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Post in Makeup Is Life
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How do you build a makeup collection?

I only have like foundation, blush and mascara right now haha. HELP thanks 🙂

Re: How do you build a makeup collection?

as someone with a fairly large collection the advice i feel the need to give is to only add products you will love and use. often we (and by we i totally mean i) get caught up in the need for more - but more is only more if it adds value to your life.  sitting in drawers adds no value - in fact it takes it away because it takes space you could use for a better purpose.  

 

play around with different colours - you can do this even through apps so you don't need to purchase things - see what kind of shades you like on yourself and then look at products from there.  i know that there are products that are super popular and a lot of people recommend but if you don't love the shades, you won't wear them.

 

in terms of lip products figure out what formula you will wear - are you a traditional lipstick girl? a gloss girl? liquid lipsticks? and then try a couple different brands.  i can tell you that i really like the nars audacious formula, charlotte tilbury, bite, mac and well i'm a lip junkie so like 80 others - but not everyone will like the same formula.  sephora favourites sets are great for this! 

 

one idea is to start with a neutral palette that you can pair with many different shades - kat von d shade and light, naked basics, viseart, peachy mattes - which ever one you like best - and then start with single shadows that you can pair with it to see what you like the best.

Re: How do you build a makeup collection?

I bought some makeup books.  Kevyn Aucoin is probably the gold standard for makeup tutorial books; Rae Morris is another makeup artist with some good books out there.  Their books have full color photographs of a variety of makeup looks, along with step-by-step tutorials on how to achieve the look.  The nice thing about it is if you see a look you like, you can check the steps to see how the look was created.  For instance, you might discover that you prefer certain makeup colors or textures over other ones.  This then gives you a shopping list for what to pick up.  Or, if you really want to build up a "collection," you can just see which products in the book are products you don't yet have, and get those!

Re: How do you build a makeup collection?

@jeskayjam It really depends on what you want to wear. Do you want to contour? Do you really love blush? Ask yourself what you want from your collection and what you're most interested in.

 

For instance, I have many eyeshadow palettes and only a few foundations that I love. I have mostly built my collection around palettes (contour, blush, eyeshadow etc). If you want to try different things, Sephora Favorites kits are really helpful. Building a collection overtime after determining what you love and are most interested in will be the best way. Honestly some of us I'm sure haven't built our collections by keeping in mind that we want collections, but rather we are obsessed with certain products and have collected overtime. Over the years you might find you like to wear more of one thing (ex. lipstick) and so you might start to collect many overtime.

 

For a basic starter kit, with an array of products I would suggest the following:

 

Primer: I don't necessarily do this step. There are some affordable ones by The Ordinary

Foundation (drugstore or Sephora)- I like the Maybelline Fit Me or the Too Faced Born This Way

Setting Powder: NYX No Filter powder or any loose powder you choose

Contour palette: to brighten your under eye and contour/bronze

Bronzer: NYC Sunny Bronzer (super creamy, bendable and pigmented) or Too Faced Chocolate or NYX matte bronzers

Eyeshadow: I personally love MUFE shadows. Wet N Wild at the drugstore.

Mascara: Loreal Voluminous Superstar. MAC has some great ones.

Eyeliner: Any kohl nude liner or black depending on your preference.

Blush: Any blush palette with shades you love. NARS makes amazing ones.

Highlight: ABH Glow Kits. Bobbi Brown.

Lipliner: Milani, Wet N Wild Gel lipliners

Lipstick: Maybelline at the drugstore or Wet N Wild. Sephora- the options are endless!

Lipgloss: NYX Butter glosses are not sticky and really hydrating overtop lipstick or great for no makeup days.

 

I hope that helps!

 

 

Re: How do you build a makeup collection?

I would say buy what you like on yourself, there are so many products and bloggers/vloggers that will recommend things but, it may not be what you like. So dont feel pressured to get what the popular people love. For starters you should get some brushes to apply all the goodies you will start to purchase. Look for deals so you can try different products or like some ladies recommended go in and swatch stuff. I like to stay more in the natural look range. One of my favorite pallettes is Too Faced Natural Love. Lip brands I like a few NyX soft matte, colourpop, stila, The Balm. Brows I enjoy the Benefit products and mascara Benifit they are real. A subscription box is also a great way to find products you will like, I know thats how I have found sone of my favorites. Have fun picking out your new goodies 😊

RE: How do you build a makeup collection?

if you’re open to trying new products monthly i’d highly recommend investing in a subscription box (birchbox, play, allure, boxycharm, etc)! alsoremember when shopping for makeup, quality over quantity!! sephora gives you as many free samples as you want; so test out a few products before stretching your bank account 💓

Re: How do you build a makeup collection?

My advice would be to think of a look that you like, what palette or products you are interested in, take a photo of said look, and go get a custom makeover during slow hours so you can have the makeup artist guide you while she recreates whatever it is you are going for or use what you are interested in purchasing. I think if you are new to this it will give you the option to experiment, learn, and see how the products work together and how they work for you. Note, custom makeovers do have a $50 min purchase for non-rouge BI. I remember doing this when I first started getting into makeup. I got a makeover at MAC, my mother was not really into the whole makeup thing so I did not know who to go to for beauty guidance and had no idea what half the stuff was. The artist at MAC was my first real teacher and how I built up my first set of beauty products. Once you start using different things, you can gauge what you like or dislike, such as color, formula, wear time, and try something new. It's much better then just diving in and buying random stuff, it can be a little overwhelming in my opinion. 

Re: How do you build a makeup collection?

If i knew then what I know now, I would not have a fraction of the stuff I have. My advice is to NOT go ham! Swatch things in person. Know what works best with your skin tone. Dont buy something just because it looks good on someone else (especially a beauty guru or a brand's ad!) A neutral palette is a good place to start. KVD shade and light is good. Tarte Clay Play is good. Brushes / beauty blenders are important. (Real Techniques blenders are a good, affordable option.) Dont buy a contour palette, you only need one shade. Quantity is not what makes a "good" makeup setup. If youve made it this far with just those items, you have some time to weigh your options and truly get educated on whats out there. Ive wasted so much money, I dont want that to happen to anyone else. I highly recommend subscribing to Kimberly Clark on youtube. Shes amazing and keeps my spending in line! 

Re: How do you build a makeup collection?

I need to check her out! Thats good advice, thanks 🙂

Re: How do you build a makeup collection?

Just keep buying stuff until it’s out of control 😂 That’s how I built mine. In all seriousness though, I started by finding looks I liked and figured out which sort of products I needed to replicate them. Just like any other skill or hobby, it takes time and practice to get better, and after some trial and error you will know the sorts of products you like. You’ll also be able to start trying new things and adding other types of products/techniques to your routine. Pretty soon it will be second nature and you’ll get a good feel for what’s available product wise. 

Re: How do you build a makeup collection?

@alexasteph I think that's pretty much how I ended up building my collection too 😄 😄

RE: Re: How do you build a makeup collection?

Bahahha @alexasteph that’s definitely how it goes for all of us secretly - one day it’s just like where do I even put this all

Re: RE: Re: How do you build a makeup collection?

@Kim888 Literally... I have a drawer dedicated to masarca and a drawer dedicated to lippies, a shelf for eye shadows, and my counter is just a pile of cheek products hahaha. 

Re: RE: Re: How do you build a makeup collection?

You guys seem like experts. What are your favorite lip products/shades you think I should get?

Re: RE: Re: How do you build a makeup collection?

@jeskayjam Well... I wouldn't say "expert," maybe "enthusiast" is more appropriate haha. As far as lip products are concerned, my favorites brands are Bite, Urban Decay, and Kat Von D. I just got a tube of the Tarte Color Splash and I'm really impressed with the formula. To build a good color collection, I'd start with a MLBB shade, a true blue based red, a rosy pink, a berry or wine, a coral, and a warm nude. Here are some suggestions, in a variety of brands.

 

MLBB - Urban Decay Vice Ravenswood

Red - NARS Lipstick Jungle Red

Pink - Marc Jacobs Le Marc Lip Creme Lipstick Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Berry/Wine - Bite Amuse Bouche Beetroot

Coral - Tarte Color Splash Daiquiri

Warm Nude - Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick Lolita 2

 

I hope that is somewhat helpful! 

Re: RE: Re: How do you build a makeup collection?

Wow thanks! Now its way easier for me haha. There are just so many formulas and colors out there.... 🙂

Re: RE: Re: How do you build a makeup collection?

@jeskayjam No problem! I think lipsticks are the most important product you should have in your collection in terms of variety. It can totally change the entire look and it's something quick and easy. Since I keep my everyday makeup pretty simple, I switch it up with my lip color. You can go from "I woke up like this" to "Va-va-voom" with one swipe. 

RE: How do you build a makeup collection?

@jeskayjam have you considered a subscription box? Boxes like boxycharm and allure will give full size products so that’s a great way to build your collection on a budget! My subscription addiction .com is a great resource for checking out boxes! The Sephora favorites kits care also an awesome way to build your collection! The current lip kit “give me some new lip” has 2 full size and 3 mini lippies for $28 which is an excellent price!

Re: How do you build a makeup collection?

Maybe start with a palette you like the looks of, then get a few lip colours to go with that. If you hang around here long enough, you’ll have no problem finding wonderful items to purchase. @jeskayjam

Re: How do you build a makeup collection?

Everyone keeps telling me to get modern ren, what lip colors do you think would go well with that lol ?

Re: How do you build a makeup collection?

@jeskayjam If Modern Renaissance looks a bit too bold to start with, you can try a more subtle palette that’s easy to blend, like Urban Decay Naked 3 or Too Faced Just Peachy Velvet Mattes. Or, better yet, go to a Sephora store and swatch the shadows of several palettes to see which ones call out to you 😊

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