When we asked our social media followers what makeup tips they would find useful, one question came up time and again: How can I effectively cover beard shadow?

We reached out to gender free, vegan makeup brand Jecca Blac for their top tips. Here, Jessica (Founder of Jecca Blac) explains how transfeminine people can achieve a flawless base.

Lessons in covering beard shadow – by Jecca Blac 

For many makeup wearers who wish to feminise their appearance, concealing beard shadow is an important step in a day to day makeup regime. I began Jecca Blac by offering makeup lessons to transgender women and those first experimenting with their gender expression. Beard shadow coverage was by far the most popular request from my clients. Instead of using loads of foundation, I use the technique of colour correcting and concealing, being sure to always use cream-based formulas which are easy to blend and leave a natural finish.

Colour Correcting

What is it?
In our skin, there are many different colours which in the makeup industry we refer to as tones and undertones. These vary throughout our complexion and because of this, you can layer products which counteract, brighten and neutralise any areas of concern. When choosing a colour corrector, first look at the undertone of the area you’re looking to correct, then choose a pigment directly opposite on the below colour wheel to counteract the undertone and neutralise it, so that it matches the rest of your face.

This method can be used for any areas which have a blueish undertone, such as the under eyes and any areas of beard shadow. By looking at the colour wheel, you can see that opposite any dark blue shades are warm, peachy/coral shades with an orange or pinky base.

Colour correcting and concealing

Colour correcting and concealing is the best way to cover beard shadow or under eye darkness. A peach colour corrector gets rid of blue undertones of the skin, such as beard shadow. If you have darker skin, use an orange colour corrector instead.

Before launching Jecca Blac as a makeup retailer, I gave makeup lessons to transfeminine clients in my safe space studio. I often felt frustrated that there was not a palette on the market that was designed to give a simple solution to beard shadow.

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Our Correct & Conceal Palette was our first ever product to launch. It was also the first product of its kind, developed specifically with makeup wearers in mind who seek beard shadow coverage. The palette includes a peachy Colour Corrector shade and a Concealer shade which can be used after the Colour Corrector or as a concealer for any areas of redness. Applying the Concealer after the Colour Corrector will complete your base and blend the Colour Corrector in with the rest of the face. As well as providing simple and effective beard shadow coverage, this Palette can be used to conceal acne, scarring and any areas of redness.

How To Cover Beard Shadow:

Step 1. Make sure you’re freshly shaved and have completed your skincare. Makeup lasts best when you have a smooth, moisturised base, so make sure to hydrate your skin using a moisturiser of your choice – such as our Hydrate Primer which locks moisture into the skin, while also providing a silky smooth base for long lasting makeup.

Step 2. Once your skincare is complete, prime the skin using a Primer which mattifies the skin’s surface and blurs skin texture. Our Blur & Matte Primer does just that – by blurring pores, fine lines and beard shadow, you can start your beard shadow coverage with a blurred surface. This product also controls your skin’s oil production throughout the day and improves the staying power of your base makeup.

Step 3. Once you’ve primed, it’s time to start colour correcting. Using a round foundation brush, apply shade ‘Colour Correct’ from our Correct & Conceal Palette all over the beard shadow.

Step 4. Now you’ve colour corrected, you can apply the ‘Concealer’ shade from the Correct & Conceal Palette over the top of the beard area with the same brush you used for colour correcting (or a similar brush). Applying this all over the face will blend in the ‘Colour Correct’ shade with the rest of your face, and will also conceal any blemishes or areas of redness.

Step 5. Our products are designed to be layered, so if you still see some beard shadow you can top up any areas of darkness with a little more ‘Colour Correct’ until you’re satisfied with the result. If you’re happy with the level of coverage, it’s important to set the face using a translucent setting powder. If you prefer a full coverage look, you can layer a foundation of your choice on top – but for many of our customers, they find the ‘Concealer’ part of the Correct & Conceal Palette provides them with the coverage they’re looking for in their base makeup.

Step 6. Now your base is complete, you can follow with any steps and finishing touches, as you would usually when putting together a makeup look. This can range from contouring to applying colourful pigments to your eyes, cheeks and lips as a pop of colour.

Step 7. Use a setting spray all over the face for even longer lasting coverage once you’re finished with your look!

Here’s a makeup tutorial which shows how we recommend using our Correct & Conceal Palette!

The Correct & Conceal Palette is available in 6 shades. If you aren’t sure of yours, click here to submit an image of your jaw/neck area in good lighting and we’ll shade match you for free!

Click here to shop our Beard Shadow Coverage collection.

What about touch ups?

If you are going out for the day or night, you can easily touch up beard shadow with the corrector by dabbing onto the area with your fingers. Powder can also be applied to further touch up your base.

If you’re at the start of your makeup journey (or simply want to brush up on your skills!) we have a team of professionals who provide FREE makeup advice – click here to begin your consultation by submitting a selfie/photo and explaining your desired look!

For more information on vegan, gender free makeup brand Jecca Blac, head to https://jeccablac.com

We have another blog post on GenderGP about how to contour, which you can read here!