Starter

[Insanoflux]

Would love some advice…

[JoSometimes]

Welcome to BIC @Insanoflux! I’m happy to help. What do you need help with and what do you already know about it?

And a quick tip for navigating BIC. Use @ to tag people when replying. Sephora doesn’t automatically inform others when you reply. We use this as a work around so that messages don’t get missed. 

[Insanoflux]

@JoSometimes @Ok yea my skin is the worst combination ever. I am not prone to acne or anything luckily, but I do still have facial hair that I’d like to conceal. I used a friend’s “green stuff” tht was worked amazing, idk what it was tho

[JoSometimes]

@Insanoflux Green stuff? What’s it tinted green? That would be a colour corrector. It would be good for dialing down redness. For facial hair, a peachy or orange colour corrector would work best and neutralizing any blue tones from facial hair. 

[Insanoflux]

@Joesometimes I know very little I am just beginning this adventure and letting myself be happy. I love doing cosmetics and would like to know everything, but for now I’d love to just get enough knowledge to fit in a tote and tht would make me look good, not like a clown! Thanks your so helpful 😺

[JoSometimes]

@Insanoflux Ahhh ok. I sent you a DM to get more info but I’ll start with some basics. 

Skin Type: Knowing your skin type can help you prep your skin properly and also choose the right makeup. Something meant for oily skin might look and feel terrible on someone with dry skin. It may not cling to your skin and wipe off too easily.

If you’re not sure what your skin type is, try washing your face with a gentle cleanser, pat it dry, and wait a few hours. If your skin feels tight, you have dry skin. If it starts looking shiny or greasy, it’s oily, and if you don’t notice anything, you’re normal. If something happens but only on parts of your face, you’re combination. 

[JoSometimes]

Skin Prep - Makeup only ever looks as good as the skin it’s applied on. If your on skin is in rouge shape, makeup will only enhance that. A good skincare routine will help that. Skincare is for everyone, since everyone has skin.

A basic routine consists of cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen. Repeat twice daily, but skip the sunscreen in the evening.

For cleansing, get a dedicated one, not just soap. It’s much gentler for the skin on your face. If you want to play around makeup, use the double cleansing method. Wash your face with a cleanser specifically formakeup removal and follow up with your usual cleanser. This will make sure your skin is makeup free.

For moisturizer, get one that is meant for your skin type. It may take trial and error to find one you like. 

For sunscreen, you might already have something if you spend time outdoors. It helps prevent your skin from getting worse and the sun undoing all your hard work in maintaining your skin. 

If you find your skin is rough, has a bit of texture, or is flakey, try exfoliating. This will remove any excess skin, making the surface of what’s left nice and smooth. This would come before any other step and would only be done every few days.

One final thing about skincare, it takes time to see results. There’s no such thing as a miracle cream that will fix everything overnight. If you want some recommendations, once you know your skin type, feel free to ask around BIC. 

[JoSometimes]

Makeup - The fun part! Make is completely subjective and the only right way to do it is the way that looks right to you. If you feel happy with it, that’s all that matters. To make the experience more pleasant on the face, use makeup meant for your skin type. Something meant for oily skin will feel very drying on someone with dry skin since the makeup is formulated with ingredients that absorb moisture/oil or prevent oil from being produced. With all makeup, less is more. Use less than you think you need for any part of your face. You can always build up if you want more colour but it’s impossible to lighten or lessen without removing and starting over. 

Foundation - The base for most of your makeup. This is one that should be purchased in store to correctly identify the right shade. It should blend seamlessly into your skin and look almost invisible. If you shop at Sephora, ask for a colour IQ or some advisors can shade match you themselves using their skills as makeup artists. Sheer coverage is a light wash of colour that can help even out your skin tone but still shows off your natural skin. Full coverage is almost completely opaque and will cover up most of your natural skin. Medium coverage is somewhere in the middle. 

Concealer - It’s purpose is to cover up blemishes. Can be used under or over foundation and depends on what you’re trying to cover and the final effect you want. This should also be purchased in store to find the appropriate shade. It can also be used to brighten certain areas to make it look more youthful or awake. If you want this effect, get a concealer that is a shade or two lighter than your skin tone. 

Blush - Everyone has some natural colour in their cheeks. This helps add that colour back in after covering it up with foundation. If you want it too look natural, have a look at your own bare skin and find a blush that’s similar. Of course, you can completely ignore that and have fun with the colour too! There’s not rule saying you can’t. 

Eyeliner - This one takes practice but has a big payoff once you master it. It helps define your eyes and can be worn alone without eyeshadow. Black is a very bold choice but also very unforgiving. Brown looks softer and is more forgiving if you make a mistake. A pencil that you sharpen is usually the easiest type to use but there are gels, felt-tips, and brush-tips too. My personal preference is a felt or brush tip for more precision.

Mascara - Helps lengthen your lashes to also help accentuate your eyes. They come in lengthening formulas, volumizing formulas, or some combination. Usually they come in black, but you can get brown or even other fun colours are becoming trendy right now. A trick for mascara: if you get some on your eyelid or face, just left it dry. Once it’s dried up, brush it off with a cotton swab or stiff brush. 

Eyeshadow - Not really necessary for your first go at make up but if you want to try, an easy place to start is a nude or brown palette. I would say start with a trio or a quad (3 or 4 different shades) and work your way up. These shades are more forgiving since they don’t deviate too far from your skin tone and will blend in with your skin easier. More shades can get overwhelming as to what to use and where. You can always branch out and add to it once you’ve gotten a good handle on the technique.

Lips - There are so many formulas to try! Matte finishes can be drying, so be aware of your skin type. The easiest place to start is a “my lips but better” (MLBB) shade. It’s a shade that closely matches your own lip colour and just enhances what you have. Again, screw the rules if you want and go for whatever colour you like. The bolder the colour, the less forgiving it is if you make a mistake, so it’s good to practice with something closer to your natural lip colour. 

[JoSometimes]

Tools - You have the basic tools right at your fingertips! Literally! You can use clean fingers to apply all makeup. Just wash up before you start to avoid infections or pimples.

You can get a good set of brushes from companies like elf to start and upgrade when you improve your skills (or don’t! I’ve been doing makeup for a few years now and I love my elf brushes!)

Sponges are also handy for a more diffused, airbrushed finish. They soak up whatever you use them for, so you actually need to apply more than what you think you need. Again, start small and you can always build up if needed. 

And that’s the basics! I hope it wasn’t information overload. Feel free to try things out, experiment, copy tutorials. This is something that definitely needs practice to improve. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and take photos of your progress. Reflect on what you like and what you don’t. And remember, it’s just makeup. If you don’t like it at all, you can wipe it all off. 

I hope this helps. If you have questions or want recommendations on products, feel free to ask!