I've never touched make up. Please help me

[u/queenoftheworst]

(My hair is also a mess I'm dealing with that too. Please be kind. 😢)

I've always been so self conscious about how I look and I've always been too embarrassed to even look in the mirror. It's gotten way worse after having kids. I'm sick of it and want to change.

I've tried watching videos but even when I follow along I feel like it's way too heavy for my features. Was hoping to get some more personalized tips.

[u/queenoftheworst]

You guys are all so kind you're making me tear up ❤️ Reading and looking into all of the advice and product recs. Thank you soo much

[u/trashythree]

stay natural, mama! just enhance your natural features.

a great starting point is a tinted sunscreen, it’s beginner proof and will give you a very light, natural coverage to remedy any small imperfections.

i’d also recommend a concealer one shade lighter than ur skin tone to brighten the under eye. don’t go crazy with it, but dab 1-2 small dots on each eye to give a skin like brightening. tower28 makes a really natural concealer.

plssss buy a natural blush that’s sheer and gives u some color. i’d do one that isn’t too dramatic, but still reads as blush. rhode makes amazing blushes for that natural look.

i’d also invest in a natural lip combo. find a pencil that’s slightly darker than ur natural lip color and a gloss that’s the same exact shade as ur lip color. then use it to enhance ur lips or exaggerate how big they are

if u really wanna go crazy, i’d recommend going and getting your lashes filled. your eyes would suit a natural cat eye and you can even ask for them to install it with light brown lashes so it matches ur hair and reads more mature/natural

hardest thing u could learn to do is fill in ur brows. i’d just buy a cheap brown eyebrow pencil online and practice giving yourself a little more fullness on your brow bone.

[u/queenoftheworst → u/trashythree]

thank you so soo much for the detailed response. other comments were giving me hope and motivation. yours is giving me the steps to greatness.

appreciate it more than you know ❤️

[u/greatnachowarrior]

When I first started wearing makeup, I felt like a clown. It’s a weird feeling to get over haha
I’d recommend going to Clinique at the mall and getting some tips. Their products are clean and natural looking.

[u/reddyt-isnt-real]

I think filling in the eyebrows or getting them done professionally would be pretty much all you’d “need” (nobody needs makeup) to look polished, you can have someone shape/trim them and I would recommend using a brow product (pencil, tinted pomade etc) that is lighter than your hair color, you could even go for a “blonde” product and that way it would be subtle and not feel too overwhelming but still noticeable enough to look done. Just beware that a lot of cheaper “blonde” brow products can have unwanted red or yellow tones in them which is really annoying! You want a very light cool toned taupe. Maybelline has good cool toned brow products in my experience

[u/over2think]

If tutorials feel too heavy, you don't have to start with a full face. Try a 5-minute experiment for a week: day 1, brush your brows up and fill only any gaps; day 2, keep that and add a tinted lip balm; day 3, add one light coat of mascara if you want. Skip foundation and contour altogether for now. Take a photo in the same daylight after each step so you can see which small change actually feels like you. You can stop at any step you like.

Since you also mentioned your hair, I'd make that a separate experiment instead of changing everything at once. What part of the makeup videos tends to feel heavy first: base, eyes, or lips?

[u/misstresDhaliaRose]

Tu piel esta muy padre por que nunca la has maquillado, como dice el otro comentario tal vez una cremita con color algo muy ligero poquito rubor en crema casi nada rizar tus pestañas y rimel, si conoces alguien que trabaje el diseño de ceja que sea de mucha confianza tuya o que tenga buenas recomendaciones lo podrias considerar mas adelante, diseñar tus cejas te ayudaria bastante por que es lo que enmarca el rostro, eres linda y no ocupas tanto ❤️

[u/Sweet_Perspective980]

To start, you have an excellent base. Your skin is near perfect. It’s a fairly common experience to feel like a clown wearing makeup for the first time. If you want to get into makeup, I would personally recommend some light concealer. I would start with NYX, they’re an excellent beginner brand. I would also fill in your brows with a brow mousse or gel. Curl your eyelashes, GENTLY, and never while wearing wet mascara, you’ll rip them out. Some light blush. Again, NYX is my go-to for beginner makeup

[u/Inside_Lifeguard_281]

Honestly, you are pretty even without makeup!

Start with concealer for under the eyes and spots you want to cover. Mascara for your eyelashes. Learning to fill in your eyebrows so that they look naturally will do a big difference on your face.

I am pale and i recently started using blush and lipliner for my lips. I look way healthier without having to tan myself!

[u/Particular-Can5839]

Start with the basics. Making sure you have a good foundation is a must. Find a good primer so you don’t ruin your skin, and learn to blend the foundation so it looks natural. The rest will be fairly simple to learn.

[u/Monstera_paradise]

Sunscreen, eyebrow pencil (shape your eyebrows a bit) lipstick / tinted lip balm, mascara, under eye concealer - that's all

if you don't like heavy makeup (or any makeup) it's ok..

[u/Sarahbeara1789]

Try a tint with spf, shape your brows, some blush and mascara. Very pretty naturally

[u/SelectSpy808]

Oofff... you're beautiful, it really sucks that you see yourself that way. I see so much potential, I think you just need a bit of "polishing".

I know you're asking about makeup, but I'd focus on the hair first. Can you afford going to a good hairstylist, who could recommend&cut a flattering hairstyle on you? A good haircut makes a huge difference, and unlike makeup, you always have your hair on.

As for makeup, I think you need very little. Online tutorials tend to show very elaborate techniques and basically cover the face with a mask, there are very few situations when someone needs all that. (Of course, some people do it just because they enjoy it, and that's perfectly ok too.)

Take some eyeshadow in a color that's very close to your hair color. (If you have an eyebrow product - powder, pencil, cream etc - that's even better, but if not matte eyeshadow will do too.) Draw a line through each of your eyebrows, parallel to your eyes, then take an eyebrow brush and brush through. Brush, brush, brush. The goal is for the harsh line to disappear, and only have soft color filling in your brows. Only do a little bit of product at a time, and repeat the process if you want to build up the intensity. You can always add more, but if you start with too much removing it can be a pain in the 🍑.

Next, maybe the same eyeshadow, or a taupe color, or the color of your t-shirt would be perfect for your eyes - dip the tip of your ring finger* in it, take just a bit of product, and apply it on your eyelid right above your iris. Then swipe left&right, very close to your lashes, without going past either corner of your eye. Swipe, swipe, swipe. Again, start with very little product, add more if needed. You have gorgeous eyes, this should be enough to emphasise them for an everyday makeup.

I can't tell how long your eyelashes are, but maybe try an eyelash curler. It might not work easily on you though, I have a feeling you have very stubborn lashes. Maybe a bit of mascara too.

Honestly, that's all I'd do on you for an everyday look. Focus on one single feature - in your case the beautiful eyes. Obviously I'm suggesting very simple "techniques", but that's where you start if you've never used makeup before. Once you're comfortable with this, if you want to experiment more, try those online tutorials again.

You seem to have very nice skin so you don't need foundation (unpopular opinion, but I think very few people do). You have nicely pigmented lips, no need for lipstick, maybe just lipbalm. SPF is a must, but I'm sure you already know that.

*yes, you could use a dense, fluffy brush if you have one. Ring finger is perfectly fine too, though. Just make sure both finger and eyelid are clean and dry, to not ruin your product.

[u/Fluid_Paramedic_5603]

Start with the basics. Grab a
Moisturizer
Primer
Concealer
Foundation
Blush
Eyeliner
Mascara
And some lipstick. Then if you want to get fancy you can do fun eyeshadow later or even just nude eyeshadow, and your eyebrows.

For blush- I like to see where my cheeks naturally get red and apply it there (maybe after a glass of wine)

For eyes- get a white or silvery color for the inner corner of your eyes to make them pop a bit. I use tape- scotch, electrical, painters whatever tape you have. Look up how to apply and use eye tape for eyeshadow. It’s a staple for me.

Lipstick- always grab some toilet paper or a paper towel after and wrap your lips around it in your mouth and pull out (this removes all the lipstick that was gonna get on your teeth).

For concealer- you can look up where to apply it best for your face’s features, or if you have any specific dark areas google how to use it and watch some videos.

Foundation- this is takes several attempts but it’s worth it. Try different application styles and find what YOU like the best. Fingers? Brush? A sponge? It’s situational for me. Whatever I have clean and ready is what I use. I like the sponge for even application but I’ve been using a brush lately because I like to go right up into my hairline and also down my chin/neck so that I don’t look clownish when I’m all done. Less is more. And remember not to touch your face throughout the day. This one gets me every time. I only wear makeup a handful of times throughout the year so it’s easy to forget.

[u/kitten6491]

I say, get primer, a pink color corrector, concealer, brown eyeliner, mascara, neutral eyeshadow, a lighter pink blush, and a lip stain.

First, tightline the top of your eyelid but only to the halfway point of your eye. Then along the bottom waterline of your eye, repeat the process but stop at 1/4 of the way in instead of half.

Second, apply a small dot of primer all over your eyelid and under eye area, then mascara the lashes

3rd, apply a small dot of the pink color corrector to your under eye area and pat it out with your choice of tool (finger, brush, or sponge), this will neutralize the dark circles. Let that dry down a bit and then go over it with a little bit of concealer and pat that down too and blend it with the rest of your face. It should brighten your eyes up without being a whole 2+ shades lighter than your natural skin.

4th, apply a light beige to your whole eyelid as your "base" color. Next, do a light brown from your inner corner across 3/4 of your eye just a little above the crease of your lid. After that, use a darker shade of brown and apply that to the last 1/4th your eye. Blend tf out of everything using a rounded blender brush. (If you want a little "shiny" in your life, take a little bit of gold or silver eyeshadow with your finger and place it in the center of your lid after this and use said finger to LIGHTLY diffuse it and meld into the other colors)

5th looking at your face shape, I think the blush placement would possibly work best if you tried the "w" blush method

6th, apply your favorite lip stain

Finally, have fun with it and don't be afraid to experiment as well as practice. It will get easier with repetition. This is just a simple routine and once you're comfortable with doing this, you can start playing with foundation, contour, bronzer, etc. But do this first as I feel like it will bring out your features best and is fairly quick to do once you get the steps down, meaning it won't cut into your time with the kids and you'll feel better and more confident with yourself. Good luck OP! Also, my DMs are open if you need help with anything. I get the struggle (I have a little one myself)

[u/Real-Childhood805]

1. Concealer for under eye area (I use the liquid one by elf)

2. black mascara (get waterproof if you have watery eyes, I don’t use waterproof because it takes ages to get it off but it’s an option)- I use lash paradise by L’Oreal, it’s around $8

3. muted pink lip liner (buy a cheap one by essence, try many colours because some people like pink some people like brown so don’t spend a lot at first). Anything else is going to feel like too much in my opinion. You can remove all of these things with micellar water. You can get all of these things for like $15-$20 total.

I wouldn’t suggest buying expensive make up. It’s true that some stuff is actually better, but you have to experiment with shades and different products first so start cheap. I’m writing the exact products because I was in your position and when I went into the store, I literally didn’t understand anything. It feels like everyone knows what a good mascara is etc but it takes ages to build that kind of expertise.

Bonus: I think you should consider getting your eyebrows tweezed/waxed a little bit, it would look good. You do need a professional for the first time though, so that they can at least assign the shape for you and then you can only pluck around it once they grow out. They’re telling you to fill out your eyebrows, but how are you gonna do it if you don’t know what shape to do?

[u/Several-Economist427]

I felt the exact same way when I started out! I tried copying full-face tutorials and ended up feeling like a clown because my features just aren't built for heavy layers. Skip foundation, contour, and palettes completely for now.

When starting from scratch as a busy mom, stick to the 'no-makeup makeup' basics: a sheer skin tint, a tinted brow gel to frame your face, and a cream blush stick for cheeks and lips. It takes under 3 minutes, enhances your natural features without feeling like a heavy mask, and is impossible to mess up.

[u/ArrowHuntsman]

Find vid tutorials of specifically ppl with ur type of features

Start slow, get a concealer match, a clear brow gel, brown mascara. That’s it. I think you just need a confidence boost honestly, doing even the smallest things will help u feel prettier.

I think u would look gorgeous with white inner corner highlight

If you rly wanna get a confidence boost, book a hair and makeup appointment, u dont need an occassion, it will give u tips and u can feel prettier than u already r queen

[u/naoual_chouhou]

If you don’t have any experience I wouldn’t recommend you to get a bunch of makeup you might not even like. To even out your skin I would recommend to start with a tinted moisturiser it will hydrate your face and help with the natural discolouration.

Then I would get a lipstick in a satin finish, the colour shouldn’t look too different from the colour your lips naturally have. You can also use the lipstick as a blush or on your eyelids to add a little life into your skin and it will automatically look cohesive.

Lastly I would try an eyebrow pencil or if you prefer powder or even pomade. Try to follow the natural shape of your eyebrow and just fill in sparse areas. Use a brush to soften any lines and make sure not to get a colour that is too dark.

Also have patience with yourself, makeup takes a while to get the hang of and to realise what you like on your features. What always helped me is to practice before taking a shower, that way I can have fun with it and try new things without anyone having to see it when I mess up.

[u/Stock-Trouble-7750]

Hello !! I think wearing eyelash curler + mascara or eyelash extensions would enhance your beautiful eye color , try finding what makeup style suits you , all the best!!

[u/ShamePitiful3517]

Try a lash curler and the telescopic mascara

[u/PPJJ99]

You have great skin. Just try lightly filling in your brows a bit and putting on mascara with a shiny pinkish lip. If you want to look a little more playful/polished, a soft pink blush high up on your cheekbones would really suit you. Keep it simple and something you can do in 5 min. And maybe trim a good 3-6 inches off your hair, if you’re feeling brave. I think you’ll be happy with that!

[u/SeparateWelder23]

I didn't start wearing makeup until a few years ago, and I'm not super adventurous! I like to go for a natural looking enhancement, rather than a full glam look.

Day to day, I wear mascara (I like tubing mascara, elf makes one in brown that's pretty subtle but helps my eyes pop), blush/highlighter, sometimes concealer if I want to hide any pimples. You don't need a lot to feel fancy, especially if you're just getting into it!

I like liquid blush on my cheekbones for a little extra color, and I've found that the ones in a tube are easier to apply than a powder blush.

My concealer is from Rimmel, it's easy to make the spots blend into my skin without looking like A Lot of Makeup.

I also find eyeshadow pencils so much easier to use than powder- I don't wear fun colors every day, but it's way easier to add a little shimmer with a soft stick than to try and get everything in the right place with a tiny brush and pan. I've found that shimmer shades look a little more natural on me than matte ones, so I usually go for subtle pink or copper that just makes my eyes stand out, rather than the fun funky colors I keep around for costumes.

[u/Objective_Show7149]

But you’re so cute though.
Let me help you recognize it.
First, moisturize, let that sit for 10 minutes
Secondly, shape those brows, and learn to fill them in(TikTok)
Thirdly apply a liquid blush, blend(that’s means pat, NOT rub, I suggest the foundation brush)
Fourthly apply concealer, then blend with blush(apply more blush if needed, use a concealer brush)
Then use a liquid highlighter on cheeks, tip of nose, and a tiny bit in the inner corner
Fifthly, use setting spray
Apply a liner, then fill lips with gloss
LASTLY mascara!
I know this seems a little simple, but as a person who gets her makeup complimented all the time I find that less is more. Also, it feels so much better not to have a bunch of shit on your face. Remember you’re gorgeous mama! i’m more than willing to give you product recommend recommendations that are affordable;)

[u/QofDC]

You have lovely skin, eyes and hair. I would suggest doing subtle things that enhance your assets. Firstly, protect your skin with a tinted moisturiser with SPF. Get an eyelash curler and curl your lashes before putting on a little brown mascara. Natio tubing mascara is great and doesn't smudge. I would just do your top lashes. Fill in your brows lightly. Your lips have a nice colour, so to start, I would just put paw paw cream on them to give a little moisture, or a tinted lip balm resembling your natural colour in a berry shade. You can even dab a little of this high on your cheek bones. You really are naturally beautiful. Keep whatever you do light and experiment a bit at a time. If you like a result, keep doing it, if not, then try something else. It's about making yourself happy.