Makeup can have an amazing impact on your appearance – IF you apply it correctly.
Many crossdressers and transgender women tell me they struggle with this skill, and that’s okay!
You deserve to feel like your most beautiful, feminine self. To get started, it’s important to avoid a few common male to female makeup mistakes.
In this blog post, I’ll share the mistakes you need to avoid – and what to do instead!
1. Wearing Too Much Makeup
Wearing too much makeup is an easy mistake to make. Makeup is meant to enhance your best features while minimizing any perceived imperfections.
When you overdo your makeup, you end up accentuating EVERYTHING. This isn’t a flattering look, so remember rule #1: Apply your makeup with a light touch.
2. Applying Full Coverage Foundation on Your Entire Face
Even if you have problem areas you want to hide, you should avoid covering your entire face with a thick foundation. Heavy foundation can give your face a cakey and mask-like look.
Instead, opt for full coverage makeup in areas that require it, such as the beard area, and use a lighter foundation on the rest of your face.
3. Using Poor Makeup Application Technique
When it comes to makeup, technique matters. Some common examples of poor makeup application technique include:
- Clumpy mascara
- Mismatched foundation
- Harsh lip liner
- Overdrawn eyebrows
- Cakey concealer
If your makeup skills are lacking, look for makeup tutorials on YouTube or check out my free Male to Female Makeup Mini Course.
4. Not Selecting The Right Makeup Shades
Choosing the right makeup shades is just as important as your makeup application technique.
In fact, the wrong colors can give you a harsh and masculinized appearance faster than anything else.
The most important thing to consider is your natural coloring. For example:
- If you have lighter hair and skin, opt for low-intensity colors like soft brown, blue, pink, or coral.
- If you have darker hair and skin, go for high-intensity colors like deep brown, black, blue, or red.
Candis Cayne – Low intensity colors
Janet Mock – High intensity colors
In addition to your natural coloring, think about the occasion and time of day when selecting your makeup. Typically, higher-intensity makeup works better for nighttime when the lighting is dim.
Finally, your makeup shades should complement the colors of your clothing for a cohesive and polished look.
5. Not Taking Good Care of Your Skin
Think of your face as the canvas for your makeup. If your skin is dry and rough, it’s going to be noticeable.
Keep in mind that male skin tends to be rougher than female skin due to lower estrogen levels. This means that good skin care is critical.
Care for your skin by using a gentle cleanser, moisturizing daily, using sunscreen, drinking lots of water, and getting enough sleep.
Ready to learn more?
Check out my previous article, How to Feminize Your Face Without Surgery, for more male to female makeup tips and techniques.
For more in depth training, consider The Makeup Magic Program to learn all the essential makeup skills every crossdresser and transgender woman should know.
As always, I’d love to hear from you. Do you struggle with makeup or have you mastered this skill? Please share in the comments below!
Love,
Lucille
I just try to keep it simple. I have had some makeup lessons in the past which helped for sure at a Sephora shop as well. They were very helpful and friendly. Basically, I’m lucky to have a very light beard. So my foundation isn’t too much. I try to make sure my mascara and eyeliner are always good before I go out and I use a cream usually reddish lipstick. I find as I get older, my face seems to become more feminine! I’m 73, here I am out the other day doing some girl shopping!
I started by going online and contacting my closest Mary Kay agent to come to my house and supply me with makeup. She would also make videos to teach me makeup lessons. I now have another lady who specializes in makeup lessons for transgender women come by my house to teach me makeup lessons. Attached is a photo of how I looked and dressed after a recent makeup lesson. Susan, my teacher, always comments about how pretty my legs are. We are now friends and I am visiting her at her home this weekend where she is having a little get together with some of her girlfriends.
Yes!!! absolutely this is another detail area.It is an area where it can certainly make one so much more glamorous.It will also add to the inside feelings of feminine beauty.
I just love to wear dramatic makeup
to get attention.
I like wearing medium to bright eyeshadow,
or sexy looking smokey
blue, green, and dark eye shadow,
false eyelashes, lots of black mascara,
cat eye eyeliner,
with bright red lipstick ,
that I buy at Ulta.
I also like wearing Kat Von Dee
dark blue, green, and black lipstick
to get
Do you think those are the proper makeup products for me to use
and wear, mostly for a night of
dancing on the town?
Thank you.
Hi Lucille,
Hate to admit it but just had my
75th b/day and although I’ve been
a cross dresser for a lot of those years I’m still not good, in fact worse that that.
It all seems so easy watching online tutorials BUT….it isn’t, well for me anyway. I need HELP.
Love.
Jo. xx
I have my makeup done by a professional. I am learning what are the correct techniques in looking beautiful. I am getting there but looking my best is very important to me so if it costs a little more, it’s no big deal.
My honey gets turned on when I look good. Great sex………………
I am at still trying to find the right foundation. After looking for years. A consultation is out of my range of travel, and I live in a town where womens fashions are determined by whar Tractor Supply stocks.
Marcia, I would like to advice you to change the color of clothes into places. Genetic males have more broader shoulders than women and much more less hips and buttocks. So dark upper clothes and light low clothes as jeans and skirts will help you to decrease optically broad shoulders and increase hips and buttocks. And if you choose correctly what type of a woman you are ( Spring, Summer, Autumn or Winter) and wear the the colors of the clothes of this type. it will help you to be much more feminine without hard efforts.
That is what my image consultant told me when I go shopping for clothes. She says wear dark top and light bottoms. I just purchased a white skirt and light gray pants with dark tops from Lane Bryant. I have C cup breasts now and wear padded panties full time, so I look nice and feminine.
what do you think??? x
Vicki, you are a beautiful lady!!
Smokey look is a real bitch to accomplish. I have brown eyes and can’t get even close. as well as making anything look sexy and right! thanks M