Cosmetics
Basics
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Probably no part of passing in the feminine role receives more requests
for tips and advice than makeup although a couple months reading of most
any womens magazine will provide you with more information on the subject
than anyone is ever likely to need. But because it is such a requested
topic we have prepared this quick primer for the absolute beginner. |
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No matter what specific brand or type of foundation you choose, it should
match your skin tone as closely as possible. Many people find it easier
to select appropriate colors in a department store where they often have
sample containers available, where as other places all of the makeup tends
to be prepackaged. Test the color on your cheek and your neck, the goal
here is to have the makeup to blend down onto your neck without a visible
line. |
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Using a water based fountation (most of the common commercial brands are
water based) it is usually recommended that you apply it with a small natural
sponge rather than a synthetic one, although after you become more practiced,
many forego the sponge altogether and simply apply a small amount at a
time by fingertip. Yet a natural sponge is only slightly more money and
will often give a smoother result. But whatever method you use, apply the
color with as little water as possible (only slightly moisten the sponge
first), if you get streaks let the foundation dry before you try to smooth
it out, you will probably find the streaks will disappear as the makeup
dries. |
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Using a cream or stick makeup, a synthetic sponge is usually preferrable.
Keep in mind, cream makeups generally require powder to set them, however
they do offer the opportunity to blend contour coloring into the cream
base before powdering. If you are covering a heavily textured skin surface
(like acne), or need to use a bit more to color to cover a beard shadow
then cream makeups may be your best choice. After applying the foundation
lightly and evenly all over your face, and adding contour colors to blend
areas as needed, you're ready to use your powder to set the cream. Apply
a dusting of power over all of the foundation adding a little extra powder
to the forehead and moustache area (because perspiration is heavier there),
and allow the powder to sit for a few minutes before brushing off the excess.
A big, soft, blush brush is usually ideal for dusting off excess powder. |
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| Corrective
Makeup and Beard Cover - |
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If you're being photographed for a formal portrait, then corrective makeup
to sculpt the shape of your face may be fine, but in such a case this is
typically not something you do on your own without the assistance of a
professional makeup person. For everyday, too much corrective work often
tends to look artificial and should be used sparingly. |
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Rather than going overboard using highlight and lowlight colors to try
and resculpt aspects of your looks that you are not happy about it is often
much more effective and natural looking to instead emphasize other areas.
For example, for a strong or prominent nose focus attention on your eyes
or mouth. Likewise, if you are not happy with the overall shape of your
face try changing your hairstyle instead, a soft hairstyle can work wonders
towards downplaying a squarer masculine jawline. |
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Many beard cover products marketed through the TG specialty outlets can
often give you an unnatural orangy look. A simpler and sometimes more effective
solution is simply to apply an excessively light shade of ordinary foundation
(some TGs claim clown white is the best) to the shadow areas first. Once
this color has dried apply your regular color over it and on the rest of
your face. |
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Choose a soft pinkish shade similar to your foundation color, one you can
safely dust on your forehead, chin, and cheeks for a healthy glow. Strong
raspberry or red shades are more difficult to be subtle with. You can however
soften the the color by first dipping your brush in translucent powder
and then into the rouge. Blush belongs on the apple of the cheek
(puckering your lips and sucking in your cheeks can make this area easier
to see). Be careful to keep the color away from any part of your
face you are trying to minimize. For
example,
if you have a wide face don't brush it all the way out to your hairline,
instead keep it more central so you won't call attention to the width. |
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The eyes are perhaps the one area that often seems to give people the most
trouble, Almost everyone wants to use brightly colored or frosted eyeshadows,
but generally it is best to start off with neutral colors like taupe, charcoal,
brown and off white since it is less difficult to overdo these colors.
Typical eye shading makeup usually involes the use of three complimentary
colors, a light color used below the eyebrow to the crease of the eyelid,
a darker shade along the crease, and a contrasting shade on the eyelid
itself closest to the eyelash. |
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To begin with it is a good idea to brush the entire lid area with a neutral
colored shadow. Then with a eyeshadow brush use the darkest color you are
using and create a crease following the natural crease in your eye. Starting
from the outer corner of the eye, sweep the shadow inward to half of your
lid using the same darker color. The area by the inner eye that is colorless
can then be colored with a contrast color to your dark color, blending
these colors starting from the outside in so that in effect the darker
color should slightly overlap the contrast lighter color. Last, apply a
very light color on the brow bone to right under the brow to highlight
that area. |
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After the shadow has been applied to your liking, an eyeliner is usually
the next step. Draw a line with your pencil liner as close to the eyelash
as possible (don't worry about making it too thin). Then use your slanted
eyebrow makeup brush to smudge the line following the shape of your eye.
This will thicken the actual line and thicken the look when the eye is
relaxed and make it look less dramatic. |
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The final step is mascara. First curl the lashes with an eyelash curler.
Dip the mascara wand into the tube just once for each lash (use a tissue
to wipe excess mascara from the brush before applying), then working from
the outer corner inward, place the brush at the lash base and sweep upward
to the tips. To minimize clumping, use as few strokes as possible. |
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A note on eyebrows: Female eyebrows are usually thinner and more arched
than a males, bit there are tricks that you can try to help in this area
without resorting to plucking or electrolysis. Lift the brow slightly to
give it a more feminine arch by bleaching out a few of the lower hairs
by painting them with foundation then lift the peak of the brow with a
few strokes of eyebrow pencil. Just don't overdo it, you don't want brows
that look like they were painted on. |
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Softer shades of red are usually best to begin with, brighter reds can
sometimes tend to highlight problem area in your appearance, yet as you
gain more experience with cosmetics you will probably start wanting to
coordinate more with your skin tone, clothing or nail colors. |
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Outlining the lip with a lip liner pencil, then filling in with color is
often the easiest technique for the beginner. If you have thin lips and
need to make them appear fuller paint your lips slightly outside your upper
and lower lip line, but try increasing the size slowly since you dont want
to overdo it. Mix your own colors by using different lipsticks on top of
one another, like a neutral light pink shade on top of a deeper red. Powdering
the first coat of lipstick then applying a second coat, will sometimes
help it last longer. |
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Forums
Contributions
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While all of our site is open to your contributions and suggestions, the
forums area in particular depends upon them. If this area is to become
the source for information and support that we know it can be, then it
is all of our transgendered sisters & brothers that will make it so.
Your input might be just what someone else needed! If you have something
to share here E-mail us: TGE@tg2tg.org |
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