I'm useless with makeup.. please help me!

[NewYoiker]

I realised that my makeup technique is shocking when I went out with family on Thursday night. I was talking to my 16 year old cousin and she said she was wearing;
Foundation
Concealer
Bronzer
Highlighter
Brow pomade
Brow powder
Brow gel
Setting powder
4 types of eye shadow
3 types of lip stuff..

I drove 2 hours after work and in the car park of the hotel where we were having tea I used;

Foundation- tried to use the brush I brought but it was fluffy from my handbag.
I forgot my blusher so I just rubbed the blusher brush on my face as it had some left on it
Mascara
And some eye shadow which I put on with my finger

I'm an absolute disgrace! Would a makeup lesson help me? I own stuff I don't even know how to use. I feel like my face is too small to contour properly and I'm really pale so it's hard to know what to use anyway! I tried to do eyebrows and I just looked surprised!

So. Am I at 27 to accept that I am shit at makeup and always will be?

I also own makeup palettes that are circa 10 years old...

I'd watch Instagram and YouTube channels.

There are so many videos out there I am sure it will do the trick

But why would you want to wear so much stuff on your face?!

I ended up letting the girl on the make up counter loose on me yesterday and couldn't believe how many different things she felt it needed. I ended up looking ridiculous and my face felt really uncomfortable. I'll stick to moisturiser, foundation and a slick of mascara I think!

Try one of the makeup lessons at Bobbi Brown. They're great, not too pushy, and not too heavy handed either. There's also some great step by step tutorials on her website.

Each to their own. Did cousin look almost unmade up (correct) or an pomp loompa with stripes? ( laughable but excusable with 16)

I got bored just reading that list, imagine how dull putting it all on would be.

oompa loompa. Mn auto correct can't be turned off.

Experiment yourself a little - buy some cheaper/medium range products that you like and experiment with more colour/less colour, more shimmer, less shimmer. At the end of the day, it's what you're comfortable in and what makes you feel good.

What I would say is that number 7s match made foundation is the best thing I've ever found - the shade they picked matched me perfectly and I've never used anything else. Plus when you get your shade, they have a handy little chart which tells you what colour bronzers, blushes and lipsticks you should be wearing too! It makes my life so much easier, and I tried a few shades of lipstick I'd never have picked myself

Wear as little as possible. That’s actually a good thing. I can’t believe women are made to feel like failures for not wasting years of their lives in front of a mirror making themselves look like some weird bot.

I’m more and more seeing couples photos where the man looks like a nice clean human and the woman looks like some weird alien with freakish coloured skin (more obvious due to the normal skin beside her) and painted face like I don’t know what. It’s awful. If you don’t believe me go look on your Facebook at some couples pictures. It’s so upsetting that women feel they have to do this to themselves when men get to stand there looking great just as themselves.

@Hideandgo that is so true! I really don't have time or give enough of a shit I've decided. I like my shitty routine and old makeup. It works so why do I need to buy more? :) I just wondered if the loads of makeup was a thing now

@specialsubject she looked good but it was way too much and said it took her 2 hours to do.

She's a kid, she doesn't have to work or run a house so has loads of spare time. Strange way of filling it but there you go.

I agree, quite funny but each to their own.

Aw OP, delighted you’ve decided you’re good enough just as yourself. Fresh, clean and healthy are worth spending time on.

I went to the Mac counter in Debenhams yesterday to pick up a few bits. I couldn't believe how terrible some of the makeup artists looked. Orange shiny faces with no sight of actual skin - foundation looked like a thick mask! Eyeshadow overload so looked like drag queen & eyebrows painted on like thick black slugs. Honestly I was shocked that working in this industry they looked so terrible. My partner said women looking made up like that all the time was an awful turn off so don't beat yourself up too much, less is more!

That list of assorted goos, gunks and powders is ridiculous. The beauty and cosmetics industries have done a real number on us haven't they? Convincing women that they 'need' all that crap is so much more lucrative than when we 'only' had foundation, concealer, powder, blusher, eyeliner, mascara, eyeshadow.

Mind you, it's possible I'm just a bit bitter as I never learned how to apply make-up properly either. My formative make-up years were spent wearing concealer for the spots and lots and lots of eyeliner and mascara, which topped off my usual outfit of Dr Martens boots, ripped fishnets over striped tights and a tea dress (it was the 90s, I was into the grunge scene). I haven't progressed much since then, but there's a bit more bb cream and significantly less eyeliner.

But yeah, you can find lots of tutorials on YouTube that will show you how to no longer recognise yourself after flinging a few hundred quid's worth of stuff at your face.

I found that for perfectly made up face (not over the top) I need the following:
Face/eyelid Primer
Foundation
Setting Powder
Bronzer
Highlighter (used on top of the nose, cheekbones, under eyebrows)
Eye Shadow
Black Eye liner
Mascara
Eyebrow pencil/brow setter (Benefit does great ones).
Lip liner/lipstick

If am in a hurry just a bit of eye shadow, mascara and lip gloss.
Do follow online tutorials. There are some amazing ones out there. You have products you do not know how to use, check YouTube for reviews and guidance.

I wear similar to your cousin because I enjoy makeup and the process of putting it on but that doesn’t mean everyone has to.

If your comfortable with what you currently wear that’s awesome although maybe a little guidance on how to use the products you like to full effect would be helpful (only if you want to of course). Also you don’t need to buy more as such but makeup does go out of date and will gather bacteria over time so it is worth a refresh every once in a while.

Pixiwoo on YouTube do a real wide variety of makeup looks from very everyday to quite high fashion. They don’t really do real full face makeup and like to highlight natural beauty so they may be a good shout to get some tips.

But of course if you are happy with what you do that is brilliant. Makeup should bring you joy and not be a chore or obligation so just do you .

I wear a shed load every day but I'm used to wearing it for photo shoots and I enjoy applying it, it doesn't look heavy
YouTube is probably the best for makeup tutorials

Eye liner by Charlotte tilbury is my favourite (verushka mink is so flattering). I put it on, then blur it with a cotton bud.
Brow stuff - buy a couple of cheapie products and see what you’ll acually be faffed to use. I brush my brows down with a clean mascara brush, fill in gaps, brush up and repeat, then set with gel.
Liquid/ creme eyeshadows are dead easy to use, a mid Brown will suit most occasions.

My quick day to day (if I can be bothered) make up is, primer (live in a hot sweaty country) Japanese CC cream (amazing) Concealer around eyes. Cream eyeshadow, quick and easy, brow powder and clear mascara on brows, mascara on eyelashes. Touch of cream blush, touch of shimmer powder, lipstick/gloss/lip liner etc. a lot of products but takes about 15 minutes. Once you know what your doing it's quick and easy. I don't wear make up every day, and I certainly don't feel like I need it but I like it.

I'm trying to wear less. I previously wore foundation, 2 types of concealer, powder foundation, 2 types of blusher, highlighter, 2 or 3 eyeshadows, mascara, eyeliner, brow stuff, lipliner, lipstick, powder. I'm now down to foundation, concealer, blusher, powder, mascara, brow stuff and tinted lipbalm. Which is still a lot, but much better. I dont really look like I'm wearing make up anymore and it's a lot less ageing on me. It also takes a LOT less time in the morning.

Less is more!

My everyday face is eyebrow pencil, neutral powder eyeshadow (applied with a brush), eyeliner pencil, mascara, lipstick. Takes me five minutes tops. I'm genuinely bewildered that anyone can spend two hours on their face - and I know a lot of makeup geeks.