Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Our Makeup Needs are Different

Sally Stone has kindly written a series of articles about makeup and makeup application that is specifically targeted for girls like us. The first installment of her series begins with this post and will continue over the subsequent posts.

By Sally Stone

This article is the first in a series about makeup usage and application techniques. Before we actually begin talking about makeup tips though, it is important to mention that our needs often differ from the needs of cis-women. What works for them, many times, isn’t going to work quite so well for us.

The first thing we need to realize is that makeup is generally designed for cis-women. That is, it is formulated to be used on female pattern skin, skin that is generally smooth and doesn’t possess much texture. Makeup is also designed to accentuate feminine features, not necessarily to camouflage male pattern features or flaws.

Makeup is also marketed and sold with women in mind, so a lot of the claims about what it can do are made based solely on the female face. As an example, one of makeup’s biggest selling points is that it provides sheer coverage. Okay, the fact that sheer coverage is an oxymoron notwithstanding, sheer makeup just isn’t going to work for most of us because we generally have more to hide. The moral here is that what makeup company’s claim their products can do usually has to be taken with a grain of salt when a transwoman is buying it.

That’s not to mean we can’t use female-oriented products; in fact, we pretty much have to. It’s just that we have to remember that the way we use makeup is quite a bit different then it is for cis-women. We want to transform skin that possesses male pattern characteristics into skin that looks decidedly feminine. It can be done if we fully exercise makeup’s transformative powers. To do this, however, we girls have to use techniques oriented more for our unique needs.

So, as you read these upcoming articles, keep in mind that the way I use makeup is going to be different from or a modification of,many of the cis-oriented techniques you’ll find on the Internet or in fashion magazines. Still, I have learned a tremendous amount about makeup and its application from cis-women; it’s just important to know how to adapt those techniques so they work effectively for us.

My intention is to demonstrate how to get the most out of your makeup and hopefully, the series will provide some insights on how to use makeup in ways that complement and enhance the male pattern complexion. Additionally, some of these makeup techniques could help you unleash the true makeup artist residing within.




Source: Moda Operandi
Wearing Balmain




Tuntenball
Boy and girl attending Tuntenball

9 comments:

  1. As an actor, I have spent years trying to find that "sweet spot" between stage make up, street make up, and making my male face look feminine make up. I can't wait!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Here's a fun site where a makeup transformation company from Chile specializes in Quinceanera makeovers. While it's quite the project doing non-cis makeup, it doesn't really link up with today's post because the boys being transformed are just 15 years old and haven't really developed their adult characteristics. But they do good work and the videos are fun to watch.
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC93MGF5bFV3lgnnvpn8VlrA

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Regarding those videos, caveat emptor.

      Delete
    2. Agreed, Some of the videos do appear "too good to be true".

      Delete
  3. I'm definitely interested in this series and agree with Julie. I find it difficult to truly feminize my face, although I do have good skin. I have also been a stage actor and understand how to apply makeup, but in a more exaggerated manner than a woman would for a regular day. Excited for the future posts!

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousJuly 28, 2020

    They are both boys in the Femulator picture. Tunte is a German word for a gay man with connotations of being a sissy. Tuntenball might best be translated into English as 'sissyball'.
    Having said that only the shine on her wig and the context gave our fetchingly dressed 'girl' away.
    Penny from Edinburgh.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tuntenball is not a male-only affair. Viewing the event’s photo gallery, it appears that just as many females as males are in attendance. So I will stand by my original caption.

      Delete
    2. Stana,
      I just wanted to apologise for the tone of my comment. On looking at it again, it comes over as critical in a way that wasn't meant at all. Your site is for so many of us our goto trans site.
      Best Wishes,
      Penny from Edinburgh.

      Delete
    3. No need to apologize, Penny.

      Delete