When it comes to makeup, it can be hard to know where to start. I remember when I first started wearing makeup when I was about 13-14 years old. Back in the day, I started out with eyeshadow and eyeliner. Those were the days I have no idea what I was doing. It was downright cringe-worthy, and I was only using two products. I’m happy to say that since then I have done a lot of research and had plenty of practice. But I know that there is always more to learn. After all the experience and the bad memories, I have quite a few tips on makeup for beginners.
I may not be an expert now, but there were a lot of things I didn’t know when I started using makeup. So if I can at least fill you in on the different products and what they are for, you’ll be way ahead of the game. The key to makeup for beginners is keeping it simple. Learn what works for you. You can branch out, but the best place to start is finding a natural makeup look. That is something you can wear every day, whether your working or running errands. From there you can branch out and practice other looks for parties or nights out on the town!
Eye Makeup for Beginners
The best place to start when it comes to makeup for beginners is eye makeup. I’m going to focus on eye makeup tips for the majority of this article. There are three basics you need to focus on: eyeshadow, eyeliner, and mascara. Fake lashes are great, but if you want to start small I would recommend getting the basics down first!
There are plenty of cute makeup ideas that you can try by only using these three simple products. It’s nice to stick with them in the beginning as you learn how to do your makeup and you get comfortable with eyeshadow techniques.
Picking Your Eyeshadow Pallet
Choosing the right eyeshadow isn’t complicated. I usually recommend picking sheer shimmery eyeshadows. They work for anyone, and they are perfect if you aren’t very good at blending yet. The Colourpop Fame and Fortune Eyeshadow Palette is a great palette set if you’re looking for makeup for beginners! It has a lot of neutral colors! Any palette with natural or nude colors is a great starting point.
Picking Your Eyeshadow Color
If you want to get technical, you can reference the color wheel. I’m going to provide a picture as an example for you. When picking the eyeshadow color that compliments your eyes the best, choose an opposite color on the color wheel.
So for blue eyes, you want to choose warm colors. That includes orange hues, pinks, browns, and even reds. For green eyes choose browns, golds, or purples. Brown eyes are by far the easiest because pretty much every color looks good with them. If you want your brown eyes to pop, use a warmer shade for light brown eyes and a cooler shade for dark brown eyes. On the color wheel, you will see that this falls into the category of blues.
If you aren’t comfortable with the colors opposite of your eyes on the color wheel, don’t feel bad. Natural eyeshadow looks are always safe. You don’t need to follow an eyeshadow guide to find the perfect color. It is natural, and will always make for beautiful eye makeup!
How to Put Eyeshadow On
Before you put on eyeshadow, I would recommend using an eyeshadow primer. The primer will prep your eyes and help the eyeshadow stick. When I was learning to apply eyeshadow, anything with shimmer would end up all over my face. It would have been nice to know about eyeshadow primer then!
After you have prepped your eyes with a primer, go in with a light color all over your eyes. That will give you a good starting point for beautiful eye makeup.
Then you can use a blending brush to apply a transition color to your crease. Typically, a good color choice is a medium shade that is warm but not dark. I have blue eyes and like to use a tan or a warm orange color. For this step, you should use a blending brush in circular motions.
After your crease is finished, go in with a light color to the inner corner of your eye. As one of many makeup tricks, you want to want to put the lighter shade on the inside corner. Then the darker shade on the outer corner. Apply the color to your eyelid with a flat brush.
Do the outer corner of your eye with a dark shade with the flat brush as well. Once the dark color is applied, feel free to blend the light and dark shades. That way you will have a gorgeous and gradient color change. You could also use your finger to add a little shimmer to the inner corner as well.
Eyeshadow Ideas
The tutorial above is a very natural look. I would recommend sticking to the warm tones for that look. It is one of the easy eye makeup looks, which is perfect when dealing with eyeshadow for beginners. Although, I’m sure you have noticed there are a lot of pretty eye makeup looks out there.
Most people move on to bolder looks pretty quick. But don’t feel bad keeping it natural. A natural eyeshadow and a touch of mascara is the perfect work makeup for anyone! There are so many gorgeous styles. So I wanted to drop a picture below of some amazing eyeshadow ideas you could play around with! The key is always remembering to blend, but practice makes perfect!
Makeup For Beginners Can Include Eyeliner and Mascara!
Eyeliner For Beginners
When it comes to eyeliner for beginners, I would recommend a cream eyeliner pencil. All you need to do is apply it to your waterline on the top lid to accentuate your eye shape. If you don’t have dark lashes and don’t intend to use mascara pick a brown instead of a black.
If you want to learn how to use a liquid eyeliner you absolutely can. It is a bit more of a learning curve. Watching any of the easy makeup tutorials on Youtube will be a huge help. So many beauty vloggers have fantastic tips for creating winged eyeliner! When picking the right liquid eyeliner when considering makeup for beginners, I would recommend a felt tip pen. I started out with a felt-tipped eyeliner pen, and it made learning easier. I eventually graduated to my current favorite, NYX Matte Eyeliner. The reason I say you should start with a felt tip eyeliner is that it was a frustrating learning process to use a brush. Even after I had been using liquid eyeliner for years!
Mascara For Beginners
While mascara is the simplest to learn, it can be uncomfortable at first. Even to this day, I will accidentally blink and get mascara everywhere. Luckily, it wipes right off your skin when it is wet. So it isn’t a real issue.
But when you’re getting your first mascara, go with black mascara. It is by far the most satisfying color. It accentuates the lashes, makes them much bolder and gives them a longer appearance. All you have to do is practice using it. You might notice that most people apply mascara with their eyes and mouths open. I don’t know why this helps, but it does.
When I’m teaching makeup for beginners, I always say to open your eyes wide and use short little strokes with your mascara brush. Try your best to get it on evenly the first time. Some people put on a few layers of mascara, but I don’t recommend that with waterproof mascara. It will only end up making your mascara look chunky. Trust me when I say, chunky mascara isn’t very flattering.
All You Need to Know About Face Makeup
I’m going to give you a quick step by step makeup guide. For your face, I won’t go deep into much detail. The process is pretty straightforward. But the main issue I had when I was learning to use makeup was the fact that I didn’t know where to start. So when it comes to makeup for beginners, I like to explain the order and what the products are for.
This process won’t include any contour, blush, or highlighter. Even though I love using them, you need to get the basics down first. When you start big, there is the genuine possibility that you may go overboard. You don’t want to look like a clown. Focus on natural makeup for beginners, and you will be golden.
If you decide to use all those products, good for you! I fully support you! The only thing I want to mention is that you should always remember that a little bit goes a long way. But for the sake of this guide to makeup for beginners, I’m going to focus on the basics.
Face Makeup List
Here is a quick rundown of the first products you should focus on for cute makeup looks. Merely evening out your skin tone will go a long way!
Primer
The first place to start is with a primer. Not everyone uses them, but they can help if you have dry skin as I do. It helps to smooth out the texture of your skin a little more. A primer also acts as a great barrier between your skin and makeup.
Foundation
Whether or not you use primer is entirely up to you. Foundation is the real key to the whole routine. Choose something that is as close to your skin tone as possible. Most people like to check the color on the insides of their wrists. Even if that isn’t your exact skin tone, it will be close.
Also, keep in mind that, whether you are light or dark, you have to choose the right tone. Just because you are tan, does not mean you want to get a foundation that will make you look orange. I have to choose very light colors that have a pinkish undertone. The same goes for darker skin tones. If you have a very deep brown/black tone, you want to choose a foundation that is as close as possible. The color difference will stand out more than you might think if you aren’t careful!
Concealer
Now concealer is customarily applied after foundation unless you apply it to color-correct spots all over your face. I have acne scars and use it for this purpose. Then I apply the foundation over the spots I covered up. But when you apply concealer under your eyes, you want to apply it over foundation. That will lighten the area under your eyes, covering your bags, and brightening the area.
Basics Makeup Tools You Will Need
Before you start applying makeup, make sure you have the right makeup accessories! You don’t need extravagant sets. For one thing, they are expensive! Another thing, you may not even use half the stuff in a set. But I do have some affordable recommendations on tools to use for makeup for beginners.
Brush Sets
There are a few simple brushes you will need under your belt. For eyeshadow, I would recommend having a few different brushes. You will need a blending brush, a flat brush for your eyelids, and a small flat brush for under your eyes.
For your face, you will need the bigger, fluffy brushes. Such as a liquid or powder foundation brush. If you want an affordable set that is a fan favorite, you could try the 11-piece set by BH Cosmetics. There are more brushes than you will need at first, but you will be set forever, no matter what products you branch out to in the future.
Makeup Sponges
I don’t even have the makeup sponges that I would like to have. But from that experience, I can definitely recommend buying a good makeup sponge! Most people don’t want to pay a bunch for a sponge that is hard to clean. You are using it on your face after all!
Lucky for us, Real Techniques has a fantastic beauty blender. You will only need this for your foundation and concealer, most of the time. So it may really absorb the products you’re using at first. But this beauty blender comes highly recommended!
Conclusion
Honestly, there so much I still feel like I need to cover on this subject. But when it comes to makeup for beginners, I’m going to stop here. When you start out, it is always best to shoot for a natural look and get used to applying makeup properly. If you have clear skin there no need to use skin products and foundation. And if you like the shape of your eyes there is no need for a liquid liner.
It’s perfectly fine not to wear makeup all the time. I do because I love it. It is my favorite hobby. I love creating new looks and trying new products. But I know I don’t need it. I recommend natural makeup for beginners because it shows you what you can accomplish with makeup. Not everyone needs makeup to feel better about themselves or their skin. But it’s fun, and it can be a huge confidence boost!