thanks to her stunning makeup and boisterous persona. Now, the Rupaul’s Drag Race alum has turned her stage career into a traveling roadshow.
On one hand, it shows how far the medium has come. On the other, it requires her to pack light to perform in heavy makeup. Fortunately for fans, she recently opened up about the process of performing on the road.
Who is Trixie Mattel?
While Brian Michael Firkus is the 32-year-old man behind the makeup, Trixie Mattel is the drag persona fans all know and love. According to her website, Trixie Mattel competed on Rupaul’s Drag Race. Fans loved her showmanship and personality. When Mattel returned for the third season of All-Stars, she won the crown and the hearts of fans worldwide.
Mattel is a singer, actor, drag queen, and Billboard Heatseekers No. 1 pop country singer. She tours with fellow performer Katya as a comedy duo and appeared on Netflix’s I Like to Watch. Mattel’s story became the subject of a documentary, Trixie Mattel: Moving Parts, and helped people understand who Brian was behind the makeup.
Mattel is the face of her cosmetics line and recently hosted a discovery+ renovation series called Trixie Motel. Her first LP, The Blonde and Pink Albums, is slated for release later this year.
Trixie Mattel has her travel routine down to a science
Mattel recently spoke to Condé Nast Traveler about life on the road between engagements. Whether she’s singing, performing comedy, or playing the hits at a drag show, Mattel must keep a disciplined routine. She likens her process to a different profession.
“My partner and I have talked about it for years,” Mattel told the publication. “I’m always at hotels doing investigative journalism. In my mind, I have a travel blog, and I’m taking notes.”
Mattel gave a rundown of her traveling beauty routine. First, there’s a clear bag filled with everything she needs to do her nails, from stickers and polish to files and fakes. She keeps her makeup wipes and skin care products in a similar clear bag. Mattel has her makeup kit down to a science, with black eye shadow, foundation, white shadow, brown shadow, and all of the essentials for a high-demand drag star.
However, sometimes life throws a curveball, and Mattel desires something new. Because of this, she brings six different face powders she can mix to her latest needs. Finally, and perhaps, most importantly, there are the wigs. People may expect Mattel’s wigs to come in giant boxes that she lugs from place to face, but according to her, they come across like legos that attach to her base wig and save her space.
While makeup is essential to keep Mattel’s look, so is the skincare routine that keeps it bright and vibrant.
Trixie Mattel’s simple skincare routine
Mattel opened up about how important clean skin is for drag performers. According to her, you don’t need expensive high-end brands to keep your skin healthy. It just requires discipline and a decent understanding of the process. She starts her day with Ole Henriksen Truth Juice Daily Cleanser, then keeps things simple and disciplined from there.
“You got to double cleanse. You’ve got to use removers to break up the makeup. You have your makeup removal process, and then a shower, and then normal skincare stuff. I use a lot of simple things,” She told CN Traveler. “Paula’s Choice, Native; I love anything where it’s simple packaging, simple ingredients.”
An avid runner, Mattel uses SPF 70 and Supergoop SPF 30 to keep her skin away from harmful rays. She also uses face steamers from time to time but doesn’t find them absolutely necessary. Trixie Mattel shows the artistry behind the world of drag, from the confidence needed onstage to the disciple needed off of it.
While it’s easy to take performers like her for granted, Trixie has to make sure that her stage persona shines, while Brian has to keep the canvas healthy in between Trixie’s performance.
