Got A Lesson In Makeup Application

[Paula ult]

Kristen that does my electrolysis opened her own spa, her sister is a cosmetologist and works at Kristen's spa Sundays, i made an appointment with her this past Sunday afternoon. I had permanent eyebrows and upper eyeliner done last year so i would usually do my mascara, lower eyeliner and lip gloss, but eyeshadow, foundation and blush i never learned to do correctly and like getting my hair colored and highlighted, i procrastinated about learning makeup application.

Everything was done in the following order:

Foundation/Blush

She started out with Bare Minerals foundation to even out my skin color, then on to the blush, it was applied lightly on my cheek then in a c shape around my eye, she did the left side and i did the right, she corrected me if i did anything wrong.

Eyeshadow/Eyeliner

She applied a lighter color eyeshadow from the bottom of the eyebrows to the top of my eyelashes using a brush, darker on the lid then even darker from half way to the outside in the crease above the lid, next was lower eyeliner, she uses eyeshadow, the brush is first wet then dipped in dark eyeshadow, this makes it like a liquid and then applied, i had a brush that came with my cream eyeliner that has a very fine tip, it is called Maybelline Eyestudio, this is the type of brush she said to use.

Mascara/Lip gloss

Mascara was next, i use Mabelline Great Lash, she had me look down a little then applied to the tops of my upper lashes, then i looked up and she applied to the bottom of my upper lashes, she says it makes then lashes look longer, then a light coat to my lower lashes, last but not least was lip gloss.

She said i had everything i need except the foundation, foundation brush and eyeshadow brush, i got the brushes at Walmart and the foundation at Sophora.

Paula

[Guest Donna Jean]

Wonderful, Paula!

And, thank you for the blow by blow on how to apply it.

I need to work on mine some, I have a good basic style that I can do, but, I need some variety in my look...

Lizzy has a "Day" look and a "Night" look and they are miles apart...

I've got a "24/7" look...lol

And your permanant upper liner and brows look wonderful (I've seen them up close!)

You are really getting your "Look" down...your permanant liner, your hair and now your makeup...

You are doing so great!

HUGGS & LOVE

Donna Jean

[Guest Elizabeth K]

GRAND

I just want to add - use brushes for EVERYTHING except mascara (use the one supplied) - and if you 'pencil' on eyeliner, swipe over it with a dusting brush afterward to even it out a bit and make it blend.

And I find, if you look at your natural coloring, the planes of your face, your cheekbones, your browline, the whiter underside under your eyebrows, et cetera - all that, then you can 'enhance' what you already have instead of trying to create something else! Makeup is really making your good features 'pop.' The only real coverup is usually to blemishes and reddish coloring that is out of place - and maybe to the dark circles under your eyes.

As a refugee from maleness, we trans tend to have naturally smaller looking eyes than natal women (except Dee Jay) and therefore we can enlarge the eyes by focusing on the outer corners with a touch of liner. By NOT heavily darking inward with liner, mascara and shadow, we force the attention to the outside. Just a little trick if your eyes as a whole are smaller looking, like mine.

Also, we male origin women have sometimes a smaller lip contour, not as sensuous as some women (many men DO have beautiful full lips). So it tales a bit of practice to make lips look fuller. I found the HRT eventually helps on this somehow. But I also found accentuating everything BUT the corners of the lips really helps - especially the curature that can be enhanced. And put on the lipstick, THEN put on the liner. The lip color will better transfer and mix with the liner, and you will get a seemless final result. AND BLOT! Subdue that gloss! I know it seems counterproductive but it is how we real women present! Don't ever look like you are 'pretending' to be a woman, use the techniques women use, and you won't go wrong.

And yes - definately just a touch in the daylight! At night, use more color - but use common sense. Look at other women and see the different types of applications. Like clothing, be age and situation conscious. I know we are 14, but we dont want to make our mommas tell us to tone it down! Natural and pretty in the artifical lights at night, is different from in the bright sun.

Hint - use quality products! And certain products good for one woman may not translate to another woman. So experiment a little. Its cheaper to do so in a make-over, than buying stuff and then not being able to use it. 8:00 PM in a restaurant is different fom a 12 noon lunch. Jeans and a blouse need a different presentation than a cocktail dress.

BUT - understand you will need to settle into a routine - what you like - what you will ALWAYS want to wear. A look you want - even if you don't leave the house that day. Make-up that makes you - you!

I ALWAYS want my lip color. I like to touch on a hint of liner and a suggestion of mascara. I HAVE TO cover the redness on the bridge of my nose (bicycle accient 22 years ago). The rest is optional!

Sophoras is a wonder! I love MAX foundation! Bigger department stores have variety!

Just me talking!

Lizzy

[Carolyn Marie]

Congrats, Paula! It sounds like you had a LOT of fun. I want to have a session someday soon, too. Just need to find the right place.

I don't want to sit in a department store makeup counter with everyone passing by and staring.

Great tips, Lizzy and Paula. Thank you! I want to try those techniques for sure.

Carolyn Marie

[Guest viv]

Fab info Ladies , thanks . luv,viv

[Guest Tamara Ann Valla]

I know it sounds like a tough thing to do, but if you venture into a makeup studio, MAC, ULTA, Sophora, Merle Norman, or whoever, and simply ask them to teach you to "become pretty" I have done quite a few MtF clients right out in the open or in private rooms. Once you have the idea the rest is up to you and you can learn to enhance your features to the best of your ability. After all, Picasso didn't know how to draw when he was little, or maybe he did...

[Guest twinstar4]

Ladies,

I have a suggestion for those that may want to learn how to do makeup on their own. When my daughter let me know she was my daughter, not my son, and she needed to learn these things I thought back to my childhood years when I learned about makeup from magazines. The magazines published for young teenage girls are full of makeup tips and tricks including how to tweeze your eyebrows. They also have info on hair care/styles, fashion, friendships and dating. This may sound like a commercial for magazines but they are geared toward teaching young teenage girls what they need to know to feel good about themselves and that is exactly what a girl just coming into her own needs to know no matter what her age may be. Those that come to my mind are Seventeen, Cosmo Girl and Teen Vogue. They are fun to look at too.

Love,

Twinstar