Chappell Roan Makeup: How to Get Her Signature Drag-Inspired Glam

If you’ve seen Chappell Roan perform—or even just scrolled past one of her photos—you know her makeup is absolutely unforgettable. Bold, theatrical, unapologetically queer, and dripping with drag influence, her looks are a masterclass in using makeup as self-expression and art.

Chappell’s makeup aesthetic is maximalist in the best way possible. We’re talking heavy glitter, dramatic eye looks, overdrawn lips, flushed cheeks that could be seen from the back row, and an overall vibe that says “I’m here, I’m fabulous, and I’m not toning it down for anyone.” It’s camp, it’s glamorous, it’s a little bit ’80s, and it’s completely her own.

The beauty of Chappell Roan’s makeup is that it’s not about looking “pretty” in a conventional sense—it’s about looking powerful, expressive, and authentically yourself cranked up to eleven. Whether you’re getting ready for a concert, pride event, or just want to feel like the main character in your own life, her makeup techniques are surprisingly adaptable and so much fun to recreate.

Let’s break down how to channel that Chappell Roan energy, what products you need, and how to make drag-inspired glam work for you.

Understanding the Chappell Roan Aesthetic

Before we get into technique, let’s talk about what makes Chappell’s makeup so distinctive. Her looks pull heavily from drag makeup traditions, which makes sense given how much she celebrates and draws inspiration from queer culture.

Drag makeup is all about transformation and exaggeration. It’s designed to be seen from a distance, under stage lights, and to create a character that’s larger than life. Chappell takes these principles and makes them her own—the drama, the color, the boldness, but with her personal twist.

Key elements you’ll see in almost every Chappell Roan look include heavy, dramatic eyes with lots of color and glitter, overdrawn lips in bold shades, super flushed cheeks placed high and dramatic, glitter everywhere (and we mean everywhere), and white or light eyeliner to make the eyes pop. The overall effect is theatrical, confident, and impossibly glamorous.

This isn’t everyday makeup for most people, but that’s kind of the point. It’s makeup as performance, makeup as art, makeup as a way of saying “this is who I am and I’m not apologizing for it.”

The Base: Flawless and Stage-Ready

Chappell’s base is always smooth and flawless because everything else she does on top needs a perfect canvas. Think of it like priming a canvas before painting—you want a smooth, even surface.

Start with a good primer to fill in pores and create texture-free skin. You want something mattifying if you’re doing a full glam look like this, because you’ll be adding so much product on top.

For foundation, go full coverage. This is not a “your skin but better” situation—this is “completely even, flawless base” territory. Drag makeup traditionally uses foundation that’s slightly lighter than your natural skin tone to create that lifted, highlighted effect under stage lights.

The Maybelline SuperStay Full Coverage Foundation gives you that full coverage, long-lasting finish without breaking the bank. Apply it with a damp beauty sponge for a smooth, airbrushed effect.

Concealer is your next step. Use it under your eyes in a triangle shape and blend upward—this is a drag technique that brightens and lifts your entire face. Also use concealer to highlight the bridge of your nose, your forehead, and your chin. You’re essentially creating a map of light on your face.

Set everything with powder. This is crucial. You need a matte, set base before you start adding all the color and glitter. Use a translucent setting powder and really bake under your eyes, on your T-zone, and anywhere you highlighted with concealer. Let it sit for a few minutes, then brush away the excess.

The Coty Airspun Loose Face Powder is a cult classic for a reason—it sets your makeup so it doesn’t budge, and it photographs beautifully without flashback.

Contouring: Dramatic and Sculpted

Chappell’s contour is strong and visible. This isn’t subtle, barely-there contouring—this is drag-inspired sculpting that creates serious dimension.

Use a contour shade that’s several shades deeper than your skin tone. You want it to actually look like a shadow. Apply it under your cheekbones, along your hairline, on the sides of your nose, under your jawline, and on the sides of your forehead.

The key is to blend it well but keep it visible. You’re creating the illusion of shadow and depth. Use a fluffy brush and blend in circular motions, making sure there are no harsh lines but the contour is still clearly there.

The NYX Professional Makeup Wonder Stick is great for this—one end is highlight, one end is contour, and it’s creamy enough to blend but sets so it stays put.

Don’t be scared to go heavier than you normally would. Remember, this makeup is meant to be seen from a distance and under bright lights. What feels dramatic in your bathroom mirror will probably photograph beautifully.

The Eyes: Bold, Colorful, and Glittery

This is where Chappell Roan makeup really comes alive. Her eye looks are everything—dramatic, colorful, and absolutely covered in glitter.

Start with a bold eyeshadow color. Chappell loves bright, saturated colors—hot pink, electric blue, vibrant purple, orange, green. She’s not afraid of color, and neither should you be. Pick a shade that speaks to you and pack it all over your lid and up into your crease.

Use a glitter glue or eyeshadow primer before applying eyeshadow. This helps the color stick and makes it more vibrant. The NYX Professional Makeup Glitter Primer works for both regular eyeshadow and loose glitter.

Blend it up and out. Take your chosen color high above your crease, extending it outward toward your temples. This creates that lifted, exaggerated eye shape that’s essential to the look. Don’t worry about being subtle—go big.

Add depth with a darker shade. Use a deeper version of your main color or even black in the outer corner and crease to add dimension. This prevents the look from being flat and one-dimensional.

Now for the glitter. This is non-negotiable. Chappell puts glitter on her lids, in her inner corners, under her eyes, on her cheekbones—basically everywhere. Use cosmetic-grade loose glitter, not craft glitter (which can damage your eyes).

Apply glitter using glitter glue or even just a damp brush. Pat it onto your lids over your eyeshadow, focusing on the center of your lid and inner corner. The Mehron Makeup Paradise AQ Glitter comes in tons of colors and is safe for use on eyes.

White eyeliner is essential. This is a drag makeup staple that Chappell uses constantly. Use a white or nude eyeliner on your waterline (the inner rim of your lower lid). This makes your eyes look bigger, brighter, and more awake. It’s a game-changer.

The NYX Professional Makeup Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk is the classic choice for this. It’s creamy, pigmented, and stays put.

Eyeliner and lashes. Add black eyeliner to define your eyes—either a wing or just lining your upper lash line. Then add false lashes. Go dramatic here—full, fluffy lashes that add to the theatrical effect.

The Ardell Faux Mink Demi Wispies are perfect for this look—they’re dramatic without being so long that they’re unwearable.

If you really want to go full Chappell, add lashes to your lower lash line too. Yes, false lashes on the bottom. It sounds wild, but it creates such a doll-like, dramatic effect. Just cut a strip of lashes into small sections and apply them to your outer lower lash line.

The Blush: High, Bright, and Unapologetic

Chappell’s blush placement is high and dramatic, another technique borrowed from drag makeup. The goal is to create a lifted, youthful, flushed look that can be seen from far away.

Choose a bright blush—hot pink, bright coral, or vibrant berry. Apply it high on your cheekbones, almost up to your temples, and blend it across the tops of your cheeks. You want it placed higher than where you’d normally put blush.

Use a lot of product. This should be clearly visible, not subtle. You want to look flushed and alive, like you’re glowing from within (or from the stage lights).

The Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso is cult-favorite for a reason—it’s pigmented, glowy, and photographs beautifully.

Don’t be afraid to bring some of that blush onto your nose, temples, and even slightly onto your eyelids. This creates a cohesive, monochromatic look that’s very Chappell.

The Lips: Overdrawn and Bold

Chappell’s lips are almost always overdrawn and in bold, statement colors. This is another drag technique that creates fuller, more dramatic lips.

Start by concealing your natural lip line. Use concealer or foundation to blur where your lips end. This gives you a blank canvas to draw on.

Choose a bold lip color. Hot pink, bright red, deep berry, or even unconventional colors like orange or purple—Chappell wears them all. Pick something that complements your eye look but still makes a statement.

Overdraw your lips. Use a lip liner that matches your lipstick and draw outside your natural lip line. Focus on the cupid’s bow (making it more pronounced and rounded) and the center of your bottom lip (to create fullness). The key is to make it look intentional and balanced, not lopsided.

The NYX Professional Makeup Slim Lip Pencil comes in tons of shades and makes it easy to draw precise lines.

Fill in your lips with the liner, then apply your lipstick on top. This makes the color last longer and creates a base for the lipstick to grip onto.

Add gloss to the center. Put a clear or matching gloss on the center of your lips to create dimension and make them look even fuller. This catches the light and adds to the overall glamorous effect.

The NYX Professional Makeup Butter Gloss adds shine without being sticky.

Highlight: Blinding and Everywhere

Chappell’s highlight is intense—we’re talking blinding, can-see-it-from-space levels of glow. This is makeup that’s meant to be seen under stage lights, so the highlight is cranked up to maximum.

Apply highlighter to the high points of your face: cheekbones, bridge of your nose, cupid’s bow, brow bone, and inner corners of your eyes. Use a fan brush or your finger to really pack it on.

Choose a highlighter with serious shimmer or even use an actual glitter. Subtle, natural highlight is not the vibe here—you want to glow.

The e.l.f. Halo Glow Highlight Beauty Wand is affordable and incredibly pigmented. For even more intensity, the wet n wild MegaGlo Highlighting Powder gives you that iridescent, blinding glow.

Don’t forget unconventional places for highlight—add some to your collar bones, shoulders (if they’re showing), and even a touch on your eyelids over your glitter.

The Finishing Touches: Glitter, Gems, and Details

This is where you can really personalize your Chappell-inspired look. She often adds extra elements that make her makeup even more special:

Face gems or rhinestones. Apply small rhinestones or face gems around your eyes, on your cheekbones, or even on your temples. Use lash glue or dedicated face gem adhesive to stick them on.

Extra glitter. If you feel like you don’t have enough glitter (and with Chappell-inspired makeup, you can never have too much), add more to your temples, collarbones, or anywhere that catches the light.

Graphic liner or details. Sometimes Chappell adds graphic liner elements or drawn-on details. Get creative with colorful liners and add unexpected elements to your look.

Body makeup. If you’re wearing an outfit that shows skin, consider extending your glitter and highlight to your shoulders, collarbones, and arms. This creates a cohesive, all-over glam effect.

Different Chappell-Inspired Looks You Can Try

Chappell’s makeup varies from performance to performance, but here are some signature variations:

The Pink Fantasy: Hot pink eyeshadow all over the lid and up to the brow, loads of pink glitter, pink blush placed high on the cheeks, and a bright pink lip. This is quintessential Chappell.

The Blue Dream: Electric blue on the lids with silver glitter, nude or pink lips, and dramatic lashes. This lets the eyes be the complete focus.

The Rainbow Moment: Multiple colors on the eyes blended together, creating a vibrant rainbow effect. Keep the lips neutral to let the eyes do all the talking.

The Glitter Explosion: Whatever color you choose for your eyes, just absolutely cover everything in matching glitter—lids, under eyes, cheekbones, everywhere.

The ’80s Glam: Bright purple or fuchsia on the eyes, super high blush, and a bold berry lip. Very ’80s music video energy.

Making It Last

If you’re wearing this makeup to an event and need it to stay put, here are some tips:

Use a setting spray before and after makeup. Spray before you start (this is called “priming spray”) and again when you’re done. The NYX Professional Makeup Setting Spray Matte Finish locks everything in place.

Let your products set between steps. Give your foundation time to set before you add powder. Let your powder bake for a few minutes before brushing it away. This helps everything adhere better.

Use waterproof products for your eyes. Waterproof eyeliner, mascara, and even eyeshadow primer will help your eye look survive dancing, sweating, or getting emotional.

Bring touch-up products. Keep your lipstick, gloss, and maybe some extra glitter with you for touch-ups throughout the night.

The Confidence Factor

Here’s the secret about Chappell Roan makeup: the technique matters, but the confidence matters more.

This is bold, unapologetic makeup that demands attention. You can have perfect technique, but if you’re uncomfortable or self-conscious, it won’t have the same impact. Chappell wears her makeup with such confidence and joy—that’s what makes it work.

This makeup is about self-expression, about taking up space, about being visible and proud of who you are. It’s queer makeup, it’s drag-inspired, it’s a celebration of everything that mainstream beauty standards often reject.

So when you wear Chappell-inspired makeup, wear it with your whole chest. Walk into the room like you own it. Dance like everyone’s watching. Be loud, be proud, be unapologetically yourself.

Who Is This Makeup For?

Anyone who wants to try it. Seriously.

You don’t have to be going to a Chappell Roan concert (though that’s the perfect occasion). You don’t have to be queer (though this makeup does celebrate queer culture and drag artistry). You don’t have to be a makeup expert.

If you’re curious about bold makeup, this is for you. If you want to express yourself in a bigger, more theatrical way, this is for you. If you’re tired of playing it safe with your makeup and want to try something fun and different, this is absolutely for you.

Start with one element—maybe just the bold eye or the overdrawn lip—and build from there. Or go full out and do everything at once. There’s no wrong way to do this as long as you’re having fun and feeling yourself.

Final Thoughts

Chappell Roan’s makeup is a love letter to drag culture, queer identity, self-expression, and the power of not giving a fuck what anyone thinks. It’s makeup that says “I’m here, I’m fabulous, and I’m not toning it down.”

Whether you recreate her looks exactly or just take inspiration from her bold, glittery, unapologetic approach, the goal is the same: express yourself, have fun, and be completely, authentically you—just with a lot more glitter.

So grab your brightest eyeshadows, your sparkliest glitter, and your boldest lipstick. Channel your inner Chappell Roan, turn up “Red Wine Supernova,” and create some magic. Your casual makeup can wait—tonight, we’re going full glam.

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I genuinely believe in or have researched thoroughly! Please note that I am no way affiliated with Chappell Roan or her team, I am simply a fan looking to inspire other fans through this tutorial. No copyright infringement is intended.