im a complete makeup newbie

hi. my name is rebecca, I'm 19 years old and I'm a MtF trans girl. I've been on hormones for 2 months now and I've very excited about my future as a girl. The reason why I'm making this post is because i'm a huge newbie when it comes to make up. I can't do anything. All the make up I've ever had on my face was put by my friends and i would love to be able to apply it by myself. I love lipsticks, for example. So how should I start? A book maybe? I know theres too many to choose from, specially for beginners. I'd love to hear what you girls have to say. Kisses. Heres a picture of me for reference. thanks

Hi Rebecca, 

Welcome to the forum /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> 

If you go to your local department store and visit one of the make-up counters they will help you choose the correct shades and make-up for your skin type and advise you on how to apply the make-up. If you ask they will usually show you how to apply it. I'd suggest starting with a bb or cc cream as your base. You're young and have lovely skin so you can get away with just a light base anyway and a sweep mascara on your top lashes. 

Apply your make-up next to the window with plenty of natural light blending well and taking it down to your neck to avoid the telltale foundation line. To apply mascara, look up and brush the mascara through your lashes base to tip or if preferred look down and sweep the tops of your lashes base to tip. Wait for it to dry and apply a second coat if desired. For a more natural look start with a brown mascara. There are lots of tutorials on Youtube showing how to apply makeup and how about getting together with your friends and have them show you how they apply their make-up and practice on each other. Make a fun night of it. Half of the fun is experimenting with make-up. 

Hope that helps : ) 

Somebody is going to bash me for this- but I'm throwing it out there anyway. While there are a millions things that are done not "properly" ...... youtube CAN teach you a lot if you know absolutely nothing. I learned a LOT as a beginner when I was totally clueless. I had to watch a ton of videos and understand on my own how and why people used so many different brushes and products, etc. Being a makeup artist is a career for a reason. It takes a lot of practice and skill to get it right. I don't have anybody that could have taught me how to do everything on my own and you need the visual help.

Start with some inexpensive makeup to practice. It's all about trial and error. You'll get it figured out /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

Welcome!  I think everyone here has offered some excellent suggestions.  I'm also a newbie in comparison to the many talented  people here, and genderqueer (presenting various ways across the gender spectrum).  I've found YouTube to be a great resource for anything you're curious about, and it's always good to consult with someone knowledgeable in the field to find the right foundation and such.  I was lucky enough to have a friend that worked for Shiseido who could answer whichever questions I had.  I also find it's often a case of lots of practice through trail and error, and receiving feedback can be useful too.  I know that sometimes I get stuck in a routine, and have to push myself to try new and different things to improve.  I often joke that I'm about a decade behind most of my female friends at makeup, but improvement often comes quicker than you might imagine (liquid eyeliner frightened me for years, and now I love it hah).

So welcome to the forums, and I'm sure you'll learn lots here!.  Also, remember to have fun along the way /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />