Let’s be very clear, makeup can is not an easy art and takes a lot of practice to even start to get good. There is so much to learn about brushes, styles, techniques, and products. “What brushes do I buy?” “How do I find my color?” “How do I make my eyeliner NOT look like I put it on while being violently shook?”
Luckily makeup can be conquered and you can learn this mystic art that many didn’t get taught when most girls learn. So get a jump start with these need-to-know rules that will expand your makeup game.
1. Not All Makeup Brushes are Created Equal
This is one that almost every woman has to learn at some point. No matter how good you get, bad tools will never get you as far as proper ones can. This doesn’t have to mean you have to spend obscene amounts of money on a single tool, but you will spend a bit more on many than you expect. I’ll put it this way, if you find a 47-brush kit on eBay for $7.95 shipping from China- don’t get your hopes up. They will work, provided the heads don’t fall off and the brush strands don’t shed, and can be good practice brushes. Much like an old beater car though, once you get the hang of it, you will want to move up quickly.
2. Beauty Blenders are Great, But You Don’t Need One
You’ve probably seen these glorious little spongy applicators with a rounded bottom, flat edge, and pointed tip. They are amazing for application, blending, and finishing your makeup and are very cool tools. You know what is also cool? That package of 40 sponge triangles you’ve seen in the drugstore for $4.99. They are incredibly similar material, and also offer a flat edge and a point for application. And as an extra bonus, if you fold it over- you get a rounded bottom ABSOLUTELY FREE!
3. Brow Abuse is Real
There is a term I used to hear alot in the early 2000’s for women that over-plucked their eyebrows. It was called “Bleething”, as in Yasmine Bleeth. You have no doubt seen what I mean. Thinning and attempting to even your eyebrows until your forehead appears to have alopecia. And the kicker? If you do it too much, they won’t grow back right or at all. Learn the right brow shape for your face, and stick to it. In fact, you are in luck. Thicker, fuller, and more natural looking brows are now “on fleek” (or “perfect looking”, for English speakers). Back away from the tweezers, and go to a professional waxer to give you a perfect starting point to maintain your brows for best results.
4. Better Skin = Better Makeup
In everything, the better the surface you are working on- the better the final product. Your face is no exception. If you want the best look possible then you need to make sure you are laying your work down on the best canvas you can. So develop a skin care routine. There are a ton of products out there just ready to overwhelm you. Just know this, good skin care starts with three basic rules. Clean it. Moisturize it. And drink lots of water. Seriously, if you aren’t doing these things as a core routine, then it doesn’t really matter what you do- you’ll never reach your skin’s full potential.
And don’t sweat the $40 container of face moisturizer. Yes, some of them absolutely rock. But you can set a good base just by starting to apply plain old moisturizer in the morning and at night.
5. You Have to Learn the Basics
In order to truly be good at anything, you have to know the basics. This is doubly true for makeup. You need to know how to care for your skin, you have to be able to apply foundation smoothly, you have to be able to blend, etc. If you can’t perform a basic lipstick application, I don’t want to see you going anywhere near attempting pin-up style makeup. If you can’t blend your eye shadow, you have no business trying to recreate the skyline from Aladdin on your eye lid.
6. You Are Already Perfect
This is the most important rule you need to know. Because if you don’t see how perfect you are already, then you will never be happy with what you see- no matter how much much makeup you put on or how well you apply it. Beauty comes from confidence and personality. That is what shines out. All makeup does is help you express who you feel you are to a greater extent. So if your nose is a little crooked, who cares? Straighten it with contouring, or just rock your own unique nose. Skin isn’t perfect? Spoiler alert- no one past the age of 11 has perfect skin. Trust me- they might have been born with it, but baby, now it is definitely Maybeline.
You can always find flaws, so start looking for what you love so you can enhance it and show it off to the world.