Basic Makeup Routine for Beginners

There are millions of makeup videos online nowadays. From makeup tutorials to beauty product hauls to eye shadow palette decluttering, you could easily spend hours scrolling through endless content.

While it’s great to have lots of content to browse, it can get overwhelming when you’re brand-new to makeup. Hearing the terms ‘cut crease’ or ‘contour’ can be confusing when you’re a no-makeup kind of person.

When you first start getting into makeup, it’s best to stick to the basics. Avoid creating any crazy, complicated looks and start off with a face of simple everyday makeup.

Here is a basic makeup routine that you can follow if you’re unsure where to start with makeup and beauty products. Once you start to feel more confident, you can start to experiment a little more with new products and different colors.

Prepare Your Face

Before you start applying any makeup products, you must first prepare your skin. Proper skin preparation creates a smooth base on which you can evenly apply your makeup.

The first step of your preparation is to apply cleanser to your skin. Use an option that contains glycolic acid to freshen up your skin.

After cleansing, gently apply moisturizer to the skin to add moisture and keep your skin hydrated for the day ahead. Try and use a moisturizer that contains SPF to protect your skin from the sun’s UV rays.

Finally, apply some primer to your skin to act as a base for your makeup. Use a mattifying primer if your skin is naturally oily and a glossy primer if you have drier skin.

Foundation and Concealer

Once your face is fully prepared, it’s time to start applying your makeup. Every great makeup routine starts with foundation, which coats your skin to provide a flawless appearance.

As with your primer, you will need to choose either a foundation that moisturizes or mattifies your skin. Ideally, try to find a foundation that is breathable and long-lasting, so that it survives the whole day.

After smoothly applying your foundation, add some concealer just underneath your eyes. You can also use concealer around any areas of redness or breakouts on your skin.

Bronzer, Blush, and Highlighter

The next step in your makeup routine is to add some definition and color to your skin. Grab a powder brush and apply bronzer just underneath your cheekbones and around the edges of your face.

Once your bronzer is nicely blended in, use a separate powder brush to tap a little blush onto the apples of your cheeks. There are lots of different colors of blush, so choose a color that you love!

Next, it’s time to add some shine to your face using a highlighter. Using a third powder brush, apply your highlighter to the highest points of your cheeks.

You can get several different colors of highlighters, from an icy white to a pinky peach to a more golden-toned powder. If you want a more natural look, choose a highlighter that is slightly lighter than your skin tone.