The Face in Your Mirror

[Cathytg]

This is a hard question for me; maybe not for you:

When you are all dressed up and look in your mirror, what reaction do you get to your face (only)? Do you like the face you see? Is the image ugly? Is the image familiar? Do you try not to notice your face and look instead at other parts of your dressed body?

What reaction does your own feminized face cause within you?

I will not clutter up this question with my own answer; it will follow shortly.

[AllieSF]

When I look at my face in the mirror after I finsh the last of my makeup (normally lipstick), I see a big smile and an attractive woman. Now, I do not feel like a woman, nor want to be one. But I am satisfied with the final result based on what I started with. Then I am ready to hit the road, go out, have dinner and then after dinner drinks and conversation with my girl friends. I am happy with myself and love to have fun.

[Mary Morgan]

When I'm dressed and look in the mirror, i see the person I want to be all the time. It isn't a question of pretty or ugly, it is a question of right.

[mykhelee]

When I look in the mirror I see myself. Just that. I have been told I am quite attractive and very feminine when made up. I just see myself.

[Celeste]

Good question.At first its a little scary,like looking at the sister I've never had.Once I'm used to it,maybe 5 minutes,I like it. Its softer,not as sharp or mean,no stubble, and my color is better because of the make up.I'm not always happy with it because the male characteristics are present but its not good to focus on what you can't change.And then there are those times that no amount of make up will take that"bad day"look off my face.

[Cathytg]

Quite frankly, I have always had a difficult time looking at my face in a mirror - in either mode. I can only guess what that must mean. But I was simply not comfortable with myself.

Getting older, however, has its up side. I am much more at piece now than I was years ago. I can handle myself in either mode today.

As for female face: In years gone by I could not even bring myself to look at my reflection, I was ugly, grotesque, and scary. But now, if I have a good make-up day, I am pleased and actually enjoy my own image. That is, I do only if I am in full make up. If I am dressed only from the neck down I am rather repelled. Maybe it is a matter of seeing a huge clash in what I expect to see all around me in the large world. A female body needs to have a female face. The better the make up job; the better the complete picture and the happier I am.

So, most of the time, I am pleased by who I see. I wish that I could take the image out in the world more often. But that's probably another thread.

[Tasha T]

When you are all dressed up and look in your mirror, what reaction do you get to your face (only)?

Disappointment.



Do you like the face you see?

It depends if I am wearing makeup or not. Oddly enough, I accept myself just fine if I am not wearing makeup, not getting ready to take pictures of myself or not thinking about going out (which I don't do anyway). It's almost like I look past my male face and see a beautiful female one. However, if I am wearing makeup, getting ready to take pictures or thinking of going out, I am horrified at how unfeminine the face is I see and it depresses me.



Is the image ugly?


Yes, because it is so out of place. There I am wearing my sexy clothes, padded in all the right places, yet what I see reflected back at me does not match the picture.



Is the image familiar?


It's like running into someone I haven't seen in a long time who used to be good looking, but they don't look so good anymore.



Do you try not to notice your face and look instead at other parts of your dressed body?

I'll try to avoid it by looking at the clothes I'm wearing, my curves and any accessories, but then I can't help but look back up and try to bring it altogether as a complete package.



What reaction does your own feminized face cause within you?

Once again, disappointment. I want to see a genuinely beautiful female face that matches the way I feel inside and also matches the kind of clothes I am wearing. Instead I see my guy face, which I like as a guy, but is out of place as a woman.

[JaytoJillian]

Generally, I like what I see. If not, I refer back to rule number one: Apply more makeup (giggle)

[Kathi Lake]

When I finish my makeup, I sometimes get the same smile that I see on my wife. I love that smile. To me, that smile is a smile of satisfaction - that although she is a normal self-critical girl, she finally sees herself the way I see her - as an incredibly beautiful woman.

It's wonderful to see that same smile on me sometimes. It is kind of part sigh, part smile. It says that I finally get to see the woman in the mirror that has been inside of me all the time. It's hard to tell that girl goodbye when it's time to wash the makeup off.

Are there male features in the mirror staring back at me? Of course. Don't get me wrong. Makeup is fun, but I believe that real beauty is not slathered on from the outside. I believe that real beauty - and real femininity - comes from within. Once that beauty has a chance to shine out, there's not a male feature that it can't soften.

Kathi

[Shannon]

I see who I am -- a very important part of me.

Then I get very critical and nit-picky, so depending how I did with my make-up I become very pleased and happy or disappointed and frustrated.

[michellebesweet]

I see Michelle. We all have different looks and different personalities, as all GG's do as well. So to say I don't like what I see, is like saying I don't like myself, which I love myself. Can I be improved on what I see? Sure, and I try to make myself look better each time I dress, using different styles and makeup. I like what I see. I really don't care if others don't like what they see in me. I just want to exist equally, thats all.

[ColleenShivas]

I see hints of the woman I would like to present, but my features still seem very masculine to me and my make up skills are not sufficient. Sometimes when I manage a better job, especially around the eyes, I relax and smile a little more. Then the look softens and I think that there might be hope for me yet.
I keep working on it :battingeyelashes:

[docrobbysherry]

AFTER, I've covered up every vestige of my actual face!:heehee:


Quite frankly, I have always had a difficult time looking at my face in a mirror - in either mode. I can only guess what that must mean. But I was simply not comfortable with myself.

As for female face: In years gone by I could not even bring myself to look at my reflection, I was ugly, grotesque, and scary.

Cathy, that is exactly how I feel, whenever I see my real face in the mirror!:doh:

Unlike u, I've never come to terms with this! If I didn't use my special faces, I expect I would have quit CDing years ago!:eek:

[Sally2005]

What really helps is taking digital photos and looking at them with a critical eye. Then you improve your looks over time.

Still, though I often see my male face if I look in a mirror, but take a few photos and look at them a day later and the female image comes out.

[rachel_rachel]

I find that the person standing there is completly different. I sometimes can't believe it's actually me. The last thing i do is put my wig on, when i do i'm not looking in the mirror, i try to remember the image then brush out my wig turn around and put it on. Then there's the reveal and i normally get all funny inside about the cute girl looking back.

[Persephone]

Those GG's who care usually see specific flaws in their faces and bodies and I'm no different.

As an older woman ("sexy senior citizen"?) I appear to "pass" through the world on a regular basis, perhaps even under fairly close scrutiny (thanks in great measure to electrolysis and laser hair removal).

I use a very light foundation (CG Smoothers tinted moisturizer), fairly heavy eye makeup (to make it through my glasses), and moderate lip liner and lipstick and that's about it.

When I look in the mirror I definitely see a woman, but the devil is in the details -- "turkey neck," the beginning return of droopy eyelids (had work done on them a few years ago), and some age spots, stuff like that.

[danacd96]

After I finish my make-up and look in the mirror i always get a feeling of exuberance and happiness. I feel a sense of freedom. I get totally into my feminine personna and put my male ego and all the daily stress and obligations in the closet. For me its always a beautifull time!!

dana:)

[Charlotte VD]

As i look in the mirror, i see a manly looking face of my sister.
But my girlfriend says i look real feminine.
I think that my expectation levels are higher than my looks.
But a view years ago, when i had a relation with another woman, i wanted to get shopping with her, but my daughter said, that i would be em barest of the looks other people would give me.


Charlotte

[Tasha McIntyre]

I have only had the whole make up and hair thing a couple of times, so it is all very new to me. I wish I did this years ago.......oh well, better late than never I suppose!

To answer the question, I feel elated, like.......wow, look what I have become. I don't see ugly or grotesque and I don't see beauty either - I just stare at the reflection and think my god, wow!!!

Whether I actually look good, or girly is probably up to others to judge.

Cheers

Tash :)

[Lisa Golightly]

When I look in the mirror I tend to look deep into my eyes... I'm just fascinated by them... Maybe I'm hoping to see the inner me looking out. That's why all my photos regardless of pose or clothing focus on the eyes...

As for my face... I think it quite feminine which I have to be grateful for. I have my moments of vanity, but that's usually a reaction to wrinkles, dark circles, spots... etc.

Nope... It's just those damned eyes...

[Jennifer Giovannetta]

Once my transformation is totally complete I feel happy. It is a diffrent kind of happy though. Unlike anything else. I like to see myself as Jennifer. But there are things about my face I do not like when im a girl. These are the shape of my face and the features of it.
Most of the time I overlook the more masculine features. Dressing relaxes me so much that I think the maculine features soften up due to my relaxation.
Sometimes I actually think I am passable if you are about 20 feet away.

[Jennifer Marie P.]

I see Jennifer the person I am more comfortable and the person I want to be.

[Secret Sis]

Interesting question, since I never wear makeup or wigs... For many years I couldn't look at my face in the mirror while dressed. In the past couple of years I've become comfortable and happy with who I am and looking at myself in the mirror while dressed now HAS to include my face!

[Ms Alison Janes]

When I look in the mirror (en femme) I leave my glasses off which makes the reflected image in soft focus and much more attractive.:)

[CharleneT]

It varies a lot, sometime I feel elation at the transformation. Other times I feel revulsion at what I am trying to do... it is up and down. I have a very hard time seeing myself as feminine, even when I have done a "good job" at makeup. This process has taught me that I have issues with body image that I did not really realize. I wish I had a more feminine face, so when I looked in the mirror I could see that ... but I do not and so it goes.

[Sam-antha]

I am sort of used to Sam's face, therefore I am "re-actionless", providing all has been done to it that can be done. (By me that is).
~Samm

PS For approval tho' there must be a wig over all.
~S~

[AmandaM]

I like what I see more and more with my diet. I'm part American Indian and the fat likes to widen my face too. Drat. But, by losing weight, my face is shedding poundage. My nose, etc. aren't too big and I don't have much bossing on my brows. Kinda a generic face. So, it's getting better!

[kristinacd55]

The face in the mirror
Usually, I see ugly or "It's a MAN BABY!" As far as the body goes, I feel pretty good about that. :)

[carolinebrookes]

Sometimes, just sometimes, I am completely satisfied with how I look after applying my makeup. I am the spitting image of my younger sister on these occasions.

More often than not, I am left with ends up being a compromise between my male self and a butch version of her.

I think whatever mood I happen to be in can influence how I look, how I actually apply my makeup and even how I dress.

Maybe this tells me I'm not always in a happy place, but when all said and done, I'm not aiming to be "perfect" all of the time.

[Adele]

I don't like looking at myself in the mirror when in drab because I don't want to see a male face. If I've made myself up and put on a wig then I'm much happier - I can see the person I feel I should be. I still look too blokey though.

[Angel.Marie76]

Just the other day, while doing my makeup in front of the mirror, when I finished, I saw myself, prettier than I was before, and certianly without any stubble of any kind. The moment I let my hair down, and looked back into the mirror, I saw the BIGGEST smile across my face. :D

Similarly to the other thoughts expressed elsewhere, what I see, and coincidently what I feel, is contentment and satisfaction that I'm presenting was I believe is a far more beautiful face than what I started with. Do I SEE a woman? I don't know - What I see is myself with makeup on, which looks MORE feminine than it did before.

Lastly though, similar to Lisa Golightly, I do indeed find myself staring deeply into the darkness of my eyes while dressed,,, I swear getting completely lost until I can snap myself free.. what I'm looking for though, I'm not sure. :hugs:

[Maura_ohio]

some days, when i do a lousy makeup job, i hate what i see... all the flaws & defects. But, on those days when i get my makeup just right, when i look into the mirror i see the girl who lives inside me looking back, like she is someone else, or an echo from the past maybe?
...and on those days, when the fun is over & the makeup is washed away, i look at my boy-face in the mirror once more, if i look into my eyes i can still see her in there.

those are good days!


Maura

[Angel.Marie76]

...and on those days, when the fun is over & the makeup is washed away, i look at my boy-face in the mirror once more, if i look into my eyes i can still see her in there.

those are good days!


Maura

I couldn't agree more! I even find that the memory holds more than just that individual moment, but even into the next day sometimes.. Like I have to look twice in the mirror to check and see if I'm sill wearing eyeliner or something.. which reminds me, and the smile returns..

[Carly D.]

I don't look at the face in the mirror.. I'd rather just stare at those legs with heels on the end of them..

[Gabrielle Hermosa]

The man I see in the mirror is strange looking to me. Mentally, my self-image is stuck in my mid-20's, so when I look at the man in the mirror, it's a little disturbing to see an old guy looking back (I'm in my late 30's but look a little older imo).

I only first saw my female face completely made up not long ago (late last year). My first reaction was disappointment. Instead of seeing a woman, I saw a man in drag. :( My wife and I worked on the makeup and were able to fix it up a little. My next full makeup job had better results. The makeup was done better because we learned from the first time, and I appeared more female. Not as quite as female as I had hoped, but it was an improvement.

I experimented and made several different facial expressions in the mirror to find what made me look the most feminine. That's where the "surprised" look in my current avatar came from. I thought it made my face look more feminine and I really liked that.

I'll never got to see the young woman in me looking back in the mirror, but the woman looking back in the mirror at least appeared younger than my male image. After some practice (facial expressions), I was able to see a woman's face looking back at me - the woman who had been wrongfully locked up deep inside me my entire life. I really enjoyed meeting her and finally being able to see her. I can't wait to see Gabrielle looking back at me in the mirror again! :)

[Cathytg]

Some of you have given pause here. I have experimented with just a very slight smile. It makes a huge difference in softening my look. Not surprisingly, it also makes me feel better.

[Kimberly Marie Kelly]

Which I strife to improve on everyday. I look younger, feel younger and most importantly other people say I look younger.. See attached picture from work today (I don't wear a wig at work). I'm 52 but I don't think I look it. :battingeyelashes:

[TGMarla]

Sometimes the face in the mirror has had such a beautiful transformation, I find it a bit overwhelming. I'm not saying that I'm gorgeous, or a knockout, or anything...it's just that having felt like I should have been female for most of my life, actually seeing myself as a reasonable facsimile of a woman is often a bit overwhelming to me. It makes me happy, yet melancholy, since there is always a regret or two at what my life might have been if....

On the other hand, I keep telling myself that I probably would not look like I do if I were not me to begin with. Who knows what I'd look like? Maybe I'd be unhappy with the results. Maybe I'd still be TG, and wish I were a man. I probably wouldn't like wearing dresses and high heels nearly as much as I do. In fact, I don't think I know any women who enjoy wearing dresses as much as I do. So it's probably the fact that I'm a guy that makes me want to wear them. If I were a girl, I wouldn't think about it as much. Kind of plays with your mind, doesn't it?

Anyway, it's the vision of myself as a woman that keeps me coming back.

[Barbara Dugan]

I have a big mirror and all the time the face I see in the mirror bring a big smile, I don't see myself as guy in dress but as different person with flaws and virtues .It's a great feeling that keep me staring for long time.

[Samantha43]

What do I see when I look in the mirror?.........An image of my sister if she had a bad hormone imbalance...:lol:

Really, I see an image of me that is softer, more colorful and generally more pleasant to look at. It's the way I prefer to see myself. It's not that I don't like my male image, I do. I just prefer to see myself in the mirror with all of my makeup, jewelry and wig on.

[Jilmac]

After dressing I use the mirror to apply makeup and earrings and to brush my wig. That's when I see a not so feminine face looking back at me. I'm still not very good at makeup but do the best I can without a mentor or coach. Before coming out, I wore a full beard so I would observe my femininity from the neck down. Since shaving the beard and getting my ears pierced, I am much more confidant with Jills personna.

[Tina Francis]

It's always amazing what make up and wigs can do. I see me, but my feminine side Tina Francis.

Honestly there are some points, like the nose, what not look like I wish, but who's perfect.

I tried make up not from the beginning of my life as Tina and it takes me some training to get it constantly acceptable. Today it's normal like brushing my teeth and mandatory as Tina.

I always enjoying the makeover phases. I walk step by step out of the pink fog and finally Tina is in the mirror. The last point is the favorite perfume so I see and smell Tina as well.

I choose each opportunity to look into a mirror, maybe a bit selfish, but elegant women are like this :battingeyelashes:

[Chiana]

The first time I looked in the mirror I was....

Almost overwhelmed. Amazed. Ecstatic. Light headed. Giddy. Intoxicated. It was such an amazing experience, that for years I would avoid taking in the whole package in the mirror until I was finished. Then I would slid over in front of the mirror and relive the joy and surprise all over again. Even today, 50+ years later, I still have to go look after I am finished. But that first experience was a long time ago. When I look in the mirror now, I see a pretty familiar face. Obviously not a beautiful young lady of my dreams, but still someone I like. I usually don't wear a lot of make-up. Most of the time it is only lipstick. But I am still pleased with the face looking back at me. And I am continually amazed at what a difference that just lipstick makes. I have never liked my male appearance so my female face just seems right to me.

[Persephone]

I like what I see more and more with my diet. I'm part American Indian and the fat likes to widen my face too. Drat. But, by losing weight, my face is shedding poundage. My nose, etc. aren't too big and I don't have much bossing on my brows. Kinda a generic face. So, it's getting better!

Good going, girl! I worked hard and lost a bunch of weight and feel soooooo much better. Stepping into a pair of size 6 jeans is magical! Keep going!

[Jess_cd32]

I'm OK with what I see in the mirror, but like most would change a few things if it was possible. Still playing around though with different looks and just enjoying it.
Is anyone really happy with how they look overall?, most no.

[JoAnne Wheeler]

When I look in the mirror in my manly self, I see feminine potential, and when I look in the mirror in my female self, I see the culmination of that potential

JoAnne Wheeler

[rickie121x]

Looking into my mirror during and after makeup is an absolute delight! I see a woman looking pretty much like the one that I would love to be with! "Making up" is indeed a beautiful time, and stimulating too! Except lately, "she" seems to be beginning to bear a resemblance to my mother.... And I simply don't know what to say about that. :heehee:

[Sapphire]

Hi Cathy,

After I have applied my makeup the reflection that I see is simply exhilarating. Sometimes it seems like the person I could have been but never turned into. But in truth it is of course the person I am: someone with feminine and masculine qualities who is now accepting of both and enjoying the unique life experience that comes with being transgendered. It is not a case of one gender supplanting the other but of the peaceful co-existence of both. It was not always like that but thankfully it is now.

[PretzelGirl]

I am still in the work in progress faze. First I think "I wish that moustache was stick-on!". After I get past that point, I am critiquing what I did with my hair (it is not a wig) and how I did the make-up.

I also think it is hard to really assess the make-up with the hair in the middle of my face. I think I might try experimenting with taking a picture and seeing if I can "Photoshop" it out. Could be easier to asses without the distraction.

But I am in the phase of play with the looks and there certainly is a lot of fun in that!

[Bev06 GG]

Answer to that is I hate myself

[xAnne_Mariex]

Probably just a prettier version of myself but one that i'm very proud to be looking back at.

Sometimes I think nothing of it but other times I think I look really nice and strike a few sexy poses lol

[Carin]

She sees you, who you are
Hiding in front of the mirror
Afraid to open your minds eye
Holding on two fisted tight
To your construed image

Play it safe
Echoes in your head
It doesn’t really matter
What you feel
As long as you are safe

The fire embers glow from deep within
The flames erupt
No matter how much you try
To drown them with your tears
Her energy radiates

Her smile is not hidden
By stubble or shadow
Her eyes light the way
From the inside core
To the out-side.

Set your eyes on the mirror
Look into her eyes
See her soul
Follow her sight
See her beauty

Walk away
Walk together
Be her beauty
Be his courage
Be

[Glenda]

Nice poem Carin. When I look in the mirror I see the rest of me. Not the rest of my body, but that part of me that was always a little different from the other boys but such an integral part of who I am. I like my feminine side and feel whole when she shows her face in the mirror.