Walking into a makeup store can be extremely stressful and overwhelming if you don’t know what you want or need. I am somewhat of a makeup aficionado. In the past few years it has become one of my passions, hobbies, and favorite things to research, practice, and play with. This “hobby” has prompted a lot of scrutiny, but also a lot of genuine questions and interest from acquaintances, friends and family. My friends often ask me which products they should buy, and how to use a lot of them. I do my best to answer all their questions, but the only way to really learn make up is by watching and practicing. Make up is quite subjective - there is no right or wrong way to do it. (There technically is a wrong way to do it, but that is not the point here) Makeup is all about self expression, which is honestly why I love it so much. I can’t teach everyone how to do their makeup, but I figured I could share some of my knowledge on what the most important products to have are. Here is my quick rundown of the essentials I believe every woman should have in their makeup collection.

1. Foundation

As far as I’m concerned foundation is the most important makeup product. Most people don’t have perfect skin, and if you do, I'm happy for you, but the rest of us need a little help. There are so many different kinds of foundation from liquid and powder, to full coverage or light coverage. It can get pretty overwhelming.

First, make sure someone in the store matches you because there is nothing worse than having an orange face and a white body/neck. Second, try to find the best formula and coverage for you. If you’re really looking for a flawless look then I would go with a more full coverage liquid foundation, but if you want something more natural then perhaps try a powder foundation or BB/CC cream. The formula is important because everyone has a different skin type and you want to make sure that you are getting the right product for you. It might take a couple tries for you to find the right one for you, but once you do it will seriously change your life.

Personal Recommendations

Drugstore: Revlon Colorstay, Maybelline Fit Me, Revlon Colorstay Whipped Foundation, NYX BB Cream or Loreal True Match

High End: Make-up Forever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation, Estee Lauder Double Wear, Urban Decay Naked Skin, BareMinerals (liquid or powder), or Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundation

2. Brows

This is somewhat of a new “fad” but in my opinion it has revolutionized the structure of makeup. Brows are such an important part of everyone’s facial structure regardless of the size, shape or fullness of the brows. They are critical in creating structure for each individual’s face. Some people prefer their brows to be drawn on with a lot of structure, while other people prefer a more natural look. Either way, I think brow products are super important. When purchasing a brow product it is first, important to know what kind of brows you want and second, important that you get the right color. If you are going for the more structured look, then I would recommend buying a pencil, or a cream. If you want the more natural look, then I would recommend powder or a tinted brow gel. Make sure you know what you want going in because it will make the buying process a lot easier.

Personal Recommendations

Structured Brows: Anastasia Brow Wiz, Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade, NYX Cosmetics Micro Brow Pencil, or NYX Tame & Frame Brow Pomade

Natural Brows: Benefit Gimme Brow, L'oreal Brow Artist Plumper, or just use any eyeshadow that matches your brow color with a small angle brush

3. Bronzer/ blush

Foundation is a beautiful product because it hides all our imperfections, but it also creates a flat and undefined face. Our faces have structure and foundation can often wash that structure away, which is why blush and bronzer are so important. I don’t consider one more or less important than the other, so this is a personal preference if you can only afford to have one of the two. Bronzer warms up the face and can create slightly more structure than just blush. Blush gives color to your face and brightens your look. Each are important, but they aren’t both necessary because in my opinion you can wear one and not the other.

It is important to remember that there are different kinds of bronzer. There are matte bronzers and then there are bronzers that have shimmer in them. If you ever plan on contouring at all, then I would stick to a more matte bronzer because you really shouldn’t contour with shimmer. If you get a bronzer with a little bit of shimmer, then it can act more like a blush while also warming up your face. As far as blush goes, I recommend picking a blush that warms up and brightens your face. You can pick a matte blush, or one with shimmer but this is honestly a personal preference. There are cream or powder versions of bronzer and blush, but if you’re not experienced I would recommend sticking to powder because it is easier to blend.

Personal Recommendations

Bronzer: NARS Laguna, Benefit Hoola, Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer, or Rimmel Natural Bronzer

Blush: MAC Blushes, Tarte Amazonian Clay Blushes, Milani Rose Powder Blushes, or Milani Baked Blushes

4. Mascara

This is arguably the most important makeup product - if I could only choose one for the rest of my life it would be mascara I think. Mascara is the only eye product I believe is absolutely necessary because it shapes your eyes. As I said before, it is easy for the structure of your face to get lost in the make up, so it is very important to make sure your eyes stand out and mascara is the perfect way to do this! I am a firm believer that high-end mascaras are just a way for companies to steal your money because truly there is no reason to buy an expensive mascara. If you wear it everyday, then they don’t last for that long, and you should buy a new mascara every 4-6 months anyways so please don’t waste your $30 (or more) on a product that is better from the drugstore. Finding the right mascara for you is a bit of a trial and error process because it is dependent on your preference. I prefer my eyelashes to be long and a little clumpy, but other people want their eyelashes to be long and spidery, so it is important to find the mascara that fulfills your preferences. It is also important to decide if you want regular, or waterproof mascara. (I personally loathe waterproof, but again it is all a personal preference.)

Personal Recommendations

Mascara: L'oreal Paris Voluminous Original Mascara, Maybelline The Rocket, or Covergirl Lashblast

5. Lip gloss/ stick

This is the product you should apply last, after the rest of your makeup is completely finished. I think a lot of people forget about this product because it is often an afterthought, but it is so important. Your lips are such a vital part of your face, and lip stick or lip gloss can help create a cohesive look. Once again, there are so many different kinds of lip products such as lipstick, lip gloss, tinted lip balm, liquid lipstick, and so many more. My personal preference is liquid lipstick because it lasts all day and looks great, but I know a lot of people find them to be dry. I’ve said it a million times, but once again it is a personal preference. Regular lipstick gives a pretty full coverage look and needs to be reapplied fairly often. Lip gloss can be sticky, but has a more natural look. Liquid lipstick stays on forever, but is drying on the lips and can become flaky (gross I know.) Tinted lip balms are a good idea if you want a more natural look. Each product also provides a different finish - matte, glossy, satin, or semi-glossy. Each lip product can be used for a different time of day and a different look, but I think it is important to always have something on your lips - even if it only chapstick.

Personal Recommendations

Lipstick: MAC, Milani Color Statement Lipstick, or Maybelline Color Sensational Lipcolor

Lip Gloss: Buxom Full-On Lip Polish, Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss, or NYX Cosmetics Mega Shine Lip Gloss

Liquid Lipstick: Anastasia Liquid Lipstick, NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams, or Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain

Tinted Lipbalms: Neutrogena Revitalizing Lip Balm, Covergirl Jumbo Gloss Balm, or NYX Butter Lip Balm

Remember that you should never feel obligated to wear makeup, and if you do choose to wear it please do so for yourself, not anyone else. Makeup is meant to be a fun way to express yourself and feel great, but wear it because you want to, and not because you feel like you have to. Everyone is beautiful without it, but I have to admit it is pretty fun to put it on! Be empowered by your natural beauty first, then allow makeup to compliment your already perfect self!