Nikita Dragun

One of the beauty giants in the social media industry, Nikita Dragun is one of the most popular beauty gurus on YouTube. After she began her career on the video viewing platform in 2014, she has been a part of several dramas and controversies. 

 

 

In March 2017, Nikita posted a promotional image to her Instagram on behalf of Jeffer Star, a fellow beauty guru. The picture was for Jeffer’s new cosmetic products launch. However, the problem was rooted in the fact that Nikita was wearing a very dark foundation for her natural complexion. 

 

She immediately got called out of “blackfishing” and received tons of backlash. Blackfishing is a version of cultural appropriation, where people who aren’t Black choose to darken their skin color to look biracial, Black, or racially ambiguous. 

 

Dragun addressed the criticism with a statement to the magazine “Seventeen,” sharing that she is really “disappointed” about the negative response the campaign was receiving. According to her, it was regrettable that some people were only choosing to see the image with a closed mind. 

 

The beauty guru further stressed the fact the image was a creative design, therefore, called for high contrast between shadow and light, including low-lighting that would lend to creating a certain “mood for the imagery.”

 

Nikita ended her statement by pointing out that she is very proud of her Vietnamese and Mexican roots. Dragun was saddened that some people were just unable to see the creative design for it without adding a negative connotation to it. Especially, when the campaign is striving to celebrate inclusivity and diversity. 

 

Professionally speaking, Nikita Dragun is a makeup artist, model, and YouTuber. Nikita came out as a transgender woman while she was a teenager. She has been very open about her transition and often discusses it in her YouTube videos. 

 

Eventually, Dragun decided to move to Los Angeles from Virginia, where she got her business degree from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. She was already doing well at the time but wanted to further her endeavors in the makeup industry. 

 

Nikita has shared instances where she has represented and stood for the rights of transgender women. L Brands chief marketing officer Ed Razek once commented that trans women should not be a part of Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show as “the show is a fantasy.” In response, Nikita took to Twitter and posted a video of herself modeling in lingerie to prove that trans women can convey the fantasy as well. 

 

All of Nikita’s talent has helped her garner 3.65 Million subscribers on her YouTube channel. Likewise, her Instagram account flaunts a fan following of 9.1 Million. Out of all her social media accounts, her TikTok has the most significant number of followers, a whopping 14.2 Million. 

 

In March 2019, Dragun launched her own makeup line called Dragun Beauty. Other than the mainstream shoppers, the beauty line was targeted towards the transgender community. The products by Dragun Beauty are vegan and cruelty-free, something Nikita is very proud of. 

 

If we get into Nikita’s private affairs, Dragun loves teasing her fans to have them guessing about her dating life. Though, Nikita was suggestive that she was dating Tony Lopez back in 2020. However, she seems to be going out with a mystery man named Chase Stobbe. 

 

Nonetheless, Nikita is a very talented person and continuously dedicates her time and energy to her business and personal growth.