Tag: makeup

Post about makeup

by Hannah

****I apologize for the very boring title to this post. When I have ideas for a post I jot down some notes and a working title as a draft until I can think of something more fun. Anyway, I posted this after I changed the name and well, we’re going with it, lol.

I tend to overthink. About everything. Sometimes I overthink about WHAT I NEED to think about. What I mean is that sometimes I wonder if I am putting too little thought, OR too much thought into something.

Of course, I also overthink about WHY I overthink, but that is a question for my therapist.

I DO think that girls like us and anyone outside of the gender binary (who are not out to everyone in their life) tend to overthink. To go down the proverbial rabbit hole of What Ifs.

And this is not a criticism. Not at all. I get it.

We are afraid of small, innocuous things leading to being found out. We might be terrified about shaving our legs because we are afraid someone will think we are doing that so we look better in stockings.

I mean, that’s why I shave my legs.

But the reality is that I don’t think very many people will jump to that conclusion. If I see another male presenting person with shaved legs, I don’t assume that they like to wear femme clothes. And that’s coming from someone who DOES shave their legs because I wear femme clothes.

If I see a man with shaved legs I honestly don’t know or care why he does that. I don’t give it a second thought… and I don’t think anyone else does either. It’s rare that I even NOTICE it. I also know that I will never know WHY they shave their legs. I mean, who cares? It’s not like I am going to walk up to a complete stranger and tell them I noticed their legs and I was curious why they shaved them. I mean, that is just weird. No one does that… or at least no one should.

But I get it. We consider these potential outcomes because we tend to look at our gender identity and our wardrobes as things that we need to protect. We protect them because we know that most people will not understand this side of us AND could lead to… well, an outcome we are terrified of.

And I can relate. In my male life I am terrified of being found out that I am a crossdresser. I am paranoid of someone seeing the lace edging of my panties. That revelation could likely lead to conversations I don’t want to have with people I don’t want to be out to.

In almost every way I would rather be outed as Hannah than as a crossdresser… if you understand the differences.

Overthinking can prevent action. Paralysis by over analysis, if you will. We get so caught up in the What Ifs about going out en femme that we never end up going out en femme. Again, this is not a criticism. I get it. I was there. Sometimes I am still there.

But we NEED to think about being safe. Whether it is rethinking a certain pair of heels on an icy sidewalk, where we are going to go, and who we might see. Again, we are protecting our gender identity… both of them.

One thing we tend to overthink about is what I mentioned earlier. What will people think? Again, the reality is that you won’t know. I don’t know WHY the guy at the gym shaves their legs. I am not going to ask. On the flip side I am not going to know what the dude at the mall thinks of Hannah. I am not going to ask.

Again, that would be weird.

There are some conversations en femme that we do need to have, however. And it’s normal for us to play out hypothetical questions in our mind. We rehearse what we will say. We speculate what we might be asked. This can easily lead to overthinking. But again… I get it.

I get a lot of questions about makeup appointments and makeovers.

What will they think of me?

What will they ask?

Have they ever done makeup for someone like me before?

IF there is an answer for these questions, the answers are probably:

They are likely thinking that you are their client and they want to make you happy

They are likely going to ask about your goals

And very likely yes, absolutely

It’s normal to overthink the first and third questions. We’ll get to the second one in a moment.

Makeup artists tend to be people who LOVE makeup. They know how makeup makes someone feel as they likely can relate to how the perfect lipstick shade can make someone happy.

When it comes to goals I want to offer my perspective on something. Many of you ask me if you should disclose that you are a crossdresser when making the appointment. My thought is, well, if you want. BUT I would suggest using a different term. “Crossdressing”, through no fault of our own, tends to be thought of as sexual and as a fetish. I mean, it MIGHT be for you but that’s another topic for another time.

The reason I suggest avoiding that term is that since it’s kind of stigmatized it’s possible that someone else might think that your gender identity is a kink. And… I don’t know, I don’t think a lot of people want to assist someone who might be, well, aroused by it.

I personally don’t disclose that I am transgender, either. I don’t think it matters… and based on my experiences… well, it doesn’t matter. More on that in a moment.

BUT! I do understand WANTING to disclose this. Not because of the makeover ITSELF (again, more on this in a moment) but because, well, I do not want to get a makeover from someone who does not support the trans community.

It hasn’t happened but the thought of showing up for a makeover and the artist refusing to work with me because of my gender identity is heartbreaking.

Anyway, the reason I don’t disclose my transness is that my perspective is that I am a girl and some girls get makeovers. AND! over the years and after countless makeovers I have realized that once you are in the chair and looking at the brightly lit mirror and chatting about makeup… your gender identity, your anatomy… none of that matters.

Almost every makeup artist will ask me what my goals are. The look I am going for. This is when I need to be specific. This is when any girl needs to be specific. Especially a girl like me. If I tell my artist I want to look as feminine as possible. That I want to look as beautiful as possible. That I want to look like a girl… I know what I mean but your artist probably doesn’t. We all have different ideas and perspectives on what femininity means. It could mean blending in with the other girls at the mall or it could mean being the belle of the ball.

lol, that rhymes.

Instead of these vague goals, I need to be specific.

I’ve been going to the same artist for almost every makeover I’ve had over the last three years or so. The “goal” chat doesn’t happen very often anymore as she knows, in her words, my “signature look”. I do mention to her if I have a photo shoot or if I need a certain eyeshadow to compliment an outfit but most of the time I let her work her magic.

When I am chatting with a new artist (for me, anyway) I do talk about what I would like.

Earlier I wrote my transness doesn’t matter when I am getting a makeover. And I don’t think it matters to the artist, either. At the most recent MN T-Girls event I was chatting with the artists at Cos Bar as to how I anticipated the evening going. I mentioned that some of the girls may not have had a professional makeover before or haven’t ever spoken to a makeup artist. I mentioned that some girls may want help in creating a feminine look… but may need some coaxing when it comes to what that means to them. Do they want contouring to change their face shape appearance? Do they need help with making their lips a little fuller? Do they want help with minimizing certain features, such as eyebrows or their jawline?

Typical requests for girls like us.

One of the artists remarked that these requests are common for all of their customers.

And I couldn’t agree more.

Cis women have makeup goals too. They also might want to minimize or emphasize certain features. They might also want to change the appearance of their face structure. Highlight their cheekbones, draw attention to… or from… part of their face.

No matter what our anatomy is… or what gender is marked on our driver license, we all have skin, we all have a face, we all have our goals. My makeup goals are different from your goals and my wife’s goals… because we have different faces. My wife has a cute, heart-shaped face… she doesn’t need contouring. But I do. I have fairly shapeless lips so I need help with a sharp cupid’s bow.

Whether you are getting your first or billionth makeover, I encourage you to not overthink it… but I do encourage you to think about your goals. Be specific. Bring a photo. And have fun. You’re going to look amazing.

Love, Hannah

Makeovers and Shopping!

by Hannah

This past weekend was the monthly MN T-Girls event and it was a return to one of the more popular events… makeup lessons and personal shopping!

We were treated like queens at Cos Bar in Edina, Minnesota. This was our second visit to Cos Bar and it was absolutely a treat to be back. Makeup is one of the most intimidating and, well, effective aspects of femme presentation and moments like these are simply amazing for the group.

Part of the intimidation is the shopping itself. We were lucky to have a private, after-hours event so we could shop in a comfortable environment. Just t-girls… how amazing is that??

The evening was a mixture of makeup techniques and shopping with talented and super fun makeup artists to find the right foundations and lipstick shades.

I was so happy to spend the evening with friends and makeup artists. Is there a better way to enjoy a Saturday night?

Thank you to the lovely ladies at Cos. If you need a makeover or need help shopping, please pay them a visit.

Love, Hannah

Halfway to Heaven and Just a Mile out of Hell

by Hannah

I like spring and autumn. They are what I call transitional seasons. Winter in Minnesota arrives with the energy of a relative that you sort of like but you know they tend to quickly wear out their welcome. Winter lingers. Winter is stubborn. You are never quite sure when winter will end… or begin. Autumn is, well, always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Once we limp our way out of a long, hot summer we know that autumn is essentially borrowed time until winter barges in with all the subtlety of a wrecking ball.

Spring is similar. Winter takes its time leaving. It is not usual for Minnesota to see snowflakes or to see a large snowbank in a Kohl’s parking lot still melting in April. Spring has to share a few weeks with winter until summer comes in fast and hard.

Our state has a reputation for long and cold winters. But we are not thought of as having humid and sweltering summers. We do and it’s unbearable at times.

Thus, I enjoy spring and autumn, the calm, if you will, before the extremities of winter and summer.

And yes, this is a website about, well, whatever this website is about. You have not inadvertently stumbled upon a weather blog.

As a bi-gender person, my physical appearance is either going to be boy OR girl (in the binary sense). In a way, I am either summer or fall. I am Doc Martens or stilettos.

When I transition from him to Hannah, I am straddling the line between two worlds, if you will. I slowly leave HIS life as I take baby steps… and then strut into HER world. This is a physical transformation but it is also an emotional and mental change as well.

Most of the days that I am en femme are Saturdays. Not every Saturday mind you. I tend to plan Hannah’s day, whether it’s for a photo shoot or for meeting up with the T-Girls, for earlier in the day. My wife and I like to unwind after a long week on Saturday evenings so I make every effort to spend that time with her. Thus, Hannah’s day begins rather early. Or, in a more accurate sense, the “process” of Hannah emerging begins early.

Friday nights are a mixture of omg this was a very long week and I don’t want to do anything this weekend and omg I can’t wait to spend tomorrow en femme. It’s a combination of not wanting to do ANYTHING on Saturday AND getting excited about all the things Hannah has planned.

My alarm sings way too loudly and way too early on Saturdays. It’s almost cruel that the first thing I see in the morning is my reflection. I immediately get discouraged about the seemingly insurmountable impossibility of turning THAT into Hannah.

I slip out of my nightgown, put on leggings and a comfy t-shirt, and head downstairs in an effort to get as far away from a mirror as possible.

I have my coffee and start to wake up. Coffee is… hot, comforting potential. A cup of ambition, as Dolly Parton said. I start to feel like MAYBE I can pull off looking somewhat cute. I set down my mug and get to work.

I undress and I am a blank canvas. This is not to say I am about to create a beautiful painting, mind you. As anyone who has picked up a paintbrush knows, a canvas can be the foundation of a masterpiece or a disasterpiece. It could be meh. It could be inspiring.

All I know is it’s time to get to work.

Shaving, foundation garments, my corset, my lingerie, my stockings, my heels, my dress, my wig, my jewelry, my purse… all set.

As I do these things, whether shaving my face, tucking, or pulling the laces of my corset, I am looking into the mirror. I am constantly moving so I don’t have time to really think (or reflect, lol) on how I look.

But eventually the dust (and glitter) settles and… there I am in the mirror.

And I look terrible. But I knew I would so it’s not toooo soul-crushing.

What I mean is that I am wearing a cute dress, my corset and forms have teamed up to do their best in giving me curves, and I have legs for days.

But HE is looking at me. I still have his face. Bags under my eyes, a slight blueish hue on my jawline, every wrinkle and crow feet that the years have given me. It’s not until my makeover that I feel better, that I feel femme, that the transformation, be it physical, emotional, and mental, is complete.

Makeup is amazing. My makeup artist is a gift from God. She is so good that my iPhone doesn’t unlock for Hannah… but as soon as I remove my foundation and eyeshadow it recognizes me.

Hannah struts out of the salon with the confidence of a four year old in a Batman t-shirt, with the confidence of a drag queen in platform stilettos.

It’s a sharp contrast to how I feel when I am leaving my home as I drive to my makeup appointment. I am, like spring or autumn, in a transitional state. HIS face, HER body. Halfway to heaven… a mile of out of hell. Almost beautiful but there’s work to be done.

Now, this is not to say that Hannah is happier than he is. I like both of my genders, both of my lives. Hannah’s world and Hannah’s reflection is one of beauty and bodycon dresses and stilettos. His life is quiet. Both worlds make me who I am. I need both halves to be whole. I will never choose one over the over and I don’t have to.

But goodness do I hate that drive to the salon. I hate catching glimpses in the rearview mirror. I hate the weird, unsettling, and dysphoric reflection.

Going out into the world en femme isn’t easy, especially the first time. It takes a lot of courage to wear makeup and a cute skirt and killer heels. But as hard as that is to do sometimes, it’s nothing compared to what it takes to interact with others in this weird state of girl body and boy face.

As my artist finishes my foundation, contouring, and eyes, she hands me a mirror before she picks up her lip liner and lipstick.

“How does that look?” she asks.

I look amazing. After all, she does amazing work. But there’s also the feeling that every trace of him is gone.

Not that I dislike HIM, mind you. I love him, lol. I like both halves of me. But my goodness I don’t need to see that tired old man when I am wearing a dress.

I tell her I look amazing and I thank her for all the work she is doing.

I’m sure she can hear me breath a sigh of relief.

Love, Hannah

La Femme Mystique Returns!

by Hannah

Specialty and dedicated services for girls like us are few and far between. I frequent salons allllll the time that generally cater to cis-women. I have had many makeovers from Ulta, MAC, and Sephora and while it’s true I may be the only t-girl in a chair getting her makeup done at any given time, I am not the first, nor will I ever be the last trans woman in that salon.

For some of us we aren’t ready to visit a place like these. We worry if the makeup artist has experience when it comes to the common makeup needs a girl like us has. I need more color correcting and contouring than my wife does, for example. We also want to work with an artist that is comfortable with a trans woman.

Most of the emails I get are from t-girls and crossdressers asking where to shop and find clothes that fit. But I also get a lot of emails asking where a girl like us can get their makeup done or if there’s a transformation studio in their area.

And honestly? There probably isn’t one. Studios and salons like that are not very common and they cater to a very niche cliental. If you live in an area that is fortunate enough to have one, you are indeed lucky.

Since I live in the Twin Cities (the collective term for Minneapolis and Saint Paul) I often get asked if there’s a transformation studio in the area. Most of these inquiries are from t-girls and crossdressers already living here or from those who are visiting the area.

Due to COVID many businesses paused some of their services but as we make our way out of the woods of the pandemic we are seeing many of them return. I am thrilled that makeup artist and photographer Rebecca has reopened La Femme Mystique!

I visited Rebecca a few years ago and had a lovely afternoon. She did my makeup, had a lot of girltalk, and took amazing photos.

I’m so happy she’s back and I know she would love to help you look your best.

Love, Hannah

Ask Hannah!

by Hannah

Can you tell me a good place to get a makeover and maybe a picture at a fair price (I’m a crossdresser)?

Thank you!

There are salons alllll over the world. I live in Saint Paul, Minnesota and I exclusively visit Rita Ambourn and Cajah Salon.

Google is (usually) our friend. If you search “makeovers + (city name)” you will find options. Sephora, Ulta, and MAC also do makeovers and in my experience are all very transfriendly. However, these salons paused makeovers during COVID and I am not sure if they have resumed doing them.

When it comes to scheduling a makeover, I never disclose that I am transgender or that I am a crossdresser. I totally get why some of us feel this is necessary, however. For some of us, we want to make sure that the artist is comfortable with meeting with a girl like us. Let’s face it, there are too many people in the world that hate the transcommunity. For others, we want to find an artist that is skilled when it comes to doing makeup for, well, a girl like us.

But here’s the thing. Every face shape is different, skin is different from person to person, makeup goals are different depending on the occasion.

If my wife and I each sit down for a makeover, we will each have a completely different experience. Not because she is cis and I am trans, our experiences will be influenced by things that have nothing to do with our genders.

She has a cute little heart shaped face. Mine is more square. Because of this, I need a lot more contouring than she does.

I have hair growing out of my cheeks. She does not. Therefore I need color correcting.

My wife has a light skin tone. Mine is darker. We each will use different foundations.

My wife tends to go for a more natural look. I am looking for BOLD.

None of these things have anything to do with gender. Some women have facial hair, some women have a square jawlines and so on.

I’ve been asked at every makeover I’ve ever had “what are we doing today?” This question is really asking “what are your makeup goals?”. My typical responses can be:

“I have a photo shoot today and I need makeup that can stand up to bright studio lights.”

“I’d like an eyeshadow that compliments the color of my dress.”

“I am wearing a light layer of foundation, could you please build and contour on top of that?”

“I prefer a really bold lip color and I love overdrawing my lips a little.”

“I’d love to accentuate my cheekbones.”

“I have a square jawline, I’d love to minimize that.”

“I feel like trying a smokey eye today.”

Again, none of these goals are saying “turn a boy into a girl”. These responses are specific and attainable.

As for photos, if you are in the Twin Cities area and you would like to schedule a photo shoot with my photographer Shannonlee, please email me and I will be happy to put you two in touch with each other.

If you are not in the area, again Google is your friend. I do understand wanting to find a photographer that is LGBTQIA+ friendly, so searching “LGBT photographer + (city name)” is the way to go.

Love, Hannah

Have a question for me?  Oh yes you do.  Ask me here!

Ask Hannah!

by Hannah

I have been a lifelong crossdresser but struggle with makeup. Especially around my eyes. Do you have any suggestions? How did you learn? Are there any businesses to teach makeup to crossdressers?


Eyes are tricky!  I can do my foundation and lips just fine, but even after all this I still can’t do anything more just a simple look with eyeshadow and eyeliner.  When I want something really AMAZING or DRAMATIC (and I always do, lol) I book a makeover. 

 


Have you tried makeup tutorials on Youtube?  Some of them can be very helpful, especially the drag videos.  I know not everyone is going for the drag look but some drag artists are amazingly talented when it comes to some of the challenges a girl like us faces (no pun intended) such as contouring and working with a more masculine facial structure.  


A few years ago I had a private makeup lesson and I found it super super helpful.  I learned about techniques and products that were best for my eye shape and my skin type.  A lot of salons do indeed do makeup lessons.  Look into options with Ulta, MAC, and Sephora.  Sephora even offers classes for girls like us.  Unfortunately some of their locations have hit pause on makeovers due to COVID so keep that in mind.  


One thing I will never get the hang of is false eyelashes (a MUST) but this should be helpful.


Have fun and good luck!


Love, Hannah

Have a question for me?  Oh yes you do.  Ask me here!

Ask Hannah!

by Hannah

When I first started dressing I was taught to use tape to pull my eyebrows up and give me a more feminine look. I would rather focus on my makeup. The taping is not very enjoyable. Do you have any suggestions on my eyebrows and more feminine look without taping?


Of course, there are no standards on what one must look like in order to be feminine.  That being said, a thinner, shaped, arched eyebrow is generally considered to be more feminine.  There are a few ways you can achieve this.


You could have your eyebrows waxed to create this look.  Personally I thread my eyebrows and I love how they look.  Until I started doing this my eyebrows were thick and almost unibrow-ish and I like how they look now, regardless of what gender I am presenting as.

  When you change anything about your appearance (shaving your legs, for example) in order to look more feminine (again, there are no standards any girl must meet to be feminine, but you know what I mean) it will also impact how we look in male mode.  Because of this, I understand that not everyone is able to wax/thread your eyebrows or shave your legs (or arms, chest, back…the list goes on and the list is gross).


In personal experience I have had a small of people comment on my eyebrows.  I don’t think many people notice or care what my body and facial hair looks like.  If they do, they are usually not rude or invasive enough to ask.  I’ve never had anyone ask why I shave my legs or arms.  I assume it’s because most people either don’t notice or they don’t care.  I mean, think about it.  Do you really pay attention to someone’s body hair?  If you do, are you rude enough to simply flat-out comment on it?  I’ve had a few girls comment on my eyebrows on male mode and it’s always been complimentary along the lines of “you have great eyebrows” and that’s it.  


Girls like us tend to be paranoid (which is a survival tactic in a way) about someone making a connection between ANYTHING we do with this secret side of us.  We are petrified that someone will notice our shaved legs and figure out we shave them so we look better in fishnets.  


Anyway, I am waaaay off topic.


You can use makeup of course to change how your eyebrows look.  My friend and makeup artist Corrie wrote about how this can be done and it’s well worth your time.

Love, Hannah

Have a question for me?  Oh yes you do.  Ask me here!

  

Jecca Blac Makeup Review!

by Hannah

Of course makeup isn’t “practical” in the traditional sense.  
I don’t wear makeup because it benefits my health.  If anything it can work against healthy skin.  Mascara dries out and makes your eyelashes brittle.  Foundation can cause you to break out.  Ever get liquid eyeliner in your eye?


BUT!  Makeup needs to be practical.  It needs to WORK.  I wear makeup so I look and feel more feminine (not that a girl needs to or has to wear makeup to be feminine, mind you) but I feel prettier in lipstick than I do without it.  Makeup needs to do what it’s supposed to do.  Lipstick needs to stay on, concealer needs to… uh, conceal. 


Like many aspects of this side of us, crossdressing (in this case makeup) takes time, patience, and money.  I believe (for he most part) you get what you pay for and a $28 tube of lipstick is typically better than something that costs a couple of dollars.  There are so many things I have invested in when it comes to my look.  I’ve invested time to learn how to walk and strut (and climb rocks) in stilettos.  I’ve spent an untold amount in building my wardrobe.  I’ve done so much trial and error when I was learning (and still learning) makeup. 

 


Makeup is supposed to DO something.  A bronzer is designed to do something different than what a highlighter does.  Same with foundation.  Of all the techniques I’ve learned, foundation has been the most crucial.  I mean, it’s one of the first (besides a primer) things we apply when doing our face.  If your foundation is greasy it’s hard to build on top of that.  If it’s the wrong shade for our skin then our whole look will be off.  


The foundation I use is different from what you may use.  It’s different from what my wife uses but not because we have different skin types and skin color, my foundation primarily is used to color correct the blueish tint my face has where I shave my facial hair.  Therefore my foundation (and everyone else’s) must be practical.  


When I started to learn makeup I searched for “makeup for crossdressers”.  I used this term for two reasons.  Firstly, I needed makeup for a typical male face.  My face was more rectangular, and a typical girl’s face was more heart-shaped.  Thanks to contouring you can enhance and minimize certain features of your face.  True, foundation can’t change my facial or bone structure but it can give the illusion of a rounder face.  I also wanted to find makeup that was effective in color correcting so counteract the persistent and stubborn facial hair and five 0’clock shadow.  Secondly I wanted to buy makeup from someone that didn’t think it was unusual that a guy was buying lipstick.  So, finding somewhere that catered to crossdressers was appealing.


Through trial and error I had some success but the thing I found more than anything is that most people and stores really, really don’t care who is buying what, or why they are purchasing it.  Trust me, the cashier at Walmart does not care why a guy is buying a dress.  Sure, they may briefly think about the purchase but you’ll leave their thoughts as soon as you step away from their checkout lane.  However, I found that purchasing makeup is on another level.  Makeup artists, the clerks who work at MAC (or wherever) are not only extremely brilliantly talented and knowledgeable about makeup, they are also incredibly enthusiastic and supportive.  Not only will they help you with your right shade they will also be so excited about helping you.  


When it comes to makeup what I buy is just as important as who I buy it from.


We all want to find businesses that support our community and it seems that there are more and more companies that not only support us but also target us.  I love companies like En Femme and The Breastform Store because they have designed products and clothes for girls like me, girls with a body like mine.  I also love companies that ignore the entire concept of gender.  Clothes are simply clothes, makeup is for anyone.


Because of this, finding Jecca Blac was truly a joy.

From their website:

Jecca Blac’s mission is to be a brand that represents all beauty lovers: all expressions, genders, sexualities, abilities, pronouns, shapes and sizes. As well as providing cruelty free makeup products we also help bring our beautiful community together.


Jecca Blac was kind enough to send some products to review which I used for my last photo shoot.    


Before I wore makeup, I thought it was simply lipstick, eyeliner/shadow, blush, and mascara.  The obvious things.  The easy to see things.  When my wife started to teach me I was surprised to learn about bronzer, concealer, highlighters, lip liner, and primer.  These are the less obvious things when it comes to doing your face.  This is where makeup and practicality meet.  Primer is essential!  It’s the first thing you apply before anything else.  I hate to compare it to painting a canvas or a wall or whatever, but that is essentially what it is meant for.  It will reduce your pores and will create a smooth and even base before you apply your foundation.  A primer will also help your makeup stay on longer, especially during warmer weather.  I can definitely notice a difference when I forget to use a primer as my foundation goes on so much better with it than without it.  


A primer will either work, or it won’t, simple as that.  This primer works, so yay!  But the difference between this primer and others I have used is that it feels very, very soft when applied.  As someone who has facial hair my makeup needs to work harder than it does for someone without it.  I tend to add more layers and my foundation tends to be thicker and heavier than someone without facial hair.  The Blur and Matte Primer feels very… thin, for lack of a better word, but that’s a good thing!  My face felt a little lighter than it normally felt, if it makes sense.  This primer also made my foundation easier to remove and wash off at the end of the day.


Speaking of facial hair, my technique to balance the bluish tint and to conceal the annoying and persistence of growing facial hair is typically a multi-step process.  I shave very closely when I am going to be en femme but as the day progress that five o’clock is returning.  My makeup needs to conceal that.  Many of us just layer on foundation to do that…  and it works to an extent.  This can lead to a greasier (ew) feel and it becomes really annoying to wash off at the end of the day.  Color correcting is pretty essential but what is it, exactly?  Simply put, it’s a technique where you apply a conceal or color correcting powder or liquid where your skin is darker (under your eyes or where your facial hair grows).  It’s not meant to be used all over your face, but it can be helpful when it comes to contouring.  


I am always looking for a more simplified technique when it comes to color correcting.  I like as few layers as possible but the layers need to WORK.  They need to be effective.  I am delighted that Jecca Blac’s Correct and Conceal Palette works effectively.  The palette includes a cream for concealing and a cream for color correcting.  I use this after my primer, and before my foundation.


The pictures below are me wearing these products and are without a filter.  When it comes to makeup it’s usually obvious when someone is wearing eyeliner or lipstick, but it’s not always apparent when someone is wearing a primer or a bronzer…  but it’s sometimes very obvious when they aren’t.  My makeup is working, my skin looks clean, and my coloring is even and balanced.  The primer in particular is working the hardest because my foundation, my eyeshadow, my lipstick is all dependent on how strong my primer is.  Photo shoots require my makeup to be able to hold up under bright lights and since the whole point of a photo shoot is to, you know, take pictures, my makeup needs to LOOK amazing as well as do its job, so to speak.


I am happy to have more makeup that does what I need it to, and I am so happy to have found Jecca Blac.  I love finding, supporting, and promoting any business that understands our community, that makes products that a girl like us needs and wants, and looks at makeup as simply makeup, something that anyone can use, regardless of their gender.

Thank you to Jecca Blac for not only these samples but for all they do.


Jecca Blac products are available from their website as well as through En Femme.

Love, Hannah

Ask Hannah!

by Hannah

Do you have any recommendations for dealing with (permanent?) razor burn? I can be made up, dressed to the nines, feeling pretty–and then I’ll notice that the razor burn on the side of my neck is visible even through my makeup. Ugh! Any products you can think of to help me get rid of this pox on my femininity? Thanks so much! 

I’ve never heard of razor burn being permanent, but there are a few ways to treat it, reduce it from happening, and prevent it from getting worse.

Razor burn is caused by your shaving habits.  If your razor is dull or dirty you will likely get razor burn.  The solution is pretty simple, replace your razor frequently.  You should also wash your face with hot water before you share as this will open your pores.  Dry skin is also going to work against you so make sure you are using a moisturizer.

Touching your razor burn or continuing to shave will irritate the infected area and will prolong it. Consider taking some time off from shaving.  Personally I shave my face about once a week.


As for covering it up, you could use a concealer (I like the Correct and Conceal Palette from Jecca Blanc) but makeup will also irritate the area.  Covering it up will only, of course, cover it up.  It will also likely make it worse.


So, take a few days off from shaving, switch to a higher quality blade or an electric shaver and use a moisturizer.  If the problem consists you may want to contact a dermatologist.


Love, Hannah

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