Looking "natural"?

[Kate Simmons]

In a previous thread, I asked how often GG's get to dress up nice. What I've realized since then is that being a woman is hard work (well, duh!). Anyway, in my continuing research(!?) of being feminine, I was wondering how to really look the part in an every day way. I know gals get frazzled sometimes and continue on despite how it affects their appearance but try to look nice even so. I'm willing to go the whole "nine yards" to look like a real, every day gal and not just someone who takes the full time to look nice and goes out on Saturday night. In short, I'm wanting to look like an everyday gal who works hard but at the end of the day, has satisfaction knowing she did her best even if she doesn't look like Paris Hilton every five minutes. Any suggestions? Ericka

[Sky]

Tall order!

Don't know about you, but most of us need significant makeup and clothing work to look feminine, and that goes against the desired natural look.

I tried the same thing. The first time I asked for help from a pro makeup artist I asked her to make me look like an "everyday girl". She made me look good, but probably a bit fancier than what "natural" meant to me. Afterwards I learned there are limits to it. A natural looking girl just wears her fresh face, I have to wear a sizable layer of foundation just to begin looking like a woman.

[Emily Ann Brown]

Try wearing a lipstick close to the color of your natural lips for starts. And dark brown eyeshadow with a nice eyeliner on the top lid only can look more natural. Also try a very light shade of blush (pinkish) as a more natural look.

Emily Ann

[Stephanie Kay]

Emily,

That's the kind of make up I wear most of the time. Suits me just fine!

[joanlynn28]

For me I have found that using Bare Minerals by ID works for me. It is in powder form that you use a brush to apply. It is easy to use and last up to 16 hours. You can even sleep in it, all of the products are made from natural minerals with no additives. You can find it at Sephora.com or at a Sephora comestics store in most major malls. My pre-op friend introduced me to it, found out that even my therapist uses this product. But if you have a dark beard you will still have to use some type of beard cover. Fortunately I don't have that problem, I am a natural blonde and my hair is fine and light.

[kathy gg]

an everyday gal who works hard but at the end of the day, has satisfaction knowing she did her best even if she doesn't look like Paris Hilton every five minutes. Any suggestions? Ericka

Actually terribly satisfied if I come out "NOT" looking like Paris Hilton. If women's new beauty standard is a stick with an empty head I am soooo very glad that this is something I look nothing at all like. Paris looks and acts like a tramp and dresses like a high class escort...and no trust me if anyone thinks I am jealous. I am not. Cindy Crawford or Claudia Schiffer or Drew Barrymore, much more beautiful and better role models in my thoughts of female beauty which I only wish I did look like.

but anyway....I know your original post was not about her.

Good luck in acheiving this look. One tip...buy a foundation brush....don't use a sponge. We found that out this weekend when Amanda got dressed and used the brush rather than her usual make up sponge.

[~Kitty GG~]

Don't forget sunscreen.

My natural face (which is my most of the time face) is sunscreen.. I have a very lightly tinted one that has some sparkley bits in it. Can't member the name off the top of my head. A dusting of powder.. And lipsmackers lip gloss w/ spf 15.

The sun if very damaging so I take the few seconds each day to hit my face and neck.. especially the triangle at the top of the chest that gets sun most of the year , and a lip balm.. Even if its plain ole chapstick w/ spf .. which is perfectly ok even if you're in boy-mode.

Love & Hugs
~Kitty~

[Kate Simmons]

Hi Kathy, Got a taste of this a few weeks ago when I tried a M T F T M CD look. I had to use beard cover and makeup but try to make it look like I wasn't wearing makeup and was a girl trying to look like a boy. I think I did okay but when I tried dancing like a boy, forget it, I dance naturally like a woman and it was hard trying those stiff moves. Anyway, I thought I'd have better luck trying a "no makeup" look as a girl and see what happens. That's me though, always trying some kind of new look. LOL.. Ericka

[tgirlkari]

Ericka
First and foremost your make up should not be your face only enhance what you already have but I realize some of us special girls need more cover for a heavier beard area with practice you can still accomplish this but make up is only a small part of the whole illusion. Clothing choices,hair style,and mannerisms are also big factors. When I dress I don't do it to be insulate toward women (some do, not that you do ok) but merely to be myself and present myself outwardly how I feel inside. Boys are typically not taught how to be a woman during raising well duh right, ok so you have to teach yourself. What I did was I went to all kinds of different areas that women go to see how they dressed in those situations, how they interacted with each other and learned that women can carry on a good conversation with each other and never say a word, it's a very elite club this womanhood, you can fool a man much easier than you can fool a woman so don't really try instead try to give the message that you are not mocking them but just trying to fit in,to be a woman, if you go grocery shopping in a 500 dollar dress and heels that really is mocking them and you will not fit in women really are more concerned with comfort and most are not at all interested in displaying masculinity but a neat looking solid color tee and jeans with attractive comfortable flats are all very feminine in coordinating colors and style.

[Khriss]

..the " Bearded Lady" syndrome ..is likely the most obviouse..
but appearance includes movement,confidence,style selection that is appropriate to situations... and a whole lot of other factors in "wishing to pass in public" ? - then , even the lynchpin of "voice" perhaps !!
btw.. "passing" would be great...but I'd love to be noticed (as an appealing woman) too !? ...a "CD" -paradox eh ?? xx"K"

[Lilith Moon]

..the " Bearded Lady" syndrome ..is likely the most obviouse..
but appearance includes movement,confidence,style selection that is appropriate to situations... and a whole lot of other factors in "wishing to pass in public" ? - then , even the lynchpin of "voice" perhaps !!
btw.. "passing" would be great...but I'd love to be noticed (as an appealing woman) too !? ...a "CD" -paradox eh ?? xx"K"

The eternal CD paradox that. Not wanting to be noticed, but wanting to be noticed. 0.02