Trans Beauty: Tips for Beard Cover and Feminizing Makeup

Feminizing makeup is a great tool for any MtF trans who wants to fully present as femme.

Though your heart may already be ready to accept your female persona, your body may still be catching up to the changes it needs to go through.

A common question transgender women ask is how to effectively cover beard and beard shadows.

The Pesky Beard

Beard stubble, five o’clock shadow, or those sprouts that immediately grow hours after your last shave are irritating.

This is even more annoying for transwomen who are still waiting for the hormones to kick in and manage body hair.

Sure, many opt for laser permanent hair removal or electrolysis. But not everyone can afford to spend $30 to $150 per session!

Some advice plucking your facial hair. It works — for the short term. Do you want to pluck your beard twice a day?

No? I wouldn’t want to do that too! It’s taxing and painful. Not all of us have a high pain tolerance!

Plus, plucking isn’t great for our skin. It can cause irritation that’ll only make hiding the beard more difficult.

What’s the solution?

What’s the best way then? Covering the beard with makeup.

It’s cheap, quick, and you can apply what skills you learn to other feminizing makeup concepts.

Everyone, especially transwomen, deserves to feel confident and comfortable in their presentation.

Through makeup, transwomen (and crossdressers) can achieve their desired feminine appearance.

Beard and Makeup

There are many hair removal techniques, but I’ll focus on the technique everyone has had experience with, “Shaving!”.

After shaving, makeup covers the rest. For sure, you’re now asking: “What makeup products will I need to cover my beard?”

Primer

Primers are the makeup products you put after your skincare.

It creates a barrier for the skin so the chemicals from the makeup products don’t seep into it.

Using a primer is important as it prevents clogged pores that give way to acne and other skin irritations.

Primers also fill in any lines or wrinkles on the face to offer a smooth canvas in your makeup application.

Recommended primers:

Glossier Futuredew

Oil-serum hybrid (nourishing oils)

Great without concealer

Hydrating

Long-lasting (up to 12)

Secure the Blur Makeup Magnet Primer

Controls shine

Great for all-day wear

Smashbox The Original Photo Finish Smooth & Blur

IRL filter

Soften blemishes

Lets air breathe

Lightweight

With Vitamin A and E 

Color Corrector

Color correctors or correcting makeup balances any discoloration on the face.

It can be dark circles, redness, and other uneven facial tones.

In the case of beard cover or five o’clock shadows, most Mtf transgenders have to deal with shaving’s bluish aftereffect.

I call this the “Blue” Beard.

Check any color-correcting chart available online and see what counters Blue Beard.

I’ll save you the trouble— the best colors for beard cover makeup are orange, peach, or red.

It’s also not unusual to use lipstick with the same shades when you’re in a pinch.

Recommended color correctors:

e.l.f Color Correcting Stick #83214 (Orange)

A range of colors to match your beard shadow color

Balance and correct skin tone

With Vitamin E to hydrate skin

Jecca Blac Correct & Conceal Palette

Color corrector and concealer in one

Comes in 6 shades

Medium coverage

Concealer

Concealers conceal. Think of them as a thicker type of foundation meant to hide all blemishes on the face.

Though it’s similar to foundation, you should only apply concealer after or on top of your foundation to avoid smudging.

Concealers are especially helpful to even out areas of the chin that may be darker or have chicken skin texture.

Recommended concealers:

Jessa Blac Liquid Concealer

Full coverage

Soft matte finish

Transfer-resistant

The Ordinary Colours concealer

Affordable

Little goes a long way

“Real skin finish”

Non-comedogenic (great for oily and sensitive skin)

Comes in 36 shades

Foundation

Foundations are the ultimate product to unify your face’s complexion.

Depending on the product, foundations can simply even out your face color or enhance the skin tone.

To effectively hide your beard or beard shadows, choose high-coverage or high-pigmented foundations.

Often, these makeup products come in liquid form and are buildable.

Celebré PRO-HD Foundation

Strong coverage (specifically for stage and glam pictorial)

Buildable and sits naturally on the skin

Even finish

Comes in 3 complexions

Dermablend Professional Liquid Body Foundation

Designed for everyday wear

High-performance  pigments

Great for covering tattoos, birthmarks, scars, etc.

Foundation and sunscreen with SPF 25

Moisturizing

Prepping the Skin 

It’s necessary to prepare the skin to protect it and avoid getting unwanted nicks or burns.

Step 1: Pre-Shaving Rituals

Using pre-shave balm, oil, or cream is a great start. But if you already use soap with enough moisturizing agents or essential oils, you can skip this part and save some bucks.

Another great tip is to exfoliate your face before shaving.

This will help remove any dead skin and other impurities so the blade can glide more easily.

Step 2: Water Temperature

You’ve probably heard that the best time to shave is right after a hot shower.

While this may work for others, hot water also dries out the skin. Shaving with cold water seems to be the better method.

It keeps the skin’s moisture balance and natural oils. Some also share it gets irritation down.

There’s still debate about the subject, so I suggest just trying what works best for you.

In my circle, most of my MtF friends prefer cold water for a better shave.

Step 3: Moisturize

Yep, you can never over-moisturize when it comes to shaving. Apply moisturizer and let your skin absorb the product.

If you prefer using aftershave to tighten pores and seal any shaving nicks, go for it.

Application Techniques

Makeup for trans beauty requires careful movements.

To ensure your beard cover makeup really covers what it needs to, you can follow these application techniques:

Prefer gentle presses or dabs instead of gliding the product over the skin.

Start with a small amount and gradually build as needed.

Use a makeup brush or pad rather than the tips of your fingers as they contain oils that can affect how the product works.

Here’s an uncommon tip: You can also use antiperspirant products under your makeup.

They control sweating so your makeup lasts longer.

Be sure to take antiperspirants that are fragrance-free to avoid breakouts.

Setting and Touchups

The last step is to set your beard cover makeup so it looks flawless and stays longer.

If you use a setting powder, apply it with a big fluffy brush. Additionally, translucent powders are great for their light formula.

If you use a setting spray, hold it away from your face (at least 6 inches away).

Spray in an “X” motion, followed by a “T” formation to ensure you get the product on your entire face,

Pay attention to the amount of product you use. A small amount goes a long way. Too much and you risk creases.

Choose products with oil control or matte finish. They promise a more natural fish and the cover-up lasts longer

Cream-based products are buildable. It means you can layer the product for full coverage without it looking cakey.

For example, liquid concealers and foundations are better.

Have a carry-on bag with the essential beard cover makeup for touch-ups.

More Tips

Check online forums to pick a few tricks for your makeup questions.

Transgender and crossdressing communities are a treasure trove of information about presenting as femme. Additional tips:

Shave twice. It will eat up your time, but it’ll save you the hassle of dealing with longer stubs.

Use a new razor every shave. New razors are sharper so they can cleanly cut off the beard and avoid any nicks.

If you’re unsure what color your concealer should be, use camouflage cream or makeup.

Aside from beard cover makeup, learn other feminizing makeup such as contouring the face to look more like a woman.

Conclusion

Let’s do a quick recap. What are the necessary makeup products to cover an MtF transgender beard?

It’s primer, color corrector, concealer, and foundation.

Although these makeup products are important, proper skin preparation and having an effective skincare routine should still be your priority.

Continue experimenting with different makeup techniques and exploring what products work best for you.

Through it all, always remind yourself that feminizing makeup is just a tool to fully express yourself and be confident in your appearance.

FAQs

How can I prevent my beard makeup from rubbing off on clothing/fabric?

Aside from being careful with your movements to avoid accidental rubbing off, setting powders or sprays helps seal makeup.

They let any makeup product underneath dry and set for a lasting look.

What is the best way to remove makeup at the end of the day?

A full cleanse is best. Personally, I can’t sleep knowing I have makeup on my face.

I wash my face with antibacterial soap to break down the layered makeup and repeat it as long as I feel there’s any makeup residue.

Then, I wash again with my facial cleanser. What this cleanser has will depend on your skin type.

Next, I use makeup remover or micellar water to fully remove any remaining makeup.

Honestly, I’m not content until I see that the pad or cotton ball is clean even after I use it on my face.

Can I swim or sweat with my beard cover makeup on?

Certain makeup products can make this possible. Antiperspirant sprays can help with sweating.

For swimming, water-proof makeup products are available.