Quote of the Day: "A girl should be two things, classy and fabulous."~ Coco Chanel
~~~~~~~~
A/N: I just want to put it out there that I rarely wear makeup. We're not allowed to wear it at school and my mom only allows me to wear it when we have a special occasion to go to or when I have a dance performance. That being said I have alot of experience when it comes to putting makeup on someone else. My aunt does cosmetology and special effects makeup alongside her main job so since I was about 6 she's been teaching me everything she knows. So I know what I'm talking about :3 Well I'll stop boring you guys, I just wanted to clear that up :) On with the chapter!
~*~
Makeup. Now alot of people might say "Oh you don't need makeup to look beautiful!" or "Beauty is what's on the inside, not the outside." These things may be true but with the way that society is wired nowadays it seems like beauty is everything. I personally think that everyone is beautiful because God made them and he never makes mistakes but sadly not everyone thinks this way. I decided to do this chapter to help out those of you who want to get into makeup but don't know where to start when it comes to buying or using the actual products. Remember, makeup is meant to enhance your features, not cover them up. People have this misconception that more is better when in reality, less is more. That's the only rule I have when it comes to makeup; you're the one who decides what you'll wear and how you'll wear it! Read below to find out the Makeup Essentials for Beginners and the Best Budget Makeup Brands!:
Makeup Essentials For Beginners
For your skin:
1. Primer: A primer minimizes pores and creates a smooth base for the rest of your makeup application. This is a step you can skip if your skin is naturally flawless, but if you have any imperfections, it will make your skin look amazing. It also helps your makeup go on smoother and last longer. Apply it all over your face but be careful not to use too much.
Good Primer for beginners:
-Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer
2. Foundation or A tinted moisturizer: Foundation is used mainly to even out your skin tone. As a beginner, I would recommend you use a tinted moisturizer instead of foundation. Applying foundation the wrong way can make your skin look cakey and enhance your pores. Also, choosing the wrong colour will make your face look darker (or lighter) than the rest of your body. Using tinted moisturizer will give you an idea about foundations and when you are comfortable with it, you can upgrade to foundation. Foundation comes in either liquid or powder form, and the powder can be "pressed" which means it's very compacted, or it can be "loose" meaning it is exactly that: loose. There are a few ways to apply foundation: you could put a little drop or two on the back of your hand and use a foundation brush to apply it to your face, you could apply a drop of it to a makeup sponge and dab it on or you could simply put a drop on your fingers and use your fingers to apply. Remember when applying: DAB don't RUB.
Good Tinted Moisturizer for beginners:
-Neutrogena Healthy Skin Enhancer Tinted Moisturizer. Not only does it give you the colour of foundation, which helps eliminate redness, discolouration, baggy eyes, etc., but the moisturizer in it actually helps your skin, unlike most foundations, which can clog your pores and cause acne.
Good Foundation for beginners:
-True Match by L'Oréal Paris or Tru-Blend by Covergirl. They have so many shades so it will be a breeze to find your match.
-If you have acne-prone skin, consider Neutrogena’s Skin Clearing line and for sensitive skin, check out bareMinerals foundation.
-You can also check out MakeupAlley's reviews. They have great recommendations.
3. Face powder: A face powder will not only give sheer coverage but will also absorb excess oil, which is good for those of you who have oily skin. In fact, you can just skip the foundation and invest in a good compact powder.
Good Face Powders for beginners:
-Maybelline Dream Matte Pressed Powder.
-Neutrogena Skin Clearing Mineral Powder
4. Blush: If you want to add a touch of pink to your cheekbones, blush is great. However, it can be a tricky thing because it can either make you look gorgeous or like a clown; there is no in between. Always start with a very small amount because you can always add more later. Also, always try to go with a shade that is not to far off from your complexion. More often than not people choose a blush colour which is a shade too dark for their complexion and apply so much of it that they look like they've been punched. If you have lighter skin, you should shop for coral coloured blushes. If you have darker skin, you should look for a plum coloured blush. Never go for red....or hot pink; just don't. To apply blush, take the colour you chose and an angled blush brush and swipe it onto the apples of your cheeks (a.k.a your cheek bones). This is the area almost directly below your eyes. It's not the part of your cheek that's squishy, it's the part that is hard.
Good Blush for beginners:
-Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush. This is a light pink colour that will suit most skin tones.
5. Concealer: This is used to cover up any imperfections on your face. It's good to have one concealer that matches your skin colour perfectly and another that's a little light. The one that matches is to cover up pimples or acne. The one that's a little light is to cover up dark circles. Again, remember to dab, not rub.
Good Concealer for beginners:
-Origins Quick, Hide! Concealer
6. Bronzer & Highlighter: I don't recommend bronzer or highlighter for a beginner but I'll explain still, just in case you want to experiment with them. Bronzer is applied to your face to give it a subtle glow and add colour! Highlighter is a white shimmer used to brighten your eyes and makes your cheeks catch the light. Usually people use both of them in certain areas to enhance their features such in the hollows of their cheeks to give them bone structure and high cheekbones or under their eyes to make them look more awake and vibrant. The term for this is contouring. On the side is a picture that shows you how to properly contour your face (The brown shade is the bronzer and the white shade is the highlighter).
Good Bronzer for beginners:
-Neutrogena Healthy Skin Blends Natural Radiance Bronzer
Good Highlighter for beginners:
-E.L.F Studio Baked Highlighter
For your lips:
7. Lip Liner: If you have really thin lips or you want your lips to look fuller I suggest you use a lip liner and line the outer part of your lips.
Good Lip Liner for beginners:
-Basically any brand of lip liner would do but for beginners try to go for a shade as close to your natural lip colour as possible.
8. Lip Balm: If you have dry lips, go for a tinted lip balm As most of you probably know, a great balm does wonders for keeping your lips smooth and healthy. Stock up on several lip balms so you can store them in your purse and backpack too for easy reapplication.
Good Lip Balms for beginners:
-Eos Lip Balms. These are 100% natural and USDA-certified Organic.
-Burt's Bees Lip Balms
-Maybelline's Baby Lips Lip Balms
9. Lip Gloss or Stain: Most prefer a lip gloss instead of lip stick. They have a sheer, natural look and are so much easier to apply than a lipstick. A swipe of gloss is the perfect finishing touch for any look. For longer-lasting wear, you might opt instead for a lip stain which can last the whole day without any touch-ups. They stay on a lot longer than lip gloss, and they add color without looking as obviously applied as a gloss. They won't add a whole lot of volume to your lips though, as a glossier finish will give the appearance of enlarged lips. If you want, you could always use lipstain and apply a dot of lipgloss to the center of each lip to boost the size
Good Lip Gloss for beginners:
-CoverGirl Wetslicks Fruit Spritzers or Wet 'n Wild Mega Plump Plumping Lip Gloss. These are good for people with small lips.
Good Lip Stain for beginners:
-CoverGirl Outlast Lipstain. If you have medium to large lips this lip stain is good for you!
10. Lipstick: I personally hate wearing lipstick. I'm fine with just chapstick or lip balm. That being said, lipstick does help with your overall look. Even if you don’t do your entire face and just apply a nice lipstick, it will instantly make you look more put together. For lighter skin I recommend a pink-ish coloured lipstick and for darker skin tones go for a more plum-ish colour. Don't go straight for the bold red, especially if you're going to be wearing makeup everyday. There's a time, place and occasion for that.
Good Lipstick for beginners:
-M.A.C Lipstick
-Clinique High Impact Lip Colour SPF 15
For your eyes
11. Mascara: Mascara is used to add length and volume to your eyelashes. I don't really wear mascara because my lashes are naturally long but I think it's one of the most pivotal parts of makeup application. A simple everyday look would be mascara, eyeliner and a little lipgloss/ lipstick. When I do wear mascara it's to thicken my lashes not lengthen them. I've found that curling my lashes with an eyelash curler before applying mascara helps it to go on smoother and makes your lashes look more curved and defined.
Good Mascaras for beginners:
-Neutrogena Healthy Volume Mascara. It actually uses olive oil, which makes it really comfortable to wear, it never flakes and it glides on really smoothly. It's a little expensive but it is a very good investment.
-Maybelline Great Lash Mascara
12. Eyeliner: Eyeliner can be applied in many ways to define your eyes. A classic black shade works for most skin tones but if you have fair skin you could try a brown eyeliner. You could do it by hair colour as well; if you have dark hair, black is for you and if you have light hair, brown is for you. Also, light to medium skin tones should consider a dark navy because the blue makes the white in your eyes pop.
There are two types of eyeliner:
Liquid eyeliner- Liquid eyeliner is very difficult to apply so I DON'T recommend it for a beginner. It's good for cat eyes, has a shine to it and it can look artsy or fancy depending on how you style it so it's perfect when you're going for a more glammed up look.
Pencil eyeliner- Pencil eyeliner is pretty easy to use so I recommend it for someone just starting out with makeup. However, it's very basic, it has no shine and it is not as noticeable as liquid eyeliner; which may or may not be good things. It's all based on your preferences.
Good Pencil Eyeliner for beginners:
-MAC Eye Kohl Pencil. A kohl eyeliner is an amazing product for a makeup beginner. It's very easy to use and when applied on the water lines it will instantly make your eyes look brighter and reduces the prominence of dark circle, thus making you look more awake.
Good Liquid Eyeliner:
-Lakme Liquid Liner
13. Eyebrow pencil: Eyebrows frame your eyes and accentuate the natural features of your face. Unless you’re blessed with dark, perfectly even eyebrows, you should seriously consider adding a brow pencil to your makeup collection. Eyebrow pencils can be used to define and fill-in sparse eyebrows if you accidentally over-pluck them.
Good Eyebrow Pencil for beginners:
-Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil
-Lakme Eyebrow Pencil
14. Eyeshadow: Achieving complex looks with eyeshadow will take time and practice. For a beginner, I recommend applying a single neutral colour on your eye lids (example: tan, taupe, off-white, brown, maroon etc). For a basic eyeshadow look apply the lightest shade under your brow bone (right below your eyebrow), the next lightest shade on your whole eyelid, a dark shade on your upper eyelid and the darkest shade in your crease. Remember that when applying eyeshadow do not brush it on, pat it on. This makes it stick to your lid better and gives it a solid appearance. When you're finished take a clean brush and blend the colours together to create a shimmery look. There are many beauty brands that manufacture eyeshadow palettes with shades to match your eye colour so you can also try out those.
Best colours for:
Blue eyes- terracotta, taupe, purple, silver, beige
Brown/ black eyes- dark green, navy, cranberry, amber, teal
Green eyes- plum, copper, sepia, pink, orange
Hazel eyes- gold, sage, bronze, eggplant, champagne
Gray eyes- dark brown, mauve, deep grey, peach, black
Best Eyeshadow for beginners:
-CoverGirl's Exact Eyelights Brightening Eye Shadows. These are palettes made specifically for your eye colour so they're great!
Tools:
15. Brushes: It’s easiest and most cost-effective to stock up on brushes all at once by purchasing a brush set. Look for a set with a large powder brush, a slightly smaller brush for contouring and several brushes for shadow and liner application. It’s a good idea to invest in some quality brushes, because as long as you clean them regularly, they will last you a long time. If you’re not convinced, try applying some shadow with a cheap quality brush then again with one of higher quality- you'll see an obvious difference.
Good Brushes for beginners:
-There are many different types of brushes that are all used for different purposes. I won't get into that right now but I could do a chapter on it in the future if you guys want me to. For now just try to look for a good brush set with about 7-10 brushes. That would be good enough for a beginner.
16. Tweezers: I prefer to tweeze my eyebrows rather than to shave them with a razor. It's easier to get your desired shape. Please note though that tweezing does hurt so if you can't handle pain I don't recommend it for you.
Tip: It's best to tweeze you're eyebrows when you get out of the shower because it hurts less.
Best tweezers for beginners:
-Tweezerman tweezers
17. Cotton Swabs: These are great for smudging eyeliner and soaking in makeup remover for quick touch ups. Even better? They’re super inexpensive.
My favourite Cotton Swabs:
- Q-Tips Cotton Swabs
These are all essentials to me, but it might seem like a lot to you. In the long run, here's what you NEED to buy to put your look together:
- Foundation/ Tinted Moisturizer
- Mascara
- Eyeliner
- Eyeshadow
- Lip balm/gloss/stain
Now store it!
Now that you’ve got this starter set of makeup, you'll need a place to store it:
1. Caboodles: These are cosmetic storing organizers. They make it easier to find everything because of the different internal storage compartments. They are perfect for travelling, too.
2. Makeup Bags: Makeup bags are lined inside with an easy-to-clean fabric. Those with clear pockets are great for viewing all of your makeup without digging through the bag.
3. If you have the space, whether on a vanity or your bathroom counter, you could use small jars or small plastic boxes to store your beauty products.
4. A unique storing method is the “makeup magnet board.” It saves a lot of space.
Best Budget Makeup Brands
1. Cleanser: Cetaphil Normal to Oily Skin Daily Facial Cleanser, $8.06
2. Exfoliator: St. Ives Apricot Scrub, $3.99
3. Moisturizer: Aveeno, $14.99
4. Tinted Moisturizer: Boots No7 Soft and Sheer Tinted Moisturizer, $21.99
5. Foundation: Revlon ColorStay Makeup, $9.99
6. Concealer: Cover Girl Olay Concealing Balm, $7 at drugstore.com
7. Powder: MAC 'Studio Fix' Powder Plus Foundation, $27
8. Blush: Covergirl Cheekers Blush, $4.50
9. Bronzer: Physicians Formula Multi-Colored Bronzer, $13 or Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Sun Glow Powder Bronzer, $13
10. Highlighter: e.l.f. Studio Baked Highlighter, $3.00 at eyeslipsface.com
11. Eyeshadow: NYX 'Love in Rio - Meet Me at the Copa' Eyeshadow Trio, $6
12. Eyeliner: Wet n Wild Eyeliner, $1.50
13. Mascara: Maybelline Great Lash Big Mascara, $4.49 at Target
14. Brow Pencil: Revlon Brow Fantasy Brow Pencil & Gel, $8.49
15. Lipstick: Maybelline New York Color Sensational Vivids, $7.49
16. Lip Gloss: Bonnebell Liplites, $4
17: Lip Stain: Neutrogena Moisture Smooth Color Stick, $9, ulta.com
17: Brush Set: EcoTools Bamboo Brush Set, $8
18. Nail Polish (I know this isn't makeup but I couldn't help myself!): Revlon Nail Enamel, $5
~~~~~~~~
No chapter choice this time since I'm posting two chapters at once. If you want to vote check out the next chapter!
QOTD: Favourite makeup brand?
That's so hard! I'll narrow it down to my top 5: #1- Nyx, #2- Covergirl, #3- Maybelline, #4- L'Oréal and #5- MAC :) I love Nyx so much because you get quality makeup products for really affordable prices. Covergirl is a close second though!
Heyyy guyyys! I know I said I'll update a month ago but I had a lot of reasons why I couldn't. Firstly, my mom took away my computer for a couple days because she said I wasn't "being active enough". Secondly, I was sick. Thirdly, I injured my back and sprained my toe (Don't even ask how, it's a really embarassing story :3). Lastly, I had a lot of back to school preparations to complete. Also, it took me quite a while to track down the best budget brands. I wanted to make sure that what I was giving you was the real deal. I'm still not even finished but I didn't want to make you guys wait any longer. I'll just re-do that section later. So please don't pelt me with skittles or beat me with virtual baseball bats or something :)
Anyway, I hope you guys liked this chapter! This is the longest chapter I've ever written (3000+ words!) :D Plus, I finally got to use my expertise (*cough* lies *cough*) in cosmetology ^_^ I might do a follow up to this in the future of some hair tutorials and/or nail art but for now I'll just stick with this. Remember you can send me requests at anytime! Just PM me, write it on my message board or write it in the comments below :) Oh and I'm sorry if there are any mistakes in this chapter. I had to finish writing it on my phone and I haven't edited it yet. Well, I love you guys! <3
Till next time beauties! xoxo~ QuiQui