Does anyone know a product that would work for this that is easy to shop for? I'm moving to a different continent in a few weeks so I don't have time to shop around (plus where I am living right now everything is insanely expensive. I was hoping to have at least one outing in full femme mode before I come back to the US. would liquid or powder foundation work for this? How close of a skin tone match does it have to be?
My routine is the following
1. Shave, very closely
2. Lotion (CeraVe).
3. Shave again
4. Lotion
5. More lotion
6. Primer
7. Liquid or stick foundation over facial hair. It should preferably have a slightly-reddish hue
8. Powder foundation that more closely matches your skin tone
9. The rest of the makeup.
I need this too...
Ive tried 50 dollar foundation and matched at the counter... not good enough
Ive tried dermablend.... almost good enough coverage, but its thick and noticable
Ive tried concealer sticks and they seem too thick as well
Tried various primer, various razors, shave creams, mousterizers, cheap and pricey foundations, tinted mousterizers
Ive tried orange lipstick, various red makeups, green primer, pink primer... nothing changes it for me, to me they look worse than the shadow...
Im sure Im doing something wrong... so Ill be tuned here...
I dont even think mine is that dark but I see it in any makeup and its frustrating. Im about to dump acid on my face as its driving me insane. lol :o I cannot afford laser or electrolysis at the moment...
I get a good shave and I dont really get stubble till the next morning so Im lost on whats happening... I wish you luck and hopefully we both find some good answers here
I'm amazed at how well a color correcting primer works for this. I use the one made by Almay currently, which is very affordable. The difference is amazing when i take it off after several hours.
I do have a lot of time in my electrologists chair and my particular beard shadow isn't super dark though. For me, it works great.
Love the advice and flow of information that's going on around here. It seems a recurring topic/problem on these forums is how to conceal the darn shadow! Probably my number 1 daily obstacle at the moment as well. If I cannot get my upper lip shadow to look invisible I end up just not going out that day... and you can trust it most definitely will not be a picture day hahaha. It is incredible how much getting rid of shadow helps in feminizing.
I follow four important steps that have worked for me, just as they have worked for other women:
1. Moisturize
2. Prime
3. Color correct
4. Concealer/foundation
Personally I use an aloe-vera based moisturizer and primer as the aloe aids in countering bumps and ingrown hair left from shaving.
I use the Ben Nye 5 o'sharp color corrector in Tan, a rich orange pigment that counters the blue/black in my shadow. It is an affordable professional theatrical corrector so it works well for me.
To cover the corrector in step 4 I use NARS and Maybelline creamy concealers. :)
Awesome some more stuff to try
Yesterday I was trying a light pink blush, as blush and I slipped and hit my mustache area... it seem to almost disappear. Total freak accident... so I grabbed the blush and applied it everywhere I have shadow... this was over my foundation and powder. I then repowdered and chose a pinkier blush and I was very happy with the results, looked great in pics and even hours later my wife said she couldnt see the shadow... but of course by then I could...
Ill tweak it some more next time I have time to play around... Ive tried so many things that just didnt work, this has me happy
it was Colormates deeptone blush (but its very pale pink)... wow, Ill never find that again... doesnt even have a number on it.... was in a cheap makeup set I believe.... ???
Use a pink/peachy coloured thick concealer, you can get cheap colour correcting makeup from brands like Wet N Wild in the USA for cheap. Works good. I use it when I need to pass as female, being ftm.
I got some Sally Hansen Extra Strength Creme Hair Bleach for face and body
I havent tried it yet, but I see some people in our heels have had good results...excited to try it, but need to wait a day or two.... :-\
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Laser and electrolysis are the better long-term plan; but when they are beyond your budget, then you really do require alternatives.
If these concealer products work, then go with them. Know you are spending money that could otherwise budget for laser or electrolysis.
Hydrogen peroxide can lighten some hairs. Do NOT use hair removal creams!!! They will burn your skin.
Some threads here discourage plucking. It costs only the price of tweezers and maybe an hour before bed-time once or twice each week for the worst of conditions, less for better circumstances. I plucked before and during electrolysis and had no shadow. I ceased plucking when my electrologist and I reached our balance.
A by-product of tweezing is that it can develop into damage to the hair follicle. Plucking also raises your acceptability for pain - allowing your electrologist to increase the settings and zap more hairs per session when you get there.
Your ERT program will contribute to your success.
Frustration! You have my sympathies - been there done that many years ago. You, too will pass this bump in the road.
Well-wishes to you in your endeavour.
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A little searching turned up the following link. I would suggest that when you order from them you place a larger order in order to reduce shipping cost.
https://www.stagemakeuponline.com/search?department=face+makeup%3Aneutralizers+and+concealers
MAC and Benefit have slightly heavier concealers. Anastasia contouring pallet works well to even the shadow. I also like the Kat Von D contouring pallet. Pancake foundation is also a good one but it can look heavy.