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'I borrowed 5 beauty tips from a drag queen'

Photo credit: Cosmo/Tayce
Photo credit: Cosmo/Tayce

When I think of boss energy, I picture all the baddest queens in the game. The presence, the confidence, or as Drag Race UK's Tayce would say, ‘the nerve, the gall, the audacity and the gumption,’ are all things I wish I had more of.

I usually turn to my tried-and-tested beauty rituals and routines to give me an everyday confidence boost, but if I’m honest, I’ve been letting things slip lately. I blame lockdown life and a hectic work schedule for the fact I can sometimes go for days without putting on a lick of makeup.

So, I was excited to chat to Tayce, the lip sync assassin from Drag Race UK series two, to see how our routines compared, steal her tips and, most importantly, see if she could awaken any untapped confidence lurking within. Here's what I learned when I put her advice to the test.

Tip 1: Supercharge your skincare

Photo credit: Keeks Reid
Photo credit: Keeks Reid

“Skincare is really important to me,” says Tayce. “You can't build a house on a rocky foundation.”

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As a beauty journo, this is music to my ears. I can sometimes get overwhelmed by all the new products I have to test for work (it's tough, I know), so I tend to keep my own regime quick and simple. Tayce, however, spends 30 minutes layering her products every morning, so I rounded up my favourite serums, oils and masks and got set for a therapeutic skincare session.

I woke up half an hour earlier than normal to allow time for a longer morning routine and, wow, I needed it because I looked SO puffy. I put on a playlist and jumped in the shower to cleanse (á la Tayce), before layering toner, face oil, serum, a sheet mask and moisturiser. The end result? Super-plump, glowy skin. I definitely think this is something I’ll try on a chilled weekend morning in future, but during the week I *suspect* I’m going to start clawing back that 30 minutes.

Tip 2: Make brushing part of your beauty routine

Photo credit: Keeks Reid
Photo credit: Keeks Reid

“It’s very important to me to feel confident in my smile,” Tayce explains. “As long as you're brushing your teeth twice a day, girl, minding your business and drinking your water, I cannot fault you.”

I've never really thought of brushing as part of my beauty routine; it's just a thing you do twice a day. But Tayce's tip makes total sense. Your smile is the first thing people look at, and as I’ve had to do more video content for my job, it’s something I’m becoming more conscious of. Caring for your smile should be a priority - it’s a massive mindset switch.

Tayce says she's been using the new range of Colgate Elixir toothpastes, which are inspired by beauty ingredients and come in sleek, sink-worthy bottles that'll slot straight into your beauty kit. She recommends Colgate Elixir White Restore, which uses a blend of three whitening minerals to remove stains. I was also a fan of Colgate Elixir Cool Detox with charcoal and coconut extract, which leaves your mouth feeling really refreshed. The third toothpaste in the range is Colgate Elixir Gum Booster, which contains hyaluronic acid and fluoride technology to help keep gums healthy.

Tip 3: Go ham on highlighter

Photo credit: Keeks Reid
Photo credit: Keeks Reid

“When I’m performing, I’ll always add a poppin’ highlighter. I like my cheekbones to be seen from Mars,” declares Tayce.

Wheeew — this is not a tip I needed much convincing to do, but I normally reserve this level of serve for nights out; my daytime highlight is more of a subtle, creamy affair. Anyway, I followed Tayce's technique as instructed, laying a little bit of powder highlighter down on dry skin before spraying with a setting spray, and then applying more powder onto the slightly wet skin to make it pop. The glow was truly beyond. It was the type of beam that could guide you down a dark country road and I loved it. I think for everyday I’ll stick to a slightly more subtle vibe, but I'll be unlocking this look the next time I go out.

Tip 4: Do a bold, glossy lip

Photo credit: Keeks Reid
Photo credit: Keeks Reid

“If you're working dewy skin and a soft eye, give them a bold red glossy lip,” Tayce advises. “I like to take the liner out just a tiny bit on the edges of the upper lip, and then bring it up just above my natural lip line in the centre where the cupid’s bow is. It's a game changer.”

I've always embraced my fuller lips and I rock a nude glossy vibe most of the time. Tayce’s advice was basically to amplify this with a rich pop of red. As she suggested, I used liner, lipstick and a gloss on top of that, as well as slightly over-lining my top lip, and I can’t believe how much it lifted my look. It made my teeth look so bright and I felt super-confident, even if I was just on Zoom calls all afternoon.

Tip 5: Give yourself a pep talk

Photo credit: KEEKS REID
Photo credit: KEEKS REID

“If you need a confidence boost in the morning, just look at yourself in the mirror and call yourself a total weapon, an absolute hound. Then, get on with your day,” says Tayce.

I’ve definitely been known to talk to myself. If you find yourself at mine on weekdays between 9am-7pm, you'll usually hear me swearing to myself or threatening my laptop when I get the spinning wheel of doom. But, taking a leaf out of Tayce’s book and telling myself in the mirror that I’m great, I’m worthy, was actually the hardest tip to execute. But I’ll continue to do it because, well, if you can't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?

From making brushing a key part of my beauty routine with the new Colgate Elixir toothpastes to daily pep talks, Tayce’s tips were so confidence-boosting and easy to incorporate into my everyday life, I’d be stupid not to keep them up. While glossy red lips and beaming highlighter will be reserved for special occasions, they definitely brought a bit of fun back into my routine and were a timely reminder of the sheer joy of experimenting with what's in your beauty bag.

Experience beauty reimagined with the new Colgate Elixir toothpaste range

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