Make-up help, please!

[queribus]

After reading the 'frumpy' thread it appears that wearing make up will make all the difference.

I've never worn make up (apart from a brief flirtation with bright green mascara in the '80s), so don't know where to start. I'm about to start a shiny new job and have been shopping for clothes and shoes, but not a clue about make up.

Can anyone recommend a department store counter I could visit for help? Or just help me!? I don't want to look like an orange.

I like Bobbi Brown, do you have one nearby? They have good foundations IMO, so you could get a full face done, or just splash out on eyeliner (great gel liners) and lippie. They will write it all out for you and you could go elsewhere for cheaper substitutes if need be.

Bobbi Brown not too far away. Sorry to be really thick, but do I just turn up and they'll help or show me how to apply stuff, or do I need an appointment?

Call and make an appointment, that way you know they'll have time for you. When trying out new makeup never buy just after the consultation always wear it for a day. Check it out in different light conditions, daylight is v. different to strip lighting in stores. See how it looks at the end of the day, t zone a bit greasy go back and try again. Settling into the odd wrinkle around your eyes or whatever, ditto.

That said Bobbi Brown is a good bet, I love thier pencil eyeliners and mascara and they do some lovely facecreams. It might be worth checking out bare minerals as well who do a good natural look for beginners routine.

I am utterly pants with regard to make-up and never tried Bobbie Brown because there' none near me.

I have found Clarins to be approachable. And Liz Earle counters always helpful.

Thank you so much. Will try to make an appointment and take it from there.

Oh and if you do go back and buy makeup always namecheck the nice consultant who applied it for you previously. It filters through and encourages low pressure sales :)

Before buying anything, I think you should consider what you want.
Do you want makeup for a more neutral look or something a little more than that?
How much time do you want to spend on doing your makeup?
Do you want something really simple or are you keen on spending time learning how to do cat eyeliner and other techniques that might require a bit of effort?
Is there anything specific you would like or feel that you need - such as red lipstick or something to conceal bags or dark circles or spots or is there anything you would like to enhance?
Do you want foundation, powders, blusher, highlighter, eye shadows, eyeliner, kohl, lipstick, gloss, mascara or do you just want a few items?
How much are you willing to spend?

I'd suggest not getting everything from one brand as no brand does everything really well.

Also, ask for samples of foundation before buying as you will have to check if the colour is right, if it oxidises (goes darker/orange during the day) and if it wears nicely on your skin and if you have a bad reaction to the foundation.

I personally like this look for everyday wear: www.lisaeldridge.com/video/26180/fresh-faced-beauty-makeup-with-sophie-dahl/#.VAo55WMgvKc

If I was to buy a new set of makeup, I'd go for:
Real Techniques Expert Face Brush
Angled eye brush and a spoolie (which is a mascara wand) for doing eyebrows
Blusher brush
Foundation - light/medium coverage, such as Estee Lauder Double Wear Light, Mac Face and Body Foundation, Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser (I have the oil free one) or Diorskin Nude
Mac Select Sheer Pressed Powder (can be used to set the foundation and for touch-ups later in the day)
Chanel Illusion d'ombre in Emerveille - it's a cream eyeshadow that is so wearable both for day and evening.
Mac Mystery eyeshadow for eyebrows (also great for lining eyes)
A lipstick in a 'my lips but better' kind of colour - there are different finishes and types, so it's just about finding one that suits your preferences.
Blusher in a nice pink tone
Brown mascara

There are loads of videos on youtube about makeup, so you might be able to find something you really like which will help you when you go to the counters as you can then describe roughly what you'd like.

Wow, that's long. Sorry.

Marking my un made up place.

Sorry about this..but. I've never yet met a cosmetics counter person who could do good make up or sell the right stuff that actually suits the person they are talking to.

I SERIOUSLY wouldn't go and ask advice from someone at the counter. Bobbi Brown or a Mac, or anyone who happens to be selling make up. It's pot luck and likely to be heavily over salted for your taste.

I really mean this.

If you are a make up novice, don't rely on a make up sales person for help. I'm the opposite of a make up novice and have seen enough people wasting heaps of money buying stuff at counters that actually goes unused.

Go to the website "makeupalley.com", go to the forum section, upload a picture of yourself which you can later delete if you like, tell them your budget and circumstances, and ask for advice.

It will be free, informed, creative and unbiased.

Just browsing and chatting at makeupalley for a while will give you a mu education.

This is interesting as I was going to ask the same following that thread.

I'd love to try out make up somewhere that isn't selling just one brand. Department store counters terrify me and I always end up buying something whether I like it or not.

I bought some bare essentials powder earlier this year for £25 and I don't know how to apply it!

Will watch with interest.

I agree with minkah

My impression is that most of the staff at the counters are sales people, not makeup artists.
I get the impression that Mac has makeup artists, but I could be wrong. I have good experiences with asking them to recommend a one or two products, but I'm happy to not buy a product if not convinced it's right for me. But I wouldn't ask them for a full face of makeup.

I've many times seen counter staff applying makeup on customer's with dirty brushes and using the testers without disinfecting/sanitising them. That has put me off ever getting my makeup done by counter staff or taking them up on the offer of applying their lipstick testers on my lips.
I'll try a product on my hand or get a sample, but that's it.

II wouldn't buy lots of make up in one go. Start with a foundation/tinted moisturiser, something for your lips and mascara. Get used to that build it up from there.

The counter staff will probably try and sell you lots of extra products like a primer, highlighter, skincare etc that you probsbly won't use.

I wonder if you might find the make up counter makeover approach overwhelming. With the best will in the world there will be primers, separate eye primer, foundation, concealer, setting powder, possibly separate eye powder, highlighters, blah blah blah and that's before you've even really started! I also think that, because of all the work they'll do on your foundation, you'll end up feeling and looking very 'made up' which might be off-putting.

I'd start with specifics and build up. So eye-shadow and mascara maybe, then chuck in lipstick or gloss, and then build up from there as your confidence grows and you see what else you'd like.

I like Laura Mercier, especially for eye shadows. Great texture, go on easily and stay put. They do some lovely eye shadow sets.

Powder compact all in one foundation might be a good starting point, when you want to think about that. Very easy to apply. No streaking, no need for powder on top. I apply mine with a large powder brush for a lighter coverage.

tnsusan you need the right brush, to start with..but hey..how about this, hope linkage works..

I would get foundation, mascara and lipstick at a counter but look at the cheaper brands for eyeliner, eyebrow pencil and blusher. I like bourjois eyeliners and blusters. Mac and Lancome for the rest. Invest in an urban decay naked palette for eyeshadow, I like number 2 the best.

Do you have a department store near you with a makeup artist who works along the personal shopping team? I went to one a few years ago as a birthday present, and she a) knew her stuff and b) wasn't tied to one brand, so used a whole variety of products from different ranges to achieve the finished look. The cost of the session was redeemable against any purchases. If you were able to do this, perhaps you could go in with an idea of budget so she could prioritise the key items for you?

I would also second Lisa Eldridge's videos - she is so talented, applies make up to herself and others with a far lighter touch than some other internet make up artists and is easy to follow.

One good thing about Mac is you can buy a makeup lesson for £50 and it is redeemable against products. It takes about an hour and a half, just ask for a natural everyday look. I have always found their staff to be proper make up artists.

Don't assume that you need to buy expensive brands to get good products. High street brands can be fine - eg Rimmel lasting finish foundation is a reliable, good quality product. Just make sure that you get the right shade for your skin (as with any foundation) - choose one that as closely matches your skin tone as possible and practice applying it so that it is well blended with no tide marks, and in my opinion, less is more.
Not that I'm a style guru, however. Just passing on my experience.

And don't assume that you need to wear 'the full works', eg if you don't like lipstick don't wear it, there are alternatives such as tinted lip balm and lip tints.

wow! Thanks for all the replies and helpful advice.

Carpaccio that's a great list for beginners - thanks.

I really don't want to 'made up', just nicely groomed. My skin's not too bad for my age (no wrinkles yet!), but I still get a few spots so I don't want to look like a teenager using spot cover-up! I'm looking for something 'natural'.

My questions are really daft, but do where do you stop with foundation to avoid a tide mark? Do you apply it under the chin and past your ears IFSWIM? Do I need eye liner or will mascara do? Is black mascara too harsh? How do you find a colour of lip stick (or even lip gloss) that suits? How do you stop it all falling off during the day or even if you blow your nose!? Would I need to reapply during the day or should it just go on in the morning and come off at night?

Flippin' 'eck - I sound like a right numpty, don't I? Thanks for sticking with me this far.

Easiest way to learn is by watching YouTube tutorials..you will see women putting on their make up..much easier to comprehend than us explaining in words.

After that, experience is your teacher.

Enjoy it. Sounds like you don't need make up, anyhow. Maybe a little mascara and tinted lip balm is all you will need to feel more spruce.

I rarely wear makeup, am late 30s and want something really light.

When I do wear it - Laura Mercier tinted moisturiser is great. I use No 7 Stay and Perfect mascara as recommended on here which I love as it's tubing so basically waterproof for day but comes off easily with hot water so don't need fancy makeup remover. Clinique Chubby Sticks are great for beginners/non makeup wearers as well as easy to apply, most shades you don't even need a mirror.

Then you only need a concealer and a blush which you might as well get from the Laura Mercier counter and you are done! (or you can just use the Chubby Stick as a blush, rather than buying one - I saw Lisa Eldridge do it so it must be OK )

If you turn out to enjoy playing around with makeup and want to do more, Lisa Eldridge's tutorials are amazing.