Growing up, I was somewhere in between a “girly-girl” and a “tomboy” (although I now know those labels are kind of silly.) I never really had anyone to teach me how to do makeup or dress myself. It’s not that it didn’t interest me, I just didn’t know how so I didn’t bother. I fumbled through doing my makeup for dances and job interviews and was always dissatisfied with how it looked.
Then, this past summer when I lived in New York City, I got super interested in makeup and beauty and started following dozens of blogs and YouTube channels, scoured Duane Reade and Sephora and picked up products that these beauty gurus raved over.
I realized that it wasn’t about loading tons of products on your face, but it was truly in the technique and products that you liked. So, I’ve compiled* this beginner’s makeup bag of easy-to-use products that I’ve found success with. I’m by no means an expert, but if you’re just starting out, who better to take advice from than someone who is, too?
1. Tinted moisturizer (or low coverage foundation)
If you’re not used to putting on makeup, it can be easy to cake on the foundation. If you have fairly good skin, a light-coverage foundation or tinted moisturizer can be perfect for your complexion. I recommend Benefit’s Hello, Flawless Foundation.
2. Primers
One of the things that pissed me off the most when I was first doing makeup was how quickly my eyeshadow would crease and smudge. Putting on a primer before your eye makeup can help it stay put no matter what you do. I recommend Smashbox’s Photo Finish Lid Primer.
3. Eye Shadow Duos
Buying makeup can be expensive, especially when you get into blending, highlighting and layering. Rather than buying tons of single shadows, buying duos gives you more options and is price effective. Try getting a duo with a shimmery and matte shadow so you can blend them and have more options. I recommend Sephora eyeshadow duos.
4. Tinted lip balms/butters
If you’re not daring enough quite yet for bright lipsticks and/or are on the go, you should take advantage of the recent trend of lip butters and tinted lip balms. It adds a pop of color that also moisturizes your lips with one easy swipe. I recommend Maybelline Baby Lips balm.
5. Liquid Eyeliner Pens
Lawd. The day this came into my life was a day I will treasure forever. As someone who lusts over cat-eye eyeliner and bold eye looks, but has the least steady hand ever, this is my saving grace. It makes eye looks so easy and it so compact. I recommend Stila Stay All Day Liner.
6. Beauty Bloggers
Obviously this is something that you can keep in your mental makeup bag, but honestly for me, this was what really taught me about what to look for in products, got me confident in makeup and taught me my techniques. I recommend Tanya Burr, Tati, Melissa Raymond and Fleur.
So obviously this is a start on maybe some things you may not have thought of when starting your beauty bag. Feel free to add your favorite mascaras, lipsticks, and bronzers and be sure to pick a cute beauty bag. Happy makeup-ing!
Photo by Biscarotte
*No endorsement for products, just my preferences!
