Pride Month is about celebrating one's authentic self and uplifting others, and Dominic Porras is doing exactly that. The social media star, who boasts 155,000 Instagram followers, inspires his audience with unfiltered beauty content.
As the headliner of the Meta float, waving his Filipino flag at Mardi Gras was an emotional moment and a chance to represent his community. Dominic has some valuable advice for those in the LGBTQIA+ space struggling with their identity: surround yourself with people who respect and ground you.
While he loves natural makeup, he's also passionate about conceptualising and executing unique makeup looks. It's clear that Dominic is an important voice in the LGBTQIA+ and beauty communities, which is why, BEAUTYDIRECTORY sat down to chat with him about Pride Month, makeup, and social media.
Could you tell us what Pride Month means for you?
Being able to authentically be you with no judgement, being proud of who you are and uplifting others are one of the many things that encompass the meaning of Pride for me. Celebrating each other and representing people who might not be comfortable with themselves yet is also key to what Pride means to me.
You headlined the Meta float - how did you feel apart of it?
It was such a surreal feeling to be able to be a part of the Meta float. I've always made it a mission to represent my community and for people who look like me. There's still a lack of representation out there within the LGBTQIA+ and POC community, and having the opportunity to wave my Filipino flag was definitely an emotional moment.
As someone with profound influence, what advice would you give to those within the LGBTQIA+ space? Especially those grappling with their identity?
Confidence is one of those things that have a lot of paths to get to. For me, I surrounded myself with people who saw me as equal, people who listened, people who respected me and people who grounded me. The people that are in my life now are the people that have helped me build confidence and to show up in spaces where our community is invalidated. You will find your community, put yourself out there and be open to life!
Mardi Gras is all about the glitz and the glam. Talk us through your makeup journey. When did you first get into it?
My first ever memory of makeup was in the Philippines. Drag culture is very big back in my country and my mum would always take me with her to see shows. I was enamoured by the glamour and the confidence the queens exuded when performing on stage. Ever since then I've always been drawn to and had an affinity towards makeup and all things beauty. When I moved to Australia, I started doing makeup in highschool and posting on social media. and over the years I have really worked on my skill and now am still learning and rocking looks that reflect my current mood.
What do you think is key when wanting to grow your following on social media?
Authenticity! Authenticity goes a long, long way. People will follow you if you come across as authentic and relatable. It is so draining to be showing a made-up version of yourself on social media, so stay true to yourself and everything else will follow!
Who are your favourite LGBTQIA+ creators?
I've always been drawn to people in my community and people I aspire to be. I will forever be a fan of Bretman Rock and Patrick Starrr. These two Filipino creators have been my inspiration from day dot. They really showed me that anything is possible and that people like me can be in places where I never thought would be possible.
The beauty space is so saturated. Why do you think your followers are so devoted to you? How do you ensure you stand out?
I think my followers over the years have stayed because I bring a different point of view to beauty. I love to rock a natural makeup look but what I love more is conceptualising and executing makeup looks that are out of the ordinary and makeup looks that you wouldn't normally wear on a day-to-day basis. And I think people really resonate with that.
