If you’re reading this it’s probably because you’ve decided to embark on the journey of learning how to do your own makeup. This is a judgement-free zone and whether you’re in your late teens or well into adulthood, there is no time like the present. Welcome to my very own (informal) makeup masterclass, where I’ll be breaking down the three big categories of makeup application: the what (products), the how (technique), and the where (placement). As with every school course, you’ve got to have your course materials so consider this post a list of those items that you’ll need before you join the class. Here are the items you should have in your beginner makeup kit for your face.
Primer
Primer sounds like exactly what it is: a product that will help prep and prime your skin for the makeup that you’ll apply over it. They typically have some form of skincare properties as well because they go on your face while it’s bare before you’ve applied any product. The type of primer you should use depends on your skin type and the effect you want. For example, some primers claim to blur your skin, while others will give you a natural radiant glow or grip your makeup for long-lasting wear. For affordable entry-level options, I suggest either the Elf Cosmetics Liquid Poreless Putty primer or the Elf Cosmetics Power Grip primer.
Foundation
Foundation was one of the first makeup products I got when I started getting into makeup. I know these days you may see a lot of “no foundation” makeup routines, but when starting and building your beginner makeup kit it is important to get comfortable using foundation. It’s foundational. (See what I did there?) Like primer, the type of foundation you get is going to depend on your skin type. We’ll talk about this more later in the series when I go in-depth on the various types of foundations and their finishes. For now, I would recommend foundations with medium coverage. If you know your skin is particularly oily, I’d encourage you to explore foundations with a matte finish. For a beginner-friendly affordable option, I would recommend the L’Oreal True Match Foundation. For reference, I wear the shade N10.
Concealer
Concealer is a multi-purpose product so there are many ways you’ll get use out of this. The initial concealer technique that you’ll want to learn is called highlighting. This is a technique whereby you brighten the high points of your face that naturally get hit with light. Nobody’s face is entirely one color. Because foundation makes your face one color, it’s important to bring back some of that dimension that your natural skin has. For this reason, the concealer you have must be a shade or two brighter (or lighter) than your skin tone. The lighter the shade of the concealer, the more you’ll have to blend to make sure you don’t look crazy. So you should start with a concealer that’s not too far off from your foundation shade. For a quality yet affordable, beginner-friendly concealer I recommend the Elf Cosmetics camo concealer.
Contour Product
We’ll get into the technique of contouring later but for now know that in order to contour you are going to need a cream product that is 2-4 shades darker than your skin tone. As with highlighting, the more dark the contour is than your skin tone, the more you need to blend to ensure you’re not out here looking crazy. In other words, it requires some more skill. To stay on the beginner-friendly side of things stick with a shade that is slightly darker than your skin tone. Additionally, I think the best beginner-friendly products for contouring are actually foundation sticks. They tend to be easier to blend and allow for a more precise application. I particularly recommend the Makeup Revolution Foundation Stick. I wear the shade F18 as my contour.
Loose Setting Powder
For every cream product you use, you’ll need a powder product to set it in place. Setting powder has the effect of mattifying and blurring the look of your makeup while also increasing its longevity. As a beginner pro tip, get travel/mini sizes of the more expensive setting powders because it usually takes a very long time to get through them anyway. They’ll come in handy when you travel but also allow you to sample setting powders with greater flexibility. For an affordable drugstore setting powder option I recommend the Maybelline Fit Me Loose Powder or The Beauty Crop’s Vitamin Babe Setting Powder. For higher-end powders that come in travel size, I recommend the One Size and Huda Beauty setting powders
Powder Bronzer
I tend to use powder bronzers as a product to set my contour. So the key for this is also making sure the product is deeper than your skin tone. For a drugstore-priced option that also has a good shade range for deeper skin tones, I recommend the Beauty Bakerie bronzer. For reference, I wear the darkest shade in this bronzer.
Powder Blush
Technically blush is an optional product but it takes makeup to the next level and it’s generally good to get acquainted with using blush. For an affordable drugstore option that has color payoff on dark skin, I recommend the L’Oreal Paris Infallible Blush.
Setting Spray
Setting spray is key to ensuring your makeup stays put and lasts through the day. I’d say primer is arguably optional but setting spray is a necessity. For an affordable entry-level setting spray, I recommend the Milani Make It Last Setting Spray.
This list is a great place to start when building your beginner makeup kit for your face. There are also products you should have for your eyebrows, lips, and eyes so stay tuned for upcoming posts that will address that as well!
“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43: 19
