My entire childhood was motivated by an obsession with beauty, with dress-up, makeup and dolls. I was a creative child, meaning I drew a lot, but I also had a fascination with repurposing clothes – tearing them apart, wearing them in strange and exciting ways. It could be a glove transformed into a hat, or trousers into a frayed skirt. I loved pairing my ‘pieces’ with red lipstick and mascara, which looking back, feels a bit Jean Paul Gaultier. Gag it!

I had an instinct for creating alternative beauty, but the problem was that I had no cultural references to understand this better. Then “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga came out, and I was hooked. Seeing her rise heroically from a swimming pool for the first time like some sea God clad in a latex bodysuit (which looked like a piece had been torn off and fashioned into a hat), lightning erupting behind her, I couldn’t help but see so much of my beauty instincts shimmering back at me. She wore the costume with a face of wet, heavy concealer, thick mascara and a nude lip. I thought it was so fierce, so electric and I still do!

When do you feel the most beautiful?

I feel most beautiful when I’m alone in my bedroom, dancing in the mirror to “Times Like These” by Addison Rae.

What does being trans mean to you?

Free parties that everyone else has to pay for.

How has your relationship with beauty changed throughout your transition?

I recently wrote a personal essay for Teen Vogue about how my makeup routine developed the further I progressed into my transition and the more passable I became. “Makeup”, I wrote, “[became] less about expression and more about fitting in – a way of polishing myself into a seamless blend.” I described my journey with beauty in this way because, particularly during the start of my transition, I just wanted to assimilate, and that meant removing as many signifiers of queerness from my style as possible: No lashes or bright lipstick, just minimal, clean-girl vibes. But really, who’d want to live without glamour?

I still love a minimal look, but I’m back to serving cunt again when I can. Missed it.

How are you celebrating Trans Pride this year?

Kissing cute boys at Club Are.

What three beauty products are you obsessed with right now and why?

ISAMAYA Metal Lip Balm in the shade pantomime, Jecca Blac Brow Seal, and Dior Backstage Eye Palette.

What is your best beauty tip?

To get a proper 90s/00s lip combo, I line my lips with an eyebrow pencil. I find it stays longer!

What is your signature beauty look?

I want to look as wet and dewy as possible. I literally want to look like the doctor told me that my liquid oestrogen needs to be rubbed into the skin on my arm or upper thigh, and I said, “no, it’s going on my face, and I’m not washing it off ever.” I want to look hot and sweaty, like I’ve just danced for the filming of Eric Prydz “Call on Me” music video, or like it’s my natural state to be utterly soaked in the oils of my own femininity. Other than that, I like super thin eyebrows.

What is your signature scent and how would you describe it?

Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir. Sultry. Sexy. Transsexual.