Smooth as a Baby's Butt - Shaving your face

For the tranny-on-the-street, a good shave can mean the difference between life and death. For a Drag Queen under stage lighting, the risks are almost as great. Shaving is essential to passing and required to create the female illusion properly. If it's not done right, the results can be disasterous - cuts, irritation and the dreaded five o'clock shadow. In addition to maintaining a good skin care regimen, there's three keys to getting a good shave: good blades, lubrication, and direction.

First, you need to use a good razor. The Mach 3 is the best. There's not much else I can say about that, it's simply the best razor made. If you prefer another brand, then go ahead, but if you haven't tried the Mach 3, then you need to try it if you are having trouble getting a really close shave. When you first get a razor out of the box, it may be too sharp. Use it on your arms first then use it for your face after it's dulled down a bit. If you have a thick beard, a Mach 3 may last only 5-6 shaves. The 2nd through last shaves will be the best. If you notice your razor missing hairs, cutting your skin, or it irritates, throw it away and get a new one. It is essential that you keep your blades sharp and in good condition.

The next thing I've found that really affects a shave is lubrication. Lube helps a lot of things work better, and a razor is no exception. Try using a little moisturizer on your face first, and shave right away. Use a good shaving cream that doesn't have any fragrance added. This will irritate your skin less and you won't smell like a man. If the moisturizer doesn't lubricate enough, use more, or try baby oil instead.

The third important thing about getting a good shave is shaving direction. Shaving, like golf, is a game of opposites. You need to shave in the opposite direction of the hair growth wherever possible. This is not as simple as just going 'up' all the time. Check to see which direction your hair growth is, and shave against it. The patterns are not always the same for everyone, so you need to practice until you figure out your personal specifics. For the area above my lip, I shave it 'down' first, then I shave against the grain, just because it is a very sensitive area.

If you can not get a good shave using these techniques, you may need to consider special types of makeup. Ben Nye makes a very good beard cover, but you shouldn't need it if you follow the guidelines above. The ultimate solution of course, is to look into some kind of permanent hair removal, but this is only advised if you are considering transitioning full time. I have gotten laser treatments and it's very effective. There is a small risk of skin discoloration, but if it happens, it does go away. If you do decide to transition, I suggest getting this done before you go full-time girl. As I said before, a five-o-clock shadow on a girl is a Very Bad Thing.

Good Luck!
Jasmine