Crossdressing and Cosmetics

The Challenges Of Make-up For the Male Face

When it comes to crossdressing and cosmetics, one of the most difficult things for a crossdresser to master is the art of choosing and applying make-up. Many young men, just discovering their need and desire to crossdress and wear cosmetics, often do not seek out teachers because of the taboo concerning crossdressing.

For many men, there is simply no one to turn to and so, for lack of instruction, end up applying make-up in a haphazard and unflattering way. But the increase in feminization support and discussion groups has changed all this.  Now, there are many resources for men who wish to learn to apply cosmetics.

Cosmetic challenges for men extend beyond proper skin care and coverage of facial hair stubble. There is eyebrow shaping, eye and lip applications, and using the proper tools to consider.

Skin Care First In Crossdressing Cosmetics

In order to get smooth coverage over stubble, a closely shaved face is, of course, of the utmost importance.  But so is pre- and post-shaving skin care. Skin care products which exfoliate and hydrate the skin should be used daily, whether or not make-up is applied daily. Well conditioned skin will receive better make-up coverage than skin which is dry, flaking, or blemished.

Pre- and post-shaving products which condition the skin are helpful. Traditional aftershaves often contain alcohol and can be very drying to sensitive skin. An aftershave product labeled hypoallergenic, and which does not contain alcohol, is often a better alternative.

If you have heavy facial hair, a superior quality, triple-blade disposable razor is a good choice (and worth the extra few dollars). They give a very close shave and you can use a new one just before applying your foundation to insure the best possible coverage.

A liquid or cake foundation is best for the male face. Avoid very light coverage and powder foundations.  They often don’t provide enough coverage. Foundation is best applied with a facial sponge applicator and patted, rather than rubbed or smoothed on. A matte finishing powder can further conceal the shadow of stubble.

Crossdressing Cosmetics Tackle Eyebrow Shaping

Eyebrow shaping is a challenge for both men and women. But men’s eyebrows tend to be heavy and coarse, so tweezing can be a real pain, literally. Some men use ice to temporarily numb the area.  However, perhaps a better technique might be to apply a topical anesthetic.  Check out the kind that is used in baby’s teething or toothache preparations.

Waxing is a brow shaping option, but wax is better left for other areas of the body. Tweezing allows for a finer shape and does not carry the risks of hot wax near your eyes! When tweezing, always pull the hairs out individually and align the angle of the tweezers with the direction of growth of each hair. Always begin tweezing from under the brow, and be careful of tweezing too much from either the inner or outer edge. We can help you find the proper brow shape for your face.

Color, Line and Tools

Some of the most common eye and lip application mistakes involve using too much or too little color, or using the wrong color. Drawing a natural line with lipliner or eyeliner is often difficult to learn, as is the art of smudging and blending. Choose lipliners in a darker color than your lipstick. Generally, eyeliners and shadows should complement your eye color, not match it. When learning to draw a good line on lips, draw just over or a bit outside of your natural lip line. Apply lipstick after liner and blot once with a tissue. For eyes, very gently pull each lid taut and apply a smooth steady line just inside or outside of the lash line, depending on the look you want.

Mascara can be a nightmare of frustration for men who often have shorter, straighter lashes than women. Use an eyelash curler prior to applying mascara.  Then, using a quality lash lengthening formula, apply slowly and steadily, allowing the mascara to dry between layers.

Learning techniques of application is important and takes time.  But using proper make-up application tools is also essential. Use sponge applicators for foundation and some eye shadows, natural bristle brushes for finishing power and eye and lip applications, as well as quality razors, tweezers, and eyelash curlers.

Still have questions about crossdressing and cosmetics? Give one of our Feminization Mistresses a call, today!