five trans feminine people share their favourite beauty product of the year
i will never forget the day my trans mum gifted me my first wig, and the overwhelming feeling of joy that electrified my body in that moment – it triggered a journey of gender experimentation and expression I’m not sure my little egg self was prepared for, and it let loose a part of me i’d been desperately and unsuccessfully trying to hold back.
for many of us, beauty products played an introductory role in our journey of transness: they can be responsible for gender euphoric moments, they can ease our gender dysphoria, and they can also aid us in staying unclockable and keeping safe in the streets.
as a whole, the beauty industry has also always had a historical tie with trans femininity: it has been the only professional path outside of sex work many of us are granted, and a successful career in beauty is one ambition we may be allowed.
the beauty skills, knowledge and resources i see in trans feminine people is actually unmatched, and yet we’re still not granted the respect and recognition we deserve (as in every other sphere of life).
beauty journalism especially is an industry which is fully dominated by (white) cis women – who are given the authority to tell us what we should and shouldn’t buy, how we should apply products and what the standard of beauty should be.
to counteract this, i asked five of my sisters what beauty products they loved this year; i hope this serves not only trans femmes interested in beauty, but also any cis woman who might read this, because trust me: no one does it like us.
fari
what’s been your favourite beauty product this year and why?
i couldn’t come to a concise conclusion so i have 3!
my favourite actual beauty product would def have to be facetheory’s C2 clarifying cleanser, the way she snatches my skin together when i’m feeling down-bad, looking broke-down with a face that’s breaking out? legendary. i rely on her on those rough skin dysphoric days and i’m grateful for my own judgement in buying her because i’m always right!
my 2nd fave beauty product would have to be my beautiful friends and even my ugly ones (jk) because of how they reaffirm me, empower me, remind me of my strength and how they constantly inspire me.
3rd fave which is unofficial because i be slipping is definitely removing DL boys from my sexual diet. genuinely was shocked to find my edges grew back, skin got smoother, credit score went up, punani went from tight to tightest and Beyoncé started checking up on me as soon as i blocked all the DL men in my life, they’re like succubi who give you eye-bags and weed dependencies, let him go sis!
what’s your best beauty tip?
overall my best beauty tip would be to stop comparing yourself to other girls at different stages in their journey, go at your own pace, listen to yourself, listen to your body, listen to your spirit(!!!!!), call your mum or someone that’s a maternal figure more often if you can, and live in the realm of self affirmation rather than self negation because you are and always will be that gorl!!!!
“genuinely was shocked to find my edges grew back, skin got smoother, credit score went up, punani went from tight to tightest and Beyoncé started checking up on me as soon as i blocked all the DL men in my life”
elle
what’s been your favourite beauty product this year and why?
nikkietutorials x beauty bay pressed pigment palette.
this was the first decent palette that i got hold of since starting to wear makeup, and it’s been my go-to ever since – if anyone has ever had the notorious revolution marvellous mattes palette(guilty) this is a really good upgrade from that that you can build a full eye from. while having a palette of mostly shimmers and bright colours has probably led to some questionable looks along the way, overall it’s kept me creative and really let me find out what works for my face and what doesn’t. if you have one, i recommend combining the shimmers with a black or dark brown from any other palette (or even a black eye pencil) for a super-reliable smoky eye.
what’s your best beauty tip?
my number 1 tip is this: when you think you’re done putting on a face, walk away from the mirror and go do something else for 5 minutes. i’m decidedly guilty of doing makeup and then immediately sitting there and picking apart every tiny imperfection, which leads to me fiddling with eyeliner, trying to redraw my lip shape, redoing contour…which never really improves anything. getting some space after staring at yourself for an hour and then coming back to things is a great way to be less self-critical and appreciate your look!
liana
what’s been your favourite beauty product this year and why?
i think my favourite beauty product this year has to be REFY beauty brow sculpt, it was game changing for my eyebrows! the gel gives a brow lamination effect that actually feminised the upper half of my face way more than I thought it would. brows are the windows of the face girl!!
what’s your best beauty tip?
My best beauty tip is affirming/baddie music throughout the beauty process, it makes me feel way more confident! Oh and always take your makeup off in the evening!
“My best beauty tip is affirming/baddie music throughout the beauty process, it makes me feel way more confident!”
ella
what’s been your favourite beauty product this year and why?
this year, i fell in love with the mac powder kiss lipstick in velvet punch.
it’s moisturising and perfect for kissing because it doesn’t leave crazy stains all over your and your partner’s lips.
what’s your best beauty tip?
use sunscreen on your face everyday, even when it’s cloudy like these days in london. it’s the best and easiest way to keep your skin healthy according to most dermatologists.
mya
what’s been your favourite beauty product this year and why?
indulge me whipped body butter by healthy filth. the texture is like butter cream and it makes you smell UNBELIEVABLE. also it’s great for general skin smoothness and hyperpigmentation. i can’t go without it!
what’s your best beauty tip?
taking time to go out and enjoy life keeps you looking hot.
“taking time to go out and enjoy life keeps you looking hot.”