This week I'm writing a series on beginning beauty! There will be two installments, a makeup post and a brushes post. Obviously, today's post is on the makeup. I think when one starts with makeup it's better to start small and then build up. Of course one can switch out products for higher coverage/lower coverage products, but these are just some basic products I think beginners (and everybody, actually) should have in their stash.

The "basic/essentials" kit:

If you have perfect wonderful skin, you don't need a lick of makeup but for those of us with a few more problem areas (blemishes, redness, dark undereyes) concealer is a must. The drugstore has plenty of amazing offerings, but one that I think is fantastic is the Sonia Kashuk Hidden Agenda Concealer Palette, which includes two concealer shades and a corrector, not to mention a nice powder for setting the makeup. For undereyes, try the Garnier Anti-Dark Circle Eye Treatment (not pictured). Unless you're blessed with full, shapely eyebrows you also don't need this but let's face it, most of us are in need of an eyebrow pencil. You can go with powder if you can't find a good color match, but I think applying it like that is a little difficult at first. A great pencil is the Sonia Kashuk Brow Definer, available in two fairly universal shades. A little defining and shaping gives your face a sharper and youthful appearance and finishes your look up. And finally, eyeliner/mascara. Eyeliner is a little hard to apply but once you get the hang of it you really do get the hang of it. Depending on the product and application, you can get a really smoked out, smudgy look or a crisp, clean line. A really great liquid liner is the Pixi Lash Line Ink and a great pencil liner is the Pixi Endless Silky Eye Pen. I'm not a big fan of mascara but I hear that Maybelline has some great ones. I don't use their products, but apparently Great Lash LOL, Cat Eyes, and The Rocket are lovely.


The "and then some" kit
Along with the products mentioned above, this kit is for those who not only want to effortlessly pretty but also put together. Something to keep an eye out for (if you want to wear it) is a base, such as foundation or tinted moisturizer. Beginners should start out with either a sheer foundation or tinted moisturizer. Even if you have bad skin, covering it up with layers of makeup is not going to do anything for it. You might as well let your skin breathe. You want to look for a product that will cancel out discoloration and redness but not cover up your skin. One product that I hear is awesome for this purpose is the Borjouis CC Cream (not pictured, as it's not available in the US). I'm not a big fan of wearing a base because I hate the hassel of removing it but a good starter TM is the Neutrogena Healthy Skin Enhancer or the matching foundation (foundation not pictured). Another put-together item is eyeshadow. I recommend you start out with a neutral duo, trio, or quad. Neutral shades are better for beginners because they're a bit more forgiving and easy to work with versus a bright blue shadow. A wonderful little trio is the Wet n' Wild Walking on Eggshells Coloricon trio. The Coloricon line has tons of amazing quality eyeshadows, including several neutral palettes and more out there palettes. These are super pigmented, buttery, and crease-resistant, not to mention dirt cheap. Lastly, to finish the and then some kit, pick out a tinted lip balm or sheer lipstick. Of course you can go with bold bright colors, but I think sheer shades are easier because you can apply them without looking. Try the Clinique Chubby Sticks (or the drugstore version, the Revlon Just Kissable Balm Stains) as they apply a sheer but lively wash of color to the lips.

The "I don't know what to call this" kit
This kit is more advanced. Of course, it includes products mentioned in the other two kits (if you want to use them!) but there are also some other products to really beautify your lovely face. A product that not everybody needs but most people use is powder. Powder sets makeup, eliminates oil, and also makes makeup longer lasting. Dry skin types do not need to use powder. There are different powders for different purposes, like mattifying, brightening, and just plain setting. Here I have the Sonia Kashuk Brightning Powder, which is a finely milled powder with shimmer particles to brighten the skin. I think it's probably best for starts to use pressed powders, because it's easier to use and there's less of a mess. And finally, the last product of the start makeup kits, is blush. I'm actually not the biggest blush lover as my cheeks are naturally flushed, but blush can make a world of difference to a foundationed face. It brings life and color back to those cute little cheeks of yours. Pictured is the Sonia Kashuk Creme Blush in Blossom. Although of course a starter can go for powder, I prefer cream because it can be applied with fingers, with a brush, or with a sponge.

Thanks for reading! What makeup products would you recommend for starters?