I get asked a lot of questions in terms of what makeup products they should buy if they are just starting out. You have to first ask yourself a few questions then decide what kind of products do you need.
- What’s your budget
- Your skin type dry or oily or combination Understand that it can change according to weather. It also depends on where you stay like in a humid or dry place.
- skin concerns like acne, texture
- The occasion you need it for like it could daily wear or for your wedding
- also your skills
- some major youtube watching
- A lot of people forget about time but knowing how much time and effort you are actually gonna put is a super important thing to consider.
Once you know these things you need to follow the simple steps in that particular order so you can see what you need and what you don’t. There are always products that multi-task you can get those things specifically if your budget is low or you can buy a few products and mix-match according to your needs. It also depends on personal taste but I’ll add in recommendations which you can check out.
.
.
Base Products:
1. Primer:
This step totally depends on your skin texture. If you have a lot of pores especially large pores or textured skin then you will need a pore filling primer. If you want your makeup to last longer then you will need a good sticky primer. If you suffer from a lot of redness or burns then use a smoothing primer. You will need a matte primer if you have oily skin. If you just have dry skin and nothing major then a simple moisturizer will work. This seems like an extra step and a lot of people don’t really believe in this step but if you have major skin concern then this step really helps if not then you can skip the investment in this one.
Recommendation: Maybelline Dream One Day Perfect Base Primer (perfect for daily wear since it also has SPF) & Smashbox primers (all of them are really good but super expensive) & PAC primers are really good too and have different ones for different skin types. If you are looking for something cheaper check out Miss Claire primers.
2. Color Correctors:
If you are completely new to makeup then maybe this step isn’t for you since you need to have a little more information to do this part. Color correctors are used when you have some major pigmentation or blemish or darkness issue that a basic concealer can’t solve it.
The corrector is used before the foundation or concealer. So that color doesn’t pick through and it is blended with a foundation or concealer later. A corrector works in combination with a concealer or foundation it can’t be used just by itself.
- Usually, the most famous color corrector is orange which is used for dark under eyes. If you have used every kind of concealer and everything looks ashy then it’s because of the darkness even full coverage concealers sometimes don’t hide the under-eye darkness then using an orange color corrector really helps. Indian skin has a high concentrate of melanin so you will need a proper orange color but if you are fair toned then a peach corrector works better. This can also be used around your mouth where you have darkness.
- If you are prone to acne which inflames and turn red then use a green color corrector.
- If you have dull skin and want some parts like your cheekbone to look brighter then yellow corrector works. You can also mix this with your concealer for under eyes if you feel your concealer is too cool-toned.
- Purple is used to hide green veins but usually, Indian skin doesn’t have that issue and it can easily be covered with the regular concealer.
- If you had to invest in one color corrector it would be an orange corrector for darkness.
Recommendation: LA Girl Orange corrector (it comes in their concealer packaging)
3. Foundation:
Color match is the most important thing to remember here. If you don’t have the right shade for you it’s not gonna work. Most times our skin looks ashy and that’s because the foundation color doesn’t match our skin tone. Understanding whether your warm or cool-toned is important.
After the color match, the next important thing is, does it work with your skin type. It’s matte for oily skin type and dewy for dry skin. It can be demi-matte for combination skin. This totally depends on your personal preference too. You can be oily skin and still like a more dewy foundation but see that it doesn’t melt away on your skin in patches.
Then its coverage. If you travel daily you would prefer a more natural buildable finish but if you want something for occasions then you may need full coverage.
I always suggest buying a full coverage foundation since you can always sheer it down. Or else go for medium coverage which is buildable. This way you won’t need to invest in two different foundations.
If you are someone who doesn’t like wearing a heavy foundation for a daily basis but still wants some coverage without looking heavy you can mix a few drops of your foundation and mix it with your face moisturizer (cream-based) and apply it on your face with your fingers. This gives an even-out look without looking heavy.
⭐Foundations also come in few different variants like regular liquid foundations in bottles or tubes then there are stick foundations that usually give less coverage compared to the liquid foundation then there is those cream to powder which come in a compact form which is mostly used for spot coverage or for on the go. There are also powder foundations also known as compacts that provide a good amount of coverage by itself.
A few tricks to use your foundation the right way:
- Build your coverage slowly if you apply too much at one go it can look cakey.
- Always be quick in blending out the foundation when it completely dries and you add in another layer it can look cakey.
- Whenever you feel you have applied too much or the foundation has dried before blending in properly just spray some setting spray on your beauty blender and dap. This will take off the excess and blending looks smoother and even out.
- If you have dry skin and using a matte foundation use a beauty blender. If you are using a dewy foundation brush works too, see that the brush is dense so it doesn’t soak up the foundation. If you have dry patches always use a beauty blender.
- If your skin feels dry and the foundation is going on patchy just mix a drop or two of facial oil and mix it well and apply it on the skin. If you feel your skin is looking dull mix in illuminating cream/oil. Something like a strobe cream or gold flake dry oil.
- If you have texture on your skin do not mix a blinding liquid highlighter with your foundation, it will emphasize your pores.
- If your foundation is too dark for you which does happen in the winters mix in a lighter shade of concealer or another foundation if you have. If you don’t have another concealer or foundation which is light to mix in dilute your foundation with a face cream/lotion.
- If your foundation is too light which happens in the summer since you get tanned either you can mix in concealer or foundation which is dark or else you can scrap some of the bronze powder or if you have cream bronzer mix it a little with your foundation. Also, bronzy illuminators work too.
Recommendation: For oily skin, NYX total drop foundation and for dry skin L A Girl Illumating hydrating HD foundation. For combination skin Nykaa SkinShield Anti Pollution Foundation.
(these are all medium coverage and buildable)
Check out the reviews I have done on Foundations: ,Click here
**You can add in a tinted cream like a BB cream or a CC cream in place of the foundation. As a teenager I loved using a bb cream for college and thought it was the best thing ever but now that I am grown up and a little more experienced I don’t believe in BB and CC creams anymore. I would prefer investing in one foundation and mixing that with my fave sunscreen or face moisturizer and use that for the light coverage on an everyday basis. This combination does a much better job and you actually can find the shade for your skin instead of finding your shade in a BB cream which btw always sucks.
4. Concealer:
✔If you are a beginner I would suggest investing in a good concealer compared to a foundation. On days you want to skip foundation and just use a concealer it works but check that the color matches your skin tone and it isn’t darker or lighter than your actual skin tone. Otherwise, your under eyes will look ashy or greyish.
✔For the undereye area, be sure to select a shade of concealer that’s no more than one or two shades lighter than your natural skin tone to avoid an obvious white circle around the eye area. Also, this helps in giving a brightening effect and dimension to your face.
✔Concealer can be your best friend but you just need to find the right shade and formulation for yourself. If you have dry under eyes use a concealer that isn’t too dry. Also if you have a lot of lines under your eyes stick to something that isn’t too drying but at the same time not too dewy that it shifts and creases.
✔Also, set your concealer that’s the only way it won’t crease and last longer.
✔Please don’t follow the drawing a V under your eye with a concealer especially if you are a beginner you will create a hot cakey mess. Instead, use small dots and blend it little by little concentrating on the dark parts.
⭐Now some say to use the concealer before foundation and some makeup artists say after frankly, it depends on you. So if you are using a medium coverage foundation use the concealer after since most things will be covered by the foundation and you don’t need a lot of concealers but if you like less coverage in foundations use the concealer beforehand on all your blemishes or dark spots and then blend it with a foundation on top see that the color of the concealer and foundation match. This way you are not creating too many layers on your skin and your skin looks more natural and not cakey.
⭐Spot concealing is the best since you will need less foundation or no foundation at all. Use your fingers or a small paddle brush to do spot concealing it will look more natural and give you better coverage.
⭐If you have very dark under eyes then use a concealer which is more close to your skin tone, blend it then add in small dots of a lighter shade concealer and blend. This way your under eyes won’t look ashy or grey or too heavy.
⭐On days you don’t wanna use foundation you can use your concealer as a foundation by concentrating coverage where you need it.
Recommendation: Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer(works for all skin types)
For spot concealing Wet and wild photo focus concealer.
Check out the reviews I have done on Concealers: ,Click here
5. Setting Powder:
Now you would have to set your concealer for which you need powder. Powders are also of two types one comes in a compact form which is generally tinted and has coverage. The other type is the loose powder these come in both transparent which is known as translucent or yellow-tinted ones which are known as banana powder then there is the tinted powder that has coverage that matches your skin tone. Now it totally depends on the formulation of the foundation or concealer you are using. If you are already using a heavy-duty coverage concealer or foundation then to set you should use a white powder but if you are looking for more coverage then you need something that matches your skin tone. Some foundations also need to be set since they are tacky and usually transfer easily especially dewy foundations.
I know this whole thing sounds too confusing and sometimes you just don’t want so many products or don’t have the time or the budget for it so you can stick to one type of powder just find the right one for you.
How to find the right kind of powder for you:
- If you use high coverage foundation or concealer go with translucent so it doesn’t look cakey. The powder has to be finely milled which helps with minimizing the pore appearance.
- If you have dark under eyes get a banana powder since that helps in giving a bright look. This also helps when your concealer looks ashy on you. The yellow tone helps in neutralizing that.
- If you have dry skin use translucent powder instead of matte compact powder since it will emphasize your dry patches and it will look cakey.
- If you have oily to combination skin get a matte compact powder so it controls the shine and sweat and doesn’t melt away your makeup. This also helps when you use dewy foundations that are tacky and need to be set.
- If you live in a humid city then also you will need something that sets your base without looking too much. Usually, a normal light coverage tinted powder works the best.
- If you don’t use a lot of liquid/cream base products and still want some coverage then get a compact powder that matches your skin tone. These types of powder have more coverage are great to use on an everyday basis. If you have oily skin and you just want to cover your blemishes and don’t feel the need for heavy foundation and concealer this type of powder is best for you.
Recommendations: Translucent powder: Sugar All Set To Go Translucent Powder: ,,Click here
Maybelline New York Fit me Loose Finishing Powder: ,,Click here
LA girl Compact powder (for oily skin)
6. Bronzer, Blush & Highlighter:
⭐The sequence I like following is Bronzer Highlighter then sandwich the blush in between the bronzer and highlighter. Now bronzer and contour are two different terms. Bronzer is a more warm tone to give you the sun-kissed look and contour is more on the cool tone side which helps define your cheeks bones. Neutral products can work as both but it depends on the placement. Contour is more a line you draw from your ear to your lips like cutting your jaw usually you can mark the line if you do a fish face or also known as pout face. Bronzer doesn’t need to be defined but can be used more freely over the same area. You don’t need to invest in both you can obviously just get one which is a more neutral tone and use it for both.
Recommendation: Physicians Formula Murumuru Butter Bronzer
SUGAR Contour De Force Mini Bronzer 01 Taupe Topper
Kiko Face contour stick – Sculpting Touch Creamy {cream formula}
⭐Highlighters: This is applied to high points of your face like your cheeks bones, the bridge of your nose your temples like right above your eyebrow, and your chin. Now if you have texture on your skin acne scars and pits on your face skip the highlighter since it will emphasize these textures. Warm tone highlighters work the best when it comes to Indian skin tone but if you are someone who likes doing cool eye looks combine it with a cool tone which is usually pink-based highlighters. Cool tones are more frosty and warm tones are more towards gold. My fav kind of highlighter is the champagne shade since its neutral and suits all skin types. See that you don’t apply too much highlighter or too dark a shade if you do it will look like a strip on your face which you should avoid.
Recommendation: Nykaa Glow Getter Highlighters ,,Click Here for review
YBP Goddess cream highlighter
Wet & Wild highlighter Precious petals
⭐Blush: I always avoided blush thinking I turn pink naturally I don’t need more color on my face which was my major mistake. I realized a healthy dose of color makes you look more put together. Just find the right kind of blush for you. I would always say go with a matte blush, too much shimmer emphasizes your pores. Dewy blushes work really good too but blending it right is the key. Now if you have a round face I would say pull your blush upwards towards your hairline instead of concentrating on the apple of your cheeks. If you have a narrow face more angular then apply it more concentrated on your cheeks. These little things make a huge difference. Apply a little color on the tip of your nose so it looks more natural like you are glowing from being under the sun. I prefer applying the blush last since it mushes the bronzer and highlighter and gives a more natural look. You can obviously do you there is no hard and fast rule when it comes to blushes. If you tend to naturally turn pink and you use less coverage foundation then stick to more neutral colors when it comes to blush. If you use a full coverage foundation you will need a more popping blush color so you don’t look too washed out. If you apply red lipsticks any bold shade goes with light neutral blush if you go for nude lipsticks go for more popping blushes it will amplify your look. You can always match your blush shade with your lip color too. Totally depends on your style.
Whenever the blush is too pigmented use a stipping blush less dense or big and fluffy but if the blush isn’t pigmented and you want more color payoff use a dense round brush, something that you use for foundation works here.
Recommendation: Colorbar Mattillusion Blush (they have some really good shades)
Nykaa Wonder puff {as a liquid blush instead of lipstick}
If you can get your hands on essence matte and satin blushes then do those are some of the best and most affordable blushes ever.
If you are looking for cheaper options Miss Claire blushes are really good but a little too pigmented for beginners so use a light hand.
All these come in two forms cream/liquid and powder:
Cream products: Before you set your concealer see whether you are using more cream products because cream/liquid products are used before you use powders. Usually, if you are a beginner I would suggest staying away from cream products because blending it right can be a problem and your makeup will look patchy but I love cream products since I have dry skin and cream products give you the most natural no-makeup look. Blending is the key to get a flawless look with cream products. But you always have to set your cream products, if you don’t want them to shift and transfer whole day.
Powder Products: If you are a beginner start with powder products. They are easier to blend and you can always dust off the excess. If you have gone overbroad with blush or bronzer all you have to do is take some translucent powder on your narrow powder blush and go over the part and it will neutralize it. You can also just use the beauty blender or brush you used for foundation and just go over that area. You tend to get more variety and colors in powder products compared to cream products. The main thing to remember is to set your cream/liquid base before you use powder otherwise some products especially bronzers can go on patchy on the skin.
7. Setting Spray:
This step is super important because this is what makes your base long-lasting and non-cakey. A lot of us even professionals tend to skip this step and you shouldn’t. If you are looking for a spray that will make your makeup stay longer it usually has alcohol in it so use those only on occasions. Try finding a setting spray that will carter to your needs but doesn’t have a too high concentration of alcohol in it. If you belong to an oily skin family and want something to hold your base products to stay in place and not melt away always use a matte setting spray. If you are going for an occasion like a party or a wedding go for something more illuminating which gives a dewy look & more natural look. If you don’t wanna spend too much you can always use your rose water but I would suggest don’t directly spray it on your face instead spray it on your beauty blender then dab in on your skin. This will lock in the moisture and set in your base but at the same time won’t melt it away. You can always use a setting spray throughout the day whenever you feel the need to refresh your makeup.
Setting spray is also great to use in between your makeup routine to give you a more healthy glow and to make the products blend in more naturally. If you find the right setting spray it will become your savior so find the one for you.
Recommendations: LA girl and NYX matte setting spray and dewy setting spray. Both brands work the same way. Milani long-lasting setting spray (it has alcohol). Two-faced primer plus setting spray (it is expensive and has fragrance but it is good and works as a primer too)
8. Lipsticks:
Find the formula you love and get 4 main colors which are brown nude, Pink nude, a universal red & Pink that matches your skin tone. These are the basic colors if you like bold edgy colors definitely get your hands on a good purple shade and maroon. You can always mix and match your lipsticks and can also use them as cream/liquid blushes to match your blush with your lipstick.
I’m not going in too much detail in lipstick since I have already done a whole post on it with different formulas and recommendations. To check that out Click Here
Follow me @themerchantpost on Instagram
to know more about skincare and makeup.
If you liked this post let me know so I can do more of these.
————————————————————————————-
** The links I attach are not affiliated. I usually attached sites and stores I personally buy from my own money. (I am in no way advertising expensive products, whatever I show or talk about are things I already own)
*P.S: All opinions are my own and honest. The above-mentioned products are bought and paid for by me. What works for me may not work for you. Trying before buying is always recommended. Check out a few reviews until your satisfied.
“If you have come so far *you get a virtual hug* Thanks for the time and do come back again for more such amazing reviews”.