Trans Women and Their Facial Hair

Hello, Angels!

Hoping you are having a great day and that you are enjoying the content produced on this very website you are visiting today. 

I may not have produced enough content for viewers and readers to figure out who my target audiences are. However, if you have stumbled onto this page you are welcomed with open arms. And in fact, this particular post can be used by nearly everyone. If you are someone who shaves any part of their body for comfort or to present or project a genre such as a gender or persona, this post could be useful for you. 

Before we begin I want to piece together the loose threads of information I just provided on my target audiences. Who are they? Why have I chosen to cater to them? And why is it important?

The short answer is that I aim to speak to people who are like me: trans, queer, non-conforming, cross dressers, drag queens, and select others who identify in the LGBTQIA+ spectrum and community. My goal in doing so is to show others that there are people in the world who are a part of their tribe, people who share their interests and are willing to share ideas and friendship. 

If this kind of person is you, please reach out to me. Continue to follow my blog as well as my videos and join in the conversation. You are the person I think of when I am creating content, the people who I worry for, who I care for and love.

Now, if you are anything other than what I have described, do not puzzle piece your way into the conclusion that I would not or do worry, care for, and love you. For the core of my being and spirituality to be intact it is vital that I hold a love and respect for all life. None is more important than another, none deserves more love than another. Equality, that is, spiritual oneness, is essential to happy living.  

And on the topic of happy lives, it is so that queer people often find happy living to be difficult when our means of presentation takes time, effort and money. Things that most people complain not to have enough of. 

Today I want to focus my time and energy on trans women. Trans women today are still often the butt of jokes. We still look at people in public spaces or in media and try to figure out their gender and sex. Genuine interest and even concern can potentially be very positive, but when it is followed with laughter, sexism, or bigotry these moments are very problematic for the subject. 

I believe that most conversation about trans identities is healthy. The more the words of the genre are spoken the more normalized it becomes whether it is during a battle of whits and ideologies or a conversation of understanding. However, regardless of the tone, if the subject, that is the trans person and their identity, is asked to join a conversation unprovoked by them themselves, we are often caught off guard, going through a quick and stressful analysis of whether or not the situation is healthy or damaging, even dangerous. We must think about what the intent of the conversation is and if we are in the right state of mind to discuss openly and freely. 

It is one thing to say, you yourself, to your friends, "Hey, can we take some time to talk about this issue that I am facing? I'd really appreciate some feedback." It is a very different situation when someone else asks, "Hey, you are trans, right? Can I ask you about some of your concerns?" Now, these questions appear very kind hearted and even calculated for respect. However, this is not nearly always the case. 

At a recent event I attended a man spoke to me very briefly. He said to me after asking respectfully for some some time in a private space I had entered that he "does not discriminate," he simply "procreates." The adage seemed to be rooted in love. After all, he "does not discriminate." However, even these phrases can be hints that a person is rather bigoted, even dangerous. By the end of the night I had been offended more than once and that very man nearly started a brawl. 

What I'm saying is, that it is often a safety concern to simply be who you are if you identify as a trans individual. 

Before I leave home I always consider what I am wearing and how I'm presenting my body. Am I visibly trans or gay? Where can I be safe if I am? And of course, do I pass?

At drag balls there are categories such as: Pink Pussy Realness, Fish Up In Pumps, Feminine Realness. Each of these categories and more require queens, often male at birth, to present woman in such a way that their male body is unclockable, that is, you need to be able to pass as a woman.  And these events are competitions because it is not easy to pass. It is an art. And like most art it takes time, effort and money. 

Over the years I have become more and more comfortable in my trans identity as I have acquired more time, skill and money. I feel I am lucky to be non-conforming and often comfortable enough to wear makeup with a stubbled face. I still have not had the courage to sport unshaved legs without  an abundance of tights hiding my hair underneath when I wear dresses. 

So, when I do wear dresses I have a very particular technique I use and particular tools that each cost money. I want to take you through the products and techniques so you too may feel comfortable and safe if your willing to dish out what it costs. 

Here is the section that becomes much more accessible to all or most identities as I will be sharing my shaving routine that can be used by anyone. I have a video that will be most useful for demonstration. I will provide simple steps below the video but then add some additional tips.

Step 3: Lather in a Zest Creamy Cocoa Butter & Shea Moisture-Rich Bar Soap ($2.98). Rub the product in so your face is sudsy and sleek.

Step 4: Using circular motions against the grain shave using the Panasonic ES8243A Arc4 Electric Razor ($89.99) 

Step 5: For extra measure and for trouble areas shave with a disposable razor very gently. 

Step 6: Rinse, dry and apply Nivea Creme ($5.48) to moisturize the face because it will be dried out by the face cleaner and soap.

Step 1: Start up a shower with lukewarm water and bask in the warmth

Step 2: Use a facial cleaner such as the Neutrogena® Oil-Free Acne Wash ($6.39) with a washcloth or brush. Exfoliate until you feel your facial hair is soft. 

I have used this technique for several months until I changed the soap to a conditioner. I have found that conditioners work much better at softening hairs since that is part of its purpose and it minimizes suds on the face which I found to actually be distracting and difficult to see through, and instead the conditioner is clear and much much more slick on the skin which is what we want. 

I have used this technique beyond my face as well. I use these steps to shave my arms, chest, abdomen and legs. It works like a charm although the lighting in my bathroom is so difficult to work with that I often miss patches of hair when shaving my body. 

I have enjoyed this technique so much that I even shaved down the sides of my head with clippers then applied the shaving method for a very fun photoshoot.

This tutorial is useful for trans women, drag queens and crossdressers, however, many men and women shave in very similar ways so these techniques may be used by all. 

I hope the tutorial and this blog were both useful and entertaining. If you have any questions please feel free to leave a comment or email me directly. I very much so want to hear from people like me and people who support and advocate for the people like me. 

There is much more to come, but for now:

Bye Bye, Angels!