Charlie Carter (he/she/they) – otherwise known as Queen Aerosol on social media – is a 22-year-old gender-fluid queer artist from the UK. First gaining media attention for their ‘bro to beauty’ makeup transformations, Charlie now has more than 180,000 followers and four million Likes on TikTok, and it just keeps growing. We got in touch to discuss their makeup career, favourite tips and trends, and the pressures of parenthood in the public eye.
When and how did your interest in makeup begin?
Around 2015. Initially, I didn’t really resonate with femme or ‘glam’ makeup, I was more drawn to the club kid/drag monster chaotic type beat. I wouldn’t wear complexion makeup or lashes it was mostly cut-up pieces of painted cardboard nails glued to my face with huge lips and dramatic liner. I felt a strong connection between my look back then and my love of small festivals and illegal raves.
Do you, or have you ever had a style inspiration, whether that’s a person or an area of beauty?
Pete Burns still to this day holds a huge influence over me. I was drawn to what McQueen was doing when I was in college. Pablo Vittar in more recent years had influenced my femme presentation.
What’s your favourite current beauty trend, whether you use it or not?
I love the whole Pink Honey fluffy glued brow moment and of course, I always have time for draping – cream or powder. I f*cking love blush.
What is your least favourite current/past beauty trend?
Liquid matte lipstick. I’m very much a lover of a satin finish or a high-shine gloss.
Top tip or secret hack?
If you run out of lip liner or lipstick, use eyeshadow on a detail brush to line and fill before applying clear gloss.
With 182.9K followers on Tiktok, you’ve got quite a platform to spread your positive messages and incredible talent – how did this come about?
I’ve always been somewhat present online ever since I was a teenager. My first taste of clout was back on Facebook, then on to Instagram. TikTok came about during lockdown when I started to post queer-centric content and my experience becoming a young, gender-fluid parent.
You’ve spoken before about how it was a difficult decision to post about your daughter – why did you feel it was important to do so?
The world is wild and people can ignorant, self-loathing and scary but I knew how much it meant to people (especially other young queer people) seeing me push this image of the new progressive working-class parent and seeing how happy and lovely my daughter is. It’s wholesome, it’s beautiful and it’s the future.
What’s the most valuable thing that your experience as a content creator has taught you?
That likes and views are not everything. Don’t seek validation from people you don’t know. Always create content in line with your own journey and don’t sell yourself short to make a quick bag.
You were recently a contestant on season 4 of the BBC’s make-up artist competition Glow Up – did you enjoy your experience, and would you do something like this again?
In hindsight, a lot of personal growth came from the show. It taught me to really stick to my guns and reinforced the reality of subjectivity. I think also, production is a lot to handle for someone like me. That wasn’t a quick day shoot, that was the best part of a month, I fully quit my full-time job to film that. But I will say when it comes down to the nitty-gritty, when you start to feel yourself really break, just call it a day and march out of there – you’re worth something more than someone’s subjective opinion of you.
Worst piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
To “always stick up for yourself”. Obviously, you want to hold your ground and have self-worth but sometimes it’s best in some situations to let it pass over you to spare yourself an aggressive argument or a potential fight. People are crazy.
What advice would you give to someone who doesn’t feel like they belong?
Look to the internet to find your people and connect with your community. The likelihood is, you’re too big for the town you live in and the people around you are the ones that don’t have the capacity to house you in their lives. You don’t need that energy, ever. Run from it.
What makes LGBTQIA+ History Month important to you?
LGBTQIA+ History Month is so important to me because it shows progression within society. We have been erased and ignored for far too long and our treatment within human history – and to this day – is filthy. Queer history is rich, and its accurate documentation is so important.
What are you optimistic about for 2023?
In 2023 I hope to find peace. Peace in a new home for me and my daughter, peace in my relationship with social media, and peace within my artistry. And also, to just have a laugh.
