How Long Do You Take To Get Ready ?

[Adriana Moretti]

So another post yet again brought up a good question without ever asking it...so I will...I looked around and diddnt see a post on it ( i could be wrong and used the wrong search words) but how long does it take YOU to get ready?? Especially if you are doing full makeup...how long? How long is too long? LOL...

When I started again after my purge I was around 3 hours ( learning curve and video watching at the same time)..I am somewhere around an hour and a half now...but for the most part I do not rush as long as my schedule is open and I have the time...I could probably do it in 20/30 minutes..but getting there is half the fun for me...especially if I am staying in. How bout you?

[GeminaRenee]

Well, before the purge, I was usually around two hours. But at that point I had long hair, so that was a chunk of it. I haven't gone full-out since the purge (or even bought a wig yet, for that matter), but I'm going to guess that will cut the time down a little. I'd be happy with an hour and a half or less. The makeup is still too painstaking of a process at this point to really breeze through.

One of the perks of the CD life - being understanding enough to never complain about how long it takes a GF to get ready. (:

[Caden Lane]

I wish I knew. But this Saturday will be my first time going to a social/ support group. And unfortunately, I'll even be getting dressed there. So gonna go extra light on makeup. Or at least that's the plan.

[Jenny Gurl]

An article last week reported the average time a woman takes to get ready daily was about 55 minutes. I guess we just need more practice.

[Angela Campbell]

I do it every day. It takes around 30 to 40 minutes including a shower and drying my hair.

[Kate Simmons]

After showering and shaving about 1/2 hour to out the door. This is of course if I have my outfit ready and the look I want to use in mind and all of that stuff is ready to go. I get dressed first, then makeup and accessories. Lipstick is ALWAYS last.:battingeyelashes::)

[Katey888]

About an hour and a half - can be longer if I persevere at abortive attempts with mascara... but I stick with false eyelashes generally. I'd probably take a fair bit longer if I was expecting someone other than me to see it 'in the flesh'... :eek:

Katey x

[Megan Thomas]

About 30 minutes for me, though I prefer a more leisurely 45-60 minutes when there's no rush and I can relax with a cuppa inbetween different stages of getting ready. If I'm in a rush I've been known to be showered, face applied, and out the door in 20 minutes.

[rachaelsloane]

Depends on if you're including the shower and shave? Without that, 10-15 minutes as I use minimal makeup, thank you, MAC.

[audreyinalbany]

I'm with Rachelsloane on this one….10-15 minutes. I don't know what I could do differently to make it take an hour and a half!

[Joanncdnj]

I can be ready in less than a half hour, but when time permits, I take my time and enjoy the entire experience..

[kendra_gurl]

An article last week reported the average time a woman takes to get ready daily was about 55 minutes. I guess we just need more practice.

This is pretty much my average time too. Difference for me is that my hair (wig) is already done and I would think most women take more time with their hair than their makeup.

[Hell on Heels]

Going full makeup and dressed normally about an hour, but staying home and trying to get everything perfect can easily double the time. That can also be due to either watching a video, or taking a break to chat here. 3 hours was a bit long Adriana, I'm glad to hear you cut that time down.

[Jessica EnFemme]

The shower, shave and makeup part is maybe 45 minutes. Deciding on clothes and accessories, and changing mind repeatedly, is another 45!

[dana digs sweaters]

After stepping into the steamroom as Grog and coming out freshly trimmed for ladies wear, it would be at least 45 minutes if staying in with no company, a little longer if someone is visiting.
Going out is definitely 1 and 1/2 hours. Having a wig already set to plop on my head helps out on the time.

[Michelle V]

If my wife does my make up about 30 min. By myself I try to enjoy every second so I take 45 min to 1 hr but can easily cut it to 30 min for one look one outfit. I do change clothes during each session and each look takes 15 more minutes. My biggest issue still is my hair. I can't ever get it right from the beginning, that does require a lot of fixing and adjusting

[Kristy 56]

Probably about an hour,and that's only because I've got limited time. Probably about 2 hours if time not a problem as I'd make a ritual out of it. Shaving,bubble bath etc. :)

[Rachelakld]

Shave 2 minutes
foundation 1 minute
mascara 1 minute
eyeshadow 1 minute
lipstick 1 minute
Wig -brush and fit, 3 minutes
clothes (summer mode - Bra, knickers, dress) 2 minutes

11 minutes until I'm ready to leave the house and go shopping is about my best, but can be longer if "I have nothing to wear!!!" and make 6 clothing changes.

[GenieGirl]

An hour as a guy...2 as a girl Makeup 30 minutes shower and shaving everything...way too long. Hair and clothes about 30 minutes I'm so indecisive on that one...I take my time

[RenneB]

Yep, same here.... dressed in about 20 minutes and then time in front of the mirror is about another 40 minutes. Out the door, check the weather, change, add a few things... opps forgot the purse.... darn back in for the phone... ouch, these aren't the right heels, back in for the back up pair... okay, I'm ready.... keys? Darn, back for keys... All that in an hour. Mostly.

Renne.....

[Leah Lynn]

Bonhomme, ten minutes. En femme, no matter what, it's obviously not long enough.

Leah

[paulaprimo]

after a shower and shave, and if i'm in a hurry i can
get ready in under an hour. if i'm not in a hurry and want to do nails and primp, 2 1/2 hours...
and these times may vary if my power tools pop a circuit breaker lol :)

[njcddresser]

From start to finish usually about 45 minutes. sometimes longer if I butcher my make up which I seem to do with regularity.

[Christen]

Showering, shaving, hair, makeup, dressing .. if I can get under 1 hour 45 min, I'm doing particularly well. Although I don't know why I rush, it's not like I'm going anywhere :)

Christen x

[Mistyjo]

I take around two hours (Shower shave makeup dressed ) thats if i am going out and if i am staying in about 50 mins

[wanttobewild]

Is this a true picture of what you look like after you apply your makeup? If it is...you are simply beautiful! I could certainly use some tips from you.. and anyone else for that matter. I'm sure though that your canvas is much prettier than mine.

[wanttobewild]

Do most of the members use their own picture or someone else. I could certainly use some makeup tips on how to look and feel more like a woman. What kind of foundation, mascara, and lipstick do you use?

[Persephone]

Thirty minutes after shower to dress, do makeup, and hair for ordinary activities. Maybe an extra 10-15 minutes if going out for a special evening.

Hugs,
Persephone.

[Lillyasia]

One and a half hours the last two times, but I am new to makeup and still experimenting with different combinations.

Welcome Wanttobewild. You can find tips in the Beauty section of the forum. Most people suggest Utube for videos on makeup tutorials. As far as type of makeup, that will vary with each person.

[KaceyR]

Wanttobewild, also note the beauty section mentioned is a section opened up after 10 posts.
Welcome,BTW :)

For me, I'm still unstable with my makeup...
Base, foundations,and even lips are moderately quick... But then there's eyes.
Mascara is ok.. It's the brows, liner and any shadow work that's rough.
Spent 40 mins the last time heading out making corrections to just this.
I need to practice more..but I'm also a bit of a lazy CDer...

So for me I'd say an hour for guaranteed good makeup...and adding another 30-45min
for simple shower,shave (face) and already having wig set and outfit decided.

[Beverley Sims]

I can be out the door in half an hour.
To do it comfortably. an hour will suffice.

[Krisi]

You have to define "Get Ready". Does this include a shower and full body shave? Does this include makeup suitable for a night club? Not including the above, it takes me twenty minutes or so but that's just to hang around the house.

As a comparison, my wife is up and out the door to go to the gym in 30 minutes and that includes breakfast. Going out to dinner or such she would take an hour and that would include a shower and makeup. Her legs would have been shaved or Naired the night before if she will be wearing a skirt.

[suchacutie]

Before Tina my guy self could be ready in 5 min. once out of the shower.

Now the rituals necessary for toner, moisturizers, conditioner, primer and powder for my eyes (keeps that stinging oil at bay all day) and nail touch-up (my nails delaminate if I don't use a strengthener) takes 20-30 min.

For Tina there is all of that plus contouring foundation (which I'm still working at), all that eye makep issues, hair, and deciding what "look". But the most important part is the mental changeover from one gender to the other. If that is going smoothly it finishes as she gets dressed. If not she slows down getting dressed in order to get the male life purged. Once she's Tina she puts on her lip gloss and is ready. If this is the first changeover she'll then spend time on her nails!

So for Tina, the shortest is 45 min..longest about 2 hours.

[Lexi Moralas]

When I had the opportunity to do my best work , starting from scratch 1.5 hour. But most often I was already showered and shaved , getting ready in the car. Which I had down to about 20 minutes. I used to be able To go out dressed often for short periods of time where I had total of an hour to spend. So I had it down to 20 min getting ready 20 minutes out in the world as a girl. And 20 minutes removing all traces that it ever happened.
Not the best situation but it was better than nothing. Which about sums up my current dressing status lol

[Connie D50]

All I know is the older I get the longer it takes lol about an hour from shower to dressed.
On another note you know your getting old when you got get if you already reply to a post I had to do a quick scan to make sure I haddent lololol

Connie

[Alexis.j]

Im a quick girl to get dressed, 10min if need to be quick. Otherwise bout half hour. Nails take a bit longer, but I usually do them long in advance.

[natcrys]

Really depends on what is required in the process and if I'm going out or just having guests come to my house:


Full facial and body shave, moisturising, make-up, thinking of an outfit and preparing my bag: 1,5 hours
Quick shower, make-up, putting on prepared outfit, grab bag and go: 40 minutes
Just casual make-up, clothes and bag: 20 minutes
Quick make-up job just to not look like a slob when I have guests: 10 minutes


Special note: when girlfriends (GG/CD) come over and we're trying on different outfits/make-up jobs while getting drunk on booze.. then everything takes hours and hours! :drink:

[StephanieDragg]

If I have my outfit picked out all ready, which I usually do, I can be out the door in about half hour, when softball season comes I show up completely made up etc and in my softball uniform, after 2 games I clean up a bit switch into a prettier outfit and redo my make-up on my way to the bar of the week, when I show up all changed everyone always asks how the hell did u do all that we just got here !

[Lorileah]

You will have to be more specific. Do you mean daily? 15 minutes for makeup...10 minutes for clothes. For normal night on town with friends...20 minutes for make up...sometimes 30 minutes to choose outfit. For the night of a show or when I am performing (disclaimer..not drag, I don't do drag). 30-45 minutes for makeup....1 hour to choose outfit

[Stephanie47]

Ok, I don't do make up as an in-home cross dresser. Today, as an example, I had an idea of which dress and undergarments I was going to wear. Total time to dress from undergarments to dress and heels- ten minutes. I think there may be too much time fussing over one's self, if you need hours to get ready. I can understand facial makeup and nails taking a lot of time, but, three hours? We need to have some GG's post their times.

[PaulaQ]

Hair - 10 minutes
Makeup - 20-30
Full makeup 45-60
Dressing 10, unless a lot of undergarments are involved.

[Sharon B.]

About an hour, sometimes longer if I take a break and get on line. For the most part an hour.

[Kristina_nolagirl]

Too long! The worst part for me is shaving and takes like an hour. The rest I can do in about 20-30 min if I know what I'm wearing - which is usually not the case! But that's the fun part right?

[Adriana Moretti]

I can understand facial makeup and nails taking a lot of time, but, three hours? We need to have some GG's post their times.

when I say three hours that means ...stop...watch a you tube video on a smokey eye...try it...rewind it...then again...ok..pour another glass of wine... change the record on the record player...3 hours is a taking your time enjoying the process and experimenting kinda night...especially if im stayin with no plans ...no point in rushing being all dressed up with no place to go right??....to me those are learning nights...and it's not fussing if you enjoy it and treat it as an artform . But if your in the closet with no plans to show your face ..i can see why it would seem like alot of fussing......but it is part of the fun..if thats what you are into

[Stevie]

Everybody is different. It depends on you. I'm in a way still learning but I give myself anywhere between a half hour to hour depending on how much I need to do.

[Ria Lynn]

Weighing in as a GG with a toddler:
My basic, harried, go-to quick routine: 10-20 minutes (Eye shadow, eyeliner, mascara, lipstick, perfume, hair).
If I go all-out: Anywhere from 30 to an hour.
The biggest variables for me are if I mess something up or decide to change something part way through. Since I do my makeup in the morning it really depends on how awake I am, which depends on how well the Kid went to bed the night before.

As for places to go for makeup advice, I've found Pinterest to be a really good source of ideas, suggestions, and basic guides. I found a couple really good tips for applying mascara and foundation there that have helped me a lot.

[Megan b]

I don't like to rush the process, getting ready is part of the enjoyment for me. It probably takes me about 1.25 hours to 2 hours to get everything done. That includes (shower, shave, makeup and getting dressed and all the other little thing I do). Sometimes I can be ready in around an hour, it just depends on how much prep time I need.

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Adriana, With makeup Not quite an hour without about :15:minutes .

[Felicia Dee]

Whew! That's a big one! I like playing in the mirror... ;) If I'm going for a nice casual look AND you count shaving AND I stay on task... an hour and change. But like Adriana pointed out: "getting there is half the fun!" SOOOOO. Often times I'm going for a certain look like, 1960's MOD, or 80's glam or..? THEN it's more like 3 hours. (4 with hair) Of course, if you factor in the inevitable the fashion show and mock celebrity interview held poolside at my imaginary tuscan villa, we're talking 6 or 7 hours! LOL

[darla_g]

i would say it depends. there are times i need to shave and that can add a half hour. sometimes i do that a day ahead if i know i want to dress the following day. But from start to finish makeup and dressing is probably around 2 hrs if i have something picked out. That itself can be quite a bit of time...... i know very much a non-answer

[Crissy Kay]

Its about an hour for me to get all dressed and made up. About a half hour of it, is adjusting my petticoats, so they look just right under my maids dress.

[Janet Bern]

It takes me about an hour. If I did it more often it would probably about 30 minutes.

[KristinaP]

From shower to door- smidgen over an hour. No make-up as wife says no.

[miss ali]

Yes getting ready is half the fun ....if I'm staying in then I will take my time.....dress undress redress ....go into the bathroom......my wife likes playing dress up with me ......it's funny cause we just paid my mother to clean our house and she asked me why my wife kept all the clothes that were too small for her......pssst it's cause I'm smaller so she always has a million things for me to try on.......it usually is hours upon hours to get ready and then change and yea I could go on......we were just talking about this a couple weeks ago ......I told my wife I dont think getting ready would be so much fun if I were actually a girl all of the time ......so jealous of ggs......now my wifie knows why I used to put so much care and concern into how she looked always lol

[Michelle (Oz)]

Excluding shower and shave, around an hour. Out femme three or so days a week has improved my skills but not the time. Best though is 45 mins including shower and shave - slept in with a plane to catch.

[Jaymees22]

My speediest is 10 minutes not counting the shower and shave part which I did earlier. The other day when I was going out it took an hour. So on average around a half hour. Hugs Jaymee

[Cheryl T]

Not including that god awful shave (my face gets really tender) and post-shave rest for the skin.
From shower to door takes me about an hour now. It used to be 2 hours but time and practice have cut that down.

[julia marie]

I'm down to a little over an hour (a bit more if I go with nail polish instead of glue on nails because I'm a klutz as a lefty painting my right). One thing that has helped to cut down on time actually has been to add an extra few minutes of dry time to concealer, foundation and mascara. That extra few minutes means getting the makeup a little more right and avoids spending time going back to redo things.

[switcheralso]

I am clean shaven all the time. It takes me about 30 minutes as well.

[Cassandra86]

It takes me about three hours to get fully ready. That's not including shaving being that I'm always shaved except my face. Takes about an hour and a half on makeup. The longest for me is my eyebrows being that I cover my natural eyebrows and draw on fake ones. Second would be ask the contouring I do too make my face more fem. The rest of the time is used for hair, my cleavage, and getting fully dressed. But I take my time and have to be perfect before I walk out the door

[5150 Girl]

Well, there are 2 ways to look at this question.... If you just wanna know how long makeup takes, I can do it in about 10 min, but I would like to have at least 15.
However, my whole morning ritual, from out of bed, take dogs out, feed the animals, breakfast, hygiene matters ect.... About 3 hours.

[Ashanti]

For me it is two hours. Anything less, then I would be disappointed with the results. My gf once said that I looked much more elegant if I took more time dressing.

[ShelbyDawn]

Well, I am going out Saturday night and I have already started getting ready. LOL

Actually, Saturday will be my first time to do my own makeup, so I'll have to let you know next week.

:hugs:

Shelby

[Samantha_Smile]

Including shower/bath, shaving, moisturising, taping, makeup (+/- time depending on eye makeup style and whether I hide my brow), dressing, teasing my wig and applying nails/jewellery...
Two, to two and a half hours.
Sometimes more if I'm really taking my sweet time.
Today took 2 and a half and I was taking my sweet time (stopped for a drink and a vape).

[DaphneMiller]

I'd say about an hour and a half.
This includes super-quick shower, good shave, touch of moisturiser, undergarments, foundation, make up, rest of clothes, and hair.
I'd like it to be faster, but to be honest, I don't want to rush and make a mess of things (eye make up mainly...) so I take my time to enjoy the transformation.
Sometimes, i set myself a 'time to be ready', pretending that I've got to be somewhere at a certain time, or someone coming round.. :)

Daphne

[pajeantv]

I have been able to get dolled up in as little as ten minutes, but 30-40 after a 30 minute shower is more realistic, A quick job never turns out right.

[Rachell Carter]

I would say about an hour or so but I try an take my time

[Lucy Lou]

If I have to shave my body then I add half an hour at least for that. If it is just dressing and make up, then it is about 45 minutes to an hour. The more i do it the quicker it takes to get ready. I do love the whole experience and it makes me feel great the more I put on. Lucy. xoxoxo

[Tallulah Rose]

1 1/2 to 2 hours, depending. I'm with Adriana in that I like to take my time - it's all part of the fun.

[Stephanie Julianna]

Not counting a shower and shave. (I shave in the shower for a very close nick free shave.) From the time I lay out my makeup to the final event of adorning my wig I clock in around 45 minutes. Dressed and ready to. It's all part of my trying to not do much more than any woman would do. I'll admit that for a night on the town the makeup would be more dramatic and take a little longer.

[cdkateinboston]

Make up can take me up to two hours alone, of course that included putting on fake nails and painting them, but make up takes up the majority of the time it takes to get dressed

[ClaireCole]

If I'm going out, then about an hour; I'm always shaved, eyebrows shaped and things now so its faster than I used to be. I usually put in more effort depending on how many people are going to be seeing me, so that can take up to two maybe if I'm messing around.
If I'm just going to sit inside then forever, because I like to practice different makeup and outfits, its all "getting ready".

[Eryn]

An hour is comfortable but if pressed I could be out the door in a half hour. Beard removal made that a lot easier!

[LeslieSD]

Maybe around 30 min if already know what to wear. I am working on getting it shorter, but shaving and getting beard shadow covered reasonably well takes time.

My theory is that if I can get it down to 15 min, I would have a lot of more chances to go out dressed.

[sally38]

it can take a hour or more if i shave ever thing to

[typhoidmary]

if I have to wash my hair that day, at least an hour. otherwise I can usually look presentable enough in half an hour.

[Linda E. Woodworth]

I all depends on what I'm getting ready for.

I throw on a leotard and tights with light makeup in no time at all to exercise.

If I'm going all the way then we're talking 45 minutes to an hour.

[Sarah Doepner]

If I've been working in the yard all day, breaking my nails, haven't shaved for a week and then decide I need to go out it will take me a couple of hours to be ready to step out the door. If I've been thinking about it and preparing to go out, I can get out the door in 45 minutes. That prep time is the critical factor and I'd have done a pedicure, would already have taken care of most of the shaving and would know what I was going to wear, so there wouldn't be any wasted time in rummaging through the jewelry and trying to pick out a nail color.

[samantha rogers]

A couple of hours, bare minimum. I hate to rush. Even so, no matter how much time I give myself, I am always rushed at the end. LOL