The Mascara Trick

[KieranD]

I wasn't sure if I should post this in FTM or in the passing section. I figured I'd get a better response here.

Sooo...I'm genderqueer, and with pride coming up I'd like to feel comfortable and be myself. I know I'll always be misgendered (people will see a man or woman) but I think that my number 2 pick would be good enough. That is, I prefer to be read as neither a man or woman but know that realistically this won't happen so I'll settle for people reading me as a feminine man. In the cis world I would like to be able to just use the men's bathroom if a unisex/gender neutral one isn't available.

The issue is that my body, face, etc is seen as feminine, and female. I feel that if I can get my physical self to look on the side of male then I can do other additional things to make myself seen as feminine or not so masculine. I thought that maybe I could do the mascara trick to make my very thin facial hair appear thicker and make it visible. I just don't know if it looks good, if it's clumpy, or if I don't need it. There's also wanting to look my age as to not attract jailbait.

TL; DR

Submitted for the approval of the midnight society, I call this "The Mascara Trick."

So, my question is: does the mascara trick look good enough in full light? Does it look too fake? Do I look spiffy without the mascara? And what age do I look in the mascara vs non-mascara pictures?

With mascara:

One

Two

Three

Without:

One

Two

Three

[Guest Donna Jean]

.

Ok, that's weird.....I've never heard of the "Mascara Trick"...but, dang...

I looked at the fist set of pics and I was trying to figure out what you were talking about.....

Then I looked at the second set!

Dang! That is one awesome trick......I think it's how the hairs look long and aren't just dots.....

Well done!

Donna Jean

[Guest Elizabeth K]

Good trick - works really well!

Lizzy

[KieranD]

.

Ok, that's weird.....I've never heard of the "Mascara Trick"...but, dang...

I looked at the fist set of pics and I was trying to figure out what you were talking about.....

Then I looked at the second set!

Dang! That is one awesome trick......I think it's how the hairs look long and aren't just dots.....

Well done!

Donna Jean

It's because that is actual hair. The problem is that the hairs are too thin to be seen. Mascara makes the hair appear thicker just as it does with eyelashes.

I just don't know if I look my age or if I'm good to go without it.

[Guest Aly Kat]

You seriously just blew my mind. =O

It looks amazing!!! I opened the first picture and was like, "What's going on here?"

You look like a really cool guy w/ the trick... around 20~ I guess? (sorry if I'm WAAAay off)

[Guest My_Genesis]

Dude that looks pretty sweet. I thought about doing this at one point, but then I wasn't sure it'd work, cuz I couldn't picture it working... lol I just kept picturing clumpiness all over my face. So I ended up buying something from a website that sells costume makeup and stuff, that's used for some kind of "hobo clown" costume they have on there? It's just called beard stipple I think... someone on youtube on a video about drag king makeup (which the person doing the vid also said could apply to FTM's who want to pass better) recommended this... it works pretty well, but up close it's obvious that it's not real hair. lol but in pics it looks a lot like the pics you have up. So if yours is doing the trick up close, it works better than the stuff I have, which is pretty awesome because I've had several ftm's see pics with me wearing it and ask if it's real or not... or think it's real and ask how long after starting T that took to grow (pre-T)... lol.

[KieranD]

Also, those pictures are 6.5 months on T.

[Guest ranse]

My nephew (natal guy) was so eager for people to notice his mustache he also did the mascara trick. He came down stairs and his mom was looking at him and was like, "Wow, honey, your mustache has really come in. You might need to shave ... wait, is that mascara? I told you not to play with my makeup!"

The photos look great. It's hard to tell what it would look like in person--especially in natural light--, but in the photos it is definitely working. You don't look like the same person at all.

[Guest Michaele]

It's a real difference, nice trick

Shelley

[Guest AlexForever]

I have a friend who does this too and swears by it. Neved tried it myself though.

I'd suggest waterproof mascara to avoid incidents...

[Guest Colm]

I'm usually incredibly skeptical of things like this, but I have to admit that it looks decent.

[Guest Doodlen]

I was looking closely at the pic to see your eyelashes and I couldn't see mascara, I was so confused. But when I saw the second set of pics I was like WAIT A SECOND!!

Looks really good, at least in the picture. It probably looks good in person but I'm not there so I dunno for sure

But I like it.

*Makes mental note to try this some day*

[Guest Colm]

OK, I was thinking about this some more, and I have a few questions for you. What happens if you scratch or rub your face, or someone kisses you? Doesn't that smudge? Also, what if it rains? Does it come off on your clothes? How expensive is it to do something like this, and how long does it take?

While I'm at the point where I'm growing my own (so to speak), if this really works that well, it'd be a great thing to be able to recommend to our earlier transitioners. If you'd feel comfortable with it, and you find it works well in a day-to-day situation, I think it would be fantastic if you wanted to write a little guide about how to do this. No pressure though.

[Guest AlexForever]

OK, I was thinking about this some more, and I have a few questions for you. What happens if you scratch or rub your face, or someone kisses you? Doesn't that smudge? Also, what if it rains? Does it come off on your clothes? How expensive is it to do something like this, and how long does it take?

While I'm at the point where I'm growing my own (so to speak), if this really works that well, it'd be a great thing to be able to recommend to our earlier transitioners. If you'd feel comfortable with it, and you find it works well in a day-to-day situation, I think it would be fantastic if you wanted to write a little guide about how to do this. No pressure though.

I'd be interested in knowing this too!

[KieranD]

OK, I was thinking about this some more, and I have a few questions for you. What happens if you scratch or rub your face, or someone kisses you? Doesn't that smudge? Also, what if it rains? Does it come off on your clothes? How expensive is it to do something like this, and how long does it take?

While I'm at the point where I'm growing my own (so to speak), if this really works that well, it'd be a great thing to be able to recommend to our earlier transitioners. If you'd feel comfortable with it, and you find it works well in a day-to-day situation, I think it would be fantastic if you wanted to write a little guide about how to do this. No pressure though.

I never tried this in public. I would think that if I used a water resistant/smudge proof mascara that it wouldn't smudge or wash off. The mascara I used was about $5 and it took at most 5 minutes.

I do not recommend this for people who do not have facial hair. I'm using the mascara on the thin hairs that grow on my face (I haven't shaved in about a month). If you do not have any sort of long peach fuzz this probably won't work out.

I'm considering just doing a bit on my side burn area, chin, and upper lip, all places that I wouldn't usually rub or have itching from.

[Flint]

Nope. Sorry to burst your bubble.

Few problems, I can see you managed to get the hairs black and everything and not make it go all over your skin. But it's wonky. This makes it look fake. And from a certain point of view it looks like.... Mascara....

The side bit looks the most real. But that might just be on the photograph. Dunno about real life.

[KieranD]

Nope. Sorry to burst your bubble.

Few problems, I can see you managed to get the hairs black and everything and not make it go all over your skin. But it's wonky. This makes it look fake. And from a certain point of view it looks like.... Mascara....

The side bit looks the most real. But that might just be on the photograph. Dunno about real life.

What wonkiness makes it look fake? I am confused. D:

[Guest Risu]

Wow o.o it makes all the difference in the world. It definitely looks real to me. That's amazing!

[Guest Elmo1980]

Hey KeiranD

Ok so I have done this in public only out shopping but still out. I also put some on my eyebrows to thicken them and thought it looked great! but within a few hours doesn't look so good starts to smudge and harden and clump

. I then used a 30 day tinted eyelash kit same as this 1 eye lash kit test but used a clean mascara brush to apply to my facial hair including eyebrows and it works a treat as the dye only sticks to your hair. Better results for the same price as mascara. Its mini hair dye for your facial hair (just like "just for men" but for less hair) It also comes in different shades or browns and also black.

[KieranD]

Hey KeiranD

Ok so I have done this in public only out shopping but still out. I also put some on my eyebrows to thicken them and thought it looked great! but within a few hours doesn't look so good starts to smudge and harden and clump

. I then used a 30 day tinted eyelash kit same as this 1 eye lash kit test but used a clean mascara brush to apply to my facial hair including eyebrows and it works a treat as the dye only sticks to your hair. Better results for the same price as mascara. Its mini hair dye for your facial hair (just like "just for men" but for less hair) It also comes in different shades or browns and also black.

Ah, I can't dye the hair, but if I could I would. Great tip!

[Guest John Chiv]

Kieran,

I am not going to try the mascara trick but it does look great on you.

John

[Guest Elmo1980]

Ah, I can't dye the hair, but if I could I would. Great tip!

It is a good trick and works well!!! (sometimes). After you do it if you shave with and electric shaver your stubble appears darker also

[Flint]

What wonkiness makes it look fake? I am confused. D:

You and me both on the confused part.

The wonkiness on the chin. One side has more than the other.

Honestly to me it just looks like mascara. :-/ That is what confusing me, people commenting saying it looks real when to me it doesn't. Perhaps I'm going blind or something. I just don't seem to see what every else is seeing. *shrugs*

[KieranD]

Well, I ended up not doing it for pride. I was called "she" about 20+ times that day, the most that's ever happened. Oh well, I guess pride isn't for me.

[Guest Katie_in_AK]

Looks really real! No one would ever tell it's make up from any distance!