Beginners Makeup Kit- What You Need

With thousands of different products and brands, the world of makeup can be pretty confusing.  How do you know which products you really need?  Here are my top picks that are essential for every makeup kit.  With these products, you can achieve a full face of makeup!

*Some of these products are on the more high end side, but they can be substituted for drugstore versions!

The first thing that is a must is a great primer or base.  This not only preps your skin for foundation, but also makes your makeup last better and longer throughout the day.  My pick is "Pore-fessional" by Benefit.  As the name states, it helps with enlarged pores and keeps makeup from seeping into them throughout the day.  Try it out here.

My next pick is a great tinted moisturizer or BB cream.  These are great because they give your skin the coverage its needs, while also being very hydrating, especially as we come into the cooler months.  Most tinted moisturizers and BB creams also contain SPF, eliminating the extra step of putting on sunscreen.  My personal pick is Laura Mercier's tinted moisturizer with SPF 20.  This particular product gives amazing coverage, and leaves the skin with a healthy glow. You can purchase it here.

It is important to set your BB cream or tinted moisturizer with a light powder.  This will help, along with the primer, to keep your makeup in place all day.  I also like to use the powder to blend the tinted moisturizer into my skin, giving that natural skin-like finish.  Plus, powder can be used to control shine if you have oily skin.  My personal pick is "Natural Matte Powder Makeup" by Chanel.  It is pricier, but it really works great and lasts forever!  You can purchase it here.

Lets not forget about one of the most important facial features, if not the most important: EYEBROWS.  Please Please Please add an eyebrow powder or pencil to your makeup kit.  Filling in your brows will shape your entire face and complete any makeup look.  My pick is one by brow goddess Anastasia.  It is a duel eyebrow powder that works great at filling in sparse areas of my brows.  Click here to purchase.

Blush and Bronzer are both equally important in my book, but if you are just starting out with makeup, or do not want to purchase both, why not go for a blush/bronzer duo! That's right, two in one.  With one swirl of the brush, you will get the perfect amount of blush and bronzer at the same time.  A great option is "Solar Ray" by MAC, which was unfortunately limited edition.  However, a similar, almost identical option is available here.

Now for eyes, a great option would be an eyeshadow palette.  Palettes come with several eyeshadows in one package and can be a great investment.  They allow you to create many different looks with shadows that all "go together," without the hassle of trying to coordinate single eyeshadows you buy individually.  A great starter and even pro palette is the Urban Decay Naked Palette.  It comes with 12 colors that create both natural and smokey eye looks.  You can purchase it here.

Finally, lets not forget about lips.  To start out, I recommend going for a natural lip color that can be used with multiple eye looks.  A nude lip color will look both chic and effortless.  My personal pick is a nude with pink undertones by NARS called "Born This Way."  It can be purchased here.

I hope you guys found this post helpful! Please let me know if you have any questions!

xoxo

linds&bells