Wish I Could Apply Makeup

[Guest Roberta-Belinda]

This is a startling admission from somebody who has been crossdressing for forty years but I have never really applied make-up, apart from a little bit of lipstick when I was 20 in 1980. I really wish I could be fully made-up with a wig. I am afraid of making a mess when I apply it so any help would be appreciated. My only experience I had with make-up was when my female cousin dressed me up as a girl when I was about 10. A lovely experience which was a pre-cursor to me seriously taking up crossdressing two years later when I frequenly wore my Mums tights and skirts.

[Guest SusanB]

Only thing i can tell you is practice, practice, practice

Been trying for the longest time with the eye makeup

Was trying for Devinci but kept getting Piccaso

Last week i looked and my eyes really popped out

Was the greatest feeling that i made it

Not quite where i want to be but i'm real close

[Guest Roberta-Belinda]

Great advice, SusanB, thanks. In the past people have told me to watch make-up tutorials on Youtube but the folk on there are normally experienced, they do look fab of course, but one step at a time for me I think. . Thanks again that is great I will take it on board. I will let you know how I get on..

[Guest angels wings]

Lovey you tube will become your friend they have heaps of step by step how to apply make up . Have a look it is endless the things you can do . Even if you don't have the exact products they use , use your own and see what you come up with . Have fun

Angel

[Guest]

Your best friend is good lighting, patience, cold cream, baby oil and baby shampoo. Using those, It all comes off with a little scrubbing. Go for the more advanced products as you gain your skills. As for make-up? Usually less is more. It used to take me two or more hours and a few tries to get a look I could walk out the door with. Today just over twenty minutes and once in a while a botched something that requires a retry. If I am really dolling up for a special occasion, I take five hours, or at least allow that. Then I can relax in the bubble bath, facial, nails, hair, mix and match an outfit and accessories. That is a fun time to pamper me. My very first attempt a long time ago, would make a clown cringe. How on earth can women use this stuff!!! That and ran my very first pair of nylons putting them on! LOL! We all start somewhere. Have fun and giggle. Hug. JodyAnn

[Guest Penelope]

_{I agree with Jody; less is more. You can get a great deal of satisfaction out of just an eyeliner pencil and a lipstick. (I assume you don't aim to look like a panda or the Widow Twankey.)}

_{A well lit mirror is also very useful. Things can get a bit tricky round the eyes, though, if you're long sighted in one or both.}

_{All the best,}

_Penny

[Guest Sentience]

You live in Wales (which by the way is a country, not a province, just like my beloved Scotland is a country) so get yourself down to Boots the chemist and go to the No.7 counter. There they will use this wonderful little device on your face which will give you the perfect foundation. Yes people will stare but who cares? I didn't. Anyway take it home and put it all over you face including you eyelids and lips. Don't pile it on though. Next put on lipstick or tint (I love Maybelline tint) that is close to your natural lip colour, |mascara, a bit of pink blusher and you're done......and get your eyebrows done.

[Guest Sarah_H]

Hi,

I completely agree with Susan, practice is key. YouTube for tips and ideas. I really like trying out new ideas and different colours and shades. I find getting the eye shadows right the hardest part.

I tend to notice how the girls in work are doing their make up and try to replicate.

Nice eye brows are a must. I agonised for ages about whether people would notice or not when I plucked my eye brows properly, but no one has. They haven't said anything about it and I don't care what they think now anyway. I think my eye brows are ultra glam.

Make up is fun, enjoy.

Love,

Sarah.

xxxx

[Guest *Charlotte P*]

Have to agree, it's good lighting and practice, practice, practice..I have found ways to put on eyeliner that is totally undetectable which gives me practice most any day..it also helps to look thru women's magazines and look at the latest looks in makeup. I have tried this a few times and can get the look down usually after a few tries,,still having trouble with smokey eyes which is such a beautiful look. oh well guess that means more practice!!

Hugs

Charlotte

[Guest Jan Jane]

Since I have to spend much of my time "undercover" and meet the public as a male, I'm a minimalist about make up. When I do wear it I concentrate on lip gloss, false lashes (which do NOT go on and come off as easily as advertised) and eyebrow pencil. It can all come off in a hurry if need be but also applies fairly quickly.

[Charlize]

Practice and experimentation will help you find your look. Every cis woman i know uses makeup differently if at all. They learned from mom and from playing with friends and constantly looking. If you just look at every woman's eyes you can, you will learn. You may also find this a pleasant experience if you're like me.

Hugs,

Charlie

[Guest Clair Dufour]

Beyond what others have said, the first goal is to take the male look off you face. Thats done with transparent powders and often with stick makeup to get your face to look like women neighbors your age and their day to day look. After that you can explore other products. The goal is to fit in not stand out! As mentioned, eyebrows are a big part of itand no you don't need to shave them just get them styled. Also, almost everywhere there are other crossdressers that you can get local help from.

[Michelle 2010]

Less is better no only in real life, but in practice imho. Particularly with eye shadow and blush, start with less. Lipstick is simple to wipe off and redo and not mess everything else up, but not so the eyes and cheeks. Wiping off cheeks can upset the mineral powder or liquid foundation look leaving it uneven. Best to start with a feathery light touch with the blush brush and add a second pass rather than trying to remove the newly created round clown spots that magically appeared...

With the eyes, I would just play with the shadows until you get to liking the look, skipping the liner and mascara in the beginning. Why? Simple... the liner and mascara are much harder to remove when you mess them up and if you get it right but the shadow blending is Blah or Bling you've wasted alot more time putting that stuff on and even more getting it off in order to redo the shadow that wasn't right in the first place... In other words, if you just play with the shadows, you can practice 6-8 times if each removal does not include the black or brown stuff. I would max out at a couple times when I tried using the liner and mascara too. Too much work getting it off. The shadows come off easily however... Lastly, the little felt covered sticks that come in the eye shadow cases are hard to use subtly, and girlfriends, we do want to be subtle with make up, right? So, you really should consider buying a Blush brush and more importantly, 2 eye shadow brushes, one for the larger areas and a smaller shorter bristle one for the detail on parts of the lids...

But most of all, I agree... Have fun!!!

Michelle

[VickySGV]

One of the absolutely hardest things about make-up is telling a sales person you are buying the paint for YOU. Once you get past that point, it does become MUCH easier, because you stand a good chance of getting recommendations (not a sales pitch) for cosmetics that will help you look your best.

I did not actually reach my daily comfortable look until just a few months before I began my full time life, and this was after 15 years of CDing and two years into TS diagnosis and HRT. I was my own worst enemy because of worry, and looking for the "magic make-up" that would make me look perfect. I do not look perfect, but I look like me as I like myself. It takes time and searching, but get busy, and the time will fly.