Prep Your Skin
Cleanse and moisturize: Start with clean, moisturized skin. I cannot recommend moisturizer enough and recommend using it everyday even if you are not being a girl that day.
Shaving Tip: A close shave is key (I use a gel shaving cream with a multi-blade razor). Follow with a soothing, non-greasy moisturizer or aftershave balm.
Primer (optional, but I always use primer): Use a smoothing or pore-filling primer to create a clean canvas and reduce the appearance of texture or beard shadow.
Color Correction (Especially for Beard Shadow)
Use a peach or orange corrector:
Dab a peach corrector over blue/gray beard shadow or orange for deeper complexions.
Blend with a sponge or fingers. This step cancels out unwanted tones before foundation.
(I used a corrector in my youth, but no longer use it because my beard is nearly white and does not shadow.)
Foundation
Choose the right shade: Match to your neck and chest for a seamless blend.
Application:
Use a sponge or foundation brush. (I use a liquid foundation, so a sponge is my application tool.)
Start in the center of the face and blend outward.
Build up in thin layers for more coverage where needed (like beard area).
Concealer
Use a lighter concealer under the eyes.
Blend well with a sponge or brush.
Setting Powder
Lightly dust translucent powder over your face to set your base and prevent shine.
Press powder into the beard area to reduce texture and set coverage.
Use a smaller brush under the eyes or jawline for extra definition, if desired.
Contour and Highlight (Face Shaping!)
Contour (for a softer, oval face shape):
Use a cool-toned brown powder or cream.
Apply under cheekbones, along the jawline, sides of the nose, and temples.
Blend thoroughly for natural shadowing.
Highlight:
Use a soft shimmer or light matte highlighter on cheekbones, brow bones, bridge of nose and cupid’s bow.
Blush
Adds warmth and femininity.
Apply to the apples of the cheeks and sweep slightly upward toward the temples.
Go for soft pinks, peaches or mauves depending on your skin tone.
Lips
Prep: Exfoliate and moisturize.
Lip Liner: Define your lip shape—overline slightly if desired for a fuller look. Use a well-sharpened lip liner pencil starting the line at the middle of the lip and work outwards to the end of the lip line following the curve of my natural lip line
Lipstick or Gloss:
Choose a flattering shade (rosy pinks, mauves or nudes are good everyday options).
Gloss or satin finishes can feminize the lips more than mattes.
Use a lipstick brush to apply the lipstick. A brush provides better coverage where you want the color and avoids putting color where you don't want it.
Close your mouth on a piece of tissue paper to remove any excess, then apply a light coat of translucent powder on your lips (this will hold the color for a longer period of time).
Reapply or touch up your lip liner, then reapply your lipstick. Apply lip gloss if desired (sometimes I do, but usually I don’t).
Pro Tip: Lighter and shinier lips often look more feminine and youthful.
Finishing Touches
Setting spray: Mist your face to lock everything in and soften the powdery look.
Check in natural light: Always look at your finished face in daylight or near a window—it reveals any unblended spots.
Extra Feminizing Tips
Jawline: Softly contour under the jaw to minimize squareness.
Nose: Narrow a broader nose with subtle side contouring and a highlight on the bridge.
Forehead: Contour at the temples can visually lower a higher brow ridge.
Be pretty!
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| Wearing StyleWe |
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| Richard Chamberlain femulating on television’s The Drew Carey Show. |
