Picture of a woman applying makeup to her face

How To Hide Beard Shadow (MTF Transgender / Crossdressing)

  1. Importance Of Hiding Your Beard Shadow
  2. Getting Your Facial Hair Down To The Beard Shadow
    1. What Is A Depilatory Cream?
    2. Using A Razor vs. Using Depilatory Cream
    3. Warnings On Using A Depilatory Cream
    4. Warnings On Using A Razor
    5. Pre-Shave Instructions For Using A Razor
    6. Post Shave/Depilation Care
  3. Hiding Your Beard Shadow With Makeup
    1. Applicator Recommendation
    2. Steps To Hide Beard Shadow With Makeup
    3. Optional Steps

Importance Of Hiding Your Beard Shadow

Hiding your beard shadow with makeup is important for MTF transgender and crossdressing individuals, because 5 o’clock shadow on your face is a dead giveaway. Most women don’t have facial hair. The ones that do go to great lengths to get rid of it, because it makes them look more masculine.

Getting Your Facial Hair Down To The Beard Shadow

To hide 5 o’clock shadow, you must get your facial hair down as close to the skin as you can. You probably shave with a razor, but you should know there are other ways to get rid of facial hair. One way is using depilatory creams, and another is plucking. I’m not going to cover plucking your facial hair, since it will leave red spots and hurts like hell.

What Is A Depilatory Cream?

Depilatory creams are a set of chemicals that are used to remove hair. They work by breaking down the bonds in keratin, causing the hair to turn into a soft, spongy mass which is then wiped away with a soft cloth. If you have sensitive skin, you should avoid using a depilatory as the chemicals can be harsh and cause irritation. Wikipedia has more to say on the matter.

Using A Razor vs. Using Depilatory Cream

Safety razor that lets you change the blades, useful for shaving down to your beard shadow Double edged blades for a safety razor Magic Shave, a depilatory cream popular among mtf transgender women and crossdressers for its ability to remove hair without causing painful ingrown hairs

A safety razor, razor blades, and Magic Shave (a popular depilatory product)

What causes beard shadow to appear is the presence of the hair follicle in the skin. Depilatories are better at “shaving” your facial hair, because they break down hair at the skin’s surface, or just below it. This causes there to be less hair present on your face. In contrast, razors are the better choice if you have sensitive skin or are wary of putting strong chemicals on your face. As a result, depilatories are popular for hair removal amongst mtf transgender women and crossdressers. Especially in difficult to reach areas, like the buttocks or the back of the legs.

Warnings On Using A Depilatory Cream

If you choose to use a depilatory cream, apply a small test area to your face beforehand. Doing this ensures your skin doesn’t have a reaction to the chemicals in the cream before going all in. You wouldn’t want angry red blotches on your face for a week.

Warnings On Using A Razor

You might be tempted to shave against the grain to get a closer shave, but don’t. Shaving against the grain irritates the skin and causes razor burn. It’s also easier to cut yourself when shaving against the grain, and you don’t want cuts all over your face. Red blotches from razor burn will harm your looks, and cause people to look closely at your face. The secret to any good MTF transgender transformation is getting people to not look too hard.

Pre-Shave Instructions For Using A Razor

To get the closest shave possible, you’ll want to shower first. The steam and heat from showering will open your pores and soften your facial hair. While showering, exfoliate your face to help get a closer shave. After you’ve finished showering, make sure to dry your face completely before shaving. Make sure to choose a new razor with a fresh, sharp blade to get the job done. Safety razors are great for this, since you can swap out the blades freely.

Post Shave/Depilation Care

After shaving or using a depilatory, you should moisturize your entire face with lotion. I do this after every shower, because it helps preserve the elasticity of my face, making me look younger. But in this case, you should do it because it will help makeup adhere to your face better. Just make sure to give your face time to absorb the lotion before applying your makeup, otherwise it might smear. Smeared makeup is every MTF transgender woman and crossdresser’s nightmare!

Hiding Your Beard Shadow With Makeup

Picture of a blending sponge, which is useful for applying makeup Picture of a primer makeup product, which helps makeup adhere better to your skin Orange concealer, the primary secret in hiding your beard shadow with mtf transgender makeup Liquid foundation product, needed to hide your beard shadow with mtf transgender makeup

Some of the makeup products you’ll need to hide your beard shadow

Applicator Recommendation

I recommend using a blending sponge to apply and blend the face makeup. This is to avoid getting makeup all over your hands, since it’s hard to wash makeup off. If you get makeup on your hands, you can use some makeup removal wipes or soap. Make sure the blending sponges you get aren’t the same color as your makeup.

Steps To Hide Beard Shadow With Makeup

Before applying any face makeup, apply a primer to your face. It helps the other makeup adhere better because it smoothes over your pores. Think of it as double sided tape that you apply to your face. If you plan on moisturizing your face, make sure to do that before applying primer.

Now apply a creamy orange concealer to any areas where beard shadow remains visible. This neutralizes your facial shadow’s natural bluish hue because orange is opposite that color on the color wheel. You can apply green concealer to any red spots on your face because it follows the same logic. Creamy concealer is used instead of powder because a cream fills in the spots between hair that’s left. If you’re a transgender woman or crossdresser with a beard that’s not brown or black, you need a different colored concealer. Find the color opposite of your beard shadow’s hue and use a concealer of that color.

Finally, apply a liquid foundation over every inch of your face. This neutralizes beard shadow further, adding more material over your beard shadow. It also evens out the color of your face. Don’t apply it on your eyelids or eyebrows, but do apply it on the bags of your eyes. Use a liquid foundation one or two shades lighter than your natural skin tone. Gauging which foundation is a shade lighter than your skin tone over a screen is difficult, so when shopping online get multiple shades to find the best. Get a liquid foundation over a powder foundation, because powder can look cakey. Cakey makeup will cause people to take a closer look at your face, something MtF transgender women and crossdressers don’t want.

Optional Steps

Setting spray, which helps hydrate your mtf makeup Fixing spray, which increases how long your mtf makeup will last

Setting Spray and Fixing Spray

Lastly, apply a setting spray over any areas you’ve applied makeup to your face if you so choose. This prevents your foundation from looking dry and cakey because it helps hydrate your face. You may not need this if you followed my advice on using liquid foundation. You can also use a fixing spray after the setting spray has settled, to increase the longevity of your makeup. Use of these sprays is necessary if you’re going for a bombshell look. Don’t go for that type of look until you’re confident in your MTF transformation skills, though.