Susan's Place Transgender Resources

How do you ladies hide beard shadow?

Every concealer and foundation that I've used has either not really helped or made matters worse. Electroylsis can't go fast enough and because of the way my facial hair grows I can't even get a close shave without messing up my face. My complexion is on the lighter side and my beard is dark with my upper lip being the worst of course. I don't like heavy make up but I might not have much choice right now.

What have you found that works for you?

I use a combination of a light concealer, then Dermacolor Camoflage Cream DS-32 by Kyrolan (http://kryolan.com/en/index.php?cid=104&mnu=32&id=140&pageid=1), then a foundation over that. Then, I use a loose face powder on top of it all.

Hola Hannah

lovely name :)

follow this girl advice you will be verry happy if you do and beard free to the world atleast

Hug and hope it works for you

Transgender Make Up Basics: Foundation (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPySlqC0mDk#)

Oddly, I find that moderate is more in my case. I have passed better with less of the uniform appearance that tons of makeup produces. So: I use Dermablend Chroma 2 (true beige), and I apply and blend it in two layers in the morning, and touch it up later in the day, with brushes. I'm white as a ghost with dark facial hair too :)

I use dermablend as well. Though I'm 4 treatments of laser in and it gets progressively easier to cover up.

Quote from: EmmaM on July 20, 2011, 02:57:03 PM
Oddly, I find that moderate is more in my case. I have passed better with less of the uniform appearance that tons of makeup produces. So: I use Dermablend Chroma 2 (true beige), and I apply and blend it in two layers in the morning, and touch it up later in the day, with brushes. I'm white as a ghost with dark facial hair too :)

Hmm, I might try that as also pale with dark hair.

I don't have to hide shadow anymore thank goodness.. It is HARD to do. Most of the makeup that will hide it looks caked on.

There is stage makeup that you can get to cover beard shadow, it is tinted to counteract the bluish colour of the hair under the skin.

There is one by Ben Nye called "Five o' Sharp Beard Cover". Download their catalog here: http://www.bennyemakeup.com/ (http://www.bennyemakeup.com/)

You can order it at different places on the web. I have no recommendations... let Google do the walking on that one..

Or ask your friendly neighbourhood drag queen.. they're experts on hiding beard shadow.

Thanks for the ideas.

Quote from: Valeriedances on July 20, 2011, 10:40:14 PM
...then use either a tinted moisturizer or light liquid foundation over the concealer. Ive found that by doing it this way the areas that i dont need to cover up so much have much less makeup, making the face look less covered and more natural.

I like a minimum amount of makeup, it just seems to look better on me so I was really excited when I found tinted moisturizer.  I guess I'll keep playing with concealers.

Quote from: Hannah_Irene on July 20, 2011, 12:48:50 PM
How do you ladies hide beard shadow?

Every concealer and foundation that I've used has either not really helped or made matters worse. Electroylsis can't go fast enough and because of the way my facial hair grows I can't even get a close shave without messing up my face. My complexion is on the lighter side and my beard is dark with my upper lip being the worst of course. I don't like heavy make up but I might not have much choice right now.

What have you found that works for you?

Buy Dermablend for your skin color with a white or light powder to put over it.

I did Dermablend prior to laser and no one could tell the difference. If you apply it right with the right colors it wont look caked on. My Avatar pic to the left is me with Dermablend on. Very natural without that mega makeup night date look

Here is another close up of my face with dermablend (click on the pic for a close up):
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm6.static.flickr.com%2F5005%2F5254961208_0d5c12cf1f_b.jpg&hash=27885242415ae668909614496975d17df6eb61ab)
It's expensive (32 dollars a thing of it..which lasts about 7 weeks) but its well worth it. And it doesnt look like you have makeup on.

I bought my tube of dermablend back in November. I wore it nearly every day, still have the same tube. Though I'm about to run out.... very soon in fact.

A little goes a very long way.

Quote from: Hannah_Irene on July 20, 2011, 12:48:50 PM
How do you ladies hide beard shadow?

Every concealer and foundation that I've used has either not really helped or made matters worse. Electroylsis can't go fast enough and because of the way my facial hair grows I can't even get a close shave without messing up my face. My complexion is on the lighter side and my beard is dark with my upper lip being the worst of course. I don't like heavy make up but I might not have much choice right now.

What have you found that works for you?

I don't understand the question? why would someone want to have or keep beard shadow? and then try and hide it? why not get rid of it instead! several sessions of laser should help!

There was no choice for me but to go and get laser treatment.  After seven sessions it's gone and I only get the odd dark hair popping up.  It's a beauty treatment and a professional tech won't bat an eyelid that your not a natural female.

I've been lasered and so it isn't a problem.
But Dermablend has a very good rep.

A tip I got from a drag queen, I tried it and it did sort of work. But laser was so much better.

Get a reddish lipstick and smear it as a foundation into the beard area, after a close shave, then apply your normal foundation over it.

Shi Inzo had a similar product  that if you had reddish spotty skin you used a green under layer before the foundation.

The idea as with any make up is to conceal and 'fool' the eyes.

Six layers of foundation looks like just that. Six layers of foundation. If you are on stage under heavy lights you get away with it. In real light you look like a drag queen.

Cindy.

I was very intrigued to see that Dermablend is described as "non-comedogenic". It turns out to mean "doesn't cause blackheads" - but looked to me like it meant "doesn't make people laugh at you" :).

I have to say I don't have a lot of noticeable shadow after laser, but there are a few brown and red it didn't get.

I have been using Estee Lauder Double wear foundation and concealer. They work really well over a base of Benefit's  "The Pore-fessional' which is meant to cover large pores.  I works well on my beard though. Over the lot I use a bronzing powder.
 
I put them all on fairly lightly, just enough to do the job without looking obvious.  I am a great believer in the idea of "less is more".  Same with eye makeup and lipstick, just enough to distract the eye away from the rest of the face a bit, without the dreaded DQ look.

Karen.

PS- nice one Padma!

Quote from: Naturally Blonde on July 21, 2011, 05:06:13 AM
I don't understand the question? why would someone want to have or keep beard shadow? and then try and hide it? why not get rid of it instead! several sessions of laser should help!

Hannah said she is getting electrolysis but it was not going fast enough in her post, nothing about keeping beard shadow at all but you have to also remember not everyone here is a transitioner, there are many crossdressing and transvestite with just as valid reasons to cover beard shadow  :)

Quote from: Cindy James on July 21, 2011, 06:06:16 AM
I've been lasered and so it isn't a problem.
But Dermablend has a very good rep.

A tip I got from a drag queen, I tried it and it did sort of work. But laser was so much better.

Get a reddish lipstick and smear it as a foundation into the beard area, after a close shave, then apply your normal foundation over it.

Shi Inzo had a similar product  that if you had reddish spotty skin you used a green under layer before the foundation.

The idea as with any make up is to conceal and 'fool' the eyes.

Six layers of foundation looks like just that. Six layers of foundation. If you are on stage under heavy lights you get away with it. In real light you look like a drag queen.

Cindy.

yes the video i linked shows a demostration of exactly that Cindy, to hide it perfectly  ;)

Pluck them.

Or, the Tria home laser may help, and it is more affordable than professional laser treatment, although the tria does not recommend to apply the device to facial area.

Barbie~~

The thing about shadow is that it's caused by dark hairs. So the only options are to remove them, or to bleach them (which my mum used to do when I was a kid), or to cover them up - or to wait for them to go white, sigh...

Quote from: Naturally Blonde on July 21, 2011, 05:06:13 AM
I don't understand the question? why would someone want to have or keep beard shadow? and then try and hide it? why not get rid of it instead! several sessions of laser should help!

I've had three sessions of laser treatment and was then put on a medication that causes photosensitivity so I had to stop. I've also had 30 hours of electroylsis and I'm responding well but I have a long way to go.

Seriously Val, 200-300 hours? I was really hoping for 100. At $80/hour that will be 16k-24k! I could have paid for srs!

There are many things I can forgive or ignore about the body I have but not having visible facial hair.Since I'm planning on going full time in December I need to be able to hide what hasn't been eliminated yet.

Quote from: Naturally Blonde on July 21, 2011, 05:06:13 AM
I don't understand the question? why would someone want to have or keep beard shadow? and then try and hide it? why not get rid of it instead! several sessions of laser should help!

I started monthly laser sessions last August, so I'm about half-way through my treatment and I still need makeup very much to hide the beard shadow. I have dark hair and pale skin, and before I started laser I could grow a full beard in six weeks.

I have began using the Dinair system with the Paramedical foundation as a hide.  And it works very well.  At least for me. I still have a few dark ones on the upper lip and this system hides them.

I add a couple of drops to the base color (natural beige in my case).   And make only a couple of passes over the area and it vanishes..  Then I do the whole face with the glamour foundation with out the red.

Check out their site @ Dinair (http://airbrushmakeup.com/).  This system works, but there is a learning curve involved.  Less is more.

Lemme toss this one in thar,

Hiding beard shadow when it's 105 heat index??

Quote from: Cyndigurl45 on July 22, 2011, 07:08:37 AM
Lemme toss this one in thar,

Hiding beard shadow when it's 105 heat index??

Wear a biiiig floppy straw hat, then it's all shadow ;D.

Love it when you girls cry heat :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: >:-) >:-) >:-)

105F is warm not hot. 45 - 50 C for weeks is hot

Cindy

Quote from: Valeriedances on July 21, 2011, 07:10:21 AM
Hi Naturally Blonde, welcome back btw.

Unfortunately, laser doesnt work with blondes/redheads which only leaves electrolysis (its not fair!). If it takes say 200-300 hours to clear a beard @$60/hr or so, thats 12k-18k. And if your transitioned already, how do we manage the healing period after each session... and the scheduling, the everyday need for makeup anyway. Its a nightmare problem. For me at my age, I decided to live with it. Doing something that takes 10 minutes each morning or spend that amount of money, pain, etc. Its a problem for the Arrrgggh forum.

Even so, I will likely try to do some full clearance sessions in the future at 3k-5k a pop. sheesh, thats irritating.

Thanks for the wb Valerie! I have also got fair hair and find the laser works quite well me generally! But the last time I had laser I went a different place and it wasn't as good as my usual one, so I will in future go back to my old laser clinic. I suppose it depends on how much facial hair people suffer with in the first place?

Quote from: Cyndigurl45 on July 22, 2011, 07:08:37 AM
Lemme toss this one in thar,

Hiding beard shadow when it's 105 heat index??

105? We're suffering from the rain and mid 70's here. We don't tan, we rust.

Quote from: Hannah_Irene on July 22, 2011, 09:04:10 AM
105? We're suffering from the rain and mid 70's here. We don't tan, we rust.

You need to cut back on the iron supplements, deario :).

It's not so much the heat as the humidity, a heavier foundation and sweat just don't mix well, what's a girl todo?

Dinair has a "No Sweat" that you can use under the foundation.  So far so go.  And my upper lip sweats badly.

Quote from: Cindy James on July 22, 2011, 07:20:49 AM
Love it when you girls cry heat :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: >:-) >:-) >:-)

105F is warm not hot. 45 - 50 C for weeks is hot

Cindy

105 heat index is 49C at 0% humidity. 105F at 0% humidity is only a 95 heat index. For science! :)

Quote from: Valeriedances on July 21, 2011, 07:10:21 AM
Hi Naturally Blonde, welcome back btw.

Unfortunately, laser doesnt work with blondes/redheads which only leaves electrolysis (its not fair!). If it takes say 200-300 hours to clear a beard @$60/hr or so, thats 12k-18k. And if your transitioned already, how do we manage the healing period after each session... and the scheduling, the everyday need for makeup anyway. Its a nightmare problem. For me at my age, I decided to live with it. Doing something that takes 10 minutes each morning or spend that amount of money, pain, etc. Its a problem for the Arrrgggh forum.

Even so, I will likely try to do some full clearance sessions in the future at 3k-5k a pop. sheesh, thats irritating.

The laser I'm getting is a "DSL" laser...I was told it's the newest type of laser, something fancy but I'm not a techy to remember all the hoo-hah the lady said...

Basically she said this new kind of laser can do all hair types, all skin types. I have had several patches of white whiskers, and after 3 sessions (3 more to go, too) I don't have any white ones, and no "5 o'clock shadow." Very smooth! (Olive skin, dark hair)

Quote from: Beth Andrea on August 06, 2011, 11:29:40 PM
The laser I'm getting is a "DSL" laser...I was told it's the newest type of laser, something fancy but I'm not a techy to remember all the hoo-hah the lady said...

Basically she said this new kind of laser can do all hair types, all skin types. I have had several patches of white whiskers, and after 3 sessions (3 more to go, too) I don't have any white ones, and no "5 o'clock shadow." Very smooth! (Olive skin, dark hair)

Has anyone else heard of 'DSL' Laser?

Having just read a bit about it it talks of RF radio waves. Maybe Maddie S or someone else with an engineering or sciencey background could evaluate this for us.

QuoteFrom their website: (http://auralaser.com/medspa-services/laser-hair-removal/)

At Aura Laser Skin Care we use the ELOS technology for our laser hair removal treatments. ELOS stands for elctro-optical-synergy, and refers to the process of combining radio frequency with laser and light energies to enhance treatment efficacy and safety. Furthermore, our laser is color blind, meaning aside from black hair, it is capable of removing blond, red, and gray hairs on all skin tones.

On the webpage, it says it's "ELOS", but FTF they say it's "DSL". Ok techies, have at it...

Quote from: Cyndigurl45 on July 22, 2011, 10:43:00 AM
It's not so much the heat as the humidity, a heavier foundation and sweat just don't mix well, what's a girl todo?

i actually found that dermablend holds up very well to heat as long as you powder your nose every few hours.

Quote from: caitlin_adams on August 07, 2011, 12:45:21 AM
Has anyone else heard of 'DSL' Laser?

Having just read a bit about it it talks of RF radio waves. Maybe Maddie S or someone else with an engineering or sciencey background could evaluate this for us.

I haven't heard of it before, but a 5min Bing search says it (or at least the model I saw talked about) uses both visible light and radio. Of course the traditional lasers use visible light, and dark objects absorb that much more than light objects. For radio though whether something looks light or dark in visible doesn't matter. I guess they managed to find the right radio frequency and control to allow some of the heat transfer to come from radio, increasing absorption and thus effectiveness.

There's probably more to it than that, but I don't feel like taking the time to read up on it. If you are just looking to know if the concept makes sense, this engineer thinks so.