by Rachel Blythe - April 2023
Beauty is an important vehicle when it comes to expressing ourselves including but not limited to our gender. Makeup can especially play a role in transforming, affirming, and allowing us to present ourselves to the world in a fun and creative way. Many of us use social media to seek out people whose looks we admire and enjoy, hoping to find inspiration for us to add to our beauty collection. Many of today’s beauty influencers are surpassing the rigid binary boundaries of makeup, and showing the world that just like in fashion, beauty is also gender-free. In this article, we explore five social media beauty influencers which we think are defining the next chapter of non binary beauty.
Jamie Windust
Jamie Windust is a big name in social media. They do it all, from broadcasting, writing, modelling, and activism. All while looking incredible and pulling off experimental makeup looks.
Jamie identifies as non-binary. They promote radical self-acceptance with a realistic view of how it is to have a gender non-conforming identity in our modern world. While their online content is filled with beauty and fashion, it is so much more than this too. They blend beauty and fashion with discussion and exploration of critical topics we face today. This makes their content eye-catching and engaging.
Jamie became interested in makeup when they worked in a department store as a teenager (Source: Space NK). They looked enviously over at the beauty counter and longed to someday experiment and enjoy makeup in their own lives. Now, they opt for “high impact” make-up looks that are inspired by 80’s glamour and powerful 80’s women. However, they also like to keep things a little more stripped back than they did before, opting for some natural looks with a finishing sprinkling of highlighting powder. With their variation of makeup looks between high glamour and everyday sparkle, their aesthetic has something for everyone.
If you want your social media feed to be graced by colourful London Fashion Week Outfits, then Jamie is your best bet.
Michael Brooks
Michael Brooks is a makeup artist and beauty influencer that goes by he/him pronouns and presents rich makeup looks. He creates vivid and colourful makeup looks that are not conscribed to any gender role or expectation. He uses variety of styles and designs in his makeup and models them himself.
Michael runs a popular Instagram account alongside a growing YouTube community. On both of these platforms, he provides makeup tutorials, unboxing videos, skincare tips and tricks, and overall beauty and makeup insight. You can find lots of videos such as this one on skincare products that give first-hand knowledge and expertise on beauty topics and make you feel like you are in the room with Michael himself.
His aesthetic focus includes floral, colourful, and nature-led looks that blend masculine and feminine elements together to build something almost ethereal and transcendent.
His makeup icons include RuPaul and NikkiTutorials, and he believes that the beauty industry needs to put more focus on queer icons, especially those of colour. Queerness is at the heart of his colourful makeup looks. When talking about his views on makeup and beauty, in an intereview with Hypebae, he states: “To me, beauty is not only about how crisp your eyeliner is or how glowy your skin looks. It’s accepting all of yourself in all forms. Most importantly, it’s about doing what feels best, regardless of how the world sees you. If it feels right, do it.”
Shavonté Dill
Shavonté Dill is a Nottingham-based makeup, beauty, and fashion-oriented content creator who plays with gender expression through their unique and edgy looks. She prefers “she” and “they” pronouns, stating that they simply exist outside of the classic gender binary and prefer to bend and break gender roles wherever they can. This is evident in the innovative looks and content they provide through their presence in many platforms.
On promoting beauty online, in an interview with Dazed, they state “I believe the future of beauty is genderless, raceless and is inclusive of LGBTQ+ without restriction. Beauty is for everyone, no matter what race, size, gender, or sexuality.” That is why the looks that Shavonté posts do not subscribe to any one gender identity.
Shavonté particularly experiments with the eye looks, going for bold pigments and experimental shadow shapes, alongside additions including yellow liquid liner, facial sequins, and bleached eyebrows. However, they do not confine these looks to femininity and keep everything fluid and fun.
They have a big following on TikTok as well as Instagram, with a very popular GRWM (get ready with me) series. Followers are fans of their experimental and bold fashion and beauty choices, with references to popular culture and a post-modern twist on things. There is a critical element of performance in her looks, with everything on their feed feeling like it has come straight out of a Hollywood blockbuster film.
Alok V Menon
Alok V Menon is a gender non-conforming beauty and fashion social media influencer. They prefer they/them pronouns and believe in the “#degenderfashion” movement. Their content encompasses the everyday versions of genderfluid, androgynous and queer beauty and fashion as well as red carpet moments. They want everyone to feel safe navigating their sense of self and identity in the world.
Alok’s strong stance of freedom of expression of any kind resonates when it comes to makeup as well. In an interview with Allure, they state: “What do you think is beautiful? How are you interpreting our products? Maybe you’re using our lipstick as a way to paint on your eyebrows. Cool, show me." In their own looks, Alok has a particular interest in blending facial hair with typically feminine products such as a bright pink gloss or a sparkly shadow. Not to mention a vibrant hair colour that changes regularly.
If you want your social media to be filled with information about trans rights, the history of gender, the treatment of humans outside the binary as well as a carefully curated styles that flow in and out of gender binaries, Alok is a must to follow.
Kyle De’Volle
Kyle De’Volle is a model, influencer, stylist, and designer. Their Instagram feed is built with “lewks”, “styling” and “glam” posts that feature A-list glamour, red carpets, and of course makeup that transcendences any binary gender identity.
Their online presence is very couture and glamorous. Everything is bold, dynamic, and experimental. Their makeup go-to's consist of HD brows, strong cat-eye looks and a sleek cheek contour. Their hair looks are similarly strong and dynamic, varying from bleach blond and spiky to jet black and slicked back. Kyle also has some striking tattoos. They work with lots of top names in the business, including brands and individual celebrities. If you follow them online, you are sure to find cameos and appearances from big names across the world. On their feed, you will receive tips and tricks of not only their own makeup and styling looks but also their clients’.
Kyle believes that growing up without queer role models and inspirational people to follow negatively impacted them, and so they want to help in the mission of providing LGBTQIA+ youth with plenty of role models to follow.
Conclusion
Makeup is a powerful, gender-free vehicle to affirm who we are and present ourselves to the world. Today, thanks to social media, we can easily find people who may provide us with beauty inspiration. In this list, we have introduced five people which we believe are transcending binary boundaries of beauty and opening the door for genderless, gender neutral or gender fluid self-expression. We hope that this list has helped you find a couple of new favourite names to follow, tag, and talk about. Now it’s your turn to get out there and create looks of your own. And when you do, do not forget to tag us at @offbinary on Instagram.
Do you like this article? If you do, you may also be interested in designers who are at the forefront of non binary fashion.