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Getting started with makeup
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I want to try experimenting with a bit of make up but it seems to be a minefield of all sorts of concealers, brushes etc that are needed.
What are the basics I need to avoid shelling out hundreds for a load of unnecessary stuff. If it helps I’d like to have Smokey eyes and shaped brows to begin with. Not sure what colour lips to go for yet. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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A primer to help your make up last, good full coverage foundation will prevent the need for concealer. Transparent setting powder is better than shaded powder as it won't adjust the shade of your foundation. Contour powder better to get a contouring palette at first to try different shades to find out which you prefer. Eye shadow palette with nude and neutral colours. Eye liner and mascara pencil eye liner is easier to work with than liquid. Then a lippy of your choice. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"A primer to help your make up last, good full coverage foundation will prevent the need for concealer. Transparent setting powder is better than shaded powder as it won't adjust the shade of your foundation. Contour powder better to get a contouring palette at first to try different shades to find out which you prefer. Eye shadow palette with nude and neutral colours. Eye liner and mascara pencil eye liner is easier to work with than liquid. Then a lippy of your choice. "
All of the above but start with a good skincare regime. If your skin is tip top, the makeup will go on and stay on much better. A gentle face exfoliant to get rid of dead skin and a good moisturiser; you don’t have to spend a fortune.  |
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If you feel comfortable you can approach a make up artist who can help you find what colours work for you and talk you through techniques and products. Usually costs the same as about 2 make up products so might save you money compared to trial and error. Some work from home or come to you. I'm not sure when that will be allowed again. Maybe the next phase out of lockdown? |
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Smokey eyes is pretty advanced, unfortunately.
Brushes- Eyes Lips Face (Elf) have a set for about £15 on their website. It's very basic but they do a good job. They also have four colour eyeshadow palettes "bite sized" for I think £4 which people rave about. (Truffles or Cream and Sugar will be quite beginner friendly) I've heard mixed reviews on their eyebrow pencil, and good reviews on their putty primer.
Foundation and concealer - have yourself colour matched at a counter. I believe they're doing that again now.
You might need to look into facial hair concealer as well.
Eye primer is essential for eyeshadow. Helps it stick better. |
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I love the bodyshop concealer. I have a shade adjusting foundation, which I was skeptical about buying from Facebook, but genuinely matches my skin regardless of if I've been in the sun or not. It's light coverage too, so a great base if you don't want too heavy.
I always use clinique pencil liners, no others have come close to being as good. As someone said a translucent powder is good to set and take away shine.
You can sometimes get clinique mini sets when you spend a certain amount, and they're good to play aroumd with. Usually a little mascara, eyeliner, lipstick/gloss. Don't be afraid to ask makeup counters if they have any free samples.
Get to Boots... there's some good powder countour kits, with a basic contour, blush and highlight.
Watch lots of videos to get an idea, but moreso, play around, practice makes perfect, you'll find a look you like and feel fab with! |
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Thanks for the help everyone. I’ve found a cheap all in one kit on Amazon designed for first timers. Guess it’ll be rubbish quality but probably good enough for now. I will look into all the stuff recommended on here!
I thought Smokey eyes may be advanced but looks so damn good lol |
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Best advice I can give you is visit a cross dressing makeover service. There's a whole load of issues that we have to think of, and they'll be able to advise you as they transform you. Stuff like beard shadow coverage and getting your eyebrows right.
Also gives you a good demo of what you can look like, something to aim for, and the money invested is likely to be less than spending loads on makeup you don't actually need!
TV Chix has a great makeovers section, well worth a look. |
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The best thing you can do is go into Boots as your first step and ask for help with make up for you.
They're trained to help men and trans people starting out who may have very little idea what they need and how to use it and will be both discrete and as helpful as they can. You'll often find that the women who work on the make up counters love make up and don't often get to share their knowledge and really enjoy it when someone asks for help and having spoken to a few about it, they know when a guy is asking for himself rather than for his wife/girlfriend etc so by letting them know it's it's you they can help you better.
They will give you a skin tone test to find the correct shade of foundation first as everything depends on that, get your foundation wrong and it all becomes hard work and you won't be happy with whatever you do after that.
Show them some pictures of what you want to achieve and they will talk you through what you need and give tips on how to apply your make up too.
Morphe is also good as ive had some help there and their eyeshadow palettes are excellent and once you know what you need, superdrug and savers have great ranges as well.
For full coverage foundation, Estee Lauder double wear is brilliant and covers stubble well and as has been said above, use a primer and a good setting powder too.
Try to keep your look simple to begin with and apply things lightly at first so you don't look overdone or like a panto dame and you'll soon get the hang of things.
Best of luck OP |
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"Thanks for the help everyone. I’ve found a cheap all in one kit on Amazon designed for first timers. Guess it’ll be rubbish quality but probably good enough for now. I will look into all the stuff recommended on here!
I thought Smokey eyes may be advanced but looks so damn good lol"
Practice, practice, practice
Get to know your eye shape and eyeshadow placement, and keep practicing |
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By *rHotNottsMan
over a year ago
Dubai & Nottingham |
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Foundation and concealer - have yourself colour matched at a counter. I believe they're doing that again now.
You might need to look into facial hair concealer as well.
Eye primer is essential for eyeshadow. Helps it stick better. "
They are not applying but they match and give free samples in boots and house of frazer, urban decay eye primer is available as free sample too |
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The other thing with makeup is - get good reviews. Product quality can vary wildly within brands and price point is no guarantee. (but also be aware that some reviews can be paid for)
I say this because Elf - very hit and miss in my experience. Get the brushes, get the bite sized palette. Other stuff I'm less sure about from them |
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YouTube has loads of really good videos. There's a series under Crossdressing makeup, it takes you through the full process. Thete are loads of smokey eye tutorials on there to. Then its all down to practice x |
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"Insta has some amazing people who you could follow. The Welsh brothers, one is skincare the other make up. "
I love the Welsh twins. 8 watch their videos in bed before I go to sleep lol
OP if you want make up that isn't too expensive but is generally good quality I recommend revolution and revolution pro from superdrug.
Also watch YouTube videos for application techniques.
I'd say a basic kit would need:
Primer
Colour corrector (orange to cancel out blue tones from 5 o'clock shadows - you don't need much though)
Foundation
Concealer (a shade or so lighter than your foundation to add highlights to your face)
Loose setting powder (translucent)
Bronzer
Eyeshadow
Eyeliner
Mascara
Brow pencil and/or pomade
Shade matching is a challenge currently as testers aren't allowed. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Another recommendation for Boots, matched foundation for me perfectly.
The high end MAC i found were abysmal. Both times i went to their flagship store i ended up looking more yellow than a Canary.
Avoid most trans specific agencies as you get a formulaic look. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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There are loads of tutorials on YouTube
Get yourself the basics and practice - and like others have said go to a shop for a makeover with advice on what to buy.
Boots, Mac, Charlotte Tilbury.
It's cheaper to get the products online once you know which colour/ shade
Or go to a Beauty Outlet shop.
Have Fun  |
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Benefit primer
Rimmel foundation as a base
Estee lauder double wear for good coverage
Benefit eyebrow gel
Benefit lipstick
The best thing you can do it get colour matched and get a good beauty blender. Also spend as much time on your base to get a flawless base as possible rather than messing about with contour and highlighter. You want to look natural not ready for a photoshoot
R |
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"Another recommendation for Boots, matched foundation for me perfectly.
The high end MAC i found were abysmal. Both times i went to their flagship store i ended up looking more yellow than a Canary.
Avoid most trans specific agencies as you get a formulaic look."
Different people will find their best match in different brands. My ride or die is Boots No 7 - Mac is ok on me, Benefit too pink, Dior and Estée Lauder have good matches. |
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Foundation and concealer - have yourself colour matched at a counter. I believe they're doing that again now.
You might need to look into facial hair concealer as well.
Eye primer is essential for eyeshadow. Helps it stick better.
They are not applying but they match and give free samples in boots and house of frazer, urban decay eye primer is available as free sample too"
Urban decay are great fir samples. They've given me foundation samples to check the colour on myself as I struggle with being so pale and the sample was pretty big! |
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An easy "cheat" for a smokey eye might be a cream eyeshadow and fade out just above the crease. Something like the Maybelline Color Tattoo (I have it in Bad to the Bronze, I apply with my fingers and then fade at the edges), although I'm not seeing a lot of grey/black options available that would work for the classic smokey eye. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Ha I think you need to get a good coverage foundation, colour corrector (orange) if you have a shadow around ur beard area, concealer. For the face
Bronzer and highlighter and blush if you feel confident in contouring but it’s optional. If you want a full make up look get them.
For the eye, I recommend the pen eyeliner if you want to do a cat eye but that’s quite advanced I still mess it up myself.
Some eyeshadow palette with brushes. Or if you want to do it quick, you can also find the liquid eyeshadow but still get some brushes to blend.
Lipstick or lipgloss
I think those are like the must have for sure. It’s an addiction btw lol I’ve got bags and bags of it  |
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"Fortunately I don’t have much stubble at all so a good shave and moisturise will sort me out for concealment. Got the starter kit on the way so I can have a play on Friday.
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Good luck OP! Enjoy yourself and don't be too disheartened if it doesn't go to plan first time. I've had years and years of practice but still sometimes have make up disasters  . |
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I've loved the positivity of this thread. I use body shop and have found the people working there really helpful.
If you want 'wow' inspiration, there's a BBC3 Series called 'Glow Up' about make up artists. Their work is breathtaking.
Have fun OP. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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CD makeup is very different from women's makeup.
1st cover up beard shadow - use a concealer foundation like Clinique 2 in 1 foundation and concealer. Then colour correct with orange colour correction from kryolan. Don't do the other method you see online of orange first then foundation. It is too complicated and cakey.
2. Eyes. You don't need an amazing tutorial. Just a three tone eyeshadow from boots, mascara and an eyebrow pencil or palley. Fingers work in most cases.
3. Paint the face. Some blush, highlight, contour
4. Set and spray.
But if you do this regularly it's much wiser to just invest in laser hair removal. It hurts like a motherf*cker, especially upper lip and neck, but you will look so much more feminine with a lot less makeup and it will increase your confidence. |
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"Fortunately I don’t have much stubble at all so a good shave and moisturise will sort me out for concealment. Got the starter kit on the way so I can have a play on Friday.
Good luck OP! Enjoy yourself and don't be too disheartened if it doesn't go to plan first time. I've had years and years of practice but still sometimes have make up disasters . "
I did try years ago with an ex’s make up set whilst she was out and looked like coco the clown . I will persist with it this time! |
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"Fortunately I don’t have much stubble at all so a good shave and moisturise will sort me out for concealment. Got the starter kit on the way so I can have a play on Friday.
Good luck OP! Enjoy yourself and don't be too disheartened if it doesn't go to plan first time. I've had years and years of practice but still sometimes have make up disasters .
I did try years ago with an ex’s make up set whilst she was out and looked like coco the clown . I will persist with it this time!"
I remember feeling the same when I first experimented with make up as a teenager. It takes time and you'll get there with practice . |
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"Fortunately I don’t have much stubble at all so a good shave and moisturise will sort me out for concealment. Got the starter kit on the way so I can have a play on Friday.
Good luck OP! Enjoy yourself and don't be too disheartened if it doesn't go to plan first time. I've had years and years of practice but still sometimes have make up disasters .
I did try years ago with an ex’s make up set whilst she was out and looked like coco the clown . I will persist with it this time!
I remember feeling the same when I first experimented with make up as a teenager. It takes time and you'll get there with practice . "
Agreed. I started and gave up several times  |
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Beard cover up or concealer,
Primer,
Foundation,
Lipstick,
Eye shadow,
Blusher.
Look at MAU brand at Superdrug, they are reasonably priced. As for make up brushes, look at Wilko's.
Boots might do a 3 for 2 scheme on some make up bits.
As for trying it out, look at youtube there are a few good videos on there.
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