This post is for my girls are who knew to makeup! For all the girls who are only getting into makeup now and don't know where to start. I am here to help and tell you e v e r y t h i n g you need to make your life a little easier.
(This post is aimed at girls who are doing it for themselves and not actually as a career or on people/clients)
Disclaimer Before I get into this long post, I tried to put high-end and affordable options into this post as i know a lot of you guys wouldn't be able to afford all the high-end products as they are quiet expensive, and also a lot of affordable makeup is actually better than high-end makeup!!!! So do not think just because it's expensive it's good because that is not always the way.
(This post is aimed at girls who are doing it for themselves and not actually as a career or on people/clients)
Disclaimer Before I get into this long post, I tried to put high-end and affordable options into this post as i know a lot of you guys wouldn't be able to afford all the high-end products as they are quiet expensive, and also a lot of affordable makeup is actually better than high-end makeup!!!! So do not think just because it's expensive it's good because that is not always the way.
Let's get it to.
First of all knowing your skin type is very important, that plays the biggest part in your makeup.
(you do not need to know the in's and out's of skin, you just need to know your own, How to tell the difference between each skin type and what products would work best for you)
Dry Skin - Skin feels tight, cracks or flakes.
Oily Skin - Skin is shiny, pores are large, prone to breakouts & blackheads.
Combnation Skin - Oily in T - zone & Normal or dry everywhere else.
Normal Skin - Skin feel's hydrated & no imperfections.
Sensitive Skin - Red, irritated and dry.
Once you have determined your skin type, the rest is all about picking the right product that will help your makeup last all day and look flawless.
If you cannot determind your skin type that's fine, start in small areas like your chin for example and see if its dry, oily etc and write down the area and the skin type to see if all areas are similar or completely different and that will help you figure out what your skin type is, chances are you will combination skin 99% of people today are, and that is completely fine you will just use make up that will help with both skin types.
Dry Skin | Mac Strobe Cream & L'oreal Lumi Magique Primer
A primer that is illuminating or hydrating is the best, as if gives a healthy looking glow, does not cling onto dry patches, and helps to keep the skin hydrated.
Oily skin | Makeup Forever Mattifying Primer & The Ordinary High-Adherence Silicone Primer.
You definitely need to use a mattifying primer to reduce the oils throughout the day. These will both help to mattify the skin before applying foundation and will keep the oil at bay for most of the day.
Normal skin | Smashbox Primer Water & Rimmel Lasting Finish Primer
Using a primer if you have normal skin is completely up to you, and if you want to you can choose any as they will all work on normal skin.
Combination skin | Smashbox Photo Finish Primer & Inglot Under Makeup Base
For this skin type you would have to use primers to suit the different areas. The below primers are good for all skin types.
Larger pores | Benefit Pore Fessional & Maybelline Baby Skin
A pore filling primer is a must if you have larger pores, They are great at smoothing out the skin.
F o u n d a t i o n - It is super important that you are using a foundation for your skin type! This is No.1 Key to helping your makeup look flawless and last on your skin.
For example if you have oily skin and use an oil base foundation, that is not going to last you any longer than 5 hours, as it will just slide of your face.
Same goes for dry skin, if you use a foundation for oily skin and you have dry skin, its going to clingy to any dry patches, and make your skin very tight.
This is why choosing the right foundation for your skin type is so important.
Below are my recommendations for each skin type.
Dry Skin | Nars sheer glow foundation & Rimmel wake me up foundation.
Oily Skin | Urban Decay all nighter foundation & Miliani Conceal & Perfect 2in1 Foundation & Concealer
Normal Skin | Mac face and body foundation & Inglot YSM foundation
Combination Skin | Makeup Forever HD Foundation & Loreal True match
C o n c e a l e r - This step will be different for everyone, you will either love a full coverage concealer, or a concealer that will just brighten up your under eyes. Concealers also cover up any breakouts, discolouration or any other imperfections you may want to cover.
Dry skin | Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer & Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer
Oily Skin | Mac Pro Long Wear Concealer & Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer
Normal Skin | Inglot Under Eye Concealer & Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer
Combination skin | Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer & NYX HD Concealer
B r o n z e r - All you need is one good bronzer and life will be so much easier!! There are so many bronzer's out there that can make life very hard for you if you are starting out in makeup. You want to make sure your bronzer is also the right colour for you, if you are very fair stick with a lighter bronzer etc. Also you want to make sure you go in with very little on your brush and a very light hand, always go by 'you can always had more but never take away' otherwise if you do go to crazy it will look ridiculous and you will prob need to start all over again. Should always start with a single pan and get use to applying it with a good brush and then move onto a palette for more variety.
Single Pan's | Benefit Hoola Bronzer & NYX Cosmetics Matte Bronzer.
Palette's | Makeup Revolution Ultra Bronze Palette & Too Faced Coco Contour Palette.
C o n t o u r - You could really just use your bronzer for this if you aren't a big contouring fan, But if you love looking like you've got a skinny face (like me) then these products are the best! Contour gives more of a definition to your face. Helps the areas you contour look smaller as the contour shades are cool toned.
Single Pan's | Inglot sculpting powders & The Balm Bahama Mama
Palette's | Sosu Contour Palette & Kat Von D Shade and Light Contour Palette
B l u s h - For some people this step isn't necessary as they just choose not to use blush but for me it is! I love the flush of colour it puts back into your makeup, and I also think it blends the bronzer and highlight together to look more natural. There are so many colours of blush so make sure you get one that think will compliment your skin tone. Pale skin - light blush. Medium skin tone - peach/pink blush. Darker skin - Brown/pink blush.
Single Pan's | Essence Satin Touch Blush & NARS Blush
Palette's | Makeup Revolution Ultra Blush Palette & Anastasia Beverly Hills Blush Kit
H i g h l i g h t - Now for my personal favourite part. Another step that is totally your choice, You can stay nice and natural with your glow or go OTT like myself or you can just completely leave this out. I think this step completes every's makeup look. All the highlight I recommend below are outstanding so if you ever pick up any of them you will not be disappointed.
Single Pan's | The Balm Mary Lou Manizer & Makeup Revolution Vivid Baked Highlight
Palette's | Anastasia Beverly Hill's Highlighting palettes & Makeup Revolution Soph Highlight Palette
E y e s h a d o w P a l e t t e ' s - Choosing an eyeshadow palette is totally up to what you like and how much your willing to spend on one. Every eyeshadow palette is different so you have to find one that you are comfortable with.
Makeup Revolution Eyeshadow Palettes - I think starting out with these palettes are the best, there so affordable, easy to get and very good pigmentation. Would be easy for you to practice with as they are not overly pigmented but blend out very well.
Morphe Palettes - Morphe is definitely the perfect starting point for young girls. Morphe is so affordable and have so many palettes to choose from so you will definitely find a palette that speaks to you.
Anastasia Beverly Hill Modern Renaissance Palette & Soft Glam Palette - If you want to up your skills, something a little better than the Morphe palettes, and do not mind spending the money then you need these palettes. AMAZING, the pigmentation is insane and you will have killer eye looks with these trust me.
E y e l i n e r / G e l L i n e r - Same with eyeshadow palettes, This is personal preference and what you feel most comfortable with. It will be trail and error with a gel and a liquid and will take a lot of practice to get it right.
Inglot Gel Liner - No.77 best gel liner in the makeup industry, waterproof and as Keilidh mua would say life proof. Lasts forever and a day too, just have some duraline on hand for when it starts to dry out.
Essence Liquid Ink Liner - If gel liner scares you this will be your best friend! Blacker than black ;) and so easy to apply once your careful. Cheap as chips too.
M a s c a r a - Mascara finishes the eye look, so you want one that is going to enhance your lashes.
Both of these mascara's are great! These both add length and volume without being clumpy.
Benefit They're Real Mascara & Rimmel London ScandalEyes Retro Glam Mascara
B r o w P r o d u c t s - Whatever products you want to use for your brows is totally up to you. I would personally advise to start of with a pencil and brow mascara to get comfortable with how you want to do your brows then move onto a gel or pomade.
Brow Pencil's | Benefit Goof Proof Brow Pencil & NYX Micro Brow Pencil
Pencils would be the best to start with, you have more of a grip with a pencil, So I definitely recommend starting with a pencil once your confident with pencils, then you should up skill to a gel or powder.
Brow Gel's | Inglot Brow Gel & NYX Eyebrow Gel
I personally love gel's but they are harder to work with, you would need a light hand and be careful where you are placing it. If you do your brows first before your base then you can clean any mistakes with concealer.
Brow Mascara's | Essence Make Me Brow Gel Mascara & Benefit Gimme Brow
Perfect product for anyone who has beautiful full brows! Brow mascaras are great to set brow hairs in place, add colour and a little bit of volume to your natural brows.
L i p P r o d u c t ' s - I think when your starting off in makeup, lip liner is the key to get the perfect pout, it helps you to apply your lip products properly onto the lips and not look like clown. Whether you like an actual lipstick, lipgloss or liquid lipstick you will figure out once you have tried and tested them.
Lip Liners | Penny's/Primark PS... Lip Liners & Essence Lip Liners
Liquid Lipsticks | Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick & Wet n Wild Liquid Catsuit Lipstick
Lipstick's | Mac Lipstick & Rimmel London Lipsticks
Lip Glosses | Joko Shine Your Lips Lip gloss & NYX Butter Gloss
(you do not need to know the in's and out's of skin, you just need to know your own, How to tell the difference between each skin type and what products would work best for you)
Dry Skin - Skin feels tight, cracks or flakes.
Oily Skin - Skin is shiny, pores are large, prone to breakouts & blackheads.
Combnation Skin - Oily in T - zone & Normal or dry everywhere else.
Normal Skin - Skin feel's hydrated & no imperfections.
Sensitive Skin - Red, irritated and dry.
Once you have determined your skin type, the rest is all about picking the right product that will help your makeup last all day and look flawless.
If you cannot determind your skin type that's fine, start in small areas like your chin for example and see if its dry, oily etc and write down the area and the skin type to see if all areas are similar or completely different and that will help you figure out what your skin type is, chances are you will combination skin 99% of people today are, and that is completely fine you will just use make up that will help with both skin types.
1 ) M a k e u p P r o d u c t s
P r i m e r - Personally I think this is a major step in your makeup application, primer acts as a barrier on your skin and sticky base for your foundation to sit on and stick nicely to.Dry Skin | Mac Strobe Cream & L'oreal Lumi Magique Primer
A primer that is illuminating or hydrating is the best, as if gives a healthy looking glow, does not cling onto dry patches, and helps to keep the skin hydrated.
Oily skin | Makeup Forever Mattifying Primer & The Ordinary High-Adherence Silicone Primer.
You definitely need to use a mattifying primer to reduce the oils throughout the day. These will both help to mattify the skin before applying foundation and will keep the oil at bay for most of the day.
Normal skin | Smashbox Primer Water & Rimmel Lasting Finish Primer
Using a primer if you have normal skin is completely up to you, and if you want to you can choose any as they will all work on normal skin.
Combination skin | Smashbox Photo Finish Primer & Inglot Under Makeup Base
For this skin type you would have to use primers to suit the different areas. The below primers are good for all skin types.
Larger pores | Benefit Pore Fessional & Maybelline Baby Skin
A pore filling primer is a must if you have larger pores, They are great at smoothing out the skin.
F o u n d a t i o n - It is super important that you are using a foundation for your skin type! This is No.1 Key to helping your makeup look flawless and last on your skin.
For example if you have oily skin and use an oil base foundation, that is not going to last you any longer than 5 hours, as it will just slide of your face.
Same goes for dry skin, if you use a foundation for oily skin and you have dry skin, its going to clingy to any dry patches, and make your skin very tight.
This is why choosing the right foundation for your skin type is so important.
Below are my recommendations for each skin type.
Dry Skin | Nars sheer glow foundation & Rimmel wake me up foundation.
Oily Skin | Urban Decay all nighter foundation & Miliani Conceal & Perfect 2in1 Foundation & Concealer
Normal Skin | Mac face and body foundation & Inglot YSM foundation
Combination Skin | Makeup Forever HD Foundation & Loreal True match
C o n c e a l e r - This step will be different for everyone, you will either love a full coverage concealer, or a concealer that will just brighten up your under eyes. Concealers also cover up any breakouts, discolouration or any other imperfections you may want to cover.
Dry skin | Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer & Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer
Oily Skin | Mac Pro Long Wear Concealer & Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer
Normal Skin | Inglot Under Eye Concealer & Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer
Combination skin | Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer & NYX HD Concealer
B r o n z e r - All you need is one good bronzer and life will be so much easier!! There are so many bronzer's out there that can make life very hard for you if you are starting out in makeup. You want to make sure your bronzer is also the right colour for you, if you are very fair stick with a lighter bronzer etc. Also you want to make sure you go in with very little on your brush and a very light hand, always go by 'you can always had more but never take away' otherwise if you do go to crazy it will look ridiculous and you will prob need to start all over again. Should always start with a single pan and get use to applying it with a good brush and then move onto a palette for more variety.
Single Pan's | Benefit Hoola Bronzer & NYX Cosmetics Matte Bronzer.
Palette's | Makeup Revolution Ultra Bronze Palette & Too Faced Coco Contour Palette.
C o n t o u r - You could really just use your bronzer for this if you aren't a big contouring fan, But if you love looking like you've got a skinny face (like me) then these products are the best! Contour gives more of a definition to your face. Helps the areas you contour look smaller as the contour shades are cool toned.
Single Pan's | Inglot sculpting powders & The Balm Bahama Mama
Palette's | Sosu Contour Palette & Kat Von D Shade and Light Contour Palette
B l u s h - For some people this step isn't necessary as they just choose not to use blush but for me it is! I love the flush of colour it puts back into your makeup, and I also think it blends the bronzer and highlight together to look more natural. There are so many colours of blush so make sure you get one that think will compliment your skin tone. Pale skin - light blush. Medium skin tone - peach/pink blush. Darker skin - Brown/pink blush.
Single Pan's | Essence Satin Touch Blush & NARS Blush
Palette's | Makeup Revolution Ultra Blush Palette & Anastasia Beverly Hills Blush Kit
H i g h l i g h t - Now for my personal favourite part. Another step that is totally your choice, You can stay nice and natural with your glow or go OTT like myself or you can just completely leave this out. I think this step completes every's makeup look. All the highlight I recommend below are outstanding so if you ever pick up any of them you will not be disappointed.
Single Pan's | The Balm Mary Lou Manizer & Makeup Revolution Vivid Baked Highlight
E y e s h a d o w P a l e t t e ' s - Choosing an eyeshadow palette is totally up to what you like and how much your willing to spend on one. Every eyeshadow palette is different so you have to find one that you are comfortable with.
Makeup Revolution Eyeshadow Palettes - I think starting out with these palettes are the best, there so affordable, easy to get and very good pigmentation. Would be easy for you to practice with as they are not overly pigmented but blend out very well.
Anastasia Beverly Hill Modern Renaissance Palette & Soft Glam Palette - If you want to up your skills, something a little better than the Morphe palettes, and do not mind spending the money then you need these palettes. AMAZING, the pigmentation is insane and you will have killer eye looks with these trust me.
E y e l i n e r / G e l L i n e r - Same with eyeshadow palettes, This is personal preference and what you feel most comfortable with. It will be trail and error with a gel and a liquid and will take a lot of practice to get it right.
Inglot Gel Liner - No.77 best gel liner in the makeup industry, waterproof and as Keilidh mua would say life proof. Lasts forever and a day too, just have some duraline on hand for when it starts to dry out.
Essence Liquid Ink Liner - If gel liner scares you this will be your best friend! Blacker than black ;) and so easy to apply once your careful. Cheap as chips too.
M a s c a r a - Mascara finishes the eye look, so you want one that is going to enhance your lashes.
Both of these mascara's are great! These both add length and volume without being clumpy.
Benefit They're Real Mascara & Rimmel London ScandalEyes Retro Glam Mascara
B r o w P r o d u c t s - Whatever products you want to use for your brows is totally up to you. I would personally advise to start of with a pencil and brow mascara to get comfortable with how you want to do your brows then move onto a gel or pomade.
Brow Pencil's | Benefit Goof Proof Brow Pencil & NYX Micro Brow Pencil
Pencils would be the best to start with, you have more of a grip with a pencil, So I definitely recommend starting with a pencil once your confident with pencils, then you should up skill to a gel or powder.
Brow Gel's | Inglot Brow Gel & NYX Eyebrow Gel
I personally love gel's but they are harder to work with, you would need a light hand and be careful where you are placing it. If you do your brows first before your base then you can clean any mistakes with concealer.
Brow Mascara's | Essence Make Me Brow Gel Mascara & Benefit Gimme Brow
Perfect product for anyone who has beautiful full brows! Brow mascaras are great to set brow hairs in place, add colour and a little bit of volume to your natural brows.
L i p P r o d u c t ' s - I think when your starting off in makeup, lip liner is the key to get the perfect pout, it helps you to apply your lip products properly onto the lips and not look like clown. Whether you like an actual lipstick, lipgloss or liquid lipstick you will figure out once you have tried and tested them.
Lip Liners | Penny's/Primark PS... Lip Liners & Essence Lip Liners
Liquid Lipsticks | Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick & Wet n Wild Liquid Catsuit Lipstick
Lipstick's | Mac Lipstick & Rimmel London Lipsticks
Lip Glosses | Joko Shine Your Lips Lip gloss & NYX Butter Gloss
S e t t i n g S p r a y ' s - Setting spray are the perfect finish to any makeup application. These will help to keep your makeup locked in place for the day. If you use the right products for your skin type and set it with a good setting spray your makeup should be bullet proof!! They also had hydration back to your skin after layering it with primer, foundation, concealer etc. I 100% recommend a setting spray.
Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray & Makeup Revolution Pro Fix Oil Control Fixing Spray
2 ) M a k e u p B r u s h e s
When your only starting out, I think it's best to get a brush set because
It saves so much money & they always have the main brushes you need to learn with.
B r u s h S e t ' s
Real Techniques | Core Collection & Enhanced Eye Set
I started out with both these brush sets and they lasted me a really really long time, Once I looked after them and cleaned them regularly. They have all the basis brushes you would need and they are affordable too. Real techniques do lots of different sets and single brushes, so there is a variety for u, but I would highly recommend these sets when starting out.
I started out with both these brush sets and they lasted me a really really long time, Once I looked after them and cleaned them regularly. They have all the basis brushes you would need and they are affordable too. Real techniques do lots of different sets and single brushes, so there is a variety for u, but I would highly recommend these sets when starting out.
Morphe | 15 Piece Vegan Pro Set
If you are a little bit more confident with brushes and know what each brush is for then this set would be more for you. It has plenty of brushes for you to use when starting out without getting overwhelmed with what brush is for what. Morphe are known for their brushes, and their brush kits are great as they have so many to choose from and they are affordable. Also don't forget that you can use 1 brush for more than 1 thing.
Zoeva | Rose Golden Vol 2 Luxury Brush Set
These are very expensive! €72.20 for this set. But I have the say the brushes are great. If you have your own money and makeup is something you plan on doing then I would recommend the Zoeva Sets.
The brushes are so soft, that would explain why they are more expensive. Each set also comes with a little brush bag and they're pretty to look at.
If you are a little bit more confident with brushes and know what each brush is for then this set would be more for you. It has plenty of brushes for you to use when starting out without getting overwhelmed with what brush is for what. Morphe are known for their brushes, and their brush kits are great as they have so many to choose from and they are affordable. Also don't forget that you can use 1 brush for more than 1 thing.
Zoeva | Rose Golden Vol 2 Luxury Brush Set
These are very expensive! €72.20 for this set. But I have the say the brushes are great. If you have your own money and makeup is something you plan on doing then I would recommend the Zoeva Sets.
The brushes are so soft, that would explain why they are more expensive. Each set also comes with a little brush bag and they're pretty to look at.
3 ) M a k e u p T o o l s
B e a u t y B l e n d e r | Real Techniques Miracle Complexion sponge - Just as good a the real beauty blender! Perfect for when your starting out as it is super affordable, and does an amazing job at blending out foundation, concealer etc.
W i p e s | Baby Wipes - Because your only new to the makeup sense, wipes are a essential as they clean up any mess you make, and help you take away what is not meant to be there.
M i c e l l e r W a t e r | Garnier Miceller Water - If you have sensitive skin, this is better for you to use instead of wipes. All you will have to do is pop some onto a cotton pad or bud and clean the mess.
B r u s h C l e a n e r | Baby Shampoo - This is great for cleaning brushes, and when your starting out you wouldn't be 100% sure on the importance of hygiene so normal baby shampoo will work even better than brush cleaners to clean your brushes.
* Also cleaning your brushes is so important!!!!! Because I am a makeup artist I clean mine all of the time, but when your starting to wear makeup try wash them as often as you can (Depending on how often you wear makeup, every second week at least, do not go into a third week without cleaning your brush) As we have bacteria everywhere and it is everywhere, so if you weren't looking after your skin nor cleaning your brushes your skin will breakout, And you will be wondering if its something you had to eat, hormones etc, chances are its because you haven't washed your brushes in ages. Some people don't understand how important this is, but if you want good makeup, good brushes and good skin you have to look after it *
M i c e l l e r W a t e r | Garnier Miceller Water - If you have sensitive skin, this is better for you to use instead of wipes. All you will have to do is pop some onto a cotton pad or bud and clean the mess.
B r u s h C l e a n e r | Baby Shampoo - This is great for cleaning brushes, and when your starting out you wouldn't be 100% sure on the importance of hygiene so normal baby shampoo will work even better than brush cleaners to clean your brushes.
* Also cleaning your brushes is so important!!!!! Because I am a makeup artist I clean mine all of the time, but when your starting to wear makeup try wash them as often as you can (Depending on how often you wear makeup, every second week at least, do not go into a third week without cleaning your brush) As we have bacteria everywhere and it is everywhere, so if you weren't looking after your skin nor cleaning your brushes your skin will breakout, And you will be wondering if its something you had to eat, hormones etc, chances are its because you haven't washed your brushes in ages. Some people don't understand how important this is, but if you want good makeup, good brushes and good skin you have to look after it *
If you got this far well done, because this is after taking me forever and a day to complete...
In saying that I really hope you guys enjoyed this post and learned something from it. As I said above this post is for the girls only starting out in makeup and I am just sharing my knowledge with you guys. and do not think you have to go out and buy every single thing because you just need to find what works for you and you will be sorted.
Thanks so much for reading! I hope you all have a lovely evening wherever in the world you are.
Lots of Love
Lyndsey xo
In saying that I really hope you guys enjoyed this post and learned something from it. As I said above this post is for the girls only starting out in makeup and I am just sharing my knowledge with you guys. and do not think you have to go out and buy every single thing because you just need to find what works for you and you will be sorted.
Thanks so much for reading! I hope you all have a lovely evening wherever in the world you are.
Lots of Love
Lyndsey xo
