(Part 3) Top products from r/transpassing

Posted this on other account but it got moderated, had a bad word OOPS :(

I'm going to be blunt but it's in your best interests. This may also be long.

I don't think you have a large head as someone else has said, and there is nothing wrong with a square shaped head, it is not exclusively a masculine shape. In fact I see quite soft features when I look at you, which certainly would be improved and amplified with HRT.

The wig - It is very obvious and I would not recommend wearing it out in its current state. Depending on finances, you can do incredible things with hair extensions with just 4 inches of hair, which for most people is about 8-12 months of growth from a buzz cut.

Extensions - Depending on finances, as I said with 4 inches of hair or more you can get incredible extensions from a salon, they know how to make them look great (check reviews for your area though).

A cheaper option is clip in extensions, for a full head I recommend no less than 230 grams including the clips at about a 20" length. These can also be clipped in to very short hair an example video being here. I have only 2" of hair on back and sides and about 6" of hair on the top and using this method I get a flawless finish, I curl the top length of my hair and the extensions so they blend a little easier. This will also depend on your hairline but there are hairstyles you can use with extensions to cover that as well, and they look much more natural.

Makeup - I'm going to be very blunt in saying everything about it is wrong. Wrong shade, wrong tone, wrong finish and application.

Wrong shade - Your makeup is way too dark and it definitely makes you look like you're wearing a mask.
Wrong tone - Though hard to tell with pictures it looks like it is a yellow based foundation, so a warm tone (or cool tone if you go by macs definitions). Your skin to me looks pink based, so cool toned but I would never recommend a cool toned foundation to anyone so you should look for something in neutral tones to be safe.

Finish and application - You have applied it way too thick over your entire face, and the finish is too shiny, it is highlighting on ALL the wrong places to highlight.

How to fix it!!! :D

For beard cover I recommend Maybelline Dark Circles Eraser in probably the shade 'light'. I use this personally myself and it is incredible at covering beard, as it has a slight orange tone that does not require heavy foundation to cover but does neutralize the blue tones in beard shadow. It is a liquid concealer and doesn't look too heavy on the skin. I apply a layer all over with the sponge tip applicator and powder over it before putting foundation on (I will recommend a powder shortly). This product also works great for its original purposes as an under eye concealer :D. You may want to eventually buy a second in the shade 'fair' to give a little under eye highlight.

IF you find this and foundation are not quite enough cover, as I don't on some days where I have especially dark shadow (perfect contrast to my pale skin) I will use the Nyx Dark Circle Concealer in Medium underneath the maybelline concealer just to enhance the orange tones slightly, it is very sheer however and does not provide coverage on its own, it is purely to add more orange tones.

Foundation - I use Loreal True Match and for you I would recommend the shade N2, obviously test this in store to make sure you get the right shade as I am only going off photos.

I would apply this over the powdered beard area with fingers and a dabbing motion, kind of gently slapping your face with two fingers, this gives the best coverage. For the rest of the face I recommend a Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge as this gives a lighter coverage and a nice texture. Once your beard coverage foundation has has a few seconds to set, you can also bounce this over it lightly to adjust the texture in that area.

Powder - I use Rimmel Stay Matte in Transparent. For a pressed powder it's quite fine and doesn't add any coverage (less cake), however it will ELIMINATE that shine on your face!

Some additional things you aren't doing as far as I can tell are blush and contouring, I love Nyx Powder Blush in Mocha for blush and Nyx Powder Blush in Taupe for contouring. They are both lightly pigmented making them hard to muck up, the mocha is not overly pink and in-your-face and the taupe is perfect for contouring as it is not orange and is very neutral. You will find 1 million and 1 YouTube tutorials on how to do both of these things properly.

The final thing I can say is you're muting your lips out and making them almost invisible with your foundation, buy some lipstick to fix that, and you can always overdraw the middle of your top and bottom lips slightly with a lip liner, but be sure to go over your whole lip if you do this, you dont want to be left with those lines if your lipstick wears off. :D

I know this is a long post, but if even one bit of information is able to help you, or somebody else it's all worth it. If you have any questions feel free to PM me, I usually check this account once per day :)

Google it, then.

(A) Nothing, I'm not trying to attack you or anything. You asked for brutal honesty and it just doesn't help you when you're trying to pass with makeup.

(B) Moisturizer isn't going to matte your face throughout the day over your makeup. By itself maybe, but still.

Again, just CC, look how you want.

This is a bit heavy but it's your preference.

You aren't a guy, you're a girl. Literally, right now as much as you may not feel it, your hormones have made you biologically female. Also, it will be a very healthy exercise in moving past the concern of what people think of you.

After you shower, when you're getting ready, and whenever it's tangled. I don't know, just brush it? Run the comb through your hair until you don't feel resistance? Again, google it, it's something that I've been doing since a very young age so it's a bit hard to explain. It will make your hair softer, healthier, promote growth, and train it to go a certain direction rather than just going everywhere. Don't yank clumps, hold your hair between your scalp and the tangled hair and brush through. Also, go look for some sort of frizz control or detangler hair stuff. Also, conditioning will help. Price is one factor, and people's reviews are another. There is an absurd amount of info on the internet: google it. And also, Head and Shoulders is junk. If you have a problem with dandruff consider using Nizoral two times a week.

To me, it sounds like the self hatred talking. See someone, express this. You need to get past it. If anything is poisoning your mind it's yourself.

Well, if you feel like you look weird with makeup then maybe you need to take a step back and understand that what you're doing isn't working and you need to change something. Not all makeup products are equal. You need to get better stuff that fits you.

Well, you need to. And it's not even a "guy" thing to not care about skin, it's just an uninformed thing. You need to care about at least your skin and your hair. It's part of basic care for yourself. If you don't take care of your skin you get cancer, and if you don't take care of your hair it'll become matted and damaged. I get the exhaustion part, that could be a number of things. I'll reference a few of them in the next few lines.

• First off, what's your diet like? Diet will affect EVERYTHING. Food is fuel, and if your fuel is shit, your engine is gonna run like shit. Make sure you're eating veggies, fruits, and healthy proteins. Avoid processed food like the plague. This could also potentially help your energy levels as when I used to eat like shit I felt tired ALL the time.
  
  
• Second, do you take any vitamins? I would personally look at a good multivitamin. Go to your nearest health food store and ask for a good multivitamin (without potassium obv). Also, I would personally suggest a B-complex, which will help massively with energy and with mood. A few other good ones would be C, E, fish oil capsules (omega-3s), and biotin.
  
  
• Third, wash your face with cleanser once a day (usually at night) and with cold water in the morning.
  
  
• Fourth, moisturize your skin twice a day, morning and evening, after you wash your face.
  
  
• Fifth, physically exfoliate two to three times a week instead of your night time routine, or (not and) chemically exfoliate according to the chemical exfoliants directions. (Curology.com will formulate a custom chemical exfoliant for 20$ a month, works pretty good, is what I use)
  
  
• Lastly, get some skin masks. I love Korean sheet masks for how fun they are. Skin masks are healthy and make your skin look glow-y, but most of all it makes me feel girly and it's fun!
  
  Hair dryers are cheaaaap, and your hair would benefit from one. You could probably get one for almost nothing at a goodwill nearby. Head and shoulders, like I said before, is bad. All sorts of drying components to it, just not great. Like I said before, I use nizoral because if I didn't I would have an insane dandruff problem (due to serrb derm), I'd suggest it if you do have flakes, if you don't get something good and suggested by the curly hair sub I linked earlier.
  
  Well, I can't say much there if you don't like it.

It is way post-Christmas but I'd revisited your other post because I remembered your hair. My hair used to look like that.

Gurl, your hair looks seriously dry and damaged, and I think that is 99% of the reason why it looks so frizzy in these photos. I dunno if you've spent much time over at /r/curlyhair but it is worth getting there for an in-depth look. But basically, right now I would bet you shampoo your hair every day and if you use a conditioner it has silicones in it. The silicones build up in your hair, necessitating a harsh shampoo to get rid of them. This means you're constantly stripping the oils from your hair, day after day, and it's seriously messing them up. You gotta remove the silicones from your routine, stop shampooing as often, and moisturize the crap out of it.


That said, as a fellow poor person here is what I would do if I were you:

Buy

1. VO5 Shampoo. You want the cheap kind that comes in these types of bottles, ~$0.50-1.50/bottle at a drugstore or grocery. I have no idea why these cost so much on Amazon, that's crazy. Doesn't matter the scent, just pick one without silicones. Look on the back, there shouldn't be anything in the ingredient list that ends in "-one". Most don't, but there are a couple that do, I think the "strengthening" types.
   
2. VO5 Conditioner. Again, SILICONE-FREE. Again, you should not be paying more than $0.50-$1.50 for this.
   
3. Nature's Gate Conditioner in Jojoba or Aloe. I like Jojoba better. This is a nice base conditioner that's also silicone-free. It's probably going to run you $5-$7 a bottle and may be harder to find in a grocery or drugstore--this you may have to order online.
   
4. Jojoba Oil. You do not want "hair oil" that you find in most drug and grocery stores. Look at the ingredient list--it will be basically industrial-grade silicones that won't do shit for repairing your hair. So you gotta find the real stuff. Crunchy-granola stores, Trader Joe's, Wegman's, Whole Foods will probably sell small bottles of it, usually by a company called Desert Essence (I literally have never seen any other brand of Jojoba Oil sold in any physical stores). This is the most expensive item on this whole list. If you buy it in physical stores you'll pay about $10 for this 4 oz bottle. If you buy online, you can find much better deals--this brand is cheaper per ounce and it's working for me. But you may want to get the smaller bottle at first just to see if you like it.
   
5. A normal-type comb for distributing hair-care products though your hair.
   
6. A wide-tooth comb for detangling.
   
7. Shower cap (optional)
   
   Next, it's time to
   
   
   FIX DAT HAIR
   
   
8. Wash with the VO5 Shampoo. We're getting all the residual silicones out. Use the wide-tooth comb followed by the small comb to gently distribute it through then rise. Now put it away. You will not need this again for at least a week.
   
9. Take your Nature's Gate Conditioner, and draw the outline of a circle about quarter to half-dollar size on your palm.
   
10. Fill that circle in with jojoba oil. Yes this is a lot of oil. Your hair needs it, trust me.
    
11. Mix the oil and conditioner together.
    
12. Massage it into your hair. Concentrate on the ends. Comb with the wide and small-toothed comb to really distribute it evenly. Be gentle because technically you're not supposed to comb wet hair but darnit, I've found it turns out better that way.
    
13. Now, ideally you put your hair up in the shower cap and wait at least 30 minutes. Maybe take a long bath, or primp, or watch Netflix, or whatever. The idea is you let the oil really soak in. At the very least take your sweet time taking the rest of your shower.
    
14. Rinse. Your hair should not feel squeaky when you pull on it in the shower. You don't want it to. That would mean it's not moisturized.
    
15. Gently detangle with fingers and wide-tooth comb (NOT THE SMALL ONE!) and let air dry.
    
    
    Ideally your hair will look a lot smoother and more manageable at this point. Hopefully it is not limp. If it feels limp and heavy, then I apologize, I told you to use too much jojoba. Use less next time. If it is not smoother and more manageable and still looks frizzy then you need to use MORE jojoba. Whatever the case, move to the next step:
    
    ALL DAY ERRY DAY
    
    This is what you'll be doing to your hair on a daily basis. Notice no shampoo is used. That is fine! The VO5 conditioner is cleaning enough, promise me!
    
    
16. Wash your hair with the VO5 conditioner. Pretend it's shampoo. That is, rub it in your hair, focus near the roots (not those delicate, delicate ends), rinse out. Use more if your hair is feeling limp or you think you used too much jojoba. Use less if it's not or if you haven't done that much that day. DO NOT USE THE SHAMPOO SRSLY YOU DON'T NEED IT
    
17. Repeat steps 2-5 from "Fix Dat Hair". You probably want to use more conditioner and less jojoba, but that will depend on whether your hair is feeling frizzy or limp. If it came out of the the FDH routine still frizzy, then by all means, load up on the jojoba. If it feels limp, then dial the jojoba back and make more of your circle conditioner. As always, when you're conditioning focus your attention on the ends and middle of your hair.
    
18. DO NOT RINSE YET. Now you do the rest of your shower-related routine. This gives the conditioner and oils a bit of time to sink in, just not as much as for the big ol' oil treatment above.
    
19. Rinse. Gently dry to dampness with towel, finger and wide-tooth comb detangle, let air dry.
    
    
    On a weekly basis--at most--you are allowed to replace the VO5 conditioner with the VO5 shampoo. But to compensate you must use extra jojoba because of all the oils you're stripping, and ideally you give it extra time to soak in. Shampoo day is usually the day when I stop being lazy and actually shave my legs and shit. I mean, ideally you shampoo less than weekly but you do what you can tolerate.
    
    
    When you first start this up you might feel like your hair is extra-greasy at the roots. This is normal. Your hair is used to you using the equivalent of dish soap on it every day and has been overproducing oils to try to compensate. The oil production will back down as it gets used to your new, gentler routine. Give it time! If you are really self-conscious about it then use a soft boar-bristle-type brush to distribute the oils from root to tip.
    
    Do NOT flat-iron or use a hair-dryer during this time period. The heat is damaging your hair further. It will make things worse. Anyway, once you see how lovely your curls are in their natural, healthy state you won't feel the need to. :)
    
    If your hair is very thick and coarse then as you get used to the routine you may even want to finger-comb a few drops or more of jojoba oil through it while it's still damp to help moisturize, after the towel-dry. You may want to do this anyway if it's very damaged (especially at the middle and ends).
    
    
    Anyway, I promise this will help. The routine took my hair from being a mess of split ends and nastiness to shiny and healthy, and it's turned my boyfriend's curly beard from a Brillo pad to a soft, bouncy cloud. It is a hell of a lot cheaper than keratin treatments and all that, too. If you go to the /r/curlyhair sub they have all sorts of product and routine suggestions, but I like using the above because they've worked for me and are comparatively cost-conscious.

This is the progesterone cream I use. I read good things about getting micronized people that you need a prescription for, but honestly I just wanted to give this a shot and I'm pretty darn happy

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002FJW4F8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_3acgybXT4HRQ7

A little eyebrow shaping, and a tinted lip balm would make a surprisingly big difference, I think. You have lovely skin! I might, if you are feeling make-uppy, consider very light use of a highlighter to accent that.

Tinted balm-wise the absolute easiest purchase would be Clinique Black Honey -- GIS for pix of people wearing it; it's pretty universally flattering and the colour is very 'buildable' and can go from barely noticeable to much more apparent with a few layers. If you are in the US and want a cheaper alternative, I'd check out Neutrogena.

You can straighten your hair, try using a product like Frizz-ease, and/or use some gel wax kinda stuff to tame the frizz. One of my female friends has amazing curly jew hair and I know she uses a ton of leave in conditioner. I would also recommend bringing your part back a little more towards the middle to where it's about over your eye. I think that would look more feminine on you. You can also try hair clips and hair bands to add an obvious female cue.

If you aren't that into make up, maybe try just a little eyeliner, not real thick or anything, just enough to brighten your eyes a little bit. A little concealer and foundation to cover up beard shadow and smooth your skin tone out wouldn't hurt either, at least in the short term. Try something like Covergirl Naturluxe. It's cheap, easy and quick to put on, and to me it feels like I'm not even wearing anything. It's specifically made to be lighter and it looks good and doesn't irritate my skin either. Just use concealer over your upper lip and wherever you have beard shadow and it'll help you out a lot. I know you've said you don't like make up, but it seriously will help you pass.

It was like ten bucks and came super fast! I went to the Pride Parade hoping to get one and they had literally 0 trans related things so I got it to bolster my spirits haha.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005VEIT6M/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

http://www.amazon.com/MelodySusie-Quality-Womens-Glamour-Fashion/dp/B008GR4L18?ie=UTF8&keywords=melody%20suzie%20wig&qid=1458929978&ref_=sr_1_fkmr2_1_a_it&sr=8-1-fkmr2

Looks good for like 2-3 months then time to get a new one. It's so cheap I don't care. Even if my real hair takes 6 months to grow in .. that's still only $32.

I also used my friends referral code to save $5.

https://amazon.com/mpr?referralcode=COLLI1139N&ref_=mpr_tr_ss

I just use these regular clips. There are all kinds of variations. The dollar store is a great place to pick up a bunch of different types so you can experiment and see what you like. I’ve also used these type of clips as well.

Moisturizer, Orange NYX Concealer, Dermablend Cover Cream, Mousse Foundation, then a Powder = no shadow. It takes work, but it's effective :)

Adorable!! I just started to use this a few weeks ago - I think it's starting to work...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001CCZMMQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I recommend this one!

Do you mean these:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0039UPFWG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_N9D0AbD2AYMCS

These are the products I use. I start with this primer, then I use this color corrector, this concealer, and [this foundation](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PFCSUNC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&th=1]. I finish with this etting powder.