It is OK! I just want to put this out there that I have never been the girl to go to about makeup or skin care either. It is just something that I don't have much knowledge or experience in. I really never started wearing makeup until the end of high school and even then I really didn't wear it more than a few times a month. My mom never sat down and taught me how to wear makeup or what to buy, she simply said I was naturally beautiful and didn't need it. She told me the day that I did, she would be honest and tell me but, that I shouldn't really wear it until then. Well, that hasn't happened yet, but I do wear makeup every once in a while or have a pimple that needs to be covered.

I don't know if any of you other girls are similar to me in that way, but I am sure that some can relate. And, maybe your not and your reading this and thinking wow, this girl is really silly, maybe you are that girl that has been wearing makeup and following those tutorials of how all to achieved that celebrities look since early on. Thankfully you are the girls that have helped me in my makeup journey because I will say said again, I have little to no experience with makeup.

My makeup routine, if I choose to wear any, is a light layer of powdered foundation, mascara, and potentially a light lip gloss or natural colored eyeshadow. I have been fine with this look and have always been going for a really natural appearance, however, I didn't know I also was so lost when it came to knowing my skin, as well as all the ways to achieve those different makeup looks. I am just starting to venture out, it may seem a little late that I am a sophomore in college, however, here are some of the things I've learned.

Recently, I had the experience of walking into the store looking for a new powder foundation. I had one that had just run out but the problem was that I had owned it for so long that when looking for a new one I was completely lost. There are really so many brands and product out there that it is really hard to figure out which one is going to be suited for you. So as I stood there totally overwhelmed and not knowing what to pick out I suddenly found a nice lady that worked in the department to help me. She asked me so many questions, through this I figured out so much about what I was needing and actually looking for… which turned out to not be a powder foundation.

So after we had both figured out that I had no idea what I was doing we started by identifying things about my skin as well as what I needed to fix about my skin care routine. This is always the first step. Makeup is truly just a cover-up but, it isn't what is going to fix the problem. I knew this, but it is something that seems to go over your head when you have that pimple and just don't want to see it anymore. We talked for over an hour and she was so sweet and determined to find what was best for me.

I don't plan in going into that all, because that would be really long and is something particular to my skin, but I do want to leave you with some questions/advice to help you lost girls, like me.

First I would figure out your skin type

Do you have dry, combo, or oily skin? Then the second part of that is figure out your skin type again, but to see if you have: sensitive, normal, or tough skin. Knowing will help you best to determine what your skin care routine is and the products you should be using. As well it will help you to determine what kind of makeup will suit you best. It may sound silly but, I didn't realize how many skin types there are and that you should be doing different things depending on your skin type.

Then figure out what you are wanting to achieve with your makeup

If you're like me and want something simple and minimal that you could wear every day it will only take you a few minutes to get ready in the morning. However, I also respect those people who do those crazy elaborate looks, perks to you! Definitely not something I can or want to do by myself. So, find out what you are looking to accomplish with the way your skin looks and determining if you need makeup. As well look into what the different types of makeup products are intended for. (Example: I learned that there are many different forms of foundations including liquid, powder, bb cream, cc cream, stick, tinted moisturizer, and mineral powders).

Finally Research, Research, Research!

Go into stores and ask the employees, read reviews online, try products that are intended for your skin type and for what you're looking for them to do. It took me over an hour in the store the other day to just pick out a new foundation and what I intended to buy I found was actually not the best thing for my face. This being said be patient and open to new products and things that could work for you. In doing this I found that I needed to take a step backward, not to look at the makeup but at my skincare routine — especially if you have a skin problem because that is more likely to get to the route of the issue!

Also, I wanted to share the skin care routine that I was told to follow, which is pretty basic that anyone could use.

My updated skincare routine

Step 1) remove makeup, if wearing any

Step 2) wash face

Step 3) tone

Step 4) apply serum, if you use one

Step 5) moisturize

Step 6) apply makeup, if you are wanting to

I hope this helped all my lovely ladies out there and thanks for reading. As well I just want to leave you with a positive remark that you are all beautiful and that we as people shouldn't be judging each other upon our looks but, we should be seeking and encouraging each other to be bold, unique, and kind! The best kind of beauty, in my opinion, comes from within, that may seem cliche, however, it's what I have found to be true.