Carmen Carrera's love affair with beauty products started early; born Christopher Roman, Carrera played with makeup as a child in her bathroom while dreaming about a life where she could freely express her gender identity. Now, after becoming one of the most visible faces in the drag world (she competed in RuPaul's Drag Race in 2011), transitioning, and signing a modeling contract with Elite, Carrera's not just wearing makeup, she's also inspiring the latest products. Last spring, NARS named a lipstick after her: To paraphrase Chandler Bing, does it GET any more major than that?

With Carrera's growing visibility—in December, a petition for her to walk in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show earned 50,000 signatures—she hopes to use her fame to uplift the disenfranchised trans community. Here, 30-year-old Carrera discusses how she handles the difficulties of modeling as a transgender woman, how makeup allowed her to be the woman she always wanted to be, and the beauty products she's used every step along the way (as a former professional makeup artist, Carrera certainly knows what she's talking about).

Being a voice for my community is something that I don't take lightly. Coming out of high school, I carried a lot of the stigma. I was aware of how people felt about the trans community–I always noticed that the LGBT community was the punching bag. Anyone who was trans at that time was considered a fake, a phony, someone who's just trying to play a joke. So, knowing I was different, I stayed hushed and just watched. I was too fearful to stand up for the gay kids who got beat up everyday in my high school. I didn't want to be that kid, so I didn't say anything. Now that I do have a platform where I'm accessible to just about anyone, it's just part of me to say, "Hey, we [the LGBT community] are not so bad, and we're actually pretty cool, and we're just trying to figure it out." I don't ever feel like it's a burden. Actually, it uplifts me because it gives me a reason to fight for something that I believe in deeply. I see being an activist as part of the fun for me.

When I was doing my own makeup for drag shows, for stage, it was to stand out. Now, it's more about blending in, but still being able to express my individuality through my makeup and through the beauty that I do now. [Makeup] gives me a boost of self-confidence but also helps me feel like I fit in. It gives me a sense of community and the beauty community has embraced me a lot.

I do read my comments [on social media], however, and I am aware of other people's opinions. It's really out of respect because at the end of the day, if I'm going to stand up for my community, I have to know truly what's going on. And what I find is that when I'm in front of the camera, it's best to use my makeup skills to feel the most confident. Not to worry so much about, "Oh, I'm going to be judged because my makeup's not right, so that's what's going to give people the authority to dismiss my womanhood," which is what constantly happens to me. I'll have men, or I'll have women say that I'll never be a woman because I don't menstruate, or because I'm not made up like Kim Kardashian. So in that sense, I use makeup for a little bit of confidence. But for the most part, day-to-day, I wear makeup if it feels good.

I [play with makeup] with my two step-daughters; I teach them about having confidence on their own, and just dressing up for fun. I want them doing that. But of course, true confidence should radiate without any makeup; you should be able to know who you are and stick to that firmly. I don't need to rely on my concealer to have a sense of myself. I should be able to go out without my concealer, without my makeup, and still be able to be joyful. And that's what I've been experiencing lately, trying my best to not feel unworthy of conversation if I'm not made up, giving myself the challenge of literally wearing no makeup some days.

I'll have women say that I'll never be a woman because I don't menstruate, or because I'm not made up like Kim Kardashian

I wasn't a masculine kid; I was pretty effeminate. All the questions that I asked my mom would be related to her being a woman. Like, "Why would you pick those shoes with that outfit?" "Why would you do your hair that way?" "How did you do your hair that way?" So I had a feeling that my mom always knew of my gender identity growing up, but she never made it an issue because I never made it an issue. She would have that level of understanding, and acceptance, which helped me learn and understand other people who don't see things the way I do now.

I learned how to be a strong woman from my mom before even becoming a woman. I just watched her. As for her beauty, she never tried to be someone she wasn't. My mom is probably one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen in my life, naturally, and I think it's because she embraced all that she was and never tried to compete or be anyone that she wasn't.

My oldest cousin Melissa was a MAC artist. She was the black sheep of the family but for some reason, I thought she was so cool. Maybe it's because she didn't care so much. Something about her power attracted me, and I was so interested in learning how to do makeup because of her. I always loved makeup growing up because of the fantasy element, but I was never truly inspired to do makeup until I saw my cousin doing makeup.

I remember for my first drag show, I called her and said, "Hey Melissa, I have a client for you, can you meet them at Coliseum nightclub in New Jersey?" She was like, "Okay, that's kind of weird, but okay." When she went there, her client was me. That was my way to tell her, "Hey, guess what? I want to do drag." And she did my makeup, and I won that Amateur Night. After that moment, I was like, okay, this is something that I really want to do because I felt free on that stage. I embraced my femininity, I had confidence, and my favorite cousin Melissa did my makeup. I was truly, truly, truly tapping in to my own power as a woman, and using all these tools to really express the woman that was inside of me. It was in me when I was a child, but it never got the chance to come out. She got me my job at MAC, she taught me all the basics, and then I took it from there and made it my own. That was after I graduated high school. The first five years of my twenties, I did makeup by day. Now, I have Pat McGrath doing my makeup.

I felt free on that stage. I embraced my femininity, I had confidence.

As much as I try to understand the [modeling] industry, I feel like I never truly will. Every client is different. Nine out of ten times, what they're looking for could just be flavor of the month, or it could be something specific, or it could be they just want me. There's still a side of me that feels like I don't want to just be handed everything over on a silver platter. I want to work hard, I want to be fulfilled, I want to be able to prove myself, because it does seem a little bit like a fairytale, my story, if you just look it over on paper.

In reality, I try to understand the rejection by looking at the best in me. I know I have the potential, I believe in my beauty, I know I may feel insecure sometimes, but I do understand that being trans is not going to be something every company wants for their clients. Sometimes, I just have to accept it. Every brand has their target market that they're trying to appeal to, and the transperson, unfortunately, might tick off a lot of people. That sucks, and it kills me inside. But this is the world that we live in right now, unfortunately, and I'm trying everything in my power to change that.

I try not to go over it in my head, or to analyze things so much. But it is difficult. And I think what helps me is that, everything that I'm working on is for the betterment of the next generation. I'm just trying to focus on living my life too, because I don't just want to be a robot. I try my best to focus on what's directly in front of me, and maintain balance. Working out helps too, yoga helps to serve my mind, and know that this is my body, and I'm fully in control of it, and I'm going to use it to the best of my abilities. That's kind of all that I can do.

When you start working out and feel like you want to give up within the first 5 minutes, and you can overcome that, I use that as a metaphor. When I'm in the middle of a workout and I want to walk out, I want to give up so badly, but keep going anyway–once I complete the class, that sense of accomplishment means so much to me. I use that feeling that you get knowing that you accomplished something to motivate me. When you start to see the results, that feeling is so priceless, it's like nothing you've ever felt before. It's not even joy, it's not even excitement, it's just a clear sense of accomplishment. And that's what inspires me to accomplish everything else.

Carmen Carrera's Beauty Routine

Face exercises - Carrera claims working her face muscles helps shape her face. "I do techniques, people think I'm nuts, of smiling and not smiling, puckering my lips and unpuckering them, but it works," she says, "It tightens up your skin and I've noticed it builds a little muscle. My cheekbones are higher and my chin and jaw is tighter."

Kiehl's Hydro Plumping Re-Texturizing Serum Concentrate - "I learned that when your skin is wet and you use oil, it's absorbed 60% faster. I use this all over my face and it feels like a water gel."

Boscia Tsubaki Beauty Oil + Josie Maran Argan Oil Light mixed together - "I'll use this every day and every night. My skin sucks that all up and it helps to change my skin so much." She also uses the Josie Maran oil in her hair and on her body.

Tom Ford Liquid Foundation - "I like to mix it in with my oil, then set it with Laura Mercier's powder."

Covergirl Lashblast Volume Waterproof Mascara - "I can use it all day and I don't have to touch up."

- "It breaks down waterproof mascara without breaking my lashes off. It breaks down all my makeup. It's really hydrating and doesn't strip my skin."

Balmain Hair Products

Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit

Tom Ford Shade & Illuminate Palate

Kristina Rodulfo Beauty Director Kristina Rodulfo is the Beauty Director of Women's Health—she oversees beauty coverage across print and digital and is an expert in product testing, identifying trends, and exploring the intersections of beauty, wellness, and culture.

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