Building Your First Makeup Bag

Identify your complexion needs as it relates to color cosmetics, not skincare. We can touch on that in a separate post.

Do you feel your face warrants foundation use? If so, start there. Determine coverage, light, medium or heavy and do you prefer a liquid or powder? Direct your product search accordingly.

Are you going to need concealer? Do you have uneven skin tone? Spots/blemishes? Undereye circles? If you responded yes to any, you’ll certainly benefit from concealer usage. 

Primer is excellent for applying after your moisturizing routine and before foundation and concealer. It’ll help those products stay put longer and can hydrate your skin if your primer has that capability. 

Mascara is often called the “if you were stuck on a desert island which makeup product could you not live without.” The choices in the marketplace abound. There are excellent selections in both the lower price point (mass) and higher price point (prestige) for you to review and sample. 

If you’re lucky enough to have full and healthy brows, then you may not need to worry about a brow product but if you’re like a lot of us it’s a necessity! There are tons of different options including pencils, powders and gels. You may need to play around with what you’re most comfortable using.

Don’t forget blush for creating a natural looking glow. Unfortunately, a lot of us can’t achieve that lovely look on our own. The options here run the gamut from powders to creams. Selecting which kind is often based on your skin type. For example, if you’re dry then a cream might be a better choice. 

Lastly lips – you can use a simple lipstick or build by first applying a lip pencil, then lipstick and finally gloss. Not to mention lip scrubs, masks and so forth but if you’re a beginner and if budget is an issue, then a gloss or stick will do just fine.