Hi new here, need help with makeup 🏳️‍⚧️

[Brooke1973]

Hello everyone my name is Brooke, live in the Phoenix /Mesa Arizona area and I am desperately seeking replacement for my expired makeup that I bought off Amazon years ago. I am not good with makeup at all was going to buy again on Amazon but there's so many types, shades, colors, brands..etc And I want to make sure I get the right stuff for my face this time... I'm super afraid to go in in person because I'm still closeted over 30 years live a double life. Any help appreciated anybody know of any local stores with someone there that has experience helping somebody like me 🏳️‍⚧️🌈 thanks so much sorry for the long post but this is a 2023 goal to go out and do this 😊

[LesbianWanabee]

I don't know your area, some colorado malls are very trans-friendly.

FlatIrons Mall near Denver has a wonderful Sephora and a number of other stores.

The Charlotte-Russe store is great for shopping on a budget!

I wish you luck in your journey

Love

Sissy

[JoSometimes]

Hi @Brooke1973! I saw you posted both here and in Makeup Is Life (I’m somewhat active there too) but since this is trans specific and others might benefit, I thought it would be best to reply here.

I was in your shoes not too long ago. I realized that the pandemic has actually made it easier to shop around incognito because wearing a face mask is pretty normal these days, even if many areas no longer require it. And being in a big city, it’s pretty easy to shop around in quieter parts of town where you’re less likely to run into a familiar face. As for shopping for foundation, it’s REALLY difficult to shop online. What looks like a good shade on the screen can look very different once it’s on the skin.

I started out by just trying things out on my wrist and finding a shade that matched best. It worked to some degree, but my face and wrist aren’t quite the same shade, so my first few tries weren’t quite right and I looked too pale. I also didn’t realize there were different formulations for different skin types and I picked ones that made me look and feel dry.

I eventually went and sat down with a makeup artist. I too was really nervous the first time, so I booked the first appoint I could get while the mall was still pretty quiet and asked to be seated in a section that wasn’t front and centre in the store. I posted my experience here if you want to read through and get an idea of what to expect. https://community.sephora.com/t5/Trans-is-Beautiful/My-Sephora-Makeup-Service-Experience/td-p/628959...

You don’t have to go through an entire makeover if you’re just after a few products to replace what you currently have. Any Sephora employee can help you shade match foundation pretty quickly. It takes only a few minutes for them to try things out and find the best match. If you want something that just works and isn’t going to break the bank, check SEPHORA COLLECTION Best Skin Ever Liquid Foundation.

If you’re not comfortable with sitting down with a makeup artist yet, see a Sephora employee and ask for a ColourIQ assessment. They basically take a camera to scan your skin and identify your base colour/undertones. They can link it to your Sephora account and the app will start suggesting the shades that will best match you for most brands. It’s by no means a perfect system, but it will get you pretty close. I would recommend doing it once in the summer and once in the winter as your shade will change when it tans in the sun. I did this once as my male self and they didn’t bat an eye, just super friendly and helpful staff. Once this is done, you can easily shop from home. 
I hope this helps! If you have any questions, feel free to ask! I’m happy to share my experiences, limited as they may be. 

[minusmymakeup]

Sometimes if you go to the brand websites they’ll have a shade match quiz like Ilmakiage does. I really like ilia makeup and when I went to their site, I was able to do the “quiz” and get my shade recommendation. Then if you want to try a different brand, go the Sephora website/app, select the makeup brand - Milk Makeup and Kosas are clean brands with wide shade ranges - select a foundation/concealer then select ‘shade finder’ and you’ll get a prompt that asks what your current makeup brand is and what shade use then they’ll suggest something similar. It’s a lot of steps but it could be helpful.