BBC Three has finally done its best to fill the Drag Race [1]-shaped hole in our hearts. Everyone, please give your warmest welcome to the third season of Glow Up: Britain's Next Make-Up Star [2]. This time 'round, the reality series is being hosted by Maya Jama [3], who you know from many media spots, but particularly as the host of Love Island: Aftersun.
The third season of the reality show follows the same format as it has for the first two seasons, which were both hosted by Stacey Dooley [4]. That means, week by week, we'll watch a group of up-and-coming makeup artists compete in a series of challenges as they flex their creativity and duke it out for the top spot. And every week, judges Dominic Skinner and Val Garland will join Jama to whittle down the batch of talented artists.
Ahead, we introduce you to the talented batch of makeup-artist hopefuls competing on the 2021 season of Glow Up: Britain's Next Make-Up Star. Episodes will start dropping onto BBC iPlayer from Tuesday, 20 April, at 7 p.m.
Sophie
If the entire cast of Euphoria [5] were swapped for neon clowns, you'd come close to Sophie's incredible makeup looks.
@sophiebaverstock [6]
Status: In the final three
Dolli
Dolli is a London-based makeup artist and a beauty broadcaster for Selfridges. Her style ranges from striking glam makeup looks to fully transformative styles that include metallics, body paint, and sequins.
Instagram: @dolli.glam [7]
Status: In the final three
Craig
Craig is a working makeup artist and hairstylist from London who's as comfortable creating horrifying and bloodied Halloween [8] looks as he is with simple hair and makeup for clients.
Instagram: @craighamiltonartistry [9]
Status: In the final three
Ryley
Ryley regularly posts videos to Instagram where she transforms herself into the likes of Ariana Grande [10] and Disney's Moana. The beauty influencer has a massive following and has spoken about accepting her birth mark — in fact, she regularly makes it a starring feature of her beauty looks.
Instagram: @ryleyisaac [11]
Status: Eliminated
Jack
Jack is a makeup artist who creates striking looks with neons and coloured contact lenses when they aren't working as a carer.
Instagram: @jackoliverx [12]
Status: Eliminated
Samah
Samah is all about soft-focussed glam with pops of colour that are blended to perfection. She also regularly shares her tips for different ways to wear hijabs and turbans on both Instagram and YouTube.
Instagram: @samahsay [13]
Status: Eliminated in episode five
Alex
Alex is a triple threat, with training as a makeup artist, a hairdresser, and a fashion stylist. Plus, she's really bloody good at transforming herself into David Bowie.
Instagram: @lipglosslezza [14]
Status: Eliminated in episode four
Xavi
Xavi describes himself as a pixie dream boy and that basically sums up his style. His specialty is rainbow dreamscapes, but come Halloween [15], it's all about the terrifying horror creations that make Xavi completely unrecognisable.
Instagram: @xaviguillaume [16]
Status: Eliminated in episode three
Elliott
Elliott's signature is trippy artistry that plays with colour, shadowing, and plenty of metallic silver to distort the facial bone structure and make you double take. Think sci-fi meets Black Swan.
Instagram: @bankselliott [17]
Status: Eliminated in episode two
Nic
Nic is a London-based makeup artist who also owns eco-glitter brand Disco Dust London [18]. Yep, that means you can expect rainbow glitter looks and fresh, clean, barely-there makeup in equal measure.
Instagram: @nicmarilyn [19]
Status: Eliminated after the first episode
Maya Jama
We've been manifesting a prime-time hosting gig for Maya Jama [20] for years and, finally, our hopes have been answered. You already know her from her gig hosting Love Island: Aftersun and as the DJ of her own Radio 1 show. In this season of Glow Up, she's taking over from Stacey Dooley, who helmed the show for the first two seasons.
Val Garland
Val Garland [21] is bringing her years of expertise as the global makeup director at L'Oréal Paris and a contributing beauty editor at British Vogue to judge this season of Glow Up.
Dominic Skinner
Dominic Skinner [22] is the global senior artist at MAC and is returning as a judge on season three of Glow Up.