top of page

Basic Makeup Tips For Newbies

If you’re a newbie to makeup or maybe just dabbling here and there I wanted to share some tips that may help you as you progress with learning your application techniques. These tips won’t make you a pro but you won’t feel overwhelmed. I found that there is so much to learn as I watch the tutorials on Youtube. Some just happen to have that gift of artistry and some – will learn and pick up and begin to progress along the way.

For starters, when are practicing you’ll need makeup brushes, there are so many because you need brushes for the eyes, face, lips, and brows. Don’t worry about getting the numbered brushes just yet, again, you’ll figure it out. You can purchase ones at your local drugstore which is fine, but understand that brushes purchased at Walmart are not the same as the ones that the professionals use. You at least want to get your money’s worth so when the time is right be sure to look into investing in good quality makeup brushes such as Limelife by Alcone’s makeup brushes. Also, when you care for them properly they will last you a very long time.

Next, you need to make sure you avoid the “cake-face”. Have you ever seen someone walk around with so much makeup and it just isn’t … well … isn’t flawless? It just looks cakey? This is can be a multitude of things: too much foundation, concealer, face powder or just dry flaky skin. The trick is to not go overboard with foundation or concealer. Many of us were not blessed with flawless skin, so apply a little and then add on as you go. Also, make sure you are using fresh products. If you are holding onto product from years ago and it’s thick as molasses, it’s not going to apply very well. So it’s time to let go and get some updated formulations! (If you are needing a new foundation check out this quiz to find your match and purchase your findings here!) If you are going overboard with the powder because you have oily skin and you figure using powder will soak up the oil – you’re gonna have a cake face. Instead, invest in a matte primer such as Limelife’s First Base. If you must use a powder, make sure to use a sponge and just pat on gently in your oily areas (T-zone). Lastly, if you have dry skin you need to make sure you exfoliate – exfoliate – and hydrate! Visiting me once a month will alleviate this issue because applying makeup on a dirty, un-exfoliated face will never result in a smooth outcome. But if you can’t see me, then making sure you exfoliate then prep your skin with a hydrating mask and moisturizer at night, this will help ensure your skin is fresh and very hydrated.

If you have dry flaky lips you need to do a lip treatment. Just as with your face, you need to exfoliate dry chapped lips and restore moisture with a Lip Scrub and then finish with a lip balm, this will prepare your lips for lipliner, gloss or lipstick application. You’ll appreciate how well your lipstick will glide so smoothly.

When choosing eyeshadow colors, recall the complimentary color wheel in art class? The colors you choose should be opposite of your eye color. I would at least start with a single shadow application, then you can add a second and third (for highlighting the brow area) once your get the hang of playing around with the colors. Also, don’t forget your brows….they frame your face so if you have sparse brows you can fill them in with brow shadows or brow pencils. These take some practice so don’t fret. Never apply black or anything too dark – it just would look unnatural. Go a least one shade down and you can tinker with the shades. You can also use brow gels to set them in place (some of you born wilt naturally thick brows can forgo the shading and use the gel).

Eyeliners can be tricky so for you beginners here are some suggestions based on eye colors: Brown and light grays are useful when learning. If you make a mistake they are less noticeable. If your eyes are blue: try warmer colors like browns, bronze, or copper. If your eyes are green then violets and purples will make your eyes pop! For my fellow brown eyes we can go bold with bright with blues or keep it simple with navy. Hazel eyes have multi-tonal colors so your options are either trying browns or greens.

Blushes should be a natural single color – and should match your lip shade. A single harmonious tune!

Makeup is fun – I hated it at first but now I enjoy playing around and see what I can create! Everyone makes mistakes so just start off simple until you get the hang of it and then you can begin to venture into more “advanced” techniques! But remember, you should make sure you have a skincare routine down pat – because makeup never looks good on a dirty – unkept canvas!

Limelife by Alcone


6 views0 comments
bottom of page