Things to avoid as a beginner

[VirtualDoll]

As a beginner in makeup, what should be avoided? Tips, tricks, techniques, lessons, share any useful information!

[SportyGirly125]

@VirtualDoll @Avoid trying to look like the Instagram pictures online that are filtered and overly done. 

[WinglessOne]

@VirtualDoll  Avoid trying to make yourself look “flawless.” For instance, there are still many makeup beginners (and experts) who try to achieve “poreless” skin, constantly hunt for a truly “creaseless” concealer, etc. But the truth is, pores are a natural feature of human skin (we all have ‘em; some of us have more visible pores than others and there’s nothing wrong with that) and ALL concealers will crease on lines/wrinkles. I don’t care what any brand claims, there’s no such thing as a creaseless concealer unless the person using it has very fine/shallow lines or no lines at all. Concealers aren’t made of glue, after all. There are ways to minimize the appearance pores and lines, sure, but you can’t really fully hide ‘em—and that’s okay! I find it’s best to approach makeup from that perspective so you minimize frustration and don’t waste money trying lots of “poreless/creaseless” foundations and concealers in vain. 

Related to that: remember that humans in your daily life don’t see your face at 10x magnification (or higher), or 5x magnification, or even 2x magnification. The fine details you see in your magnifying mirror are likely unnoticeable to people in person. Don’t beat yourself up over something no one can see. 

And seriously, don’t beat yourself up. Some folks get very frustrated in a self-loathing way when they’re learning to apply makeup. I know “relax and have fun with it” sounds cliche, but it’s a good approach to take. You’ll need to practice a lot, after all, so you might as well try to enjoy the practice and experiment a bit for the heck of it. A good time to practice is at night before you wash your face; that way, you’re not as time-pressured as you might be in the morning or other times of day. Find ways to enjoy (or at least not loathe) applying makeup. 

Might also help to focus on applying makeup to just one part of your face for a while, rather than trying to do a full face of makeup from the get-go. When I first started, lipstick was the only makeup I wore. (This was back in my ‘80s teen years, when there were no online beauty influencers/tutorials/etc.) My next makeup item was eyeliner, which I had lots of self-expressive fun with. Then eyebrows a while later. I didn’t get into eyeshadow much til the early ‘90s. To this day, lipstick is still my favorite makeup item. Anyway, as with any other skill, it can help to approach makeup in pieces like that. 

If you haven’t seen ‘em yet, Sephora has some makeup tutorials on YouTube that might be helpful. Wayne Goss also has some good quick makeup tutorials, especially if you have hooded eyes (I do). While watching tutorials, bear in mind that just because a makeup artist (or influencer, or friend, etc.) says you need certain makeup items, doesn’t mean you really do. 😉 Example: I rarely wear foundation, and when I do it’s usually just on and around my nose to mask surface redness there—and sometimes I just use a green color corrector, tinted primer, or a sparse layer of concealer there instead. Not everyone needs a full base of foundation (“a good base” can be achieved via skincare). Not everyone needs concealer either, or contour, highlighter, brow gel/pencil/pomade, etc. What you need depends on which of your facial features you want to emphasize and what (if any) areas you want to minimize. 

And I’ll stop rambling now. 😅 I hope some of this was helpful.