Ask a Makeup Artist: The Beginner's Complete Guide to Applying Makeup

Start With Eyebrows

After you've done your morning skincare routine and applied your moisturizer and sunscreen, the first thing to do is to pay attention to your eyebrows. Often times brows are neglected, yet they are a very important feature as they bring shape and structure to your face. I'm applying a brow gel through my brow hairs lightly stroking it through until I get to the end. Brow gel is a great product to start with as it deposits a tiny bit of color and helps lift the hairs. When you feel more comfortable, you can always incorporate a brow pencil or pomade after and practice using different formulas.

Apply Your Foundation

I've chosen a light foundation that's great for daytime wear, and have applied it on the areas of my face in small dots where I want to blend it. Using a foundation brush helps to spread the product evenly over the skin to ensure everything gets covered. Moving your brush in a circular motion helps to blend the product quickly and can create an airbrush like finish.

In the photo above you can see how the foundation blends and what it looks like when it's finished.

Conceal Where You Need

Applying concealer after foundation helps to cover the areas that might need some more attention. I like to apply concealer under my eyes, around my nose, and on any blemishes I might have at the time. Lightly tapping your brush on the concealer and blending it on the face helps to keep concealer looking natural and not cakey. I am using this concealer and Anisa Angled Concealer Brush ($28).

Contour With Bronzer

Lightly contouring with bronzer helps to enhance your features and add some definition. I'm using a cream bronzer here from Tower 28 Beauty and have applied it directly under my cheekbones, along my forehead, and on the tip of my nose. Cream formulas are easy to blend when you use a brush and give a natural finish versus something that looks obvious.

Add a Pop of Color to the Cheeks

Adding blush to the apples of the cheeks is a great way to incorporate a natural flush to the skin. Smile (naturally) and notice where the apples of your cheeks stand out. This is where you're going to want to apply your blush and then blend in an upward, outer motion so that it has a lifting effect. You can use cream or powder formulas for blush, I'm using a cream here and like to blend it out until it looks natural.

Add a Natural Looking Highlight

Liquid highlighter blends quickly and easily on the skin, and a simple way to apply it is by dropping it directly onto a tapered powder brush (though you can also use your fingers). After you've deposited the product onto the brush, blend the highlighter on the cheeks, forehead, and along the bridge of the nose. This allows for a smoother application and helps highlighter to not look streaky.

I'm using Anisa Multi-Powder Brush ($40) and this radiance oil to create a nice shimmer.

Apply Eyeshadow

When moving on to eyeshadow, if you tend to have an oily eyelid or have noticed that shadow tends to crease on your eyelids, apply a shadow primer first to ensure shadow stays in place. Then, move on to applying a soft, neutral-colored shadow that is close to your natural lid color. I'm using the soft nude color from The Nomad Eyeshadow Palette by Juvia's Place ($15). Use your brush to lightly blend the shadow across the lid before moving onto the next color.

I've chosen to use two eyeshadow colors for this look to keep things easy. When picking out your second eyeshadow color, pay attention to what pops your eye color the most. I love using rust colors to accentuate my eye color, so I've chosen to blend that color from the same palette into my crease to accentuate my eye shape. Blend the shadow back and forth until it looks polished.

Define Eyes With Liner

Define your eyes with a touch of eyeliner on the top lash line, using a long-wearing formula that won't smudge throughout the day. Depending on your eye shape you can start at the inner corner and apply it to the end, or start slightly in the middle of the eye and extend it outward. I've chosen to start in the middle and lightly blend it outward to help my eyes appear more open.

Add a Few Coats of Mascara

Once your eyeliner is complete, you can move on to applying a few coats of your favorite mascara. Depending on the type of lashes you have, be sure to choose a formula that will accentuate them. For instance, if you have a shorter lash, a mascara that helps to separate and lengthen is a great start. You can also curl your lashes before applying mascara if they tend to be more naturally straight. I prefer more voluminous lashes so I'm using this mascara to help create volume.

Shape Lips With Lipliner

Shaping your lips before applying gloss or lipstick can help them appear fuller-looking, and using a natural colored liner helps liner to look more discreet. You can instantly add fullness to lips by shaping the top and bottom edges ever so slightly. Run the liner across lips and add a tiny amount of pressure so the color is soft and not overdrawn.

Finish With Lipgloss

Whether you want to wear lipstick or gloss (or both for that matter) choosing a color that blends well with your chosen lip liner looks soft and natural. I'm applying Lorac Diamond Lip Gloss in shade Rooftop ($19) for a nice patent-leather shine.

The Final Look

Once you've made it to the end, be sure to take a moment and admire your finished look. The more you practice, the more you'll become comfortable with each step and you might even find yourself experimenting with new techniques.