I thought I would do a post outlining items that I would recommend to someone who is just beginning to wear make-up, and is looking for staple items. I tried to pick items that I own that are more affordable, as I know that when people first start buying make up they might not have the money to splurge on more high end items. The first few items I include are basic items that I think everyone needs, and then I include a few extras that are less necessary, but still items that I personally use on a daily basis.
Basic items in the kit:
Foundation
This is something that may not be necessary if you are someone with flawless skin, but for the rest of us who are mere mortals, this is a nice tool that helps to even out your skin tone and hide any blemishes or discolouration. Foundation can be a little difficult to choose, so I always get someone to help find a good shade match for my skin tone. Based on the needs of your skin, you will also need to decide if you want your foundation to have a light, medium, or full coverage to it. Many foundations also come in different formulas depending on your skin type, so look for a product that is made specifically for dry or oily skin. One of my favourite foundations is Revlon's
Nearly Naked foundation, and I am in the shade "Vanilla". This is a liquid foundation so I find it easy to apply and blend into my skin. I also find that it doesn't appear cakey, and does not oxidise (turn orange) throughout the day. This product is also very affordable and retails for around $10.00 at the drug-store.
Eye shadow
I personally am someone who wears eye shadow every day, even if it is a subtle sparkly champagne colour all over the lid because I find it is a pretty way to brighten up your eyes. The eye shadow I like to use for this is
All that Glitters by
MAC. It is a really gorgeous sparkly beige colour that is flattering for any skin tone. I know MAC eye shadow might not be the most affordable choice, but I really do love them because the colours are so pigmented and are really good quality. You really do not need to use a lot of product for their eye shadows to become opaque. The second eye shadow I would recommend is either MAC's
Sable or
Satin Taupe. They are really pretty crease colours that are easy to blend, and I find I always get the most compliments when I use one of these two products in my crease. Sable is described as a "gold-plum colour with a bronze pearl", and Satin Taupe is described as a "taupe colour with silver shimmer". If you were only to get one shadow though, I would go with All That Glitters because a crease colour is not completely necessary. These shadows retail for about $18.00 at the MAC store.
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| All That Glitters |
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| Sable |
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| Satin Taupe |
Mascara
This is probably the one make up item that I could not go without. As much as I love lipstick, without mascara I find my face just looks naked. I am someone who spends ten minutes doing my mascara because I am a perfectionist and I use a generous amount, but for most people it is a quick and easy step that makes a huge difference in your overall appearance. My favourite mascara is the
Cover girl "Lash-blast" mascara, and actually I've heard that this is Taylor Swift's favourite as well (fun fact). I find that it makes my lashes look longer and gives them a lot of volume without making them clumpy. The brush takes a little getting used to because it is so fat, and a little spiky, but out of all the mascaras I've ever tried (trust me that's A LOT) this is my favourite. This mascara can be purchased from the drug-store and retails for around $10.00.
Bronzer
This is another item that I think is a necessity for your beginner's make up kit. As someone who has always been cursed with being extremely pale in the winter, bronzer has definitely helped over the years to make me look more human. There are tons of bronzers to choose from, so you just need to decide which kind is right for you. They sell bronzers that come in a pan form (which is what I prefer), but they also sell bronzers that come in the form of little beads in a screw off container. These are good because they seriously last forever... unless you are like me and lose a few balls each time because they fly all over. You also need to decide if you want a matte bronzer, or one with shimmer. I prefer more matte ones in the winter as they are more natural looking, and ones with a subtle shimmer in the summer for a glowy look. Try to look for one that is only one or two shades darker then your natural skin tone, and one that is more brown than orange. The one I like is from
E.LF Cosmetics in the colour "Golden Bronze" which you can purchase at
Target, and retails for only $3.00. I like that it comes with three different bronzey shades so you can combine the colours you like depending on how fair or dark you are that season.
Lipgloss
To me lipgloss is an essential part of a beginners kit because most girls start wearing lipgloss far before they start wearing make-up. It is just a fun addition that you can put on to make you feel more girly and pretty, and I find that it makes you look like you put a lot more effort into your make up then you really did. This lipgloss by BonneBell in the shade "cappuccino" has been one of my favourites since highschool, and is a really pretty nude colour. I am someone who is picky with smells, and will not put anything cherry anywhere near my lips, but this has a subtle caramel smell to it that is to die for. I don't even remember the last time I purchased this, so I am not completely sure how much it currently retails for, but it is probably around $5.00
Extra Items:
Eye primer
This is something that I use every day because I find that it helps my eye shadow stay in place all day. There are eye primers that are clear, ones that are skin colour, and ones that can look more like a cream eye shadow. I prefer the skin colour ones because they help to hide any redness you may have on your eyelids. I also like the cream eye shadow ones because they really help the eye shadow that you put on top to pop. A good skin colour primer that I like is
MAC's "Painterly"
paint pot. These retail for $24.00, but I know that Maybelline has a version called "colour tattoos" and I have heard that they are just as good. Those are probably around $10.00
Concealer
If you are someone who has good skin then you might not need concealer, but for people with more problem areas it is a good tool to help cover up breakouts and hide undereye circles. There are two types of concealers, ones that brighten, and ones that give more coverage. The brightening ones have a bit of coverage to help hide undereye circles, but they also have a highlighting ability to them to help brighten up your face. This kind of concealer you generally wouldnt put on breakouts. The concealer you need for hiding breakouts is one that is a bit thicker and provides more coverage. Once again, I usually get help from a sales associate when picking a concealer because sometimes it can be difficult to pick one that matches your skin tone. For brightening concealers my favourite is the
Maybelline Age rewind dark circles eraser in the "brightening" shade. I think this product does a great job at brightening up my under eye area. My only issue was that you need to twist the top in order for the product to come out, and eventually mine broke and wouldnt twist anymore so I was unable to use up all the product that was left. I think this one retails for about $12.00 at the drug-store. For a full coverage concealer I like MAC's studio finish concealer. This product retails for $22.00 at the MAC store.
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Setting Powder
Setting powder is something that I use everyday over my foundation, or sometimes on it's own if I my skin is looking good that day, and it is meant to help make your make up stay in place all day. If you are someone with oily skin then I would add this to your beginners kit because this is a necessary product for you. Dusting setting powder on your face before you head out the door will help keep your oily skin under control throughout the day, and prevent your face from looking shiny. If you are someone with dry skin I would stay away from this product because it will make your skin look more dry and flaky. The setting powder that I use every day is the
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural, and right now I am in the shade "medium" This product retails for $35.00. Another good one that I have used is the
Revlon Photo Ready Finisher. Here I choose the translucent one, however they do have different shades you can choose from. This one retails for around $12.00 at the drug-store.
Blush:
Blush is another item that is not a necessity, and I find it takes a bit of practice to figure out where it should go on your cheeks and how dark it should be applied.When done properly, however, I think it can look really pretty and really helps to warm up your face. In the fall winter months I stick to more of the peachy-pinks, or baby pink colours for a gentle flush, and in the summer I tend to reach for more coral pinks. A blush that I would recommend that I think would look pretty on many different skin tones is
MAC's powder blush in "Peachykeen". This is the first blush I ever bought, and I think that the colour is a really good standard colour. These blushes are really pigmented so you barely need any on your brush, and they retail for $25.00
Highlighter
This is something I also use every day to highlight different places on my face. I use this on the inner corner of my eye, on my brow bone, on my cheekbones, and down my nose. Highlighters come in many different formulas, but I find that powder ones are easier to apply and blend in than cream or liquid ones, and look more natural as well. The one that I use most often is by
MAC and is the
Mineralize SkinFinish in the shade "Soft and Gentle". These retail for $35.00
Eye liner
Eye liner is also something I use every day, but is not a necessity if you are just starting out. I wear two kinds of eye liner every day, a liquid eye liner on my upper lash line, and a pencil liner on my lower lash line. Liquid liner can be a little difficult to use, but with practice you eventually get the hang of it. My favourite liquid liner is by E.L.F cosmetics and retails for $1.00! I just find this one is so easy to apply, and doesn't smudge throughout the day. I don't really have a favourite pencil liner, but I like the mechanical ones that let you twist up the product, instead of the ones you need to sharpen.
Eyelash curler
I know there are people who have maybe never used an eyelash curler, but this is a tool that I use every day. Although they can look scary and intimidating, with a bit of practice they are really easy to use.... Just do not blink! They make your eyelashes look longer and ensure that they stay curled all day. The one I use is made by Revlon, and I really like it a lot. I forget how much I purchased it for as I got it years ago, but they retail for about $5.00 at the drug-store.
Let me know what your must have makeup products are in the comments below!
~Jess.♥
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