Transgender Makeup 101
Tips and Techniques for a More Feminine Face

Transgender Makeup 101: Tips and Techniques for a More Feminine Face

Makeup Application is very easy. You just have to go by your skin tone when your using a powder and a cover-up.

• Apply powder with a big bushy brush.
• Don't put too much cover-up on because your face will look cakey.
• Apply the cover-up sparingly with a sponge.
• For blush, apply it on the apple of your cheek. Just smile and the big circles are the apples!
• For eyeshadow, any color you use, use an eyeshadow brush or the little applicator that it comes with but be sure to use a color that compliments your outfit.
• For mascara, apply it in strokes. Start in your eye and work your way to the top, put on a couple of coats.
• For eyeliner, start form the outside of your eye and draw a line ending in the teardrop area of your eye. Don't put it inside your eye, it will make it look smaller and be sure to use a color that compliments your outfit.
• Lipstick is easy, just follow your natural lip shape and be sure to use a color that compliments your outfit and your eyes.

It isn't only crossdressers who have problems like blue beard shadow. For centuries, women have had to hide excess facial hair and dark marks, by using makeup.

The steps involved are actually simple, but you must follow them carefully. You must also practice them regularly.

To begin with, you will need to acquire the following supplies. I'm going to be brand-specific because I want you to get the right thing, but you can buy what's available and what your budget can afford.

Finally, a disclaimer: If you haven't tried cosmetics before, there is a very small chance you might be allergic to some of these products. Start with hypoallergenic make up that has been tested to ensure there is no allergic reaction. However, we are all different so be careful. Test make up on your wrist and if there is no itch or bumps it is probably safe to put it on your face but not your mouth, eyes, or other sensitive area.

Concealer. I recommend DermaBlend, which can be found at any JC Penny store (their official outlet) or at better cosmetic stores everywhere. Dermablend comes in "Chroma numbers" Chroma 1 is a light beige, Chroma 1.25 is a medium beige. If you cannot find Dermablend, use Pan-Stik as your concealer, which is available everywhere and online.

Cheap RED Lipstick. You won't be using this on your lips. A good one is "Wet And Wild" in the shade "535A." You can see the displays of Wet and Wild lipsticks in little racks at the ends of cosmetic aisles in most drug stores. You can also go to your local costume shop and purchase a cheap red grease stick.

Foundation. I have a few choices you might want to consider:

• Revlon ColorStay. This stuff really has staying power. Once it dries (in about 60 seconds) it won't come off till you scrub it off with facial cleanser.
• Max Factor Lasting Performance. This is fairly opaque and tends to stay on well.
• Almay Sports Formula Tint. This only comes in three shades ("Light" will work for most of you) but it has the advantage of being sweat-proof. Scrubs off with soap and water. This is the one I use most.
• Revlon's Ultimate II Ultimate Coverage. This is the most opaque of all the items in this list and is recommended for problem faces.

Expert Tips for Makeup That Lasts

Love is eternal, but what about your look? Will it last through the day or evening?

We asked three celebrity makeup artists—Sonia Kashuk, of Sonia Kashuk Cosmetics; Matin, for Laura Mercier; and Mally Roncal, of Sephora—how they keep models and movie stars fresh-faced and fabulous. For a visage that stays vibrant all day long, select a category below.

Mad-Dash Beauty

You have only about five minutes to primp, but never fear -- Cosmo's crash course on how to get foxy at a feverish pace is here! Whether you have an impromptu date or you woke up too late, these sly moves will have you looking pretty pronto.

At-the-Mall Makeover

You've spent the day shopping in frenzied department stores and you're running late for a date with your guy or some other p.m. appointment you want to look awesome for. The problem: Your hair has fallen flat, your eye makeup has suffered a meltdown and since you've learned it's best to tote less when you holiday shop, the only thing you're packing is a lip gloss. Don't fret -- instead, check out these artful freshen-up strategies.

Blot away oil-slicked skin.

If your face is shinier than the patent-leather pumps you just picked up, make a beeline for a bathroom stall. Since you don't want to wash away what's left of your makeup, tear off a piece of toilet-seat-cover paper and use it to dab away grease gently. Caveat: Don't rub or you'll smear off every trace of color.

Look for lotion.

Hit the beauty floor of a department store and seek out the one product that can cover the most get-gorgeous ground: moisturizer. You can use this multitasker to smooth dry skin on your face, clean up old makeup and even calm frizzy hair. So pick a beauty counter selling skin-care items and use a sample of their latest silkener to lube up liberally.

Snag samples and do a speedy makeup job.

Next, get to work using the cosmetic color testers to foxify your face. Play up either your eyes or your lips using a bright or bold hue -- emphasizing just one feature is a fast way to look hot and p.m. appropriate, says makeup artist Robin Nardaez, of NYC's Borja Color Studio.

Get blown off.

You can revive limp long-past-their-prime locks with a blast of warm air from the hand dryers found in most public rest rooms, says Lisa Chiccine, senior stylist for Avon Salon and Spa in New York City. Aim the nozzle toward your tresses and finger-tousle while the hot air hits them. To give definition to frizzed-out curls, wet your hands and use them to scrunch your twirls as the air blows. Note: If the nozzle won't turn upward, you can bend at the waist, flip your hair over and massage your roots to amp up the volume.

Plump up your pucker.

The paper towels in rest rooms are just rough enough to polish your pout perfectly. First, wipe away any cakey leftover lipstick residue, then rub a towel over your lips to exfoliate dry, chapped skin and bring a natural, just-kissed flush to the surface.

Speedy "Yikes... I Overslept!" Strategies

By the time you finally hear your alarm, you realize it's been buzzing for more than an hour. Now how the hell are you gonna pull it together enough to look bright-eyed and beautiful when you're nursing a school-night hangover and have to be at work ASAP? Don't panic. We have sneaky tricks to resuscitate your look on the double.

Wake up your complexion.

Give your tuckered-out skin a jolt with a splash of very cold water to bring color to your cheeks, then dab moisturizer on your cocktail-dehydrated epidermis. We like Chanel Precision Energizing Radiance Lotion, $32.50. Don't forget to fix red eyes with a squirt of eye drops.

Forget foundation.

Since you don't have time to apply base expertly all over your face, apply concealer just where you need it -- over blemishes, under-eye circles and any red areas, says Sephora makeup artist Charlie Green.

Work second-day makeup.

Slept-in eye makeup can look inexplicably great, says Nardaez. So if you couldn't muster the motivation to clean your face before you crashed, use it to your advantage in the a.m.: Dampen a cotton swab, then clean up any smudges and go.

Put color in your cheeks.

You tend to look pasty after a night of revelry, so enliven your skin with a peachy shade of rouge to avert "someone had a late one" comments from your coworkers. Use a cream blush, which looks more natural than a powder when you're going for a lot of color. We like Sephora Aqua Tint in Peach, $14.

Create a stylishly sloppy mane.

Since you don't have time to shampoo, blow-dry and style your strands, sweep them into an easy updo. Put hair in a ponytail, then pull it through again, stopping halfway, and leave some pieces hanging loose, says Chiccine.

Getting Decked Out Deskside

The only date you have planned for the night is with your remote control until your coworker springs a last-minute invite to a hottie-filled happening. There's no time to go home and primp, so what's a girl -- whose morning makeup is all but a memory -- to do? Try this advice to go from rundown to ravishing.

Switch your style.

Revive a tired workday do with a quick coif change. If your hair's been up all day, the pony holder or clips should have given your mane some sexy texture, so shake it out and scrunch the crown to emphasize that volume. But if you've worn your locks down all day and they're looking a bit bedraggled, try switching your part or sweeping your hair into a twist to make it look more party-girl pretty. If you don't have a comb, try a plastic fork, which is also really good for teasing your roots, says Chiccine.

Darken your lids.

You can make your regular daytime eye shadow look sultry and nighttime trendy by wetting the applicator before you apply it. Just go over your lash lines, then smudge the color across your lids, says Nardaez.

Take a utensil to your lashes.

Curled lashes make eyes look big and bright, but who carries a curler around? No need to! A metal spoon from the office break room can fill in. Hold it against your desk lamp to warm it, then place the back of the spoon under your upper lashes and press up lightly as you partially close your lid.

Shine, shine, shine.

If there's one bit of beauty loot you should make a permanent place for in your desk drawer, it's shimmer powder. When impromptu p.m. outings arise, use it to add radiance to your collarbone, shins, cheekbones and even your hair. We love Victoria's Secret Dream Angels Heavenly Shimmer Brush, $25, which comes in a neat fairy-type wand and smells sexy too. If you prefer an unscented version, try becoming Shimmer Color in Gold Dust, $6.50.

Erase your cuticles.

If you haven't tended to your talons in weeks and your cuticles are overtaking your nails, use the eraser tip of a pencil to push back the overgrown skin gently, then buff your nails to a shine with a tissue.

Highlight your pout...literally

Desperate times call for desperate measures. On those occasions when you find yourself stuck without lipstick and craving some color, dot a nontoxic pink highlighter over your lips and lightly rub them together before the color sets. Yes, a Cosmo editor has actually done this and it looks good -- like a pink popsicle stain. We swear!

Nail Polish

If I told you that people have been applying methods of body adornment for 1,000's of years, would you believe me? Well, it is absolutely true, so let me put some perspective on this situation by saying that belly piercing has been in and out of fashion forever or at least since Cleopatra realized it turned Mark Anthony on. No, I am not going to give the pro's and con's of such nonsense, but I am going to surprise you with the testing and comparison of a Chinese art that has been around since 3000 B.C.. What you ask? Well, nail lacquers or as we call it nail polish is the topic and the testing for this months installment. The hardest part of testing finger nail polish is: finding the time to apply every four days a new polish. The color experimented with RED, of course. The manufactures were department store brands as well as drug store of home sells, such as, Avon - Color Last, Revlon - Creme nail enamel, Estee Lauder - Perfect Finish, Cutex - Color Quick, Cover Girl, NailSlicks. Wet n Wild, Chanel - Creme enamel, and Maybelline, Long Wearing Nail Color.

You can find nail products in the most unlikely places, once while on a trip home to western PA to see the family. I stopped off at ride side diner. In the ladies lounge, in a vending machine, there were for sale glue on "nail jewels". I did not see the nail polish and thought this rather curious, but we are talking western PA here. I think most situation in this area are missing a few links, but that is another story for another time.

What I look for in a nail polish is probably no different then what you should be looking for that is the following: does it go on smoothly and evenly, does it provide good coverage in two coats or less. The biggest concern of most is, how long will it take to dry and how long will it last without chipping?

In regards to drying time I placed on a piece card board a layer of each product and tested how long it took each to dry. Cutex Color Quick did dry first, keeping in tow with its claim: It was completely dry in four minutes. The slowest in drying time was was the most expensive brand: Chanel, Wet n Wild and Maybelline all took about 8 minutes. The trick to nail polish is something I have been trying to stress throughout my articles. That is time is the proving factor in all conditions of beautification. So, with nails it is deemed just as important or more so crucial in drying nails. You must let at least 5 minutes laps in between applications - this includes the base and top coat applications.

This brings up a good point. Are base and top coats necessary? I would venture to say if you took a poll and ask how many woman in the private as well as professional sector use a base and top coat. You would find that the majority rules. Most of us sandwich a layer of a base coat on the nail as preparation, which is to help the color stick to the nail and the top coat provides shine and extra layer of hard enamel to strengthen the nail. I must admit that when using a base coat provides an easy application of the product. It goes on much smoother with the base coat, then it does alone. Cover Girl polish purports to have a build in top coat thus saving you time, but the shine just did not hold up after the product dried completely.

You are probably asking yourself. Well, there Ms. Tips, how do I get solon nails at home? Here are some methods that may make your finger fun more enjoyable:

Shape your nails with an emery board. The trick is not to file the nails down on the their sides, but to shape in a square fashion. This helps strengthen and a poorly filed nail will be weakened. File from the sides of the nail to the center in one motion as opposed to the see saw method which can cause the nail to peel. This is the number one problem with weak nails - poor filing. If your nails do peel, you need to buff out the ridges before applying the polish.

You need to wash your hands right before the manicure. This will eliminate all surface dirt and excess oils. If it is necessary, please use a nail brush.

The bottle of polish always needs to be shaken. But you do not just shake the bottle, you roll it between both hands, as if you were washing them with soap and water. This method eliminates air bubbles, which can devastate all of your efforts.

The proper way to apply color to the nail is as follows: You use three strokes: one down the center of the nail and then left to right of each side. The thinner the application, the faster the drying time.

If your polish is too thick to begin with, you need to purchase a nail thinner....DO NOT USE NAIL POLISH REMOVER. Begin with a small amount in an eye dropper and roll to the desired consistency.

To reduce any nail faux pas, you should allow each coat to be dry to the touch before the next coat. It is imperative that the nail be completely dry before you do anything...and that includes touching your hair, scratching your nose or pulling up a sagging stocking. All your hard work will be ruined in a split second without practicing the rules

You can dry your nails mush faster with a hand held dryer, bought in any local drug store, for a minimal price. You can use a standard hair blow dryer, but the setting must be placed on cool and low. If you use a high speed or too hot, it will blow the polish off the nail, creating a wave effect and the heat will melt the polish. The market sales many nail drying aids, from sprays to UV lights, (which I personally use) to hand held mini fans.

Despite all these tips the most important to implement is use your drying method between coats of polish, not to wait until all coats are apply.

If your manicure is looking tired and dull after a few days, then, apply one color coat, wait until dry and apply another top coat for shine. If your nail is chipped, buff, do not file (an emery board will be too rough) the nail until the surface is flush with the nail. Here is a quick tip....use the friction strip of a match book in desperate times....it is less abrasive than an emery board and will not damage the nail. When the nail is smooth to the touch, apply the color again and a new top coat.

To keep your nails looking great and making your manicure last longer, you should be wearing cotton lined rubber gloves.

Apply moisturizers to nails often and frequently. In the Winter months use gloves and when applying new polish, wait a day to allow the nail to breath before any treatment.

Question the manufactures claims. If a nail product claims to nourish or condition the nail, you must ask how. A nail, like hair is dead tissues that you can not add moisture to. No matter what the claims are, whether it be added vitamins, minerals or proteins the basic structure of our nails simply will not allow this to claim to be true. Any product can provide superficial strength to a soft nail, and some can add microscopic fibers to strengthen, but as soon as the polish is taken off. The nail will be just as soft as it was to begin with.

Now, for the testing of the manufactures: The Prices of polish range from $1.00 to $15.00. The Drying times for most were about 4 minutes per layer, the best being Cutex and the slowest being Wet n Wild, Chanel and Maybelline. Easy of application and evenness was universal. In regards to opaqueness of product, Cutex is the winner and Maybelline applied just fairly. Where chipping is concerned, and remember each color was worn for four days, with one day of breathing time between manufactures. Avon, Estee Lauder, Wet n Wild and Chanel were the best in endurance, and Cutex and Maybelline were the first to beginning chipping. Overall wear of the products: none were excellent, but all were at least very good to so so, th eonly two that were not as durable were Cutex and Maybelline long wear color.

So, the next time you decide you simply cannot live without your nails being polished, remember that any product will do in a pinch. Now, I realize that most transgendered people do not have the opportunity to wear polish for long periods. But, be that as it may, one still needs to use common sense in it application. Meaning, give yourself enough time to enjoy the moment, as time is the answer to all questions of how and why when it comes to making one's self beautiful.

Pedicure Essentials

Warm weather means sandals, bare feet and regular pedicures.

Remove dry skin and calluses. Soak feet in warm water for at least five minutes, then wet a pumice stone or foot file and rub feet using a back-and-forth motion. Don't be tempted to use a callus shaver for immediate satisfaction. It can remove too much skin and lead to infection, according to Leslie Campbell, D.P.M., of the American Podiatric Medical Association.

Moisturize. Apply an emollient-rich foot cream with shea butter to seal in moisture or alpha-hydroxy acid (aha) for extra smoothness and exfoliation. Try Sally Hansen 18 Hour Cracked Heel Creme, $5.95.

Add color. Apply base coat, two coats of polish (the season's must-haves are bright, hot colors like orange, tangerine, melon and coral) and top with sealer from base to over edge.

Do it yourself or go out to a nail parlor that also provides pedicure services. If this is your first time, go out and have it professionally done!

The Sexy Power of Your Scent

We surveyed thousands of guys on how they're affected by a girl's fragrance. Read on to see why the results blew us away: Your scent can make a guy lust after you, long for you -- and can even increase his love for you.

You know that when you're sporting a snug, cleavage-enhancing top or a pair of low-rise jeans, guys are guaranteed to take note...if not drool, pant and babble. But you probably never realized that the way you smell can actually have just as much -- if not more -- of a knock-his- socks-off impact. Sure, you've sensed that guys love fragrance, but how much so has never been fully measured...until now. According to the more than 4,000 hot-blooded hombres who responded to a poll we conducted on the Men's Health Website (and the scientists we consulted about the results), a woman's fragrance not only matters, but it also wields tremendous power over the opposite sex. To find out exactly what these powers are and how to harness them to enhance your own man-entrancing abilities, keep reading.

One Whiff Can Hook a Hunk

When asked if they thought a woman's fragrance could boost her overall attractiveness, a whopping 89 percent of the respondents said yes. And 60 percent actually said that at one time in their past, a woman's scent was the main reason that they wanted to meet her. One explanation for this crazy phenomenon: Studies have shown that smelling a fine fragrance can improve a man's mood and make him more eager to socialize, says Jeannette Haviland-Jones, Ph.D., professor of psychology and director of the Human Development Lab at Rutgers University, in New Brunswick, New Jersey. In other words, your luscious scent can make your lad much more likely to stay at your side and get to know you better. Avery Gilbert, Ph.D., president of the Sense of Smell Institute, has another reasoning: "If a guy's brain gets lost in the sensual experience of smelling you for the first time, then he's not assessing your physical traits as critically."

Perfume Power Play: How to make a perfectly fragrant first impression? For starters, only people within a one-foot radius of your body should be able to smell you. "If anyone can smell you outside that invisible circle, you're overly scented," says Gilbert. Go light on the juice -- one spritz or a couple of dabs should be enough. Another tactic is to perfume your hair lightly, suggests Mark Knitowski, vice president of product development for Victoria's Secret Beauty. Then, when you're cruising by the object of your affection, subtly tousle your tresses (a seductive move in and of itself) to release a dose of scent.

Your Aroma Can Arouse Him

If you've ever doubted that your fragrance alone could actually get a man in the mattress-mambo mood, consider this: Fifty-five percent of our randy poll respondents said they've wanted to go to bed with a woman just because they found her scent to be a major turn-on. "If a woman is wearing a sensual, feminine scent that has some erotic oomph to it, men subconsciously tend to perceive receptivity on her part -- as though she has ramped up her scent for a sexual encounter, which is very attractive," says Gilbert. In short, guys know it takes two to tango -- and if your fragrance seems to suggest you'd be a willing partner, they're all the more likely to want you.

Perfume Power Play: So what kind of sensual scent should you be spritzing on yourself to ignite a nookyfest? While heady, spicy oriental-inspired notes are always a safe bet, you don't have to limit yourself to only that category. "Potent florals -- such as those containing ylang-ylang -- are effective too," says Gilbert. In fact, since most modern scents are based on flowers, you can pick from a wide range of fragrance types, as long as your selection exudes the aforementioned oomph. ("There is no scientific way to quantify 'oomph,'" notes Gilbert. "You just have to use your judgment and stay away from light florals and overly sporty scents.") And you're in luck, because this fall, there's a large selection of brand-new sexy fragrances to choose from.

Your Lingering Perfume Will Make Him Miss You

"Scent can powerfully enhance emotional attachments," says Theresa White, Ph.D., assistant research professor in the department of neuroscience and physiology at SUNY Upstate Medical University, in Syracuse, New York. "This happens by way of classical conditioning: If you start to associate a scent with someone, smelling it from then on will call that person to mind and evoke the feelings you have for him or her." That explains why 69 percent of the guys surveyed say that thoughts of an old flame pop into their noggins when they get a whiff of the perfume she wore when they were dating. Even more impressive is the fact that 85 percent said that when a girlfriend leaves behind a lingering trail of scent (like on an article of clothing or pillow, for instance), it conjures up strong feelings about the sexual relationship he shares with her.

Perfume Power Play: There are so many ways to leave tantalizing traces of your scent around: Spritz a naughty-but-nice note and leave it under his pillow, for example. Or you could always "forget" a scented scarf in his car. There's also this trick from Knitowski: When hand-washing your lingerie, spray it with a bit of your fragrance as it dries. Then any nightie, cami or whatever else you wear to bed will transfer just the right hint of scent to his sheets. Note: To make this advice work for you, don't be a scent slut -- stick to just one or two signature fragrances when you're with him so he'll associate them only with you.

Scent Can Make Sex Even Steamier

Though it may seem hard to imagine, even the best sex you've ever had can be made hotter if you add a delicious scent to the mix. Fifty-eight percent of the men we polled said that the alluring perfume of a partner has indeed made their lovemaking moments more erotic. "Scent adds another sensory dimension to the sexual experience, which can heighten sexual abandon and help you become totally lost in your partner," says Gilbert.

Perfume Power Play: Simply spritzing on some scent before sex will spice things up, but if you want your romp to rank among the greatest of all time, take advantage of what White calls "the high level of integration between sensory systems." She explains: "When you experience something, it's never through only one sense -- and the more senses you play to (like touch, sight, taste and sound in addition to smell), the more heightened the overall sensation will be. In fact, lots of studies suggest that when an experience is strongly perceived through multiple sensory systems, you remember it better." If you want to work his senses to the hilt and create the right ambience to have some of the most memorable sex ever, stock up on sensory multitaskers: candles that give off a seductive scent and a romantic glow or a body oil that makes your birthday suit smell and feel amazing.