With a two-hour make-up routine that would put any girl in the shade, one Carnoustie man shimmered on a one-off reality TV show.
Austen Price, 22, was approached by show producers who were looking for “masters of make-up” to appear in their one-off Channel 4 show, Extreme Makeovers: On Fleek.
The care worker, who has dreams of becoming a reality TV star, snapped up the chance to appear on the show.
Austen appeared alongside seven other participants, who all started off bare-faced before going off to complete their signature look.
The show focused on “extreme image lovers” and featured a human Ken doll, a “bad Barbie” and a “cyber mermaid”.
The 22-year-old Angus lad, who has already had cosmetic dental work done, named TV presenter Rylan Clark as one of his heroes.
Speaking to the Tele, the former Carnoustie High pupil revealed he was “nervous” going on the show — especially over the reaction he’d get.
He explained: “When they approached me regarding the show, I think they were interested in my story because I was from such a small place.
“Since I have been on the show, it has been a mixed reaction.
“Like Marmite, some people loved it and some people hated it.
“I am probably one of the only boys in Carnoustie who wears make-up.”
Austen, who studied beauty therapy at college, was the first contestant on the show to demonstrate his transformation.
As part of his signature routine, he applies various foundations and powders and uses pencils to complete his look.
He also has his look aided by sun beds and rub-on tan, admitting he is a “tanning addict”.
While the transformation took place, the other contestants were left guessing what the outcome might be.
Austen explained: “When I came back out to show them the transformation, they liked it but they thought it was drastic and very orange.”
Austen described his look as “classy tacky”.
He added: “My look in comparison to some of the others was probably quite tame but it was definitely the best.”
The routine, which can take up to two hours, started when Austen became “obsessed” with glamour model Katie Price.
He added: “I’ve been dressing like this since I was 16 and it is not something I do as a one off — I’m like this all the time. My mum hates my eyebrows and my stepdad says my make-up and tan are too dark.”
The episode showed Austen during his working day as a senior care assistant in Carnoustie, where his patients regularly mistake him for a woman.
Austen added: “They will say things like thanks ‘lass’ and ‘there is that woman who was here earlier on’.
“Most people think I’m a girl but it genuinely does not bother me.
“I have made myself look like this and it really doesn’t faze me. I have to accept that people might be mistaken.”
Austen said he just loves to be “different” but the look, he said, will not lead to him changing his gender, adding: “I don’t want to be a woman. I just love standing out, why should we all be the same?
“Be who you want to be. My look has managed to get me on television.”
The filming in Carnoustie lasted for three days before he was whisked down to London to complete the make-over part of the show. He added: “The show is only a one-off but depending on the reaction it may come back on to our screens.
“The rest of contestants were really nice. I still keep in touch with a few of them.
“The experience was brilliant, if not a little weird being on a set with a television crew.
“It was my first time to London and it’s a big beautiful city.
“It’s a definitely a place I would go back to.
“I would still like to be famous and go down the reality TV route but we will wait and see what happens next, maybe an appearance on Big Brother or TOWIE or something like that.”
After his first appearance on national television, Austen also said he has ambitions of running his “tanning empire” and beauty salons throughout the UK.
He added: “I studied beauty therapy at James Watt in Ayrshire.
“This would certainly be something I would like to turn into a business in the future.”
Austen said he was “glad” to have done the show.