Makeup is an important part of a beauty routine, but getting started and figuring out what makeup to buy can feel overwhelming. The goal is to understand the basic products, colors, and tools that can help create the looks you actually want. The right choices can vary depending on your skin type, skin tone, preferred coverage, and personal style. Today’s post is going to be a round up of makeup essentials that you need to build your collection.
What Makeup Do I Need
When it comes to makeup essentials, there are products that are useful basics and others which are optional. Complexion products like foundation, skin tint and concealer are necessities to help even out the skin tone. Following this, a product to define the eyes, one to give color to the cheeks and something on the lips to finish off the look is the next step in makeup essentials. A balanced makeup look should have something for each area of the face (eyes, lips, cheeks) to make the look appear polished and complete. Optional makeup products that you can use to further create dimension for the face would be a light dusting of setting powder, highlighter for the cheekbones, lip liner to define the lips, etc.
For more posts on makeup techniques and recommendations, here are some posts not to miss:
What Order To Apply Makeup
Best Drugstore Makeup for Mature Skin
No Makeup Makeup Products
Do You Need A Lot Of Makeup
Having more makeup does not necessarily mean having a better makeup routine. A smaller collection of versatile products can be enough for everyday makeup, particularly when the products work for multiple purposes or can create different levels of coverage.
Makeup Essentials
Skin Tint/Foundation
Evening out the complexion creates a smooth base to begin your natural makeup look. Choose formulations that provide sheer coverage. Products like skin tints, tinted sunscreens and tinted moisturizers are great options. Apply foundation with a makeup brush if you want more coverage or use a damp sponge to give a skin-like application.
Lightweight and skin-like, this tint evens out the complexion perfectly while also providing SPF 40 sun protection. In between sheer and medium is where the coverage falls but you can definitely build it up slightly if needed. The finish is natural with a soft dewy finish. It makes the skin look healthy and fresh without being too dewy or shiny.
The Merit Minimalist Complexion Stick gives a creamy satin finish to the skin, sheer to light coverage and easy application with the stick format.
Concealer
Use a concealer to add a touch more precise coverage to places that may have some discoloration. That could be under the eyes or any dark spots/blemishes on the face.
This concealer provides light to medium coverage in a serum-like consistency with a radiant dewy finish. While it’s somewhat buildable, it’s not meant to be full coverage. The formula has skin mimicking pigments so it does blend in effortlessly and lasts nearly all day.
The Face Flex Concealer and Complexion Enhancer is designed to be a multi-purpose complexion product that moves with your face throughout the day without creasing or fading for up to 12 hours. I personally use it only as a concealer but it can easily be dabbed all over the face and blended out as a light foundation or complexion enhancer. This is creamy and smooth perfection!!! Some concealers claim to be creamy and hydrating but still dry down and make my under eye area look cakey. This does not at all. It’s super blendable but does set after a few minutes. It’s moisturizing and slightly blurring.
The Face Flex Concealer gives medium coverage though can easily be sheered out by applying a smaller amount. For me, it is the perfect amount of coverage and manages to look absolutely flawless on the skin. It gives a nice natural finish that mimics the look of real skin. It’s truly beautiful.
Brow Pencil
Brows frame the face and can make a huge difference in creating a balanced makeup look. You don’t have to draw them in per se but rather fill in any sparse areas by drawing short strokes with your brow product to create the look of real har. My go-to brow tool that I have been using for nearly 12 years is the Hourglass Brow Tool in Soft Brunette. The color is perfect for my dark hair and the formula is long-wearing so it lasts all day long regardless of what I’m doing.
Mascara
Even though I have naturally dark lashes because of my dark hair, I still need the added definition of mascara. Personally I love a super inky black formula that gives volume and drama. I’ve experimented with tons over the years but have settled on tubing mascaras as my personal preference. Tubing mascaras do not flake or smudge like regular mascaras and the formula I really enjoy is the Tarte Tubing Mascara.
Neutral Eyeshadow
Choose a satin or soft matte texture for everyday. A shade that is close to your skin tone is a few tones darker/lighter so that your eye makeup looks natural and undetectable.
These shadow sticks are smooth, creamy, long lasting and come in a ton of everyday wearable shades. I also recommend these to anyone that struggles with crepey lids because they show very little texture and have a subtle blurring effect. The shade Alluring Rose is a soft satin neutral rose that would make the perfect everyday eyeshadow for work.
This is one of my most recommended shadows for a professional makeup look. It’s a soft satin finish that doesn’t look too shiny but gives the lids a bit of luminosity. The taupe shade is subtle yet still gives the eyes definition and dimension.
Cream Bronzer/Cream Blush
I would argue that a cheek color, whether that be blush or bronzer, is the most important step in creating a natural makeup look. A bit of color added to the apples of your cheeks will mimic the way the face naturally flushes. Cream and liquid products look the most like skin so it’s best to choose those types of formulas.
This is a lightweight sheer cream bronzer that can be used on specific parts of the face or all over to give a soft natural glow. It’s a complexion balm that adds warmth to the complexion and can be used to even out the skin tone.
This formula is super sheer but gives the cheeks a natural flush of color. Easy to apply and blend, this product is foolproof. If you are someone who loves a no makeup makeup look, these blush sticks are a must have.
The Merit Beauty Blush Balm is a cream blush designed to give a tint to the cheeks and a “lit-from-within” finish to the skin. The texture is very emollient and balm-like so it melts into the skin. Microfine pigments provide a touch of color without covering up your natural skin texture.
Tinted lipstick/balm
Finishing off the look with a swipe of a tinted lip balm or gloss will help create a polished yet balanced look.
The formula is creamy and intensely nourishing while the pigment is just opaque enough to give the perfect amount of color. My favorite shade to wear day to day is Deal With It which is a gorgeous rosy pink. For something a bit less intense, I love the shade Calm Down.
I love everything OneSkin does so I knew I would adore this new lip launch. And I was right! But I didn’t just adore it – it immediately became a favorite. The color is the perfect neutral everyday pink that I can wear with any makeup look. It feels nourishing with no tackiness (and no weird sunscreen scent).
If a glossy lip is not your preference, these soft-matte tinted lip balms are exactly what you need. The formula is so smooth and leaves a beautifully blurred finish to the lips with just a hint of color. These don’t have a ton of pigment so the color payoff will be very soft and natural. Perfect for an everyday no-makeup makeup look!
How To Choose What Makeup You Need
Understand your lifestyle
Try to find products that fit your lifestyle. Find products that have multiple purposes like lip/cheek sticks or a tinted sunscreen if you are looking to cut down on the number of steps in your makeup routine.
Be sure to create a balanced look
Regardless of how simple or involved of makeup look you want to create, it’s important to ensure you have the products needed to create a balanced face. Using a product for the eyes (eyeshadow, liner, mascara, etc), something for the cheeks (blush, bronzer, etc) and something for the lips (gloss, balm, lipstick, etc) is key to creating a polished face.
Trial and error
Sometimes it can take a few tries and different products to find what will work for your desired makeup routine.
How To Build A Makeup Routine
Find images of inspiration
Whether on Pinterest or social media, try to find makeup looks that you love. This will give you an idea of your own personal makeup preference and style.
Visit a makeup counter or makeup store
While so much is available online, there is nothing like a good ol’ fashioned makeup consultation or a basic makeup lesson. It is how I learned and how I was able to get more knowledge of makeup techniques. You can visit a department store, Sephora or even a local salon for help on understanding your skin tone, the order of makeup application and how to achieve the looks you want.
Start small
You do not have to revamp or identify your everyday makeup look all at once. Order a few eyeshadows that interest you and try them out. It may take wearing that shade for a few weeks to determine if you like it, but once you know you can then move on to the next category or product.
Research different brands
Is there something specific that you want out of a brand? Are you wanting cruelty free products? Vegan products? Make a list of the brands that fit your own criteria and then look at the products that they offer.
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