SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — What you see on stage at a drag queen show takes hours backstage.
“Makeup takes about four hours on average,” Lips Restaurant drag performer BillyAnna said.
Drag queens Crystal Bullet, BillyAnna and Tootie, don’t just call themselves performers: They’re walking artists.
“Art has always been a big part of my life,” Lips Restaurant's Crystal Bullet says. “Whether it was sketching or drawing. As a child, I used to always just kind of give my time to that.”
But their looks aren’t just fierce, they’re expensive.
RELATED STORY | Government appeals court ruling that blocks some of Trump's tariffs
“Makeup is still very expensive,” Crystal Bullet said. “Foundations cost about $30 to $40. Eyeshadow palettes, depending on where you're buying them from, can range from $20 and above.”
A complete look from head to toe can cost hundreds of dollars.
Last year, China exported over $670 million in makeup and skincare to the U.S. While it’s not the top exporter, President Donald Trump’s tariffs on China could still push prices even higher.
But these queens have a secret weapon: "Resourcefulness."
“One thing about a drag queen is we are very resourceful,” Crystal Bullet said. “We'll find a way to utilize something that most won’t.”
“A girl that works for us showed up the other day with this fabulous hat, right? It was a curtain and a hat that she glued together, and for $20, it looks like a $1,000 costume,” Tootie said. “So drag queens, we know how to do it, baby.”
In the end, tariffs might make makeup more costly, but it won't dim their spotlight.
This article was written by Olivia Gonzalez-Britt for the Scripps News Group in San Diego.
