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Beauty Basics: Makeup Essentials for Beginners

Janeca Racho
Writer and expert2 years ago
View Janeca Racho's profile

We all remember our firsts—and if you’re new to the world of makeup, that includes the first time you tentatively applied foundation while wondering if it was really your skin’s perfect shade-match, or if you should ditch the brush and go for a beauty sponge instead (we’ll get to that later). Fact is, while trying on makeup for the first time can definitely be exciting, finding the right makeup products can also be a challenge. 

With so many brands and formulas to choose from, it’s fairly easy for any beauty novice to get overwhelmed. So to help get you started, we enlisted the expert advice of Jessica Kendall—hairstylist, makeup artist and owner of Beauty Asylum—to give us the dos, don’ts, hows and whys in our guide to the ultimate makeup essentials for beginners. 

Which Makeup Products Should a Beginner Buy? 

While you may be tempted to fill your shopping carts with the beauty world’s latest obsessions, any seasoned pro will tell you that the road to makeup mastery starts with a good understanding of the basics and knowing what each product can actually do for you. Below, we list down the absolute makeup must-haves for beginners. 

    Janeca Racho
    Writer and expert
    View Janeca Racho's profile

    With over 10 years of writing and editing experience, Janeca Racho has worked with clients in the fashion, entertainment, food, health and travel industries. An adventurer at heart, she will gladly trade her heels for a good pair of hiking shoes and skip hotels to camp under the stars. She loves horror movies, googling ingredients in her beauty products and backpacking trips with her toddler. Her newfound obsession: nude lipstick.

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