Last week, a couple friends and I went to get some frozen yogurt (not ice cream, get with the times man) and amongst the conversations on what to do after, my one friend wanted to buy some new makeup. Of course after hearing that my crops were watered, my skin become clear, and I was going to college for free. That didn't actually happen, but I just wanted to share how excited I was to have a reason to go to Ulta.
At Ulta, I asked my friend what she wanted and she was confused because she didn't know where to start. She was absolutely clueless, which is not bad (love ya, Maheera), but I come from a background where either my friends passionately love makeup or they didn't give a shitake mushroom. Which gave me a bright idea for this post. Today, I will be giving you a stripped down version of what any Newb needs. I am gonna make so simple, even a sixth grader can read it. *Note: if you are a sixth grader, please stay in school*
If you are not aware of your skin type, please take this quiz to help the process go by easier.
Base // This term is used to refer to your facial makeup being primer, foundation, concealer, face powder, dabbling into bronzer, blush, and highlight. However, in this guide, I will be skipping bronzer and highlighter because it does require some technique.
There are so many things you can buy which can be very confusing. Luckily in this day and age, if you read the label of a majority of foundations/bb creams, it will tell you what you what skin type it is suited for which will make the process simple.
Let us start simple, buy a BB Cream. It is a great start to makeup because it is light but has a comfortable amount of coverage. It also contains a lot of skin benefits that will help you transition into more intermediate makeup. If you want a little more coverage, a foundation may be your best option, please read the labels because it will tell you which foundation is suited for what skin.
If you don't have under-eyes or acne, you may want to try concealer. However, it is something I started using when I got into makeup. A lot of concealers do not have a direct match, because of economical reasons, so you may end up having a concealer that is slightly darker or lighter than your foundation/bb cream.
Next is powder, which is pretty straightforward. You will need to buy a powder to set your concealer and foundation or else it may smudge. Just choose one that is closest to your skin tone.
I kept the powder section very simple because now I will start recommending products to use.
My Recommendations:
- Garnier BB Cream
- Maybelline Dream BB Cream
- Maybelline FitMe Makeup Line (THIS!)
For foundation, concealer, and powder I highly suggest looking into the Maybelline FitMe line at the drugstore. They have a plethora of foundations that is suited for different skin type and they also have numbers that correspond to a matching concealer, powder, and even blush and bronzer. Pretty Awesome!
Eyes // When it comes to eyes, if I was starting out I would stick to mascara, an eyelash curler, and maybe some eyeliner. When it comes to eyeliner there are many different types, you can refer to this post for some eyeliner advice. It definitely takes practice and different eyeliners to figure out what works best for you. For mascara, one of my first loves of mascara has to be Maybelline Big Eyes Mascara and Maybelline Great Lash. I recomended different types of eyeliner for some variety.
My Recommendations:
- E.L.F. Intense Ink Eyeliner (link)
- E.L.F. Precision Liquid Eyeliner (link)
- Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner (link)
- Maybelline Great Lash Lots of Lashes (link)
- Maybelline Falsies Big Eyes Mascara (link)
- E.L.F Eyelash Curler (link)
If you want to start playing with colors, I highly suggest investing in a nice eyeshadow palette. My favorite that I have been using religiously for the past few years has to be the original Urband Decay Naked Palette. The thing I like about it is that everyone, all skintones and eyeshapes, can use it. You do something simple or dramatic depending on your feeling.
Lips // Finally, experimenting with different lip colors is important! You will never know what looks good on you unless you try. Remembering if you have dry skin is to avoid matte/drying products, other than that, that is pretty much it.
I am going to recomend the Revlon Balms because they come in three different finishes: Lacquer, Matte, and Stain, and they are of great quality. Lacquer is a very shiny finish, Matte is no shine, and a balm will stain your lips. If you don't like the feeling of anything on your lips, then get the balm stain. If your lips are dry, try the laquer. If you are normal/oily, its all up toyou!
Recomandations:
- Revlon Lacquer Balm (link)
- Revlon Matte Balm (link)
- Revlon Balm Stain (link)
Recomendations:
- Ecotools Brush Set (link)
- Realtechniques Brush Set (link)
- Real Techniques Complexion Sponge (link)
- Face Sponge Wedges (link) *wet than apply
Skincare // Lastly, I wanted to touch on skincare because it is something that is extremely important when it comes wearing makeup and having a peace of mind. There are many options to choose from, but I am going to recomend cleansing water because it removes everything without hard rubbing. The only gripe is that it runs out quickly if you are an everyday makeup user. However, I think it is worth it. Another thing I would keep at hand are makeup remover wipes if you are on-the-go and need to remove your makeup.
Recomendations:
- Garnier Micellar Water (link)
- Neutrogena Makeup Remover Wipes (link)
Overall, I hope you have found this guide inslightful and maybe it answered some of your newbie makeup questions. It is pretty straightforward. Trsut me when I say this, but contouring, highlighting, baking, falsies, cat-eyes, cut-crease, etc are not going to turn-out well if you don't know the basics and you don't practice. It takes time~
Anyways if you have any questions, ask me in the comments below and I or someone can answer ^_^
Happy Tuesday ^_^
