If you’re a trans woman or crossdresser learning makeup, this MTF eyeshadow guide will help you start with confidence. Eyeshadow isn’t just about color — it’s a powerful tool for softening masculine features, creating depth, and bringing focus to your eyes. But it’s also one of the easiest things to mess up when you’re starting out.
This MTF eyeshadow guide walks you through the absolute basics of eyeshadow, with a focus on the techniques that work best for MTF beginners.
What Is MTF Eyeshadow (and Why It’s Different for Trans Women and Crossdressers)
At its core, eyeshadow is colored powder or cream applied to the eyelids and surrounding areas to enhance your eyes. It creates dimension, shape, and expression.
Most eyeshadow tutorials you’ll find are aimed at cis women. Those techniques assume naturally softer brow bones, smaller eye sockets, and lower brow placements. If you’re MTF — whether you’re transitioning or exploring — you might have a more prominent brow ridge (the bone above your eyes that sticks out slightly), deeper-set eyes (where the eyes sit farther back in the socket), or hooded lids (where the skin of the upper lid folds over the crease). These features can make your eyes look heavier or shadowed.
That’s why many classic YouTube tutorials don’t always work or look flattering for MTF faces. You need techniques that soften masculine features, enhance your natural eye area, and create a lifted, open look — and that’s exactly what this MTF eyeshadow guide is built around.
One of the hardest parts for me wasn’t learning how to apply MTF eyeshadow. It was understanding my bone structure, figuring out my eye shape, and knowing what to actually look for. Learning to soften and feminize your features is a process. Eyeshadow just happens to be one of the best tools for it.
Choosing the Right MTF Eyeshadow for Beginners
Start with Neutrals
Skip the bold colors and glitter for now. Soft browns, taupes, peaches, creams, and muted plums will give you definition without shouting, “I’m wearing eyeshadow!” These colors also make blending easier — especially when you’re just starting out.
Stick to Matte (At First)
Shimmer draws attention to texture and bone structure — which isn’t always flattering, especially if you have hooded eyes or a heavier brow ridge. Stick with matte shades for your crease and outer corners. If you want a pop, use shimmer only on the center of your lid.
Know Your Eye Shape
- Hooded eyes: If the skin from your brow bone folds over your natural crease and hides it, you have hooded eyes. Apply your crease color slightly above where your crease folds to fake a lifted look.
- Deep-set eyes: If your eyes sit farther back under your brow bone and seem shadowed naturally, you have deep-set eyes. Use lighter shades on your lid to bring them forward and avoid making them look more sunken.
- Prominent brow ridge: If the bone above your eyes juts forward noticeably, you have a prominent brow ridge. Focus darker shades on the outer corners of your eyes and blend upward — this draws attention away from the brow ridge and lifts your eyes.
Not sure what you have? Look straight into a mirror. If your eyelid disappears under a fold of skin, you probably have hooded eyes. If your eyes seem deeply shadowed with your brow bone sitting forward, you likely have deep-set eyes, a prominent brow ridge, or both.
A Basic MTF Eyeshadow Starter Palette Recommendation
Look for a palette with: a light cream, a soft transition brown, a medium matte brown, and a deep matte brown or plum. These will cover your basic looks without overwhelming you.
A great budget option is the e.l.f. Bite Size Eyeshadow Palette in “Cream & Sugar.” It’s under $5 and gives you the perfect starter shades.
How to Apply MTF Eyeshadow: Step-by-Step for Beginners
1. Always Start with Primer
Eyeshadow primer prevents creasing, keeps your shadow in place, and helps smooth out uneven skin texture — especially important if you have oily or thicker skin.
2. Use the Right Brushes (You Only Need Two)
- Flat shader brush: This packs color directly onto your lid.
- Blending brush: A fluffy brush that softens edges and applies color in the crease.
That’s it. You don’t need a huge set.
3. Apply a Transition Shade First
A transition shade is a medium-toned matte color — like a soft brown or taupe — that you apply slightly above your crease (or where your crease would be if you have hooded eyes). This helps create a gradient, making blending easier and avoiding harsh lines between your lid color and brow bone.
Use your blending brush and sweep the shade in a windshield-wiper motion back and forth.
4. Deepen the Outer Corner
Apply a darker matte shade on the outer third of your eyelid and blend it slightly into the crease. This gives your eyes a lifted, elongated look and helps soften the appearance of a prominent brow ridge.
5. Add Lid Color
Pack a lighter shade onto your lid using your flat shader brush. Stick to matte for subtle looks or shimmer if you want brightness — but keep shimmer low on the lid.
6. Highlight the Brow Bone and Inner Corner
Use a light matte or satin shade under your brow arch and in the inner corner of your eye. Avoid glittery highlight if you have a strong brow ridge — it tends to draw attention to areas you may want to soften.
7. Blend Everything
Take your blending brush and gently soften the edges of your shadows to create a seamless fade. Don’t overblend — just soften the harsh lines.
Common MTF Eyeshadow Mistakes Beginners Make (and How to Avoid Them)
- Using shimmer in the crease: This emphasizes hooded eyes and brow ridges.
- Not blending enough — or blending too much: Aim for soft, blended edges, not muddy colors.
- Choosing colors too dark or too bold: Neutrals are your best bet for flattering your features.
- Skipping primer: Your eyeshadow won’t last without it.
- Following cis-oriented tutorials without adapting: Most aren’t designed for MTF bone structure.
Final Thoughts on Learning MTF Eyeshadow Techniques
MTF eyeshadow isn’t magic. It’s a learned skill — especially when your facial features don’t match the tutorials you see everywhere. But with patience, practice, and the right techniques, you can create soft, feminine looks that make your eyes stand out.
Start simple. Practice blending. And don’t worry about perfection. The more you understand your face, the easier MTF eyeshadow gets.
Want more beginner MTF makeup tips? Check out my MTF Beginner Makeup Guide and my Hooded Eye Makeup Tips.
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