Trans Makeup for Beginners
Hello!
Today, we’re going to be going through the essential steps and some key makeup tips that'll be easy to follow even if you’re a beginner to makeup!
Watch our easy-to-follow video tutorial on how to complete a simple makeup look on our lovely model Emma.
STEP 1: SKINCARE
The first step to any makeup look should always be your skincare routine! Applying makeup to a moisturised face will not only help with the application, but it will also help the makeup to last longer throughout the day and look fresher for longer!
We know that skincare can become complicated though, with the sheer amount of products available, however the one thing we would recommend you do before applying any makeup is to make sure your skin is moisturised and primed.
Our Hydrate Primer is great for achieving both of these things, made from Aloe Juice and Shea Butter, which are both key ingredients in replacing and maintaining your skin’s natural moisture! To apply, distribute a little of the product onto your fingertips and massage into your skin, making sure you cover your entire face!
A little tip too, our Hydrate Primer can be used as both your daily moisturiser AND primer, meaning that after applying, you’re good to get started on your base!
However, if you are worried about the texture of some areas of your face, using a different primer on these areas can help to smooth out the texture and lead to a better application of the product. Our Blur and Matte Primer is great, especially if you have oily skin, at blurring pores, uneven skin texture and helping to conceal beard shadow.
The choice of primer is completely up to you, although we’d recommend if you have dry skin you should use a hydrating and creamy product. Instead, if your skin is too oily, especially during summer, try a mattifying primer with a water-based formula.
After applying the primer, it's time to start covering any beard shadow that may be visible, or any other skin details or blemishes that you would like to cover! The first thing to do here is to colour correct any parts of the skin that have darker/blue undertones in the skin.
When Jecca Blac was first created, our founder noticed a lack of products being designed to cater for those makeup wearers that are looking to conceal beard shadow, and so our Correct and Conceal Palette was developed! The Correct & Conceal palette comes in 6 different shades, each of them featuring a Colour Corrector and Concealer. To find the best shade for you, simply reach out to our team using our free makeup advice service. All you need to do is send us a picture of your jaw/neck area under direct sunlight and we'll tell you what shade will suit you best!
We recommend a cream product instead of a powder, as it will be easier to build up and will leave your skin looking smoother. To cover the beard shadow, you can apply the colour corrector with your fingers or a flat makeup brush. Start with a little amount of product and apply it to the whole area. Blend it well. If you’re still left with a blue tinge, apply more colour corrector. It’s okay if your skin doesn’t match the rest of your face — you will be applying concealer or foundation over it to even it all out.
After the Colour Correct, it’s time to apply the Concealer. You can use the same makeup brush or a clean one if you prefer. As before, apply a little bit of product at a time and blend well before adding more. You want your beard shadow area to blend perfectly with the rest of your face.
STEP 3: LIQUID CONCEALER
Some people may find that they would like a more matte-finish, full-coverage look to their makeup, and in this case we’d recommend using our Liquid Corrector and Concealer products to cover up your beard shadow, rather than our Correct and Conceal Palette. To apply these products as a beard cover, you need to dispense a few dots anywhere you want to conceal, and blend with either a flat concealer brush or your fingers!
You can also use the Liquid Corrector and Liquid Concealer to conceal any dark circles under your eyes, or any other blemishes on your face, just swipe the product onto your face and blend out with your preferred method. Watch below to see our Marketing Manager, Maxine, showing you the basics of how to apply our Liquid Concealer;
Once you are happy with your base, you should set the entire face with a translucent setting powder. To achieve the best results, we recommend a translucent powder: it’s light on the skin, easy to work with and it will save you time looking for the right shade. However, if you do have darker skin, go for a yellow-toned powder.
If you avoided using powders until now, a translucent setting powder won’t make you look cakey. Because of its light formula, it will leave you with a smooth, velvety finish, rather than a heavy extra layer of product. Simply use a big, fluffy makeup brush to apply the product all over your face.
If you’re still worried about using powder, however, you can opt for a setting spray instead.
STEP 4: CONTOURING
Contouring is often stated as one of the more daunting processes of the makeup, especially for beginners, but we’re here to help! One great way of trying to change your face is by playing with the shadows on it. Our Sculpt & Soften Palette features a 34-page guide detailing different ways of applying the product to achieve different looks tailored to every different type of facial feature and desired result.
A basic tip if you’re trying to feminise the face is applying the darker shade of the palette to create the illusion of higher cheekbones. Instead of following your natural lines, trace a new one from the end of your ear to the edge of your mouth, adding a little flick upwards at the end.
Softening the features is also achievable by drawing light to different areas of the face. Our Sculpt & Soften Palette is ideal to create any type of contouring, including a softer look.
With a small fluffy makeup brush, apply the lighter shade in the Sculpt & Soften Palette (shade 'Soften') on all the areas where the sun naturally hits your face (your nose bridge, your forehead, over your cheekbones). Use this shade to soften any harsh line left over by the shadows you previously created with the darker shade.
STEP 5: BLUSH
Adding colour to the face is one of the most crucial steps in helping to make your makeup look natural and more subtle. Our Play Pots are a great, versatile way of adding a blush to your cheeks and helping to give you that healthy, glowing look!
As you can see from the above video, there are many different ways of applying the blush that can help to transform your face shape. Figuring out what works for you can be a bit of trial and error, but once you’ve found a style that you like, our Play Pots are easy to blend into your base makeup!
STEP 6: EYES
As well as being able to give your face that natural-looking blush, our Play Pots can be used on both your eyes and your lips, to elevate your look! Watch below to see our Jecca Blac Ambassador, Velvet, take her look from daytime to evening glam using the cream pigments;
We would recommend applying these with either your fingers or a small, flat brush and then blending it out to your desired shape. Again, adding this small amount of colours into your eyelids can help to give your face more dimension and the colour makes your makeup look more natural. You can then fill in your brows and add some mascara, to give your eyes that extra dramatic effect!
STEP 7: LIPS
Wearing colour on your lips can do wonders for your confidence! It can empower you and make you feel more comfortable in your skin. So, don’t be afraid to try out different shades and find what’s best for you.
If you would like to create an appearance of fuller, more defined lips, you can once again use the Sculpt & Soften Palette. With a small lip makeup brush use the lighter shade to overdraw your lips. Don’t exaggerate if you want a natural look.
Choose one of our Long Lasting Lipsticks for a bold pop of colour, or use one of our Play Pots to give yourself that extra glimmer and sparkle!
STEP 8: THE EXTRA GLOW
We all want to look radiant and everyone deserves their chance to glow! Our Glow Drops Primer is the perfect addition to your makeup routine to help you feel lit from within! There are a few different ways in which you can wear it, so try them out and see which way you prefer.
Obviously, as the product is a primer, you can apply this to your face before applying any of your base makeup, to give you a subtle glow through the products. Apply a small amount to your fingers and apply to your face, or use a brush if you’d prefer.
However, our favourite way to use our Glow Drops is to apply a small amount of the product onto our faces after we’ve finished applying all of our makeup. The Glow Drops act as a replacement for highlighter and really make your skin pop! Watch the video below to see our Founder, Jessica, showing you her tips and tricks for using the Glow Drops and all of the different ways to apply them!
And that’s it! We hope you found this beginners makeup guide useful and gained some new tips to help you with your makeup routine. If you need help matching your shade in any of our products, don’t forget to submit a selfie to our Makeup Assistance Tool.
For extra tips, watch Casey Blake's tutorial on daily makeup tips for trans women!