Makeup Products for Beginners — Guide, Tips, and Suggestions

July 2, 2022

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girl putting makeup products for beginners on another girl

Finding good makeup products for beginners can be overwhelming. Where does one even begin? Well, we’re on the case and have dug deep to find all the must-have products for you.

We’ve broken it all down to help you learn how to pick what works best and how to use it.

Let’s get into it.

What Products Does a Beginner Need?

Let’s look at everything you need in a makeup kit and what each item does.

Moisturizer

Putting makeup over dry and flakey skin is pointless as it makes the skin look under-prepped and far from flawless. That’s why a good moisturizer is an absolute must in a makeup kit for beginners.

Skincare is vital for a good makeup look. But since moisturizer is the last product you usually put on your face, it’s also the most important one for your makeup magic to work.

If you can’t decide on a daily moisturizer, we highly recommend the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Water Gel. Many makeup artists recommended this product, giving it thumbs up for skin hydration before applying makeup. Plus, it’s super affordable.

If you want more options, check the delivery services for female products. They include skincare and beauty items perfect for a beginner to test the waters.

Primer

If you need essential makeup products for beginners, don’t mistake moisturizer for primer. Many use them interchangeably in their makeup routines, but that’s a big no-no.

Primer is specifically formulated to keep makeup on your skin without making it cakey or dry. A good one will hydrate the skin while making it slightly tacky for the makeup products to sit beautifully.

While a moisturizer also provides hydration, it’s not suitable for keeping makeup in place. And you don’t want that if you’re looking for long-wear makeup looks.

There are many products on the market, but we like FENTY BEAUTY Pro Filt’r Hydrating Primer. It has rave reviews from many MUAs and influencers. Another good option is trying subscription services for beauty products as they often have the newest and trendiest items.

Foundation

Let’s move on to basic makeup products for beginners. And the foundation is literally that — it can make or break your makeup.

Using a foundation that cakes on your face will make everything look dry and crumbly, whether you’re using dry or wet products. Your money will go to waste if your foundation doesn’t soak into the skin.

You need products that fit your skin’s needs. Whether you have dry, normal, or oily skin will determine your choice of a liquid, powder, cream, or stick foundation.

Another massive aspect of this starter makeup kit essential is the tone. You need products that suit your skin type and tone. Luckily, the days of brands offering limited tones are long gone. If a brand doesn’t have options for everyone, you should reconsider using it.

To find the right shade, you should determine your undertone. You can do this by looking at the color of the veins in your wrist. It works as follows:

Warm — Peach, yellow, and golden (wrist veins look green)
Cool — Pink, red, and bluish tones (wrist veins look blue)
Neutral — A mix of warm and cool (most jewelry and colors work fine)

Lastly, if you want a good and full makeup kit list for beginners, you should consider your foundation needs.

High coverage foundation blends out all imperfections and creates a blank skin canvas to work on. In contrast, low coverage products soak into the skin, blending with your natural tone without covering every blemish. These are usually tinted moisturizers.

Our favorite is Maybelline New York Fit Me Matte + Poreless Liquid Foundation. It’s well-priced and has thousands of outstanding reviews. Plus, it has a massive shade range, which is an absolute must.

Concealer

Concealer makes our list of must-have makeup products for beginners because it’s the handiest tool when you’re in a rush or need some extra help covering up blemishes. This product is usually liquid; you can use it to touch up your makeup throughout the day.

You can use a concealer in many cases. For example, if you apply it as a highlight, you’ll need it to be a shade or two lighter than your skin tone to bring out your features. In contrast, if you use it for concealing blemishes, it should be the nearest color to your foundation to avoid a big contrast.

One product that’s good for beginners is Maybelline Instant Age Rewind. This concealer is medium coverage and has thousands of reviews on Amazon. It has 18 shades and comes in an easy-to-use tube that you twist and apply straight to the face.

Highlighter and Contour

In the past, these two wouldn’t make our list of makeup products for beginners. But they help finish your modern look.

Liquid contour is basically a concealer that’s darker than your skin tone to help define certain face areas. You usually put it under the cheekbones, on the forehead, and on the jawline. Then, you blend it into the skin to remove any harsh lines.

Highlight does the opposite. It’s a lighter shade for bringing out certain facial features. The most popular places to put it are the cheekbones, the tip of the nose, and the cupid’s bow.

A great option for both highlight and contour in your beginner makeup essentials kit is the NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Wonder Stick. It has a darker and lighter option on each side.

Blush

Blush warms up the face after you’ve defined it with contour and highlight. It comes in many forms, like powder and liquid, but we recommend powder as it’s easier to apply for beginners.

All you need is a fluffy and tapered brush to apply blush to your cheekbones. Think of where your face goes rosy when you’re warm, and that’s where you should put the blush.

When looking for beginner makeup products, try your best to find a shade that looks natural on your skin. Also, a little blush goes a long way, so use it sparingly until you get the hang of it.

We recommend M·A·C Cosmetics Powder Blush as it has an easy-to-use formula and comes in various shades for all skin tones.

Setting Products

Once you’re ready with your makeup, you need to set it. Otherwise, it’ll just smudge or come off.

A good setting spray can be a lifesaver, especially when you’re active, like dancing in a nightclub or running around town.

When looking at things you need for makeup, you can also use a setting product to wet your beauty blender or sponge so that you don’t blend your foundation or concealer dry. It’s a massive waste of product when the sponge soaks up most of it.

We suggest trying Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray. It has great reviews and will last you throughout the day or night.

Eyeshadow Palette

Eyeshadow is a must for your basic makeup kit as it’ll elevate your look.

The trouble is there are a whole load of eyeshadow pallets on the market with various shades and consistencies. Some examples include shimmer, frosty, metallic, matt, and glitter. Then, there are lose pigments, powders, or even cream shadows.

But the most basic eyeshadow must-have is a neutral palette as you can do some fabulous looks out of just one product. Our favorite is the Urban Decay Naked2 Basics Eyeshadow Palette. It has amazing reviews and the colors sit beautifully on the skin.

Eyeliner

Eyeliner is an absolute staple for a makeup basics list and has been since the days of Egyptian Pharaohs. It helps you create stunning eye shapes and improves a sultry smoky eye.

Eyeliner comes in any color you could imagine and in pencil, gel, pen, and liquid formulas. But if you’re just starting, it’s best to use a pencil liner as it’s much more forgiving if you make a mistake.

The Maybelline Master Precise Skinny Gel Eyeliner Pencil is a great choice. It has an easy glide and application. Plus, it’s super cheap and with over 4,000 reviews on Amazon.

If you’re not confident about choosing such products, a makeup subscription will help you try many colors and textures. For instance, you can learn how GlossyBox works.

Mascara

A good mascara can ramp up any makeup look. It accentuates your lashes, opening up and brightening your eyes even when you didn’t get much sleep.

Makeup for beginners must include mascara to help elevate your look, even if you’re not putting on a full face. Also, different wands will provide you with different looks. Here’s a quick guide:

Classic — Thick bristles
Curved — Curved, to go with natural lash curls
Tapered Comb — a thick base to get to your lashes and a tapered edge to reach the inner corner
Fat brush — a large brush will give you thick and flat lashes
Micro — small brushes create a defined look with little to no clumping
Precision — a thin tip will help you get those hard-to-reach lashes while the thicker middle adds volume

While the brush is important, so is the color. Mascara comes in brown, black, blue, white, and if you look hard enough, every color under the sun. But to get started, the classic black is a perfect addition to your list of basic makeup products.

We recommend trying the budget-friendly Essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara. It has glowing Amazon reviews.

Lipstick or Lip Gloss

A great shade of lipstick can build an entire makeup look. Popular options include neutrals, pinks, and reds.

When you’re first starting, it’s best to try more everyday shades. They’re much more forgiving than bold colors when navigating how to apply lipstick.

Some of the best makeup products for beginners include lipstick and lipgloss for a much-needed shine. A good option is a lip kit with a pencil, lipstick, and gloss that complement each other. We recommend the Charlotte Tilbury Lip Kit. It’s soft and super easy to apply.

If you want to try different options before committing to a brand, check our review of IPSY.

Makeup Brushes

Good makeup is nothing without a great way to apply it. So, makeup brushes are essential to looking and feeling your best.

But the choice isn’t easy. Some are big and fluffy to apply powder, others are more tapered for blush, and there’s a whole size range for eyeshadow.

A basic makeup list isn’t complete without a good set of makeup brushes. When you’re getting started, we recommend Real Techniques Makeup Brush Set with Sponge Blender. The set comes with eyeshadow, blush, foundation, powder brushes, and a sponge for blending. It’s everything you’ll need.

Compact

A compact is a nifty little lifesaver when you’re out and about and need to retouch your makeup. It’s a powder that fits into any purse. That usually comes with a soft puff to place the powder on your face and combat shine and blemishes.

The Maybelline Fit Me Loose Finishing Powder is a great option as it blends well and comes in many shades.

Makeup Tips For Beginners

Now that you know what makeup to get for beginners, here are a few essential hacks and tips:

Prepping the skin is the most important step. A good skincare routine is vital, but if you’re unsure where to start, a subscription can help you try different products. For instance, you can learn more about Birchbox, a popular beauty box for women.
Shade matching is a must for foundation and concealer. You want to find products that fit your skin tone and type.
Blend, blend, blend — This goes for all makeup essentials for beginners as you don’t want harsh lines. A good beauty blender and a fluffy brush can help.
Check the expiry date — Don’t use items past that date. This can be harmful to your health and will affect how your makeup looks.

Wrap Up: Makeup Products for Beginners

Makeup might seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. If you’re just starting, you need some tips and essential products. Don’t be afraid to experiment and always have fun with it!

If you want to find products for beginners, scroll up to see our recommendations.