Hi! I’m looking to get into makeup. I only tried eyeliner and foundation that wasn’t my color lol. I’ve avoided makeup so far because I’m afraid it will come off and because I didn’t like the feel of the foundation. In general, I prefer light makeup. So for starters I guess I would need a primer, foundation, concealer, eye shadow, lipstick, blush, a bronzer and a reflection. Am I missing something? What are some good brands / light products (I usually hate anything that looks mushy) to start with? (preferably at Sephora as it’s the only makeup store by me and I’ll be there next week). Thanks for the help!!
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You don’t need all that stuff to get started; if you’re quite new to makeup just start with a primer, foundation (in your color haha), lipstick, and some eyeshadow and eyeliner and/or mascara. You could also grab a setting spray or powder if you’re worried about the makeup coming off or have oily skin like me lol. By all means get the other stuff to experiment, but it’s easier to start with basic looks and work your way up to the contouring and all that jazz. And unless you have super dark circles, blemishes, etc, foundation works pretty well as concealer.
Personally for foundation (from Sephora) I used to swear by Urban Decay’s Naked Skin, which gives good coverage and feels very lightweight, and when I switched to powder foundation I use BareMinerals’ powder, which adheres to the skin well and you can not really notice that it’s on. You could also get a compact of powder foundation in a shade slightly darker than your skin and use it to give your face definition, like beneath your cheekbones and around your hairline, without going full-out with bronzer. But just experiment at the store with the samples and see what looks and feels nice on your skin. And it’s also good to do some research beforehand about the undertones in your skin (warm, cool, neutral), so it’s easier to match your foundation color. Good luck!
You might need some setting powder to set your makeup as you’re worried about the makeup coming off. If you prefer light makeup, a skin tint might be better than a foundation. If you’re using foundation and eyeshadow, you might need a mascara for your lashes as foundation can sometimes get on lashes and make them skin colored.
When I just started I didn’t use all the products you mentioned. I started with foundation, mascara, and blush (sometimes eyeliner)!
Biggest thing is mascara honestly it makes a world of a difference lol. Maybe start with a nice blush, my first was Tarte Exposed. On a better price point you can try the Milani baked blushes.
If you don’t want to start with a proper foundation maybe you would be more comfortable with a tinted moisturizer, I really like the bareminerals one and the Nars one!
For mascara any drugstore one will do honestly I’m not sure they are all ***that*** different…
For eyeliner maybe start with a pencil unless you’re already good at having steady hands, then you can use a gel!
You can also use highlighter—I honestly didn’t until a couple years of wearing makeup but I do love highlighter lol. The Ofra ones are rather blinding but a nice cheap one that will give you good bang for your buck is Colourpop! Also Colourpop has the best variety of lipsticks and eyeshadows too! They even have foundation but it may be hard to color match online, I recommend Temptalia’s foundation matrix. (But I know you mentioned your current one isn’t a good match).
You don’t mention what your skin type is, so I’m just gonna throw in this tidbit: if you have dry skin, you may want to avoid the powder foundations and even the setting powders. I swear, if I look at a powder my skin dehydrates like I haven’t had a drink of water in a month. It’s bananas. And that mineral powder foundation that’s invisible on everyone else’s skin is 100% cake face on me, no matter how little I apply. So you definitely want to take your skin type into consideration. It will save you tons of money.
The Rare Beauty Foundation is super lightweight and looks very natural; L.A. Girl Concealer (not sure you’ll find it at Sephora, tho) for the skin. Everything else is up to you.
First step is to get your tools in order: get yourself some good quality brushes and sponges. Everyone is different, some use a brush to apply foundation, some use a sponge, some use their fingers. Play around and see what you like and what works.
Ensure your foundation works with your skin type and preferred coverage.
A setting powder is crucial if you have oily or combination skin. A setting spray can also be great for makeup intended for long days.
Honestly, you don’t need big name brands – drugstore can work wonders.
Hope this helps!