If I don't wear make up, where do I start?

[CrispyFern]

My skin is looking a bit grey, I'm feeling like I look... old.

All I ever wear is mascara, and not every day. I saw someone else just say the same on another thread so I thought I'd start a thread about me and other people might like to read it too!

If I go to a counter in a shop will they try to sell me lots of things I won't need?

What do people wear on their faces every day? I'm unlikely to introduce a forty minute routine, but is there something simple I could do in five?

I work in a very casual charity, think jeans, ponytail, and hoodies. So I don't need to look really smart, I just want to feel a bit better about myself.

I wear bare minerals foundation and mascara every day, takes less than 5 minutes. Mineral foundation doesn't look heavy or overdone and makes a big difference to my 30 something blotchy skin.

Following...

Powder blusher and high lighter. Really brightens my face. Rarely bother with anything else. The blusher is a Clinique one and the highlighter is Nars. Both are over 10 years old though!

Blusher, eyeliner and mascara in the morning. Lippy reapplied through the day.

Bobby Brown counter is your answer :)
A little pot of cream eyeshadow is £19 but it lasts years.
I've had a chanticaille concealer for 3 years and I do use it 4out of 7 days at least. It was £32. A Chanel lipstick lasts me 2 years and I use it most days, it was about £20.
Basically, don't skimp, it works cheaper and better for you in the long run.
HTH

The very least I do is my eyes. Always eyeshadow, eyeliner and mascara. Then I am just about passable.

If I make a bit more effort I use a tinted moisturiser and a light lipstick.

If going out somewhere special I might use concealer, blusher and a bright pink or red lipstick too.

I wear double wear foundation which has amazing coverage. You choose how much you want to wear. I use a foundation brush to apply it and it takes 5 minutes max.

I use mac or benefit cream shadow. Have a few light colours that I alternate between.

Either Lancôme or benefit Khol eyeliner.

Either Lancôme virtuose or Estée Lauder sumptuous mascara.

I would highly recommend all of these products.

Lancôme also do lovely foundations that aren't too heavy but last all day.

Blusher makes a big difference to making you look 'healthier'. Bourgeois do great blushers at reasonable prices, but if you are unsure about applying it, I would go to a make up counter. Mascara will define your eyes, and if you get the right colour lipstick, it will make you look more alive. Try a BB cream Garnier do a good one you can get from supermarkets, Boots or Superdrug. This will give you light coverage and even out skin tone. I just apply like moisturiser. Try a tinted lip balm. Rimmel and Maybelline do great Mascaras, but a huge choice. I like volume express from Maybelline, because it's not too fake looking.

BB creams I don't understand. They're a bit like a foundation? Do you have to wash it off again? I've never even heard of high lighter! Where does that go?
I doubt I could do eyeliner, that looks like a very skilled job. Is it something you pick up with practice? And how do you know what colour eyeshadow to pick?

I'm clueless!

You apply bb creams like a moisturiser, and wear all day. Bb stands for blemish balm. It is slightly tinted to give a bit of coverage, but much more fool proof than foundation. I apply mine after moisturising, as I need that bit extra moisture than it gives, then apply cream blusher over the top on the apples of my cheeks. Eyeliner does take practice. An easy way to start is just to draw a thin line near to the eyelashes on your top eyelid. Try grey or brown eyeliner, as it isn't as harsh as black. A taupe (grey/brown) is a good neutral eyeshadow.

Brows. Make sure your eyebrows are neat, fairly thick, and use eyebrow powder. I use cheapie www.elfcosmetics.com.au/products/e-l-f-studio-eyebrow-kit

Hope you don't mind me giving some advice, I'm a makeup artist and have been for many years.
On myself I tend to wear boots number 7 as I have really sensitive skin. The girls on the counter are great.
If you want a little pick up on the skin I'd suggest a BB cream - it sort of blurs and little marks on the skin and gives a bit of colour.
For your cheeks I'd suggest a cream blush stick, the counter girls will help you chose the best colour.
For lips I'd say a lip crayon, if you don't want full blown colour you could put a little dab in the middle of the lips and then use some Vaseline it will make it more sheer.
Mascara is great for opening up the eye - don't pump the wand!
Also remember your hands are your best tools you don't need fancy brushes or anything.
Hope this helped a bit x

To answer your question about highlighter: you use it to make the right areas of your skin catch the light = shiny. This can look awesome.

So instead of having a shiny forehead and nose (which we don't want :-) you put the highlighter on top of your cheekbones or just under your eyebrows (towards the outer corner) to make them stand out. This usually goes with a darker colour to sculpt the face which can go under your cheekbones and on the edges of your nose.

Basically, you have gotten good advice about basics above, and highlighter IMO is make up stylist territory! Nice to have but takes more hassle to get to grips with.

To start off I'd go for blusher on apples of cheeks or bronzer on the areas of your face that would normally catch the sun (top of forehead, tiny bit on nose and cheekbones).

Regarding eyeshadow etc, if you are a no make up person, I wouldn't bother every day. If you want to have some fun though go to Mac counter (or any counter) and let them do simple eye make up.

Has someone mentioned eyebrows? Get an eyebrow pencil and define them a bit, unless yours are very dark naturally. Good eyebrows make a huge difference and look like no make up make up.

I hate counters, but one of the things I can recommend is looking g for a local make up artist and seeing if they do make-up lessons. Very handy, inexpensive and you get the tips of the trade. You can then go and buy the products you want and need more confidently.

You sound like me and I have not worn make up until recently. I now wear a cc cream (like bb but with primer that helps it stay on), a bronzing powder, I bought a palette of brown eyeshadow, brown mascara and a brown liner. I wear lipgloss not lipstick.

I definitely don't want those big black surprised cartoon eyebrows. I might leave my eyebrows alone for now.

Thank you everyone, lots of tips of where to start there!

Nope, not big black surprised cartoon eyebrows. Think Korean full eyebrows. :) A bit of shading and definition do a world of difference.

If I think of Korean eyebrows I... draw a total blank! I don't know anything about Korean eyebrows.

They might be too advanced!

www.meejmuse.com/2014/06/my-easy-everyday-korean-brow-routine.html

Like hers. Full and natural. Shaves off years too.

Could be done quickly too. I just have my eyebrows shaped every 4-6 weeks (depending on how lazy I am) and use au.iherb.com/E-L-F-Cosmetics-Eyebrow-Kit-Gel-Powder-Medium-0-12-oz-3-5-g/53178?gclid=CjwKEAjwg7yqBRCu5NmlgMm6i08SJADDEudZsnu3p4i75CullTxd4kpk7bLeam2EpfWeck69wOtGRRoCUePw_wcB.

I could have written your post. I generally only wear mascara. I used to wear bear escentuals powder as well. I went to their shop today and bought some more as it made me feel 'finished' and took only 5 minutes. So I'd recommend that.

I just stumbled on this thread really but the Korean eyebrow thing has had me crying with laughter. Thanks for that. Made my day!

clickers123 - why is the Korean eyebrows thing funny?

I use concealer - collection 2000 asda, powder-mac, highlighter on cheek bones-mac, blusher-nars, eyebrows- anastasia dip brow and then mac mascara. This is my day to day make up. I have cheaper versions of everything and more expensive concealers but these are my favourite.

Just realised I forgot lips! With Vaseline/tinted gloss or a mac lip liner and lippy.

I don't know really. It was crispyfern's comment 'I don't know anything about Korean eyebrows' that set me off !