Take it all off!
One of the most important things about dressing up and looking good is…
taking off all that makeup at the end of the night. For one thing, you don’t want to leave a Shroud of Tammy Fay Baker image on the pillow case in the morning. And leaving makeup on for long periods of time can be damaging to your skin. And, if you’re closeted, like me, you don’t want people asking why you are wearing mascara, when you go to work.
My method for taking off makeup is pretty simple. But it works, and it works well, especially considering how much I wear.
Step one: take some toliet paper, and wipe off as much as you can. This will take off a lot of your foundation, blush, lipstick and eye shadow. Don’t try to get it all, as you’ll just irritate your skin.
Step two: Noxema. Lather your face up with cold cream, and if possible, shower. This will take off a lot of what’s left, without the irritation.
Step three: Do the detail work with a makeup removal moist towelette. I use the ones from Ponds, but just about any will do the job. These will help get that eyeliner off, and help anything else you may have missed.
Step four: Give yourself a bit more cold cream, but rub it in. Don’t wash it off. This helps me keep down any kind of pimple outbreak for the morning.
This is what works for me. What works for you?
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Ronnie Rho has been writing for Transgender Forum since May of 1999. One of these days, she'll get it right. She's been described as the "world's most famous recluse," but only by people who don't know her very well. She is unmarried, and lives in Cincinnati.Subscribe
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While I think all your suggestions are good ones, I would take issue with the implied idea that taking off makeup should be a big worry. A shower, a little soap and water, and a Pond’s “clean sweep†make-up removing towelette work just fine for me. If you use a waterproof mascara, then you probably are not going to get all of it off immediately—at least not without damaging your eye lashes! But very few people are critiquing you. The fact is, like in everything else, there is variation in human eyelashes. I have never had anyone question the residue of mascara left on my eyelashes after an evening of dressing. While I enjoyed your discussion, I hope that crossdressers will not jump to the conclusion that there is no margin of error in removing every last trace of their makeup, because most of one’s co-workers do not pay much attention to the way we look.
I”ve been using Expert Eyes by Maybelline for 10+ years. This common product is available at almost all drug stores, in a small plastic bottle with a blue cap. $5 usually, and it IS oil free. This means that it also doesn’t FEEL oily, either. Since there’s so little to the formula, it also doesnt sting your eyes. You can do detail work on your eyes with a Q-tip, or use it like soap, diluted, to remove the rest of your face. Once you try it, you might not go back. Best, it’s portable enough to take with you.
Wow, isn’t it crazy that we all do it differently?!? I agree that getting the mascara and eyeliner completely off is the most important aspect of taking it all off. But I use baby-wipes (almost any brand) instead of the Ponds wipes because they’re less expensive and equally as efficient. I then follow up with Neutrogena oil-free eye make-up remover. (I’ve used several more expensive department store cosmetic brands, but Neutrogena works just as well.) I saturate a cotton pad and hold it on my eyelids for a few seconds, then gently wipe. 95% comes off easily. Repeat a second time. I then saturate a q-tip and stroke gently across the eyelids, and sometimes there is a little black that comes off with it.
But…I’m not finished. I may look like it’s perfectly gone after the above, only to have a black blob of make-up appear at the corner of my eye an hour later. So…pull your lower eye-lid down and look for any little hints of black below your eye. Gently touch them with a q-tip and they are easily removed. And you don’t have to worry about the black blob appearing later.
Hard scrubbing can contribute to wrinkles. I’ve got way too many of those already! After I get most of my makeup off with a damp cloth, I use warm water and Johnson’s Baby shampoo to cut any makeup chemical structure as well as disolve eye liner and mascara. Very effective. No tears when I get so close to my eyes. Then a thorough rinse. Last step before I leave the bathroom: a very close inspection with a 10X mirror. I check every nook and cranny, hairline, neck, ears and bellybutton (if necessary)! Then I follow up with a Wal-Mart product, Fruit of the Earth Vitamin E Skin Care Cream. Sold in a double tub package near the cosmetic isles. I’ve used it for years as an aftershave. To see just how great this works come to SCC this September! Seeya!
Baby oil on a “Q” tip. Wipe it on the eye lid and the lashes. Then take a Kleenex and it wipes right off.
Then wipe with a damp wash cloth. Works great.
If you make sure you use all water based products, you really don’t need anything more than the makeup removing towelettes like Ponds and a good facial soap like Caress. For Mascara, run hot water and get your finger tips wet and use them to do a rough removal before using the towelletes. After the towelettes, wash your face with the facial soap.
I agree get it all off I have had that question you know the one “It looks like your wearing eyeliner” The response can be difficult and requires quick thinking. “it must be the light, My girl friend was plaing around (unless it is your wife asking)” Personally I like I am becoming metro sexual, but I live an an urban area and it is said with sarcasim.
I have fond that the standard eyemakeup remover with a healthy dose of cold cream does a good job. BUt mascara and eyeliner can be tough so take a good close look in the mirror and think up a good story just in case…Sallee