The beginning Part 1

[Rachael Leigh]

Today as I started to shave it hit me that this is where it all begins for a crossdresser, a clean shave of our face making sure we can get as smooth a face as possible.
Then I pondered what was it that got us started, we all begin this way CD men or non CD men start with a clean shave but for those of us that crossdress there is more more we feel we must do to look and feel great about that clean shaven face. For most men once the shave is done they look at themselves and think it looks good I can go about my day. However for the CD we dont feel that way even if its a day where we wont be dressing we look and think something is missing maybe a little eye shadow or some eye liner or maybe mascara. We might not go that far with it that day because if we go to work that way we will be looked at funny, so we look back at our face and think its not good but we move on and make our way to the job.

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The beginning Part 2

Then one day we shave and look back at ourselves and we just want to look better we want to present ourselves to the world that makes us feel right, but why why do we do this with all the pitfalls it comes, with the relationship troubles, the family hating us, or our church friends telling us we should not do this.
I wish I had an answer it has never made much sense to me I just know there are days I want to get in my car just like this and go to work and say its ok people Im just feeling good today so dont stare or make fun of me, its ok.

[Dana44]

Oh yeah buddy. Yes its all good isn't it? But we are different and I believe that when things get rough we can go here and be what we want to be. Oh, it would be so good to go to work and be your fem self. But I worked in engineering and had to be a strong and a calm male in any conflict situation. Man I came home once in a while like a hurt puppy. Stress was hard. To be able to get in touch with your feminine side is fantastic and that may be why I think we do it. To be able to go out and be ourselves is really nice and mostly stress free. It's a good escape from manhood and the fact we may even live longer.

[Andar]

I shaved last night for the first time since accepting myself and coming out on here. I looked in the mirror and thought ... wow ... my eyebrows sure are weird. I didn't do anything about it because I'd have to look up what to do first and, as you said, I gotta go to work. So, I then walked outside and a great gust of freezing wind slapped me in the face. I had become ice and somewhat regretted having removed my extra layer of warmth. I got in my car, warmed up, and regretted my regret.
I felt better shaving than I ever had before. I didn't do it to have less hair or perhaps look a tad bit more professional, but I shaved to become something better and more me. I felt genuinely good. Profoundly better than I've felt in a long time. Even though I'm not dressing up, I know who I am and feel good about that intrinsically. A momentary wind or a long workday isn't gonna take that feeling from me. After it all, I can go home or some other safe place and just breath.
Will the winds ever accept my smooth face? Should I give that much thought to what the wind thinks while I'm feeling great regardless?
The wind will howl, but that's what scarves are for. It won't make the wind stop, but it might as well have.

[sometimes_miss]

But it started long before I started shaving. About 12 years before, in fact. For me, the beard growth isn't a factor (though I don't let it grow out, because it will look mangy patchwork grey tones).

[S. Lisa Smith]

The shave is the first and hardest part. Like Sometimes_miss, I started before I shaved, probably when I was 10. I love how the makeup changes how I look. It would be wonderful to be male sometimes and when I felt like being Lisa all day, I could do that also.

[Rachael Leigh]

I understand many here including myself began this CD journey long before shaving I guess my phlisophical thought here was once we get to the point of needing to shave our thought process changes as to we shave our face for reasons many will never know or understand, I mean a few years ago I realized I hate body hair and it made me finally decide to keep myself clean year round. So maybe with this I was trying to be too cute not sure or just thinking out loud so thought I would share.