New make up - starting from scratch!

[TheCountessOlenska]

I am sick of my crap make-up. I used to be able to find good shades for fair skin in Maybelline and Rimmel but they seem to have gone more orange recently! Also I hear about things like primer and I'm !!

I have some birthday money to spend and am going to John Lewis tomorrow - I am a bit scared of approaching a make-up girl but I really need some advice.

Can anyone recommend a good brand to go to? I hear good things about Clarins?? (am really clueless)

Also - how much will I need to spend (thinking £50??)

Where are all the Bare Minerals peeps? I feel a duty to come on here and suggest Bare Minerals foundation! There are counters in Debenhams, House of Fraser or John Lewis, certainly worth a try because I know there are lots of us who swear by it, I wouldn't use anything else now.

YY BM is fantastic but I think you need to be used to applying make up, there for in this instance BB might be better.

Depending on your skin tone, Lancome do some nice pale foundations too - I am more of a pinkish rather than yellow tone and get on very well with them.

I love touche eclat too, cant live without it

Hello, OP here, reporting back!

Thanks for all advice ladies - very helpful, I keep re-reading all your comments!

Have been to JL today and come back with some Bobbi Brown samples to try and a Clinique Glow Stick blusher. The Clinique lady did my foundation and it looked ok when I was in the shop but when I got outside DH asked me why I had so much make up on ! Have just looked in the mirror at home and it's definitely not quite right (noticed that a poster mentioned up thread that she had given up with Clinique for pale skin!)

I did like the Clinique blusher though so got that!

This was me before I got married didn't have a clue what to do with make up. And again me about a year ago when I discovered blusher at the age of 31. I always find the ladies at the bobbi brown counter nicest, not snooty about those of us who know nothing about makeup and least pushy!

I started from scratch last year. I went Chanel all the way and there have been remarkably few duds (foundation is their weakest link). Love, love, love them.

The only exceptions are Bobbi Brown undereye corrector, Shiseido eyebrow pencil and Guerlain Les Meteorites for the finishing glow. And I still love Revlon Colorstay foundation (better than Chanel IMO).

All Bobbi Brown sales people are trained make up artists and I always find them really helpful and happy to try out products on you there and then. I do use other brands - Christian Dior foundation and Clinique lip glosses - but always go back to BB

OP i am very pale and the YSL brush foundation is great, get lots of comments on it and how natural it looks (i also hate the too made up look).
I normally wear a summer and winter foundation but am not going to this year as the YSL one is so light

Oh i have no.4

Oh i have no.4

Thats the exact same shade I wear! I love it as you hardly need any as it seems to go quite far