Your face is the first thing people notice about you. It’s a huge part of your feminine image.
Not surprisingly, there are many subtle and not-so-subtle differences between male and female faces.
What can you do if you have so-called “masculine” features? The good news is that you DON’T have to start shopping for a surgeon!
In this article – written specifically for MTF transgender women and crossdressers – I share 7 key differences between male and female faces.
Then I show you how to feminize your face with specific makeup, hairstyle, and beauty techniques. (No plastic surgery required!)
This post is filled with tips and helpful tutorial videos, so let’s get started!
1. Forehead
The forehead isn’t usually the first feminine facial feature that comes to mind – but it’s a key indicator of gender. There are 3 major differences between male and female foreheads:
- Men’s foreheads tend to be higher and wider than women’s foreheads.
- Men have a bony ridge called “brow bossing” that runs across the forehead above the eyes. Women have smooth foreheads.
- Men’s foreheads tend to slope backward while women’s foreheads are more vertical.
Fortunately, there is an easy, non-surgical fix for disguising a masculine forehead: bangs. Bangs are a great choice for crossdressers and transgender women. Here are some tips:
- Go for wispy bangs. Wispy bangs hide your forehead while softening the rest of your facial features.
- Avoid blunt cut bangs. Blunt bangs create a horizontal line across the face, emphasizing the angularity of your features.
- Say “no” to short bangs. Instead, go for bangs that are long enough to fully cover the brow ridge.
2. Eyebrows
It’s no secret that men have thicker eyebrows than women. But beyond that, there are other important differences:
- Men’s eyebrows tend to have a straight shape; women’s eyebrows are more arched.
- Men have lower eyebrows than women. The eyebrows sit below the orbital rim bone in men and above the orbital rim bone in women.
Updating your eyebrows can change the appearance of your entire face. Here’s how to feminize your eyebrows:
- Visit a salon to have your eyebrows professionally shaped. While it’s easy to pluck your own eyebrows, it’s also easy to overdo it. I recommend having a professional create your ideal shape. Then you can maintain that shape yourself.
- Create beautiful eyebrows with makeup. Here’s a great tutorial on creating feminine eyebrows – even if you can’t pluck.
3. Eyes
Your eyes are the first thing people notice about your face. Beautiful, feminine eyes are a must! Here are the differences between male and female eyes:
- Due to the brow ridge, men’s eyes appear more deeply set than women’s eyes.
- Men’s eyelids tend to be slightly closed, giving the eyes a narrower look.
To feminize your eyes, you need to create the illusion of larger, more open-looking eyes. Here’s how to do it:
- Enhance your lashes. Lush lashes are the key to larger looking eyes. Use an eyelash curler to help open up the eyes and invest in a great mascara. Also, check out my article on 4 Eyelash Innovations that Will Transform Your Face.
- Master the art of eye makeup. Learning how to apply eye makeup correctly is one of the most important skills a girl can possess. Here is a great tutorial on creating bigger, sexier eyes:
4. Nose
First of all, if you feel self-conscious about your nose, relax! There are loads of beautiful women with prominent noses.
That said, here are the differences between male and female noses:
- Men have longer, wider noses, while women’s noses are shorter and narrower.
- The bridges of men’s noses tend to be straight or arched, while women’s noses tend to be more concave in profile.
Here are some tips for feminizing your nose:
- Bring attention to your other features. The best way to downplay a prominent nose is to enhance your eyes, lips, and cheeks. If you do a good job with the rest of your makeup, your nose should fade into the background.
- Contour your nose with makeup. Nose contouring can be tricky, but it’s a great option for the evening or for photoshoots. (Contouring makeup usually looks too obvious in daylight.) Here’s a tutorial to get you started:
5. Cheeks
Cheeks are very important to the overall proportions of your face. Here are the differences between male and female cheeks:
- Men tend to have flatter cheekbones, while women have prominent cheekbones.
- Women have more facial fat, giving the cheeks a fuller, rounder appearance.
Here are some tips for creating fuller, more feminine cheeks:
- Apply blush correctly. A common mistake is to apply a stripe of blush along the bottom of the cheekbones. This enhances the angular appearance of your face. Instead, blush should be applied to the apples of your cheeks. This gives you a feminine glow and creates the illusion of fuller cheeks.
- Try injectable cheek fillers. While this is definitely a more invasive option, dermal fillers such as Restylane or Voluma can give you fuller, softer-looking cheeks within minutes. These treatments are costly ($700+), but they last 1-2 years and make a huge difference to the overall appearance of your face. An added bonus is that filling your cheeks can make you look younger as well.
6. Lips
Lush lips are a symbol of beauty and femininity. Here are the specific differences between male and female lips:
- Men’s lips tend to be thinner than women’s lips – particularly the top lip.
- The distance between the base of the nose and the top lip tends to be longer in men.
Fortunately, it’s very easy to create fuller, more feminine lips:
- Use a cosmetic lip plumper. For an instant boost, try a lip plumper like Sublime Lips Manuka Honey Lip Plumper. It adds volume while hydrating and nourishing the lips.
- Avoid dark lipstick. Dark lipstick makes your lips look even thinner, so opt for lighter, brighter shades instead.
- Enlarge your lips with makeup. Here’s a great tutorial on creating the illusion of larger lips:
7. Chin And Jawline
While a strong jaw tends to be associated with masculinity, many of the world’s most beautiful women have square jawlines: Angelina Jolie, Demi Moore, Gweneth Paltrow, Salma Hayek, and Gisele Bundchen.
Here are the specific differences between male and female chins and jawlines:
- Men tend to have longer chins than women.
- There is often a sharp angle between a man’s chin and jaw, giving the chin a square look.
- Men’s chins tend to have a flat end, while women’s chins come to a point.
- Men have wider, heavier jaws than women.
Here are some tips for downplaying a masculine chin and jawline:
- Choose a soft, shoulder length hairstyle. Go for wavy, layered hairstyles that gently cover the jawline. Short or chin length hairstyles that reveal your jaw should be avoided if this is a problem area for you. Shoulder length hair is most flattering.
- Contour your jaw with makeup. You can also soften the angles of your chin and jawline with makeup. Here’s a tutorial on how to contour and feminize your face with makeup:
Put your best face forward
Looking beautiful isn’t about having perfect features. It’s about working with your natural features to create an overall look of beauty and femininity.
These tips on how to feminize your face will greatly enhance your female beauty!
The more of these tips you apply, the more feminine your face will look!
I’d love to see your results, so please share a photo in the comments below. Let me know what’s working for you and if you have any other tips or suggestions to share.
And as always, thank you for reading and participating!
Love,
Lucille
P.S. Want to discover even more advanced techniques to feminize your face? Learn how to transform your appearance in the next 2 weeks with Makeup Magic: The Ultimate Male to Female Makeup Program.
Lucille, thanks so much for the tips. Nicely done and layed out, really helps.
Happy Holidays, Rene’
You look good Rene’
you were lucky to be born with a
good face to work with.
Mine face is going to take some work
to get right.
Very good tutorials! Thank you Lucille. Makeup tips are wonderful because that is the area of transformation that allows the most creative expression. One thing I’d say about the fuller lips tips is that T-girls might want to revise the lip liner advice to not completely go to the end of their lips at the side of the mouth but to cut in just a little bit before reaching the edges. This is just my opinion and I say this because women tend to not have as long a mouth line as men. Also, for me at least it makes the lips look a little more fuller. This may not be the case for all but it seems to create a better result for me.
Love the tips. Thank you. What else would you suggest everyone?
WoW! Lucille, you cut to the quick and give the workable essentials and why it works. Thank you so much for the valuable and concise guideline to femininity
Hugs…..Tasi
I liked the hair section. The only problem is that, in my late 40’s, am now bald
Thanks to these tips beautiful, I would like to ask how could I do I maximize the breast and nipples show a safe manner
Thank you Lucille!
You’re the next best thing to a next door neighbor lady friend and confidant. Will take your advice to heart. Practice makes, well not perfect, but a happy tgurl! I love your articles!
Yours,
Bolynn
I agree with the rest that this is what I’ve been needing besides a trip to the MAC Pro shop near me!I am blessed with a flat forehead, a soft chin and jawline, and I have had by brows femininley arched and tinted for years. I just need to get the make up down and I will pass till I open my mouth, Grin! I am working on that part too!
Oh and BTW, I have gone from a 36 to a 38 1/2 on the BEP, the girls are growing!