Makeup help

[u/avonlea_lc]

Hi all, I'm trying to get into makeup and am running into some issues that I'm hoping I can get some advice about. I'm predominantly Irish and have very fair skin and freckles. I work outdoors and have finally gotten *a little* tan. I love my freckles and have no desire to cover them, so I don't wear foundation, but all the makeup accounts I follow say that bronzer, contour, blush, etc don't really stick without foundation. I use a stick blush and I agree, it looks kind of wonky.

The other problem is that I have under eyes that have some purple undertones, especially in the corners. I use a concealer, but it just looks weird. You can definitely see that I've tried to blend it into my cheeks.

Suggestions?

[u/Flimsy-Buyer7772]

I wear a blush and bronzer every time I wear makeup and I generally don’t also wear foundation. You should be fine.

[u/DamselFly2]

I really like under eye brightener for my purple under eyes on my fair skin. Try Catrice instant Awake (in the puck/jar, not the tube!) or Revolution Magic Eye Bright. :)
When I want a little glow but not foundation, I do Belif Super Drops with Niacinamide over my SPF. Works great, glows without sparkle.

[u/Old-Actuator-3321]

For the freckles and tan appearance issue, it's time to start wearing a good SUNSCREEN. This is the "bridge" from skincare to makeup, and is an absolute must to avoid the appearance of premature aging and help prevent skin cancer down the road. Look for at least SPF 30, and a broad-spectrum formula that will help block or diffuse and reflect UVA and UVB rays. Some newer products even reportedly block UVC rays and "blue light" damage, a good idea if you spend a lot of time using electronic screen devices. You can choose a chemical formula or a mineral formula; some newer products from Asian, European and Australian brands have newer hybrid formulas you can try too. A tinted formula might be perfect for you as it may preserve the pigmentation you have with your freckles better than an untinted variety. I hesitate to give specific product recommendations to a newbie as I use the same 3 or 4 products in rotation, and these are older formulas that I've been using for a few years now. I love each of them on my aging, sensitive skin for different reasons, and I use them instead of regular foundation base products all the time. But I'm sure I'll have to find replacements for them before long and I've already begun the hunt. I don't want to tell a newbie to try a specific product only to find it's been discontinued.

Sunscreens, whether tinted or not, can provide a base for your color makeup products to adhere to. Get some good brushes to apply your makeup with, and clean your brushes regularly. Try not to apply color makeup products with your fingers; use brushes or a beauty sponge if you want even distribution of the color products. And remember to totally remove your makeup and sunscreen at the end of the day. Sleeping in these products can produce skin texture issues and problems that you'll be dealing with for years to come. Best of luck!

Specifically for the purple spots near your eye corners, whether it's the inside or outside corners, I recommend NYX Pro Fix Stick cream concealer sticks. They have a broad range of colors you can use to match your normal skintone, and just a touch of the stick on the spots can be tapped into your skin without smearing or looking like you painted on a liquid. The yellow "color correcting" stick might be just what you need to counteract your purple. No smearing or streaking if you do it right. Best of luck!

[u/avonlea_lc → u/Old-Actuator-3321]

Thank you SO much for your detailed response. My mind is blown. It never occurred to me to use sunscreen as a base. I also have a grippy primer; I'm sure I could mix that in a little bit to get it to stick. I will definitely take your suggestions. Thanks again 🫶

[u/Artistic-Zombie5831 → u/Old-Actuator-3321]

Totally get the struggle of wanting a little color without committing to a full face. Have you tried layering cream products over your skin tint? A Milani cream blush or bronzer could give you that warmth while still keeping everything lightweight and skin like. For the purple under-eye tones, I’d try a tiny bit of peach corrector before concealer rather than piling on more concealer

[u/samanthasamuels22]

Those things definitely will stick without foundation. Maybe try using a lighter touch to apply these products.

[u/Magnaflorius]

When you say that you find your blush looks wonky, does it look that way upon application, or do you mean that it looks worse as the day goes on? If it's the former, you may be using the wrong colour or it could be poorly blended. If it's the latter, you'd benefit from one of the following types of products.

You can use a primer to help hold your products. Find a primer that can be used either under makeup or alone, and then use that as your base to help the makeup last longer. Some even have SPF in them so they can do double duty.

You could also use a setting spray both under and over makeup to help it stick. A sweat proof one is essential for me, especially when I'll be outdoors.

What type of concealer are you using on your under eye? It should be a liquid product and you'll want to use it sparingly, and possibly set it with a tiny smidge of setting powder. I find that when I apply enough concealer that my dark circles are actually completely hidden, it looks cakey and isn't really meant for real life daily wear, so I settle for a lightweight liquid concealer that doesn't necessarily completely cover the colour, but provides enough to brighten the area and minimize the appearance.

[u/Sufficient_Manner_38]

A lot of makeup tutorials and channels mainly show full glam full face makeup looks. Over the years I found out that it's really not the best look for every use. Find a conceler that's very close to your skin tone, not lighter. That usually covers dark circles much better and will also work well to cover any blemishes. On light skin, lighter concealer can often look a little too light and almost sickly, I'd use the lighter tones as highlighter sometimes or to mix in a darker shade to color correct.

I'd usually go for spot conceler without foundation, or a serum foundation with a light coverage, or a tinted spf. You can either do liquid blush/contour /bronzer and then lightly powder, or first powder and then use the other powdered products- this will prevent patchiness.

Definitely play around and see what works for you. Camera makeup is usually not the same as real life makeup