Makeup help for a newbie

[zarapipe]

Before turning 30 I never had to wear much makeup. Now my face is red, not smooth and I have blemishes and small bumps all over. I need a makeup routine. Problem is I really have no idea what I'm doing. I do concealer, blush and done. It's not cutting it and after a few hours it's basically gone. Where do I start? The closest mall or Ulta is like 35 minutes away so drug store is probably easiest for me right now. Any products or blogs you would suggest? I'd appreciate any advice you can give:)

[ElizabethBennet]

Honestly, I'd start with skincare first.

If you want help with technique then I would try Nordstrom. They'll help you come up with a look you like and won't necessarily try to sell you on one brand.

[zarapipe]

Nov 14, 2017 22:05:54 GMT -5 ElizabethBennet said:

Honestly, I'd start with skincare first.

If you want help with technique then I would try Nordstrom. They'll help you come up with a look you like and won't necessarily try to sell you on one brand.

And no nordstrom within a few hours

My skin has gotten better with the products from acne.org but I feel like I've plateaued this year and I haven't seen any more improvement.

[Pippin]

I agree start with skin care. A basic cleanser, toner and moisturizer can really help improve the look of your skin. Not to mention you want to make sure you're removing all your makeup at the end of the day.

www.maskcara.com/2013/08/30/baseball-makeup/

This blog post and video is what I used to get started with a makeup routine. I also didn't start wearing makeup until I was almost 30. I would suggest adding a BB cream like the Maybelline BB on top of what's in that tutorial. Also a really good bronzer is the Physician Formula Butter Bronzer since you already have blush and I think the duo she mentions is discontinued.

Also a really great YouTuber to watch is Emilynoel83. She uses mostly drugstore products and has great reviews and really easy to follow everyday looks. Have fun:)

[kittycatlove]

I will second the suggestion for Emilynoel. Another you tuber that uses a lot of drug store is Casey Holmes.

[persa]

Agree, skincare first. Makeup will just cover up issues but good skincare will make all the difference.

People seem to like the Curology service that kind of personalizes your skincare for you. Or figure out what you need and order from The Ordinary.

[NewGirlNic]

Another suggestion for good skin care first. I've always worn makeup, but since starting a good skin care routine last year, I now wear less on a daily basis.

[Laura Palmer]

What kind of redness do you have? Is it like rosacea or something else? You may even want to see a Derm and see if there's something else going on.

Assuming it's general redness, I agree with others' suggestions for skincare. If you're not local to a Nordstrom, Sephora, etc. you can shop online and Nordstrom makes free returns really easy. I haven't had a lot of luck with drugstore items, but I have really sensitive skin and a color that's hard for some brands to match (very fair neutral, all drugstores tend to be too pink or orange for me).

If you're finding your makeup looks ok when you put it on, but it doesn't last, maybe you just need some small tweaks. Like adding a foundation primer (I hear people like the ELF one a lot!), sponge instead of fingers for application, etc. May be the tools rather than products.

Agree w pps' suggestions for youtubers, I think those are both great suggestions!

[bluestreet]

I would definitely use The Ordinary products and start educating yourself through their FB group (The Ordinary and Deciem Chatroom). Use the search and all that you want to know is there in various long and informative threads. Shipping is free when you spend more than $25, and they are incredibly inexpensive and high quality. There are lots of blogs that talk about their products.

Make sure to double cleanse every evening (an oil cleanser and a regular low Ph cleanser), and from The Ordinary get Azaleic Acid, Niacinamide, BHA, and their 2% retinoid. Incorporate each product one at a time, giving yourself at least a week to get used to each product. Those products help with acne, discoloration, and redness. The BHA might make redness worse, so just be prepared and you might not be able to tolerate it. Then as you fall down the rabbit hold you may get interested in Vit C, marula oil, and other products.

Good luck!

[zarapipe]

Thanks all! I ordered some samples from Paula's Choice this morning. I figured I would start there since they have sample sizes and hopefully I can find a few things that work.

[mrsukyankee]

The small bumps and "blemishes" (rosacea blemishes aren't like acne but are similar looking - I use tea tree oil) along with redness point to rosacea. I would definitely check out treatment for that - or at least get products for it. And try to note what you've been doing before a flair/breakout - I know that alcohol, heat and spicy food make me red and break out my face in rosacea bumps but I like all three too much to give them up.

In terms of makeup, I've found that yellow based foundations seem to help in the red areas but don't go too heavy on foundation as it's good to have a bit of the colour coming through (looks natural), especially if you haven't been wearing makeup.