Men Makeup

"Men in Makeup Are Changing the World—One Lash at a Time"

As one of the original "Beauty Boys," 27-year-old Patrick Starrr has played an integral role in transforming how we view—and talk about—men in makeup. Now, with over 3.2 million followers on Instagram, the social media sensation reflects on his humble beginnings and fight to end unfair ideals.

I started getting a reputation for being good at hair and makeup when I was around 15 years old. I loved styling my girl friends. In fact, I remember when I was a freshman, a senior asked me to do her hair for homecoming, and I thought, Oh my god, I have arrived. If I only I knew then! I'd take headshots for friends and Photoshop their pictures to smooth out their skin and add eyelashes, blush, contour, and penciled-in brows. I was an entrepreneur even back then.

It actually wasn't until my early twenties when I started wearing makeup myself. I was still doing makeup for women as a side job—for weddings and events and such—and I wanted to understand how to apply it better by figuring out what worked on me. I couldn't completely relate to my clients because I had never worn it. So I started to experiment, mostly with drugstore makeup. First I did my foundation and a little bit of mascara. I thought it looked really good on me. So then I added more, doing a crease, bronzer, liner, eyeshadow—I'd look at myself in the mirror and I'd feel beautiful.


Thankfully my parents have always been supportive. When I was a kid, I loved helping my mom blow-dry her hair before going to church. Inspired by Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, and Little Mermaid, I was obsessed with transformation. I'd get into her makeup and convince my cousins to let me give them makeovers. We'd stage our own little TV show.

But as I got older and started wearing makeup daily, my parents asked me to stop. At the time, I thought that meant they hated me. They wanted me to focus on school, do nursing, get good grades, get a job, but I wanted to explore my creative side. I wanted to do makeup. Looking back, I realize my parents just wanted to defend me from negativity—the naysayers, the bullies, the gay haters in the world. But makeup isn't hurting anyone. I've never understood why people feel so offended when men wear makeup or women wear "too much" of it. It’s a form of expression. I’m simply being myself.

The downside to growing up in Orlando is that all we had were Disney World and McDonald's. There wasn't really a curated industry for artists, so the closest thing I had to break into that world was the makeup counter. I applied to three of them and got three nos. It was totally disheartening. Then one day I went in to buy lipstick for a bride, ended up chatting with an employee behind the counter, and left with a job offer. That moment changed my life. Suddenly I had found this niche group of people like me—friends who were also artists who I could learn from. I really owe a lot to my peers and the family that I made there. It’s like I grew up at that makeup counter.

I still distinctly remember my first week there. Work had a theme day where we were supposed to wear makeup inspired by an icon, like Cleopatra or Marilyn Monroe, and a coworker told me I should do Jeffree Star makeup. I didn’t even know who Jeffree Star was at the time, but I looked him up and did his signature pink brows, blue cut crease, and pink lips. It was the most makeup I had ever worn in public in my life.

Then when I walked into the work, they asked me to take off all of my makeup. I was so embarrassed and sad. And confused! This company was supposed to be about self-expression, and I was wearing all the makeup they were selling. I felt like a fool, but I didn’t want to lose my job. I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that I was a man wearing makeup, but also because it was such a bold look. Now it isn't unusual to see all types of makeup counter artists wearing full faces, but that wasn’t the case five years ago, especially in central Florida.

That experience was really upsetting, and it made me question if I could do this—if I could be a makeup artist and also wear makeup myself. But it ended up sparking my interest to explore techniques and application beyond just working at the makeup counter. I started doing makeup at home, getting better and better, and then eventually YouTube became an outlet to show off and share my skills because I didn’t feel like there was anywhere else I could do that.

I had no idea I was going to take off when I started my YouTube channel. I would never have been able to imagine this life for myself. I still don’t think I’m all that and a bag of chips. But every time I meet someone who tells me that I’ve encouraged them to keep pursuing their dream of being a makeup artist, or 50 people show up to a meet and greet because they want to talk to me, I’m always surprised. It never stops being unbelievable to see that I’m connecting with and inspiring people all over the globe.

Beauty ideals and perceptions are just going to continue to diminish because we as a community—whether on social media, YouTube, or professional artists—are transforming and breaking them down. There shouldn't be any standards to beauty. So I choose to just keep doing me—unapologetically, authentically, fearlessly me. Makeup is one size fits all. And men in makeup are changing the world, one lash at a time.