For most, September marks the rise of a brand-new school year. This is a time of new beginnings which can also mean fresh new looks. If that means learning how to do makeup, then you’re in the right place
In the beginning of my junior year of high school, I remember going through so many makeup phases that resulted in cringy snap stories or having people stare. After two years of trial and error I finally found the makeup look that works for me and has helped me become more confident than ever. I’ve had girls have reach out to me asking me where to even begin. This article goes out to all the girls and guys who’ve walked into a Sephora or an Ulta and had no idea what to do. Welcome to my beginner’s guide to basic everyday makeup.
Base:
Let’s start with just the overall skin makeup. For an everyday look, most people want to keep it easy and natural. All skin types are gorgeous so in my opinion not much needs to be done. I recommend getting a concealer or tinted moisturizer for the base makeup. I use the NARS Radiant Concealer which I think gives the perfect amount of coverage. I then dot the concealer under my eyes to conceal my dark circles, on acne marks that have not yet faded away, and finally on the sides of my nose to hide the redness. When it comes to concealer there is no right or wrong. One can pretty much put it anywhere. The only thing that matters is blending it correctly. If you want a brighter undereye, use a face power and put it in the same areas you dotted your concealer. For this you’ll either want to use a big dense brush or a beauty blender and press against the concealed areas until it looks like your skin. For the tinted moisturizer, I love the Bare Minerals tinted moisturizer. It’s very easy to match one’s shade because it’s designed to blend with a wide range of skin tones. It also has SPF in it which protects your skin from the sun, and most importantly, it’s extremely natural. Whenever my mom and I wear it, no one can tell we have it on. It literally looks like skin!
Cheeks and Cheekbones:
Blush and contour will take a little more time and if you’re in a hurry I recommend skipping this step. However, if it’s something you want to include in your everyday makeup, here’s how I apply the product. Put blush on the uppermost part of your cheekbone to make your face appear more lifted. If you want to look a little flushed, put some on your nose as well. If you aren’t a fan of blush but still want to add some extra color to your face, apply bronzer to the top of your forehead, your cheekbones, and your jawline. You’re essentially just making a 3 on the side of your face. Once again, a brush or beauty blender will work. Use any setting spray after to make it last if possible! For contour, decide which part of your face you want to look slimmer and work from there. The final step is highlight. Any highlight will work and there’s so many different types. For beginners I recommend placing the highlight in the inner corner of your eye, under your brown, your nose bridge and tip, and finally, your cheekbones. Of course, you don’t absolutely have to do all that, but I love looking shiny and sun kissed to make me look brighter and ready for the day.
Eyebrows:
If you’re already satisfied with your eyebrows, you can pretty much skip this step. If they are super thick and full, I would recommend simply putting gel on them to keep the hair in place. I recommend any eyebrow gel from NYX Cosmetics. They are super affordable and last a long time! If you want to make them look even more clean take a defined, thin brush, dip it in your concealer a little and underline your brows. If you want to make your eyebrows fuller, I recommend an eyebrow pencil. Anyone will work fine in my opinion, especially if you’re just starting out. You can find one that’s exactly your color or one that isn’t. Sometimes I’ll use an auburn pencil to fill in my brows instead of a dark brown one. It’s completely up to you! Then conceal under with a brush again if you made any mistakes or just want to change up the shape of your brows.
Eyes:
Eyes are so fun because there’s so much you can do with it. If you’re like me and really want to make your eyes pop, I recommend mascara and an eyelash curler or an eyeliner. Personally, I think the Maybelline mascara is the way to go. If you don’t like the feel of mascara or such dramatic work, there are also clear mascara tubes! You can also use eyeliner. I know so many people who are afraid to use eyeliner because they think it wouldn’t look right. I say go for it anyway. It doesn’t have to be big and dramatic, and you can start off small. There are thousands of tutorials on YouTube, or you can ask a friend to help you out. Trust me when I say the results are worth it. I use eyeliner and mascara. I make a small wing at the top and put pencil eyeliner in my lower lash line to give me the appearance of bottom lashes. That way, I won’t have to use mascara to give me that effect because it almost always smudges.
Finally, a little hack I use just to give my eyes a more defined look is to put bronzer or contour in the crease of my eyes with any eyeshadow brush to give them a little more definition. For beginners this process may take a while at first, but as you get better it’ll be quick and easy. This process used to take up my entire morning, now it just takes me 5 minutes!
Lips:
When it comes to lips, I would just recommend keeping them moisturized for an everyday look. If you want to be a little bold and where lipstick, then I say go for it! For those that like to keep it simple, lip exfoliation and your favorite lip gloss is perfect and simple.
Congrats on making it this far! You now have the tools you need to begin your own makeup journey. Overall, there will be things you like and things you don’t. However, I hope these tips provide you with an overall sense of where to begin. Remember that while makeup can enhance your beautiful features, it does not enhance your beauty. Whether you wear a lot of makeup, a little, or none, you should be confident in your beauty because you are one of a kind!