Makeup tips for beginners: Part One

By Christine (704)

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Introduction

Lets look at some basic first before applying any make-up: Skin care, shaving and having the optimum conditions to apply makeup.

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Skin Care

Before we even get to applying make-up, lets look briefly at skin care.

As men, we were never taught much about skin care as most women are. However, many men these days are now buying moisturisers, avoiding excessive sun and generally taking better care of their skin. This is particular important if you are a crossdresser.

Cleanse, Tone, Moisturise!
Good skin care involves cleansing, toning and moisturising, at least once and preferably twice per day. This routine is a must after removing make-up. Never go to bed wearing make-up. Apart from making a mess of the pillow and sheets, it is not good your skin, clogging your pores.

For day-to-day use, stick with moisturisers designed for male skin, ones that are more likely to be water-based rather than oil-based, which women tend to use.

Exfoliate!
Exfoliation is something else that you should do about twice per week. Initially, I tried a couple of women's products, but I found these a little too gentle as female skin is naturally softer and need gentler care.

I use a male exfoliant by Natio. The first thing that I noticed was that it was more abrasive than the female exfoliatant that I had been using, but my skin coped with it well.

When we shave everyday, we are actually exfoliating the beard area with the razor blade. There is then enough difference to highlight the shaved area from the rest of the face, and make it look lighter and may make the beard shadow more noticeable. By exfoliating the whole face and neck regularly, the balance between the two areas is closer. It makes a subtle difference, but every little improvement we make increases our feminine appearance that little bit more.

To exfoliate your lips, use a wet toothbrush (without toothpaste) and gently rub both lips.

Eye lid care
Another optional thing that you can do daily is to use an eye cream, gently massaged into the upper and lower lids. I am still to be convinced that it make a big difference. It may be too subtle to be noticeable or may just take longer to become apparent.

It works!
In the last two years, I have had several comments from women, when I am male-mode, about how good my skin looks. I also try and limit the amount of direct sun to which I expose myself. So many men of my age group or younger have very weathered skin.

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Shaving

There is a saying among crossdressers about the beard:

"If you can feel it... you can see it"

The face should be as closely shaven as possible without damaging the skin. Here are some pointers to getting the best results for a smooth face that will last for up to 8-10 hours:

1. Some people find shaving in the shower, using shampoo are the lubricant, to be the best as the skin and beard will be softer. Others prefer to do it in the sink using shaving cream, jel or oil. It is a personal preference, so do what works best for you.
   
   
2. Never shave with a blunt razor. Do not use the same blade for much more than a week. Before a big night out, use a new blade, although some people recommend having a shave with a new blade the day before a night out, so that it is not so sharp that it nicks your skin.
   
   
3. Use a multi-blade razor, as they give a much smoother shave and you are less likely to cut yourself. I recommend Gillette Fusion, which has five blades.
   
   
4. Use a different razor on your face to the one you use of the rest of your body, such as your legs. This reduces the risk of skin infections, such as folliculitis.
   
   
5. Double shave. That is, shave once with the grain of the beard, then rinse and re-lather and shave gently against the grain.
   
   
6. Never apply strong pressure or drag the razor when shaving, as you are more likely to cut yourself or get a shaving rash. Gentle slow shaving is better for your skin.
   
   
7. Immediately after shaving splash cold water on your face to close the pores. I sometimes use a toner which is quite astrigent to do the same job.
   
   
8. Moisturise the whole face thoroughly, but with special attention to the newly shaved beard. As you do this, you will find areas of the beard where you can feel a little bit of stumble. Gently touch up these areas with your razor until you can feel hardly any beard. You made need to moisturise again before you finish.
   
   
9. Do not overlook places, like just under the nostrils and around the Adam's Apple, that can be easily missed.
   
   
10. If you are out for the whole day and then going out in the evening, you will need to shave again and reapply your make-up, to look your best. Yes, it's hard being a girl!

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The Right Conditions

A well-lit comfortable position makes applying makeup much easier. Doing it in a car at night in a rear-view vision mirror is much harder. A good magnifying mirror is a big advantage. Ones with their own built-in lighting usually offer no real advantage. Applying makeup is easier in the seated position with elbows resting on a bench or table.

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