Sara's Makeup Solutions

Blush
Not everyone needs blush. If your skin isnt naturally blushed and your skin color is naturally pale or sallow (dark, but grey rather than tan), and you have little lip color (or purplish lips), then I think blush would look good. Someone in the late 70s had the "genius" idea to save a step by using a dark blush under the cheek bone to give cheek color and shadow all in one. These dark shades were terrible though, and the placing was unnatural. I recommend applying blush not underneath the cheekbone, but where it naturally exists on the human face: on the (horizontal) middle of the lower cheeks. Dot it on with a finger tip or brush and smear it around a BIT - DONT make it even though. It should look blotchy and very uneven, just like natural blush. If your face is wide, don't extend the blush too high up on the cheek. Everyone should basically use the same color: rose (bright, deep pink), as thats the color naturally added to skin when blood expands close to the surface. Everyone's blood is the same color.

Eyes
No one really NEEDS eye makeup. It just makes you stand out, which is the LAST thing TSes need. If you MUST wear eye makeup though, remember that lower eyeliner only goes on the outer 1/3 of the eye edge. Shadow (men have NATURAL eyeshadow from the brow ridges), highlighter (unless its a natural looking color) and liner just look fake though - women haven't worn that stuff since the 80s. The secret is to wear stuff thats in fashion. To not stand out. If you don't know whats popular in women's fashion, thats a big hint that maybe you weren't always a woman.

Conclusion
There really is no substitute for FFS. If there were more than two doctors who did it, it would become way cheaper. Therefore I urge anyone reading this page, TS or not, to write letter to local plastic/orthapedic surgeons informing them of the high need and high profit of FFS. Also inform them that new surgical developments are needed for hand, foot, arm and shoulder osteotomies (bone reductions), and larnyx feminization (ie implants to thin the voice box shape). Countless TSes simply cannot pass, no matter how they desire it, because of their hand/foot sizes, (foot being related to arm size), and shoulders. And we all know what problems the voice can create. So write your local doctors asap! Ideally, transition surgeries should be prevalent enough that every TS can afford them at a reasonable price, like every middle aged woman can afford a nose job or liposuction.

	Sara's Makeup Solutions
	Sara's Home Page \| Photo Page \| Sara's Big Idea - All Read \| Sara's Ethnic Solutions \| Sara's Makeup Solutions \| What's New Page \| Favorite Links

Here are more makeup ideas for TSes COLORING - I recommend the book "Color Me Beautiful" by Carole Jackson. Actually, I can't recommend it enough. Basically, there are two categories for people's coloring: warm vs cool toned, and high vs low contrast (between skin and hair). Combining the two categories, everyone falls into one of four color palettes: Autumn (warm colored low contrast), Spring (warm/high cont), Winter (cool/high), or Summer (cool/low). The high contrast seasons wear brighter, darker colors. The low contrast wear lighter, grey and pastel mixed shades. The cool wear cool colors, and no orange, and the warm wear warm colors, and no blue. This may sound like bs but its a tried and true system. Carole's book is like 20 years old and its still selling strong. LEARN your season and wear your appropriate colors for makeup, clothes AND accessories. TRUST me you will look and feel better. NOTE - in very rare cases a person might have warm toned skin (orange/tan based) but cool hair (black) or vice versa. In such cases, (as in my own case) the hair should be dyed.
Blush Not everyone needs blush. If your skin isnt naturally blushed and your skin color is naturally pale or sallow (dark, but grey rather than tan), and you have little lip color (or purplish lips), then I think blush would look good. Someone in the late 70s had the "genius" idea to save a step by using a dark blush under the cheek bone to give cheek color and shadow all in one. These dark shades were terrible though, and the placing was unnatural. I recommend applying blush not underneath the cheekbone, but where it naturally exists on the human face: on the (horizontal) middle of the lower cheeks. Dot it on with a finger tip or brush and smear it around a BIT - DONT make it even though. It should look blotchy and very uneven, just like natural blush. If your face is wide, don't extend the blush too high up on the cheek. Everyone should basically use the same color: rose (bright, deep pink), as thats the color naturally added to skin when blood expands close to the surface. Everyone's blood is the same color.			Eyebrows Women have arched eyebrows and men dont. Most TSes I find have these eyebrows, as the eyes are so closely related to the soul. For those who don't though, a lil painting is required. Using a pencil the same color as your hair, add a high corner to the upper outside edge of your eyebrows. If your brows are blond, use light brown shade and cover the WHOLE eyebrow in addition to the added arch. Next, trim the area right below the penciled in edge. I DONT RECOMMEND TWEEZING because tweezing hairs eventually causes them and the whole area around them to stop growing.
Contouring If done right, it can change the whole shape of your face, decreasing the masculine characteristics, namely eyebrow ridges and lean faces. Add highlight, a shade above your foundation, just below anywhere your eyebrow ridges are. Some ppl have ridges mainly in the center, and some have it all across the forehead. Cheeks: where your cheekbone sticks out the most, add highlight above and shadow below. If you have absolutely NO cheekbones, skip this. Youll look like a clown. Or at least be subtle with it. Next add highlight to the corners of your mouth if need be (as discussed earlier). Apply shadow to the apex of your jaws, the little knob that sticks out the most. Finally, apply shadow to the sides of your nose, to slim it. Add your link here Brands Makeup is all the same, so buy the cheap brands. Don't pay some big fancy label 40% more just so you can wear their name. If anything, THEY should be paying YOU to advertise their product. Doesnt-rub-off lipstick is one brand name item I would purchase, however (I think Revlon makes that). Different lines do have different tones though. Clairol tends to have more blue based tones, and L'Oreal more golden based, so the different seasons should buy accordingly. Dont forget to store your makeup in the fridge, to slow down the spoiling time. Bacteria WILL grow on them. Add your link here			Eyes No one really NEEDS eye makeup. It just makes you stand out, which is the LAST thing TSes need. If you MUST wear eye makeup though, remember that lower eyeliner only goes on the outer 1/3 of the eye edge. Shadow (men have NATURAL eyeshadow from the brow ridges), highlighter (unless its a natural looking color) and liner just look fake though - women haven't worn that stuff since the 80s. The secret is to wear stuff thats in fashion. To not stand out. If you don't know whats popular in women's fashion, thats a big hint that maybe you weren't always a woman.
			Conclusion There really is no substitute for FFS. If there were more than two doctors who did it, it would become way cheaper. Therefore I urge anyone reading this page, TS or not, to write letter to local plastic/orthapedic surgeons informing them of the high need and high profit of FFS. Also inform them that new surgical developments are needed for hand, foot, arm and shoulder osteotomies (bone reductions), and larnyx feminization (ie implants to thin the voice box shape). Countless TSes simply cannot pass, no matter how they desire it, because of their hand/foot sizes, (foot being related to arm size), and shoulders. And we all know what problems the voice can create. So write your local doctors asap! Ideally, transition surgeries should be prevalent enough that every TS can afford them at a reasonable price, like every middle aged woman can afford a nose job or liposuction.