Do you know what to put in your makeup bag as a beginner? No? Don’t worry, this article is here for you! We were all there once and thought we needed an entirely new makeup routine. Actually, that’s not the case at all! All you need are some well-chosen and researched best beauty products that people can use time after time.

The real trick lies in matching your foundation to your skin tone and learning how to use your chosen products properly. ​This list is perfect for beginners looking to find out what they need.

The list is broken down into five main sections:

• Foundation and Concealer
• Eyes
• Lips
• Blush
• Bronzer and Highlighter

These products are easy to find at most shops and are affordable too. All you need is a touch of patience, something that can be hard for beginners!​ Makeup fans can find many tutorials online with simple step-by-step guides on applying each product correctly. Check out the ever-popular TikTok app for some great suggestions. The thing to do now is to pick out your perfect shades…but more on that later.

Whether you’re a beginner and it’s your first time using makeup, here’s what you should add to your makeup bag.

Let’s dive in and look at the essential products you need to get your beautiful face on!

Foundation and Concealer

Foundation and concealer are probably among the essential makeup products for beginners. Choosing a color tone that matches your skin perfectly will make the process much more manageable when applied. 

You could start by using a cheaper foundation or BB cream, to begin with, as this gives you an idea of how much makeup or product you need to use and if it’s going well, purchase something more your style.

For extra coverage, try adding a little bit more over any problem areas such as pimples, spots, or redness. Easy!

You can add concealer before or after your foundation depending on what you need it to do. To hide problem areas, always apply concealer before your foundation. 

If you are using it to highlight certain parts of your face, place it under your foundation instead. Using concealer this way will subtly lift the key areas.

When choosing which color concealer to buy, it’s important not to choose anything too light or dark for your skin tone. To do so can make things worse when applying shadow and contour because it appears patchy in comparison. 

The safest thing to do is test out a small amount of product first on a different part of your leg or arm and then go from there. For example: if you have a medium-dark skin tone, then pick a medium shade – no matter what brand, and experiment with the shade.

Photo by Jesper Brouwers on Unsplash

Eyes Bright

Start with something neutral like browns, taupes, or natural colors. These shades are much easier to use and look brilliant on their own or layered for a more intense result. You can also move on to brighter shades once you have mastered the basics.

You should always invest in an eyelid primer first, as this will help your eyeshadow last much longer throughout the day. It’s best to pick one that matches your skin tone because it will be less noticeable if it does slip during application.

You may want to try out different looks, too, such as cat eyes, winged liner, or smokey eye.  There are so many tutorials available online which take you step by step through the application so that you can do each look properly without getting it wrong at first – check out this YouTube post.

Lovely Lips

Depending on your skin tone/color, you could choose from a range of different colors and shades for your lips. If in doubt, start with pinks or reds, which suit most people.

Nude and pink tones are the safest bet when starting your makeup journey. You can also add a little gloss if you prefer something less subtle.

Blushing Blush

Blush, makeup professionals invented to make us look healthy; it’s called blush because that’s what it’s supposed to mimic – the color in your cheeks when you blush or have a natural healthy glow to them. 

No one wants to look like they have gone through a dusty rose bush, so it’s best to avoid anything too dark or bold for beginners. The secret is to find a shade that isn’t too pink but will provide just enough pop of color to lift your look.

Bronzer and Highlighter

For a subtle tint, you need to opt for a matte bronzing powder. If you prefer something with more shimmer, it will be better to reach for your body shimmer first and then use this on top. 

Using bronzer in this way will give you the extra glowy effect, and by practicing on your body, you can work out how much to use without your mistakes showing on your face.

Highlighters are a whole different ball game. Drag queens started the art of contouring with highlighters and darker tints to define features. The style moved into the mainstream when Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner used this technique to significant effect.

Skin Type

It’s pretty important to understand what kind of skin you have before purchasing any products because some things won’t work so well if you have dry or oily skin. 

The best thing would be to ask someone who knows about makeup to help you out, even better if it’s your mum (mum knows best, right?). However, if she is a child of the 70’s you may need to remind her that makeup fashion has moved on and learn new techniques together.

When starting, choose only one type of base product such as primer, foundation, and concealer so you can master applying these without too many errors. You could also purchase a pressed powder on its own if this is easier to use.

Working this way means that you can always come back for more later once you know exactly what works best- we recommend starting with two brands and then mixing and matching to find what suits your skin type the most.

Just like most things in our daily lives –  practice makes for perfect makeup. Enjoy and remember to invest in a good makeup remover just in case.