I want to start buying make up.

Apr 21, 2013

Amina J.

Where or how do I start, but I have no clue what to look for. I also find it hard to match my complexion.

Apr 21, 2013

Amina J.

Thanks that really helped. I'm going to college in June and I don't want to not know how to apply makeup by then.

Apr 21, 2013

Anjenae H.

I don't like wearing foundation but I would start with mascara

Apr 21, 2013

Anjenae H.

I don't like wearing foundation but I would start with mascara

Apr 21, 2013

Nee Y.

Start out with elf products very cheap & good for starting out

Apr 21, 2013

Nee Y.

You can get them online or Kmart or target the most expensive thing is probably $6

Apr 21, 2013

Amina J.

Thanks everyone 😄

Apr 21, 2013

Michelle T.

For starters: Mascara and lipgloss, maybe some blush after you are handy with these try a BB cream or moisturizer, I assume you don't need a (heavy) foundation. Then eyeshadows, that order I recommend :)

Apr 21, 2013

Angie T.

If I were you I would spend the bulk of your money on a great mineral powder. Then go inexpensive for lip gloss and makeup brushes. Use a hypoallergenic mascara and just keep it simple and comfortable.

Apr 21, 2013

Rose M.

Eyeliner makes the biggest difference, but it's also tough to learn. Make thin lines for starters, they make your eyes look bigger than thick lines anyway.

Apr 21, 2013

Rafiat A.

Hey Amina congrats on starting college! While I agree that you shouldn't spend loads on make-up if your starting out, I don't necessarily agree that drug store makeup is the only option. Macy's has numerous make-up brands and they are always willing to give consultants and free samples. You can take the samples home and try them out to see if you like it.

Apr 21, 2013

Natalie L.

If you have great skin, you don't need to go crazy on foundations/ concealers/ primers. If so, I recomment drugstore brands like maybelline. They?re cheap, you can find it in any walmart and it serves its purpose. If you want to defind your eyes a little, try black or dark brown eye liner (the trick is to make your eyes contrast better to your skin. Mascara is there to open your eyes more and define lashes (kind of makes eyes more feminine). Since you have dark skin, I?d recommend looking for a brighter or orangy based blusher. you don?t want a dead face with no colour. Lipstick/gloss/stains go crazy with em. try out lots of colours.

I?d recommend going to youtube and checking out Lisa Eldridge?s channel and grab some tips from her. shes a makeup artist based in the UK and shes don't tutorials for fair and dark skinned people. I?ve learnt a lot from her. She gets models of all kinds of colour on her channel, so you?ll get a good idea what to look for. Although don?t go with the brand advice since she is a makeup artist and those brands are expensive.

Apr 21, 2013

Jane B.

Watching YouTube videos was the best way for me to learn how to apply makeup properly! One of my favorite ladies on YT is emilynoel83. She always has fantastic recommendations for inexpensive makeup products that really work! Also, if you're buying makeup from the drugstore, always keep your receipts, because they will take returns, even if you've used the product! So don't be afraid to pick something up and try it, because you can always take it back if it doesn't work or if the color doesn't quite match.

When I started out, I had a basic starter kit: foundation, undereye concealer, eyeliner, mascara, and lip gloss. Here are my suggestions:

Foundation: L'Oreal True Match (liquid or mineral, whatever you prefer). This line has the largest color range of any drugstore foundation and it retails for about $10.
Undereye Concealer: Maybelline Fit Me (again, larger color selection means you might be able to find something for you! Or, you might be one of those lucky ones and not need any!)
Eyeliner: Wet n Wild Color Icon eyeliner. They are 99 cents and have a great color selection. They aren't the greatest quality, but do the trick, especially if you're just starting out!
Mascara: L'Oreal Voluminous. It is a cult classic for a reason, and it is very reasonably priced.
Lip Gloss: Revlon Colorburst Lip Glosses. They come in a great range of colors and are a nice consistency; not too sticky and not too wet.

Let me know if you want any other drugstore product suggestions or any other tips!

Apr 22, 2013

Crystal D.

I agree with Rafiat, especially if you have trouble matching your complexion. Department stores have a lot of counters to choose from and so does Sephora. They'll have testers and beauty advisors/makeup artists that can help find you the perfect shade of foundation can go more in depth with you about your skin and what will work best for you as opposed to just selling you what's new on the market, which is typically what drugstores do. (I've worked for both a drugstore and a department store as a beauty advisor.)

For the most part, I agree with everyone else on what items to definitely buy. Start with the basics: mascara, eyeliner, foundation/bb cream and then go on from there. If you're not used to wearing makeup the last thing you want to do is buy a bunch of stuff you don't know how to use and plaster it on. A department store and sephora can help teach you. A drugstore can't. If you see something you like but don't want to spend that much money, that's where I say go to the drugstore and find something similar. But I wouldn't go in to a drugstore expecting to get a full face just because you can't try it on.

Apr 22, 2013

Lux J.

Yes - start watching YouTube videos! I have a medium complexion and even I have a hard time finding makeup to match my skin sometimes, it's just ridiculous! Cosmetics companies should be ashamed of themselves for not offering more variety... anyway, I digress... most high-end and/or department stores will have someone available to help you with that. I've found luck with shades with Urban Decay and a lot of drugstore brands. I recommend going somewhere like Ulta/Sephora where you can actually try out product though, because I have bought soo many drugstore products that I find are too light/dark for my skin.

To start, I would just get mascara, eyeliner, and maybe some blush and highlighter/bronzer. Unless you have a lot of blemishes, you really don't even need foundation - I rarely use it. You can brighten up your face a lot with bronzer and blush. elf (eyeslipsface.com) has a lot of great products and they are all really affordable so you can play around with different things.