College is a great time to experience new things that you have never tried. I know that for many girls, college is the place where they first start experimenting with makeup. As an experienced "makeup artist" since the sixth grade (those were not my best days, trust me), I figured I would pass along some tips I have learned along the way to those who are wanting to dabble in cosmetics.
First of all, foundation can be tricky. For beginners, I think BB Cream is a great way to start. BB Cream, in simple terms, is like a very lightweight foundation with SPF included. It is super easy to blend and will give you a natural look. You can use a brush, sponge, or even your fingers to apply BB Cream.
Next, primers are a great way to make your makeup stay on very well. I usually stick to eyeshadow and foundation primers. Eyeshadow primer will really help your eyeshadow color pop, and you only need a pea-sized amount to use for both eyes. As for foundation primer, your primer can help you with any skin issues you have. Oily skin? Use a Matte Primer. Dry skin? Use a Luminous Primer. Large Pores? Use a "Poreless" primer.
Also, eyeshadow is rather easy to apply. Makeup tutorials may look complicated, but you can totally simplify the process! I recommend starting out with a neutral color palette. Morphe is a great brand for high quality and inexpensive palettes. You can achieve a glamorous, yet simple look by only using five shades (or even less if you prefer.) You can use a cream color as your base, a shimmery highlight color underneath your brow bone, a medium brown to define the crease of your eyelid, a dark brown color to blend out in the outer corner of your eye, and then another light neutral color all over the rest of your eyelid! With practice, you can achieve a natural, yet beautiful eye look. As a side note, I do recommend smaller, fluffier brushes for beginners especially for applying eyeshadow,
Next, eyeliner/mascara. In my opinion, the easiest eyeliners for beginner's are creamy, pencil eyeliners. The ones from Clinique come with a little sponge on the end that is useful for buffing out any messy lines and creating a perfectly seamless look. Liquid liners are awesome, but they require lots of precision. As for mascara, "No clump formulas" are awesome for beginners. Super thick formulas often just leave you with a mess, so sometimes a thinner formula is the way to go! Lash Sensational by Maybelline is a trusted favorite for starters! Remember, no more than three coats. Spider lashes are not forgiving!
Lastly, Blush/Lipstick. Blush is pretty easy to apply. I recommend starting with a big, fluffy brush and experimenting with light, neutral colors. Pressed Powdered blushes are always going to be easier than Loose Powdered ones or Cream. How you apply it is dependent on your face shape, however, you can not go wrong with smiling, and lightly dusting it onto the apples of your cheeks. As for lipstick, before jumping into the world of lipliner, matte lipstick, liquid lipstick, sometimes it is easier to start with lipgloss or a creamy lipstick. Light pinks, peaches, and beige nudes are very easy to start off with.
Of course, there are many other makeup products out there, but I think this is a great way to get introduced to makeup before diving into the trickier stuff. I hope this list was helpful to anyone wanting to try makeup for their first time!
