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Hi girls!
Back in mid-November I finally summoned up the courage to walk into a branch of Boots and ask if they could determine the correct shade of foundation for me:
Thanks for the advice! 🙂 – Fashion Beauty & Makeup – Crossdresser Heaven Forums
That random walk-in turned into a makeup lesson that was such huge fun that I immediately booked another.
I've now had two further sessions and am on first name terms with the make-up artist.
For the purpose of this thread I'm going to call her Emma. Although I'm attending in drab I've been up front with Emma from the start that I'm trans ... and she's perfectly happy calling me Ellie 🙂
Our second session two weeks ago was all about achieving a good 'everyday' look for eyes. I find it so much easier to learn during one-to-one sessions like this than I do by using books or videos. I can talk to Emma about why she's doing what she's doing, ask her to experiment with different effects and try out different products.
Emma knew that last week I'd be having a night out in Manchester with a close friend from CDH. That was the first time I'd done a 'full face' on my own, and she was very keen to know how it went. In today's session with her we went through how to achieve a more glamorous evening look for eyes. Once again I've learnt a massive amount in a very short time, though having said 'short time' I was actually with her for an hour and a half.
Boots don't technically offer sessions on lips, but Emma and I have arranged one for me anyway. That's happening in late January. Then in February I'm back again for a lesson on general skin care.
After my chat with Emma today I've invested in a ring light to give me better lighting while I'm practicing my makeup skills.
Emma also suggested two YouTube channels that anyone interested in upping their makeup game should watch. I can't put the direct links here, but search for Jaclyn Hill and Manny Mua.
By the way, I'm making sure that I actually buy something each time I have one of these free make up lessons. If I didn't, that would just be making life a little harder for the next CD who goes in and asks for one.
Hugs
Ellie x
@ellyd22 Thanks, Ellie. I want a makeover so badly. I just don't know how to go about it.
@dovemtn2016 Way back before Ulta and the like were around I went to a “Merle Norman” makeup studio within a salon where I got my hair cut. I had to walk by it to get to my stylist. I liked the vibe of the lady there and she was never very busy. On my way out after a haircut one day I approached Donna…(I just remembered her name!😜)
I was in DRAB of course. I asked her, hey, I have this skin discoloration here that I’d like to cover up, do you have something for me that wouldn’t be noticeable? Well, she jumped right into action, nothing showy either, just discreetly slid a sample over and said “try this…” I bought some concealer that day and then every time I went in I made a purchase. I would jokingly say something like, “Does Merle Norman have a good mascara I could get away with for my puny eyelashes? A smart cookie, she put two and two together and I became a great customer for her for many years. I’d go in during slow times and she’d fix me up with everything I needed to look good.
Moral of this tale Christine is - where there’s a will, there’s a way🥰
GP
@ellyd22 - that's good to know. I get a lot of my make-up from Boots because I can use the self-scanner or queue. But the good thing about Boots is that they don't divide everything into staffed, brand franchise, floor outlets - unlike John Lewis, or Selfridges, say.. One person on Boots' floor covers all brands. I've the same issue to address - I'll let you know how I get on.
@ellyd22 Here we have MAC. They offer makeovers if you spend $50 in cosmetics, which is really easy to do, LOL. I've had a couple of makeovers there and get my foundation and concealer from them. They are very T/CD friendly and helpful. Always ready to help with a question or problem.
It's so nice to have a place like Boots or MAC.
In Boots the service would be free even if you bought nothing ... but given how much these make up artists put into the sessions that would be tremendously bad form.
The advice I've received from Emma has helped my self-confidence tremendously, and I can't put a price on that.
Ellie x
@ellyd22 oooooo love this Ellie, and love Emma!! I want to find Victoria an Emma, you do know Boots is going to have to start paying you (and Emma) commission with all the extra sales they most likely will soon be getting..... 
in fact, if Emma fancies some private work, invite her to Leeds, i imagine she would get a LOAD of business if she fancied giving some makeovers or tips.....plus a great night out! 
I did actually mention the LFF events to Emma, and told her what a demand there is within the CD/TG community for make up artists. Who knows ... maybe it will have got her thinking?
There's bound to be an Emma in a large branch of Boots near you 🙂
Out of interest, since you're in London, they've just opened a big 'Boots Beauty Only Store' at the old Battersea Power Station.
Ellie x
@ellyd22 fingers crossed Emma's brain has got to work thinking 🤔 ohhh didn't know about that new Boots , am going to chat with hubby later see if he fancies a weekend outing .
to be honest I did also have a makeover In Boots years ago when I was getting my wedding makeup and they were also really lovely then. ❤️
Ellie,
You're spot on with you're experience with makeup artistry. Also supporting the artist and business.
I've found a great artist a couple of hours away. She accepts girls like us. Come in drab and leave fab. She even has a school for learning and applying makeup.
Just think of all the positive benefits to our community. A lot of girls out and about enfem and not living in their closets!
Just think putting on a glamorous face in 15 to 20 minutes. All by yourself!
Keep this experience coming. I'm staying tuned!
Fran 🥰
I've got my own make-up application down to 40 minutes now. That's a dramatic improvement on when I first started!
... using all the wrong colours, going outside the lines and then accidentally spilling their drink over the whole thing afterwards.
@ellyd22 In the US we have Ulta stores that are beauty product stores with salon services. I worked up the nerve to sign up for a lesson in eye makeup a while back and was helped by a lovely young lady also named Emma. How's that for quantum entanglement? I have been wanting to go back and get more help and advice but I'm too afraid of running into someone who knows me.
Speaking as the "close friend from CDH", I can happily vouch for the effectiveness of Emma's sessions!
Oh my Ellie, It is a slippery slope (and I've been sliding for years). Glad you discovered Emma with all her new shared magic. Party on and carry extra sunglasses in your bag to hand out to those you meet who might be blinded by your pulchritude. Hugs from Marg who just got a new Ulta eyebrow paste on Sunday (the eyes have it!).
Each time I see her Emma manages to slide a 'free gift' into my bag as well. If there's a zombie apocalypse I'm certainly not going to be short of make up supplies.
@ellyd22 Oh now I've got images of zombies standing outside your house muttering "wrinkle remover, wrinkle remover...."
Hi Ellie,
I'm really pleased you are finding those sessions so helpful. Emma sounds like a real "beauty angel". i'll be expecting fabulous results from your acquired skills next time we meet! The ring light sounds like a great idea.
In years past I did something similar on about 3 occasions (in other brand stores) where they gave me full facial make-ups. Like you, I always purchased items, though my logic at the time was to repay the time they spent with me, plus a generous tip for the makeup artist. Those were my first ever make up sessions and I was so engrossed with the experience that, unfortunately, I remembered very little and learnt even less.
Rebecca x
Okay, I'll make a promise to you ... next time I meet you in Oxford I'll be en femme 🙂
Ellie x
Great! I'll be holding you to that 😊 .
Rebecca x
Ellie- so pleased for you, as I live in rural N.Dorset we only have a small Boots nearby, did you go to one of their big stores
R
Yes, I went to one in a nearby city 🙂
If you go onto the Boots website you can see which branches offer makeovers and make a booking. You'll need to register with the site.
I've been making appointments with the 'No 7' makeup artist, and the standard appointments you can make are 'Your Skin Your Way', 'Your Complexion Your Way', 'Your Eyes Your Way' and 'Love Your Look'.
What I found though is that once you've attended one of these sessions then you can talk to the makeup artist about what you'd like help with next; they have to enter it onto the system as one of the above, but they'll actually help you with whatever you want.
They are absolutely NOT fazed in any way by applying makeup to men.
If you can't physically make it to a store they also offer one to one online consultations, though I haven't tried those.
Ellie x
Ellie, I registered with Boots online yesterday but I can't see any makeover options and I phoned the main Dundee branch today but got directed to customer services, or better put, customer push-one-button-after-another-until-you-lose-the-will-to-live services. Can you send me the Web address via pm please?
Allie x
That's awesome! Always great to read and hear about such a positive experience when dealing with others in the public and feel welcome and enjoyable! Thanks for sharing!
I've enjoyed every minute of every session.
The problem is, I'm running out of things I can legitimately go in and ask for help with.
@ellyd22 I am sure you did enjoy every minute...why would you not have! Who says you have to have a "legitimate reason" to go in to ask for help with. You can always ask for a "new look" or change your eye shadow pallet...
Hi Ellie,
Congrats, it sounds like you had a really positive time at boots! Coincidentally, I went into MAC for the same recently when they had a black Friday sale on. Took me a long time to pluck up the courage after walking past the store so many times and then chickening out at the last minute. I don't think I had quite as positive experience as you and it felt a little awkward, but at least I got a colour match. Sounds like I should try boots next time.
So did you go as Ellie into Boots or did you go in drab? Do they only advise you on Boots products, or was it other brands too?
Thanks for the tips on Youtube channels. Sounds like with the progress you're making, you'll be able to start your own Youtube channel soon ❤️
Each time, I've attended in drab:
Although I'm attending in drab I've been up front with Emma from the start that I'm trans ... and she's perfectly happy calling me Ellie 🙂
The branch of Boots I've been going to has different girls for different makeup brands. I've only been dealing with the lady from the No 7 counter.
I don't know whether she'd advise me about other brands. To be honest, I haven't actually asked!
Ellie x
Hi, girls.
Thanks to the ever-present encouragement and support here and, in particular, Ellie's account of her visits to the No7 makeup services at Boots, I went for my first consultation today.
I followed Ellie's instructions and booked my appointment online. I chose 08:30, thinking, there would be less people about. It did occur to me at the time, that shops usually open at 09:00 but duly arrived at the Dundee store at the booked time. To find that it doesn't open until 9am! Luckily, there was a girl coming out of the store so I asked her if she could help. "Oh yes, we've been at them for two years to change that system". She was most apologetic and asked if I could come back at nine, to which I replied, of course.
So, I found the No7 station and was greeted by a very nice lady who checked my appointment and what I was looking for. I explained that their services had been recommended to me by a trans friend and that I was also somewhere on the continuum, only this year coming to accept that I'm around 50% feminine. "Oh yes, we have a few trans people coming in for this".
She did a skin test for colour matching but immediately discounted the result, "No no, that's far too dark, I'll judge by eye". She settled on Warm Beige and then set about applying de-reddening primer, concealer and, finally, the foundation before inviting me to check the results in the mirror. Brilliant! The foundation I had been using was, to my mind, a little too light and, without applying some blusher, made me look somewhat de-sanguinated. But her choice does indeed have a warmer look.
The service is free but I bought the products she had used, plus a few other things like cleanser, moisturiser, night and day creams etc. I saved over 50% of the total cost and there was one product that refused to scan so she just put it in the bag and said, "There's another saving".
I'm going back next week for a session on eye makeup and I chose a later afternoon appointment as I'll be keeping her work on to go home so the darkness will hopefully avoid any embarrassing encounters. Having just said that, at no time did I feel awkward or out of place, just another customer.
I thoroughly recommend it!
Allie x
@alexina Allie that's wonderful news, well done lovely 🙂 I'm going to be coming to you and Ellie for make-up tips now!
After a lifetime of not bothering with makeup, I'm currently obsessed.
I kept it on when I went out to the shop an hour ago and then I spent about half an hour doing my eyebrows and eyes.
I looked in the mirror and grinned, that never happens without makeup. What's not to get obsessed about? 😊
I've had three sessions now and kept the makeup on each time.
On Tuesday, after my 'Sparkly Eyes' session (with full make up other than lips, but in drab) I went into Greggs and bought a sausage roll and a steak bake.
I guess that now I have shoulder length blonde hair and earrings I might be starting to look a little more androgynous ... but I also think that the majority of people don't really care!
I think both, Ellie. Showing confidence goes a long way in inspiring acceptance in others.
My own confidence is increasing by the day just now. And what's better is that my wife is totally accepting of every step forward.
I've done it!!!! - booked an appointment at Salisbury for 21st Dec to help with my eye makeup - wow this could be a real step forward to me going dressed in public. Thanks Ellie and the rest of you who have given me a little bit of confidence.
Oh ... that's fantastic!
You'll have to let us know how you get on 🙂
At this first appointment they'll go through how to achieve a really nice daytime look. It's a good idea to have a colour scheme in mind (I like earthy colours) unless you want to give them a totally free hand. I was upfront from the start that I wanted a look for female eyes so that there were no misunderstandings.
I went for the full works - primer, eye shadow, mascara and eye liner. They'll remove it all for you afterwards if you want (I kept mine on 🙂 )
If all goes well and you're feeling confident then you might consider doing what I did; tell them you're going to go away and practice what you've just been taught but also say that you'd like to make another appointment to find out how to achieve a more glamorous evening look.
They'll book it as a second 'Your Eyes Your Way' appointment but make a note on their system that this one is for 'Sparkly Eyes'.
Ellie x
I have been using Boots for years now as they have a large store near me and the ladies are very helpful. They are good with discounts and also the odd freebie too. Like you Ellie they made a difference to how I made up and boosted my confidence.
I am sometimes asked what do I use on my face and never understood why there was laughter when I said 'Boots'.......Although pre make up my complexion may look as if I have had a good kicking...
Hi Ellie, this is fabulous, I am sure you have learned a lot from these sessions. But for me the more important thing is that you are being treated like any other customer, as of course you should be! Bur with so much negativity around trans people it is comforting to know int the real world we are accepted much more than some would have us believe.....
I've certainly been finding far more acceptance than I ever thought I would.
Something happened yesterday along similar lines ... but that's a forum post in itself 🙂
Ellie x
I'll probably have time to write about it tomorrow.
I don't often surprise myself, but I certainly did yesterday afternoon!
