Beauty Basics: Makeup Essentials for Beginners

Just like artists who must prime before painting, you too must start with a clean canvas. After you’ve prepped your skin, foundation is your first step. To avoid the dreaded “cakey” look, Kendall recommends applying foundation using a beauty sponge. It absorbs product, allowing you to gradually add the ideal amount of foundation to your complexion.

Dermstore’s Pick: jane iredale Liquid Minerals A Foundation

“Concealer is a must-have staple in your beauty routine,” exclaims Kendall. And we’ll gladly bet on that statement! Concealer offers the photoshopped-looking finish everyone seeks; however, it just may be the trickiest makeup essential for beginners to master.

“The two main differences we want to look for when buying a concealer are face concealer and eye concealer,” explains Kendall. “Typically we want a hydrating concealer to go under the eye and soften the look of any fine lines. Concealer for the face tends to be more dense and drying and this is perfect for covering up that pesky blemish or discoloration.”

Dermstore’s Pick: RMS Beauty “Un” Cover-Up

Now that you’ve got a flawless base, it’s time to make a splash. “A great bronzer makes my top five of must-have products,” Kendall tells us, adding that it’s essential to add a touch of color to a washed-out complexion. How to do so without going overboard? Kendall says to dust a little bronzer into the hair line, across the cheek bones and neck to give an instant pick-me-up.

Try: Glo Skin Beauty Bronze

Eyeliner is 90% sultriness, 10% glam and 100% vital. Plus, it can easily take any makeup look from day to night in a sitch. Go with a pencil eyeliner—while it may not be the tool for a great winged eyeliner look, it’s much less fussy and great for ladies first starting off.

Expert Tip: Start by applying the color in the middle of the eye and lightly dot the pencil into the lash, gradually working your way to the outer part of the eye. Connecting the dots is an easy way to create a more natural look.

Try: W3LL PEOPLE Hypnotist Eyepencil

Now it’s time to lengthen those lashes with some mascara. Not even the most novice of makeup beginners can fumble with this one. However, the days of pumping the wand in the tube and plumping the eyelashes with triple coats are gone! Simply take your freshly dipped mascara wand and apply one to two coats before you complete your look. An absolute makeup essential for beginners, mascara darkens, thickens and lengthens the lashes for a put-together look on the daily.

Try: Kevyn Aucoin The Volume Mascara

A neutral eyeshadow palette is a perfect 10 across the board. Stick with taupes, bronzes, browns and cream-colored shadows for an easily blendable, effortless look great for all eye colors.

Try: Tarte Cosmetics Tartelette In Bloom Clay Palette

Kendall breaks down how to get the natural look with just three simple tools:

1. Eyeshadow brush: this is the staple for applying powder loosely on the lid.
2. Smudge brush: this brush is usually packed together with dense bristles to apply a heavier amount of product. Look for a dome shape the size of a pencil eraser to provide more application control.
3. Blending brush: this gives the option to apply a soft amount of color in the crease and/or buff the shadow above the crease.

“Any beginner can start filling in their brows using a brow gel or a powder shadow,” says Kendall. But if you’ve marathoned beauty gurus’ bold-brow routines only to have them look, well, not like theirs, Kendall recommends powder. “Powder tends to be more forgiving when you first start off. Look for a more coarse brush to apply the product so it doesn’t apply too much product at once.”

Try: Glo Skin Beauty Precision Brow Pencil

A key item for an irresistible pout, lipsticks can change an entire look with just a simple swipe. “The perfect neutral and a pop of color are two lip colors every girl should have in her purse,” says Kendall, recommending beginners to stick with a formula that has more hydration for its forgiving nature.

“To find the perfect lip shade, opt for a color slightly darker than your natural lip undertone to create the perfect wash of color. A pop of color can be your preference of coral, berry or pink.”

Try: Lipstick Queen Nothing But The Nudes