Reviews, Recommendations and More Advice, Tips and Technique
Body Enhancements
Garments, devices or other means to achieve a more feminine look.
Breasts: See my up to date article on creating cleavage here
Here is a picture of a modern breast breast form:
Here are enhancers at work:
Cleavage: Here again there are many ways to achieve the same effect. If you are wearing a low cut top or dress and need the look of some cleavage, you can use a variety of uncomfortable taping methods or devices (Classic Curves) designed to create this effect. The easiest, cheapest and most comfortable solution, I believe, is to take a properly fitted push up bra and a pair of enhancers, reach down into the bra and under these forms and pull your skin up and under. Voila! Instant cleavage which stays for longer than you would think. You can enhance this cleavage further with the use of eye shadow. First highlight the mounds of flesh and put a darker shade between and down into the bra. Blend and that is all there is to it! For more cleavage tips, see see these articles 1, 2,3.
Hip Padding: Why bother? The only time you will need padding of the hips is for when a long gown is to be worn. Then it is essential. For all other times, you are better off with a variety of other methods. First and foremost, consider the outfit. Jackets or suits with jackets at hip level provide a most natural means of providing the look of having wider hips in the most comfortable way. Another way is to try a cheap waist cincher, long-line bra, girdle or combination of all three at the same time. Cinchers, like mini corsets, are available in department stores for about $10.00. They need to be tight to be effective and therein lies the the problem. They are really uncomfortable after a short while and can do major damage if worn for too long. Remember that women's sizes are different. In this clothes category we are smaller than they are. In other words, you may need a medium rather than a large. For brands in the hip pad market, Fredericks sells a $40.00 padded girdle but if you can afford it, Classic Curves' Veronica style girdles (1 and 2) look and are made much better and will last much longer. These girdles do not fit well under pants and they will definitely make a skirt ride up the back. In short, use them primarily under longer gowns, dresses and formal wear and always with a slip. They are easy to use in the bathroom, even the pull up models, which are the easiest to wear.
Facial Shapes
To determine your face shape, look in the mirror after a shower, and using your finger, outline the shape of your face on the mirror. The outline will be oval, round, square, or triangular.
Use dark shades to create depth and light colors to make features stand out. Use blush, eye shadow, lip liner, and contour to reshape your face.
Makeup
See my Makeup section that covers all of this in much greater detail!
Brands: Basically you have two main choices besides the Avon lady, Mary Kay, etc. Drug store brands and the department stores'. Department stores are nice because you have someone there helping guide you through the daunting choices of the many foundations, etc with regard to your skin type, pigment color and style and particular needs. The down side is you could spend a bunch of money and either still have just scratched the surface or two, it will be just one opinion, not necessarily a correct one. This service also has another price. Department store brands are very expensive and you do not always get what you pay for! Remember also store lighting can have a major impact on the choices made and these could also be bad decisions. Many stores sell line covering products for also reducing dark circles. These products only make the lines disappear for as long as you are wearing them and there are ways to preventing circles in the first place. Point is, they are sold as creams, ointments what have you for upwards of $30.00. Down at the local drug store or supermarket you can buy L'Oreal's' Revitalift, (new!-Line Eraser) which does the same exact ting for $10.00! My favorite Department store counters are Clinique, Prescriptives, MAC and anything French! At the drug stores, I favor Maybeline, L'Oreal and Oil of Olay.
Specifics:
Cleansers: Always liquids because bar soaps have lard in them and can clog pores. I like mine with moisturizers in them like Dove's. Masks and scrubs that exfoliate are good to use once per week. Avoid too much pulling and straining around the eye area. Use lots of water.
Moisturizers: Oil Of Olay makes a very light one and others are available with an SPF-15 built in. Bear in mind, not everyone needs a moisturizer and it is best to use one after your shower and 10 minutes before applying makeup for the skin to absorb it in. Jergen's has a shave minimizing formula out now you buy for about $4.00! Feels nice. Some swear by it. I don't know yet.
Foundations: Most critical decisions are based upon your skin type, coverage necessary, how to apply and skin color. Available in creams, lotions and compact, you need to know the purpose of foundation is to even out skin tone. Foundation should disappear on your skin, the shade should always exactly match your natural coloring. The key to a perfect finish is simple: blend, blend, blend, then blend.
Apply lightly with clean fingers, brush or sponge (dry or damp). Beard cover works best with either separate products such as Dermablend or tricks such as lipstick, etc. Matt will yield the greatest coverage, lotions the least. To help reduce shine, blot oil with a tissue before touching up with powder.
Concealers: Used to cover specific blemishes such as showing capillaries, red spots of no particular known origin, birth marks, etc. Can also be used alone or with lipstick or Dermablend as beard cover up. Yellow in stick form, one shade lighter than your own skin tone is recommended. Laura Mercier's Secret Camouflage concealer is best at hiding dark under-eye circles. Use a small brush or your fingertip and apply only where needed.
Men Tips: There are things men can use to improve their looks. Liquid blush looks great when used sparingly. It really warms up the skin. Try it on cheeks, the bridge of your nose, chin, temples, and/or at the hairline. Also, try using it on lips to enhance the natural lip color.
A well-blended, yellow-based concealer can help cover up minor imperfections (pimples or redness around the nose), and an eyelash curler is just as effective at opening up men's eyes as it is on women. Brow pencil is another thing men can use to give very subtle definition to the eye. If you like a healthy or tanned look, a sheer bronzing powder looks great too -- if you have more patience, try some self-tanner. Keeping eyebrows and facial hair well-groomed helps too.Powders: You generally want to go with a translucent, very fine loose powder. Powder goes on after the foundation and concealer and gives a finished look as well as locking it in. Optionally, put on a coat of loose face powder again after all other color has been applied to help soften the look. Take pressed power (compact) with you for quick touchups. Powder gives your skin a finished look. Using a big powder puff, lightly brush away any excess powder for a clean, flawless look.
The reason why your face looks white or like a ghost from the neck up in photos, or your neck/chest looks darker, is because of powder. Even though to the eye, your face and neck might match, powder mattes down the skin and reflects light back off of it and washes you out. So to avoid the two-tone look, you either have to powder your face and your neck and/or chest, or else you have to not apply powder to your face.
Shadows: Available wet or dry, cream and wild. Choices abound! Achieve a harmonious look by choosing shades within the same color family. For day wear, choose natural shades depending on your eye color. You want to keep the look natural but bring out the color you have. Apply a little foundation or concealer on your eyelids followed by a pale, light shade over entire lid and brow bone. Then accent with a darker shadow along the lid. Example: For blue eyes, choose shades of brown-2 or 3. The lightest is the highlighter. This goes on first and usually all it takes is a "swoosh" under and across the natural brow line. Next the medium shade is applied onto the lid itself and just beyond the crease, keeping most of the darker shades now to the outer corner of the eye. The darkest shade can be used in the crease itself very judiciously or just at the lash line, wet being the best for longer wear. Just dip an angled brush into a small pot of water, shake off excess and then dig into a side area of your shadow, again shaking off excess and apply as closely to the lash line as possible, starting from the inside of the eye, working outward. Repeat for other eye. As to doing the bottom lash line, that may be taking it too far, particularly for a day look. Remember, less is more. Make up should enhance what you already have not draw attention to itself. Too much and your a caricature of a woman or a Drag Queen. For night time, pretty much anything goes, the darker the better sometimes for a "glamour" look.
To apply cream eye shadow, use a sponge to smooth on a very thin, very light layer of loose powder on the entire eyelid before putting on the shadow. Lightly apply cream eye shadow using your fingers. Follow with another light application of loose powder.
Eye Liners: Pencils, "Art liners", creams, combination pencils or shadows? Pencils drag, liners smudge, creams disappear or "roll." Shadows are my choice to use as a liner. Easy to put on, they stay and can be built upon and easily blended. One way to balance out your face is to focus on your eyes. Don't put a big black line around your eyes unless you want a closed-in look. Keep the eye area open. Keep eye shadow flowing outward off the eye. Lift your brows by tweezing the arch a little higher than normal. This will visually alter the proportions of the face and draw the eye upward and away from your mouth.
Mascara: Waterproof for times you will either perspire or otherwise be getting wet, regular is easier to take off without hurting your skin and therefore much more recommended. 2000 Calorie and Volume Express are two of my favorites. They go on without clumping and make for wonderful looking lashes. If you curl (recommended), do so before apply mascara, otherwise you will have them sticking and breaking off! Curling lashes opens up the eyes. Putting a little extra powder under the eyes to catch fallen flakes is also recommended. One coat of brown for day wear, two coats of black for night. Use a metal fine-tooth lash comb immediately after applying to separate lashes and a Q-tip, available in flat/pointed sides as well, for blending away flakes on and around the eye.
Brows: Pencil or shadow work well to fill in a light brow. Brows are important as they frame your face, always tweeze from below the brow. Working with shadow and a flat angled brush, start in the darkest area and work outward, tapering to the outside of the eye in a fine line. If pencil is to be used, apply in short strokes outward and into a tapered point. Color should match your natural head hair. I follow this with either an old toothbrush or a brow brush brushing to smudge and diffuse the color, blending it in. If you apply too much color, soften by applying a bit of loose face powder in your correct shade with a powder puff.
Lips: Save for second last. Start by using lip liner pencil and frame in around the natural line. Cover the edges all around your mouth with concealer, and blend well into the skin. Then use a sharpened lip pencil in a neutral color with a firm texture to draw inside your natural lip line. Then just fill in the color with pencil or the lip color of your choice. Use the four-point method. Dot the tips of your top lips and the bottom directly below and draw a line outward to the corners Follow with lipstick, using a lip brush for a more finished appearance and fuller coverage. Blot with tissue and repeat using lipstick from the tube, building the color for longer staying power. Finish with a spot of gloss on the middle bottom lip and smack lips together for fuller looking lips. Do not try to have both attention getting getting lips and eyes at the same time. Go for one or the other. If your eyes are to be the focal point, then choose soft shades of lip color.
It's really hard to keep a dark lip color on if you're eating and drinking, no matter how good the brand is. Just remember if you're eating anything even remotely greasy, it will take the color right off, just as if you were eating makeup remover. So if you're out at dinner or at a party, try to remember to blot your lips with a napkin or tissue as you're eating to keep color from smearing. You might try dusting a little loose powder on the edge of lips before going out for the night - it can increase color's staying power.
Blush: Definitely last. You do not want to apply too much as is usually common, nor do you want racing stripes! Using a crème or powder, blush in a shade that matches your natural color after a run. Apply powder with a blush brush, not the one they gave you included with the product but one that is properly shaped, textured and sized to do the job correctly! Make a smile and apply at the apples of the cheeks and blend towards the temple. For crèmes, use your fingers and apply in a triangular fashion using the same rules. Do not use too much! Less is more.
Nails
Brands: I don't like Revlon! It never goes on smooth for me and they don't finish well. I like OPI, Maybeline and in general would rather not buy the fast finish types. You trade speed drying for over-all smoothness.
Lengths: I prefer my own nails over anything glued on. You don't have to bother carrying glue or a nail repair kit with spares and it is far easier getting dressed without those long nails getting in the way. I try keeping my natural nails manicured myself and well cared for. I keep them at a medium length which works well for me. Too long and they will break, split or draw attention.
Colors: Daytime-mostly paler colors like frost or pearl whites, silver, various shades of pink; nighttime-same or more likely darker shades like reds, wine colors, even black.
Finish Types
Hardeners/Strengtheners: I always use these, day time or as base to color finishes. They will help you to grow longer nails without splits or breaks. I choose OPI matte hardener for general everyday wear, This is a clear, un-detectable polish that is really one of a kind. A bit expensive but worth it!
Base Coats: Just what they say they are. These or the hardeners can also act as a shield between your nail and the color, making the color more completely and easily removed .
Top Coats: Not necessary, unless you will be leaving your color on for a period of time like as on your toes for a few weeks. They just help the polish withstand the wear nails go through in a typical day, forestalling the re-application of color. After a few weeks due to normal growth, you will need to re-do your nails anyway. That is when I will give myself say, a pedicure by the following methodology:
Using a Non-Acetone nail polish remover, I remove all color, then wash with soap and water and pat dry. Using a cuticle remover (Sally Hanson's, Revlon, etc.), I then will spot around the perimeter of the nail and then using an "orange stick" and a piece of cotton push the cuticle back toward the toe. I never cut. Do this carefully and thoroughly. Again wash and dry. At this point, you may wish to use lotion and work that into the cuticles and around the nail completely. Do your whole foot even. If you really want to indulge, Letting your feet soak in warm water and using a pumice stone to remove old dead alligator skin is a great way to treat and revive your feet. Use a toe clipper and first clip the nails to a relatively short length and follow with an emery board filing (metal is ok here but never on your fingernails)! Only file in one direction and include rounding the corners. Filing in a saw fashion, weakens the nails and will cause them to be more brittle. I like rounded toe nails but for fingernails, a straight across, longer look with rounded edges is preferred. At this point you are done. It is good to let the nails not be polished for a few days so as to breathe. When you do polish, two coats of a red is best for the toes. Top coats, hardeners, etc. are optional and are not really necessary.
Quick Dry Coats: Not needed. Spending a few minutes in front of a directed fan can help but giving yourself time to do your nails and letting them set naturally is the best. 15 minutes is good, 30 better (can now slip on a coat, color will not smear but could lose shine if touched). It takes over an hour for a nail color to harden. Nails are the last thing you do when going out. After getting your purse ready, putting your hose on and your shoes on, everything. A real girl can do her nails long before she does anything else, even a day or two ahead.
Clothes
Decide on your look, style and where you are going to be, as to what to wear. Blend in, don't try to stick out. For me, clothes are best bought through catalogs where I can see how they might look. I would also consider my own shape and limitations as to what I might look good in. Consider your weight, body type and function of wear as to what to buy. Goodwill may have great prices but are the clothes still in style? Kmart may have a sale but know their return policy does not include bras. Buy in a couple of different sizes otherwise because you can then try them on at home and return those that do not fit later. I cringe however at the possibility of some doing this and stretching out the clothes. Some are not made well and will not take to stretching and pulling. Also consider that is easy to become stuck in a garment. if you are not careful!
Dresses: Loose fitting, tube-type, off the shoulder, how much neck, how much cleavage? These are some of the questions to ask yourself. Others are color, price, fabric, textures, length, back-zip, front button, pull over, etc. What are the shoulders like? You don't want to add anything here! What are you going to wear with it? Sizes run like 10, 12, 14, etc. same as skirts but are slightly larger. In other words your dress size and skirt are probably going to be different.
Skirts: Pretty much same as above but you will see such descriptions as A-line, etc. Are they fully lined or will you need to wear a slip? Long or short. Remember an 18" skirt on a girl is a whole lot different than on you! What color stockings will you wear with it. The nice thing about separates is that you can build a wardrobe much quicker and for far less money because you can combine in so many different ways.
Pants: Denim, dressy, leggings...Look at the inseam 34" will probably be the minimum you will be looking at. Flat front, zipper, etc.
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