Make up - where to start?! Help and advice needed

[user1466951751]

Hi All

Bear with me......I'm not a mum/parent so hope this is ok to post. This has been a cycle for a few years and finally I want to do something about it!

I'm 34, 35 in a couple of months. I don't really wear make up. If I'm going out, I'll put some eyeshadow and some mascara on. But to be honest you probably can't tell I'm wearing anything.

Growing up/at uni, I did the same. I had some No7 stuff that I wore to my high school prom from the Boots Counter but never really learnt make up as my Mum didn't wear any/much and I wasn't really a girlie girle/bothered about it.

Fast forward a few years and post-uni I decided I wanted to learn, cue a trip to the Bare Minerals counter (recommended by a friend). I bought a load of stuff and it kinda worked but eyeshadow was one colour (never blending/mixing etc). It worked for a bit but then I kinda stopped bothering. Few more years and another trip (bad experience this time as I wanted wedding make up and it just wasn't me), followed by another good experience which was the make up I wore for my wedding.

I have an abundance of bare minerals make up out of date that I haven't a clue what to do with and is probably all the wrong colours. Ex-husband was good with colours etc but new b/f isn't bothered I don't wear makeup. Having lost a fair amount of weight and feeling good about myself I want to learn (again!). I've seen photos of a friend of a friend and she looks good, wearing make up but not over the top. I'd like to wear make up, have people notice I look nice but don't want anything over the top.

I was on holiday last year and room shared with a 21 year old girl who did my make up one night and it was fab. I felt like I looked different, felt like I was wearing make up but it wasn't over the top.

A few years ago I asked a friend (who lives 4 hours away) for help and she bought me some mascara, liquid eye liner and pencil eye liner for my birthday. Expensive stuff - I use the mascara but haven't a clue with the others. I've not used them as so expensive.

I have tried Google/Youtube but when I search natural look/beginners then it just seems over the top. They also use foundation, concealer, primer and all this other stuff.

I'm wanting eye shadow, mascara and willing to give eye liner a try. Interested in lip stick too but again not a clue. I have green eyes. Not sure what other information would help!?

Having wasted money on bare minerals/expensive make up then not used it I would prefer to buy cheaper stuff and learn before I go and spend more.

Any tips on where to start - colours to use, how to do eye shadow? how to do anything?! lol

TIA

Meant to add - wouldn't wear for work, would just be for going out, meeting friends etc.

Is there a good beauty salon near you that does make up tutorials?

@CaveMum

Is there a good beauty salon near you that does make up tutorials?

Not sure but don't think they will do at the moment.

I've done beauty counters before and it's just not really worked!

I really recommend Lisa Eldridge for a beginner, this is a very simple look. Obviously you don't need to use all the products she does, just whatever you feel comfortable with. The best thing about makeup is if it looks awful, you can take it all off and start again.

These are a few eyeliner looks of hers too:

You could look on a local Facebook page for recommendations for make up artists that do home visits - I know of lots near me that usually do bridal/prom make up but also offer tutorials. The advantage being they’ll use lots of different products/brands and won’t be giving it the hard sell like a beauty counter.

Truthfully to make any make up look good, unless you have flawless skin, you really need to wear a good base.

IMO you need to forget about eyeshadow for the moment and start with a base. Decent base you can just wear mascara, blusher and lip balm and feel done without a fully made up look.

It doesn’t even need to be foundation, a tinted moisturiser or a BB cream (blemish balm) is a really good start and not too expensive. And from there you can work your way up. But there are also some really good lightweight foundations out there that are superb but the decent ones are, whilst not mega money (some are but not all) you are still looking at £15, which to some people is a good price, others are will think it’s too expensive.

You mention not using something because it’s expensive, why wouldn’t you use it? Surely if it’s expensive, it’s a waste not to use it. And truthfully, it’s hard to find a decent base without spending a bit of money

Boots No 7 hydra luminous foundation is excellent, and it’s £15 - nice dewy coverage. Or you could spend £7.99 on Garnier BB cream which is also very good, but it won’t have the coverage of a foundation but it’s an excellent starting point

Once you’ve sorted your canvas (your base) you could then start looking at your eyes / eyebrows. For your eyes, you don’t need a million different shades to start blending, cream colour sticks from somewhere like Bobbi Brown are excellent. Again they are £22 so not cheap, but if very easy to use and you like them and use every day then it’s becomes good value

And all of a sudden, you’ve made a start and you can work from there. But I do think starting with your canvas (as in your base) is the right starting point. Once you’ve got the right products, it’s becomes very quick and easy.

I use primer, foundation, concealer, bronzer, blusher, cream eye shadow stick, mascara and lipstick. It sounds a lot but I have a 2 year old and a 4 year old, I don’t have the luxury of time but I’ve found products that work to give me good base and truthfully practice makes perfect