So I've been on HRT for a while now, without doing anything else to move forward in transitioning. I see timelines of people who go from man to HRT to full time in like a year. I have been moving along much more slowly, mostly out of fear. Well, today I just booked an appointment at Sephora to have someone teach me how to use makeup and to set up a must-have beginner's kit. I'm freaking out for a few reasons. Will they wonder why a man is doing this? Will I get strange reactions? Will I run into someone I know? Will I be able to clean off the make up before I leave??

At the same time, I am somewhat excited. Given that I've put off doing so many things, I have kind of started to feel some gender dysphoria creeping back in. I think it's really a way of telling me that I'm not done yet and need to keep moving forward.

Any tips you guys can think of that I should be ready to talk to the consultant about?

(Also, I know Sephora is really expensive, but I have also been saving up for it for a while.)

I was nervous too coming into having my first makeover done too. The nerves went away quickly after she started and I relaxed. First off the makeover is free if you spend 50 dollars in store which more likely then not you will do without question. My first makeover was also done at Sephoria and they were completely professional about it. So even if they ask and you tell them, which you don't have to do, they won't treat you any differently than they do any other women coming into the store. As others have said in other threads often these girls would put makeup on anyone if asked too. I don't recall them asking why I was doing it either, but I was dressed pretty andro at the time and had my ears pierced already. I had more reactions when my I got my ears pierced than I did when getting the makeover session and those reactions were not from anyone in the store, but those passing by the window behind it. To get the best results you need to tell them what your needs are though because depending on how much beard shadow and coloring will depend on what they will need to use. Yes you can clean it off before you leave if your not comfortable going out with makeup on all you have to do is ask. Beginner's kits are nice, but getting makeup that is more match to your needs is a much better way to go especially if your going through all the work of the makeover. If your worried how people will react at all I would consider how your dressed and how you act. I would suggest for a little more andro look it will allow you to more comfortable and make you stick out much less. Having said that even those people on TV and in theater have to know how to deal with makeup so you wouldn't be the first guy to come through. At my local Sephoria store one of the staff is a guy. So relax and enjoy the experience.
Mariah

Quote from: mrg58 on January 04, 2015, 09:38:41 AM
So I've been on HRT for a while now, without doing anything else to move forward in transitioning. I see timelines of people who go from man to HRT to full time in like a year. I have been moving along much more slowly, mostly out of fear. Well, today I just booked an appointment at Sephora to have someone teach me how to use makeup and to set up a must-have beginner's kit. I'm freaking out for a few reasons. Will they wonder why a man is doing this? Will I get strange reactions? Will I run into someone I know? Will I be able to clean off the make up before I leave??

At the same time, I am somewhat excited. Given that I've put off doing so many things, I have kind of started to feel some gender dysphoria creeping back in. I think it's really a way of telling me that I'm not done yet and need to keep moving forward.

Any tips you guys can think of that I should be ready to talk to the consultant about?

(Also, I know Sephora is really expensive, but I have also been saving up for it for a while.)

Awhile back I decided to get some makeup lessons. Since I was totally male at the time I was very hesitant about having it done in a public place.

After a little searching on Yelp I found a lot of makeup artists with private studios and that was the route I went. It was do enjoyable having it done in a private studio. The lesson was either $50 or $75 (can't remember) but there was also no pressure to buy anything. IMO money well spent.

I want to do this soon. There's a store on 5th ave in NYC that I go to. I work around Rockefeller Ctr so I am not that far away. Do you have to make an appointment, or can you just walk in? I might do it at the end of my shift, only because I don't want to go back to work made up! Not so much because of the trans* thing, but because I don't want my coworkers saying I took off work to play hooky.

Hi ImagineKate,

I work at Sephora so all you need to do is to get the red gift card and load it for $50.00
Then book your appointment right away

xoxo

April

Quote from: carmenkate on January 04, 2015, 07:57:53 PM
Hi ImagineKate,

I work at Sephora so all you need to do is to get the red gift card and load it for $50.00
Then book your appointment right away

xoxo

April

Oooh nice. I'll do that, maybe closer to the end of the week when I have some spare time (and recovered from electrolysis). Thanks.

Quote from: Jenelle on January 04, 2015, 06:34:06 PM
Awhile back I decided to get some makeup lessons. Since I was totally male at the time I was very hesitant about having it done in a public place.

After a little searching on Yelp I found a lot of makeup artists with private studios and that was the route I went. It was do enjoyable having it done in a private studio. The lesson was either $50 or $75 (can't remember) but there was also no pressure to buy anything. IMO money well spent.

I hired a makeup artist a few weeks ago.  It was a great way to go, and now I feel much more confident.  I highly recommend it, but will likely try the Sephora makeover as well, as it is a great deal.

Follow up!

It was great! I learned a lot, considering I started knowing nothing haha. It was definitely a big hurdle for me, as the place where they do your makeup is literally the center of the store. Also, it was very busy, so a lot of people were walking by and looking. I have extreme social anxiety, so I was pretty tense for a while. Then, I just tried to focus on the lesson and on the makeup that the consultant was putting on me. After that, it went really well.

One note of caution: If you want all of the makeup that they use on you, it's going to be really REALLY expensive. Message me if you have any specific questions.

Awesome that it went so well!

I was taught by a pro a few years back and the experience has saved me lots of $$ plus alot of trial and error. Just relax and enjoy. Also, instead of the beginners kit I'd opt for getting what they use on you. It will save you time and $$ in the long run.

Ally

It can be, but remember it's a bit of an investment and much of that cost won't reoccur all at the same time. Secondly, you don't have to use everything they did depending on what you want to use day to day or just when your going out. What ever that case may be. You could also use what you learned and by the makeup somewhere else to help keep your costs down if money is an issue for you. If nothing else that knowledge will help you elsewhere.
Mariah

Quote from: mrg58 on January 05, 2015, 11:19:00 PM
Follow up!

It was great! I learned a lot, considering I started knowing nothing haha. It was definitely a big hurdle for me, as the place where they do your makeup is literally the center of the store. Also, it was very busy, so a lot of people were walking by and looking. I have extreme social anxiety, so I was pretty tense for a while. Then, I just tried to focus on the lesson and on the makeup that the consultant was putting on me. After that, it went really well.

One note of caution: If you want all of the makeup that they use on you, it's going to be really REALLY expensive. Message me if you have any specific questions.

Quote from: mrg58 on January 05, 2015, 11:19:00 PM
Follow up!

It was great! I learned a lot, considering I started knowing nothing haha. It was definitely a big hurdle for me, as the place where they do your makeup is literally the center of the store. Also, it was very busy, so a lot of people were walking by and looking. I have extreme social anxiety, so I was pretty tense for a while. Then, I just tried to focus on the lesson and on the makeup that the consultant was putting on me. After that, it went really well.

One note of caution: If you want all of the makeup that they use on you, it's going to be really REALLY expensive. Message me if you have any specific questions.

Like how expensive? I don't mind say dropping $100 for mu that I'll use to go out, but for work I'll buy the cheap grocery store makeup. I used to buy for my wife and I can't remember but it didn't seem all that much?

I buy a few things at Sephora, my beard cream costs $34, and they've often tried to steer me towards a $150 moisturizer. The stuff actually is worth it, but wow! It's Sweetie's preferred place to get hers, although she often has to settle. (Sometimes for Walmart! He he!)

Quote from: ImagineKate on January 08, 2015, 03:56:54 PM
Like how expensive? I don't mind say dropping $100 for mu that I'll use to go out, but for work I'll buy the cheap grocery store makeup. I used to buy for my wife and I can't remember but it didn't seem all that much?

Well, I literally had nothing. I had no brushes, no foundation, no shadow, nothing. So at the end of the day, I spent a little over $500. I just did my makeup for the first time on my own yesterday. It was not nearly as good as when they did it, however, the products definitely went on really nicely. It felt like I wasn't even wearing any makeup!

I'm slowly getting makeup help from the makeup consultant lady at Target. Showing me something different every week. I also take stuff I learn from the internet, from her, and proper tools I was given by a coworker and mix them together. Taking a little piece from each and under the option of that consultant, I've basically achieved all I can without going overboard. My fear is that I might apply so much makeup that I'll look like a clown. The only things I can do now are practice speed / efficiency and time to wait for the hormones to do there thing on my face / body. No need for fancy expensive lessons.