My transgender make-up experiences

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makeupartistzoe

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Oct 29, 2009
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Location
Bournemouth
Hello Makeup Geeks. Knowledge is power so I thought I'd share with you my three Transgender Makeup Experiences!

My background is I'm a salon owner and my speciality in my salon is Makeup, Lashes and Tanning! I trained in fashion editorial makeup and have been working in the industry nearly 8 years. I have obviously been advertising myself as a makeup artist but have never done a Transgender course as I feel it's very specialist and there wouldn't really be the call for me to do it. So I've come across these situations that I'd like to share. I feel quite frustrated but I don't want to worry my pretty little head with it anymore so thought I'd share in case anybody else came across similar situations....

My first was when I was just starting out. I had a voicemail on my phone from a guy wanting me to do his makeup and paint his nails. Being I was quite young I got my boyfriend and parents to check the call. I called him back and explained that would be fine and that I was working in a salon where I had a private room. He came in and used the bathroom to put on boob and bum padding to make himself look more feminine. He was a sweet guy. His wife didn't like or understand him wanting to dress up but said if he doesn't do it in the house she doesn't really care. He didn't change his voice or name when dressed up. We did his makeup, painted his nails, drank tea, read fashion magazines and talked about clothes. At the end of two and a half hours he paid me £100 and I removed all polish, cleansed and moisturised his face and said bye. He left as a man and got changed back into his own clothes.

In the next couple of days I had about three texts saying he loved his time hanging out and wanted to arrange a time to book again. And then loads of texts constantly asking my advice on which wig he should buy next, which shops sold the best tights etc etc it was really full on and I tried just to wrap up the texts with 'I'm sure you can find something that would suit. When you know dates to book in again we can talk more.' But I was like he needed a best girlfriend and just someone to talk to, and I contacted a life coach and got her to help me. I passed on her details to him and found it unusual but like I did the best I could do.

My next two were from Pride weekend this weekend just gone. On weds I had a call to my salon from a man who had seen my details online and that I did makeup. He explained he was coming into town for pride and wanted his eyes made up for the night. I said that wouldn't be a problem and would probably be just a 30 minute makeup for £26. He said that was great and we arranged for a 7pm appointment as we open late on Fridays. I was also thinking I would have lots of time if I wanted to get really creative.

He came in 15 mins early and parked his massive motorbike outside the front of the shop. He bought his wig and a couple of lip products down to my makeup room. I asked how he would like his eyes and he asked for a bit of foundation too so I used three mac full coverage foundations to highlight, contour and conceal. Brow wax on the brows, tbh though I haven't done that before but it looked good. I said I was happy it all covered the birth mark by his eye and he told me it was a black eye where a lady had headbutted him the week before. I wasn't uncomfortable doing his makeup but he showed me some pics of where he had dressed up before, none though of his face- the back of him wearing leather boots, thong, jacket, wig and shiny tights. He asked if he had a feminine face, well he didn't really, he is a quite muscular, tattooed, bike leather, 50's something man. He seemed really happy. I put on a bright red lip tar by OCC and he asked if it would last. I advised him to put his own gloss colour over the top to lock in what I had done. I said he shouldn't need any touch ups at all when he said he was going to use a straw to drink. He put on his wig and my hair stylist took a few pics of us together and fixed a flower in his hair. Then we all held our breath when he put sunglasses, an scarf and his motor bike helmet back on!!! We said about 10 times 'watch your eyebrows' and tried to get him to push his bike to the hotel on the next road rather than covering up and riding it. But he said he didn't want anybody to see him?!?! I had spent longer than 30 mins on the makeup but as I quoted him £26 that was all I charged.

He came back the next day and said he was 'horrified' by his makeup and it 'ruined the night' I was obviously just perplexed and completely gobsmacked. I said 'I'm so sorry, what happened- did you not go out?!' He said 'oh no I went out' me: 'oh did you just wipe it all off?!' Him, 'oh no, I'll show you..'

He then showed me digital pics on his camera of himself fully dressed up, with wig and the makeup I has done for him on, with one of the tiny 25 year old, very feminine regular drag acts in one of our local gay bars, all smiling and happy. 'They all said I looked great but then look, when you look closer..' Showed me pics at the end of the night- lipstick worn off in the middle, bleary eyed.... ' my eyebrows looked the worse' he had blatantly smudged his bike helmet on his brows. I said this is what would of happened, then he said ' but you said my lipstick would last...I think I'll just have my money back as it ruined the night' and then 'well did you feel I really looked like a woman?' I just avoided that last question, said I was very sorry he felt that way and gave my first ever refund of my career.

I was so upset and disappointed with myself the whole day! To make things worse later that day (this Saturday just gone) I knew I had another TG makeup booked in! My confidence was massively knocked and I really thought the best thing I could do would be to cancel.

In prep for cancelling my 5 pm Saturday makeup. I realised he had only booked me via email. I looked again at the pic this guy had sent me....it was a fashion image of what looked like a model backstage. I knew that if that girl in the picture came in, for that makeup, I would be able to recreate it. So kept calm, got the colours out I would need to use and built myself up again. I obviously have just learnt that some TGs really really have very high expectations and the previous one had really wanted me to wave a magic wand and grant him a vagina for the night, and then allowed him to become a biker again in the day. I also learnt that if you cover the brows with wax and full makeup and that client then goes to put a bike helmet back on then you just don't let them.

I finished my 4pm nail client and check my emails...'Hi,
Lets cancel, do not wait me as the one I done morning will be good enough and not reasonable to waist £50 and loose the time now for the salon one'

Sent at just gone 4pm. So that was my 3rd and last TG makeup experience. A time wasting no show! As I knew he was after a full makeup I said I would charge my standard hourly rate of £50, so I missed out on that plus turned away tanning bookings!

Every makeup artist has their own stories and these are three of mine! I never advertised that I do TG makeup but if anybody calls my salon again to ask I won't even book them in.

To the regular TGs that work in my town - you're more freaking feminine than many actual females...
To TGs going through surgery or change to live your new lives I wish you all the best I cannot imagine how you feel but I'm sure you're making the right choices
and to TGs that just dress up for fun and are gay/ lesbian but know they don't want to live permanently as the opposite sex I hope each and every Pride event you go to is more fabulous than the last.

To makeup artists....Have fun researching/ learning/ practising TG makeup but just so you know, sometimes its not the actual application that's tricky....

(Switching 100% of stress to 0% by now deciding to not do TG makeup anymore! Zoe xx night night!)
 
Thanks for sharing this experience, I do think TGs have high expectations and is a very sensitive, complex situation. I have applied make up on a very nice TG when working on a make up counter though was only a little shadow and lipgloss. Interesting read, thanks again, all the best x
 
I have carried out electrolysis on TG in the past. I would say that most are still learning their way around. I have seen some very cack handed make up application but it is part of their process. Of course if they are pre surgery they will not achieve perhaps the feminine look they are after and they must be prepared for that. A lot do not get the support from their immediate circle so they look elsewhere for advice. I no longer offer to do them either as they can take so much time that you do less and less of your other clients. One was particularly unnerving and that put the lid on it for me but I have had one in particular I saw through the whole journey to full transition over several years and that was a priviliged experience.
 
Thanks lovelys. It must have been rewarding to see start to finish.

Anybody can suffer from low self esteem and feel miles away from their 'ideal self' :( feel upset for these... Like I've had brides in before and they have been convinced they can still see acne scarring... I guess it's like body dismorphia... I'm going to read up on these a bit.

Just sticking to my main passion and core, makeovers for spesh occasions and one on one makeup lessons to improve confidence and make more ladies airbrush aware ( that nearly every image would have been played with in some way)

Xxx
 
Sorry to hear you've had such less than favourable experiences and that you will now no longer take bookings - it could be so rewarding (and fun)!

I've enjoyed a number of male to female makeovers from makeup artists, including Juliette who runs Sophies (Sophies Dressing-Service), which have all been uplifting experiences for me. I've never had high expectations, just curious to see what might be achieved – always happy to give the artist a free hand!

These days I've been meaning to practise with makeup – just have fun doing lips, eyes or whatever without trying to achieve a convincing look, more a femme charicature or just whacky stuff :) But I would still visit a pro to try different products, and for guidance and inspiration, not to mention special occasion makeup should I ever be brave enough to express myself in public!

Again, it's a shame you're so discouraged :(

Paul(ie) x
 
That's a shame you had such bad experiences! It sounds as though the first client really wanted a female friend they could go shopping with and exchange tips on make-up and whatnot... such a shame that they weren't comfortable sharing this with their wife - although I have heard of a lot of issues in relationships when a male partner comes out - even just as an occasional cross-dresser - it's something that a lot of women can have big problems with - especially if they weren't aware of that side of their partner when they first met.

Then your second client had unrealistic expectations by the sound of it - expecting their make-up to survive being smudged by a motorbike helmet! Rather shocked they asked you for a refund though - that really doesn't sound fair at all! And your third client was just plain rude for cancelling on you at such short notice like that!
 

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