It was only a few years ago that I really found myself getting into make up and skincare. I won't say I knew exactly what I needed straight away and I did struggle to find products that not only worked for me but were what I needed. And now it's a new year there may be some of you out there who are looking to create a kit or a selection of make up that'll get you started before you expand into trickier techniques, products and higher price ranges. So I've put together a kit of the most basic of make up products that will help you put together a look and help you gain experience as you use them. And the best bit, they can all be found on the high street.
Primer
Use: A primer is not always necessary when it comes to your day to day make up but does help the longevity of your make up and some can blur the appearence of pores and uneven skintone. They come in either a silicone gel like formula or a cream formula. Silicone based primers are best for combination/oily skin types and cream formulas are great for sensitive, dry or normal skin types.
Recommendations: Maybelline have recently released their Superstay Primer and it's brilliant. It's a very runny formula that sinks nicely into the skin. It leaves it ever so slightly tacky to the touch but that just means it's going to grab and hold onto the foundation easier. Barry M is another brand that does a brilliant primer. It also has that tacky finish that grabs and locks in foundation. It's a cream formula so it's a little bit more hydrating on the skin as well and this particular primer minimises the appearences of pores but with that slippy silicone feel.
Foundation
Use:Foundation is used to even out skintone and great an even base for other products such as concealer, bronzer and blush to go over top. It isn't used to mask the skin but to cover and even out the skin whilst still looking natural. Foundation usually comes in three finshes, light, medium or high coverage and each foundation is different.
Recommendations: A fantastic lightweight foundation that doesn't break the bank comes from Loreal. It's their Cushion Foundation which gives a light breathable coverage that still leaves skin looking bright, glowy and skinlike. A little of this goes a long way and can be built up for more coverage if necessary. Another breathable light to medium coverage foundation comes from Bourjois. It's their CC Cream which claims to colour correct whilst simultaneously evening the skin tone like a foundation. It can be built up to be quite high in coverage but personally I'd advised using a light layer of this and then covering any other blemishes or under eye circles with concealer.
Concealer
Use: Concealer is there for what foundation doesn't quite cover. It's great at disgusing dark circles, redness and blemishes. It's slightly thicker in consistency than foundation but can still be worked into the skin to make it look natural and skin like. Different concealers work in different ways and whilst some can both work under the eyes as well as on blemishes but there are some that only work in certain areas of the face.
Recommendations: Under the eyes the only one I'd personally recommend comes from Maybelline. It's their The Anti-Age The Eraser Eye. It's a light to medium coverage that covers the appearence of dark circles whilst still blending nicely into the skin. And for blemishes and other imperfections the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer is perfect. It has a high coverage that blends seamlessly into the skin and keeps imperfections covered all day. It's not that great for under the eyes as it does have the tendency to disappear after a while.
Powder
Use: Powder is used to set everything into place. It's also a great product for on the go touch ups, especially if you have oily/combination skin. It can come in pressed powder or loose powder. Some pressed powders are thicker in consistency but you can find some that are lightweight on the skin. Loose powder is finer in texture and more lightweight. The high street doesn't do that great a selection of loose powders but they do have some decent quality pressed powders.
Recommendations: A personal favourite comes from Collection. Their pressed powder isn't too heavy or powdery on the skin. It's perfect for setting concealer under the eyes as well as the rest of the face. It comes in four shades and even includes an ivory for us ladies with a fairer complexion. MUA also have a good pressed powder. It contains Vitamin E so it nourishes and hydrates the skin whilst your wearing it. It's very lightweight and easy to apply. However it does have a tendency to crack and shatter easily so you'd be buying them more reguarly than you would the Collection Pressed Powder.
Brows
Use: Brows when done correctly can frame a face perfectly. And not everyone's brows are the same, when you fill them in don't worry if they don't look indentical, they're meant to be sisters not twins. There are so many ways to fill in your brows, powders, pencils, crayons and brow mascaras. Each one brings a different look and feel to the brows and choosing the right product is all down to personal preference. And if you don't want to fill in your brows then you don't have to, it's all down to personal preference and if you want to make time for it.
Recommendations: Two products that come from the high street and work wonders on brows are these from Barry M and Maybelline. Maybelline's Mirco Brow Precise Pencil. It's very remniscent of the Anastasia Brow Wiz with it's thin nib pencil. It's very light in texture, feel and appearence. It comes with a spoolie so you can brush out the brows to make it look more natural and to help reduce any product build up. Barry M's It's a Brow Thing is a very light powder that adds natural yet defined look to the brows. It's only downfall is that it only comes in two shades so it can be hard to match to your own brow shade.
Eyes
Use: Mascara is the simplest thing part of any look. Most mascaras just add definition to the eyes and can be used without any other product to give a little something extra to a bare face. There are two types of brushes, bristle and plastic. Yet again this is all down to personal preference but both can give you the same effect if you chose the right one for you.
Recommendations: Loreal's Miss Hippie Mascara is a bristle brush that has a ton of micro bristles which gives fanned out volume that looks natural yet defined at the same time. It doesn't smudge or flake away whilst your wearing it. Another brilliant bristle brush mascara comes from Maybelline, it doesn't have as big a brush as the Loreal but it still gives lashes big defined, volumised lashes that still look natural during the day but can be built upon for a more dramatic evening look.
Lip Liner
Use: Lip liners can be used to not only define the lips but can be used as an indvidual lip colour. They again come in two forms, mechnical wind up pencils and standard wooden pencils. Both work very well on the lips and both come in various colours. If you have slightly thinner lips and want to add a bit more definition then lip liners are very handy. They can help overdraw the lip liner or just add some definition to them. They also stop lipsticks/lip products from feathering, bleeding and generally just add a bit more longevity to the lipstick itself.
Recommendations: A mechnical pencil that works wonders is the Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner, these wind up pencils are creamy, pigmented and can worn under a lip product or on their own. The shade shown is Eastend Snob and works well under a multitude of lipsticks. Barry M don't do mechanical pencils but they do have a brilliant range of standard pencils that are creamy, pigmented and opaque in one swipe. Shade 03 is one of the better red shades that the drugstore does and it really makes any red lipstick or lip product pop.
Lip Products
Use: Lip products can be used to pull together a look or to be the centre of a look. There are so many different lip products and finishes but a big trend at the moment is the matte lip. Matte lips come in either a standard formula or a liquid formula that means they last longer on the lips and work brilliantly with bold colours. They do require more work than other lipsticks but when they work, they work well.
Recommendations: The best matte lipsticks on the market at the moment comes from Maybelline. Their lipsticks are creamy, opaque, highly pigmented, comfortable and easy to wear. There are a whole range of shades from neutrals to bright bold shades. Two personal favourites are Brown Sugar, a stunning brown shade with a hint of grey running through it and Rich Ruby, a gorgeous blue toned red that suits a multitude of skincare. Revlon and Rimmel also do really good matte lipsticks but personally the higher end brands are the ones that really nail matte lips.
Setting Spray
Use: Setting Spray are used as a last step, their main purpose is to set the make up and lock it into place for as long as possible. They also help remove any look or over powdering or the dreaded cake face. They are becoming bigger on the high street but make sure you read them carefully as some are not designed to work with every skin type.
Recommendations: Barry M do a brilliant setting spray. They come in two finishes Dewy or Matte and they both work with different skin types. This is a very lightweight spray that doesn't feel heavy or pore clogging on the skin. It locks make up into place and can be used over the top again as a refresher throughout the day. Maybelline are another brand that have gotten the setting spray right. This one may not be suitable for people with oily skin but dry to normal skintypes will enjoy this. It's a very lightweight fine mist that doesn't leave the skin feeling too wet and locks make up into place without it looking fake, cakey or mask like. Plus it allows the skin to breathe and stay hydrated throughout the day.
