Back in 2010, Raven made her Drag Race debut on the show’s second season – finishing as runner up behind Tyra Sanchez. Two years later, she returned for the first All Stars season, this time missing out on the crown to Chad Michaels. Since then – besides solidifying herself as a fan-favourite with her killer confidence and unrelenting sass – the queen has become a Drag Race legend, serving as RuPaul’s personal make-up artist and winning an Emmy Award for her outstanding work as an MUA and creative producer on the series. 

Now, the icon is stepping out on her own to create her own competition series: Painted With Raven. Teaming up with World of Wonder – the makers of RuPaul’s Drag Race – the show will see seven MUAs from across the US virtually compete to become the next make-up superstar, this time, with Raven standing as host.

In an exclusive video with Dazed, the drag star gives us the A-Z on her upcoming series, learning to love yourself, and the best advice RuPaul ever gave to her. As she shares her favourite beauty brands, make-up shades, and swear words, Raven assures, “I love my damn self, and that’s self-explanatory.” Amid the trademark sass and smarts, Raven takes the time to get intimate and personal, sharing a time when she felt insecure about her sexuality and identity. “It took me a long time to say, ‘This is who you are,’ and pull yourself up by the bootstraps... Love yourself, and make sure you let other people know you love yourself.”

Watch the video below for Dazed’s guide to Raven. When you're finished, check out our other A-Z guides where Jackson Wang talks fashion and Bree Runway shares her recording process. 

Catch the premiere of Painted With Raven on Thursday 25th November exclusively on the streamer of all things drag, WOW Presents Plus. Subscribe via: https://uk.wowpresentsplus.com