Are you just beginning your makeup journey? In the midst of the fun and excitement, it is also overwhelming. There is a lot that goes into creating a beginner’s kit such as finding the colors that match you, the products that work best with your skin. Of course, you will also want to learn the techniques that work best for you, play around with different colors, and find the products that you love.
Finding the right products might be the hardest part. There are so many different products available, and you can find them everywhere: online, drugstores, department stores, prestige beauty stores, beauty supply stores, even grocery stores. If you don’t know what you are looking for, it is very easy to get lost.
It may seem like a good idea to start in a prestige store such as Sephora, Mac, or Ulta; but the employees tend to refer you to more expensive products than you need at this point. If you are new to makeup or creating a new kit, you may believe that it will cost a fortune to purchase all of the products you need. That is not necessarily true.
Creating a basic makeup kit for beginners on a budget is actually easier than you think. Getting everything you need for a gorgeous face does not have to cost a fortune. Now more than ever, there are great makeup products available for low prices.
Keep reading to learn about the products that you need to create a complete makeup kit on a budget that is perfect for beginners. We even have great recommendations for you. Yes, even if you have dry, oily, fair, or dark skin. We got you!
You will also find some bonus tips! So, are you ready to start your creating your complete beginner’s makeup kit on a budget? Let’s get started.
Contents
Skincare
Although this is a post about creating a basic makeup kit for beginners, skincare is worth mentioning. A great makeup look starts with good skincare. It is important to begin with a clean and moisturized face, and don’t forget your SPF.
Primer
A primer is applied after your skincare products, before any other makeup. The main purpose of this step is to help the rest of your makeup last longer. It also creates a barrier between your skin and makeup.
There are different types of primers such as face primers, eye primers, lip primers, and under-eye primers. For a beginner’s kit, a face primer is the only essential required.
Primer is a controversial topic in the makeup world. Some makeup artists swear you can’t live without it and some think it is an unnecessary step. We think it is a must for a flawless makeup look.
Various face primers can do different things and give your makeup a distinct effect, for example, a luminous face primer can give you a “lit from within” look.
There are face primers made for each skin type as well. This means that a primer can help keep moisture in your skin for those with dry skin. Those who tend to be oily can benefit from a primer that can help keep the skin matte throughout the day.
Our favorite budget-friendly primers can be found in your local drugstore and online.
TIP: Just as you would your moisturizer or serum, tap your primer onto your face instead of rubbing. This will help to fill in pores and will stop the product from pilling or rolling into balls on your face.
Foundation / Tinted Moisturizer/ BB Cream
Foundation, BB creams, or tinted moisturizer create the canvas for your makeup. These products help to even your skin and enhance your natural color.
But foundation, BB creams, and tinted moisturizer are all different products. The main difference is that tinted moisturizer and BB creams usually provides less coverage and gives a more natural appearance. BB creams also have more skincare ingredients included in the formula.
BB Creams and Tinted Moisturizers
TIP: Not enough coverage as a tinted moisturizer on its own? Mix it with your moisturizer and foundation for a perfect glowy tinted moisturizer that is formulated just for you. Honestly, this is what we have been wearing for most of the summer.
Foundations
Foundation comes in many different formulas. It can be full coverage, sheer, matte, dewy, satin – the choices can be overwhelming. We can make it easier to choose with a few top picks for affordable foundations.
TIP: Foundation and tinted moisturizers help to even out your skin. It is not necessarily meant to cover all of your blemishes and “imperfections.” That is what concealer is for. Applying layers of foundation to cover any marks on the skin that you want to hide is a mistake that many beginners make since it will make you appear overdone and cakey.
Concealer
Concealer is an essential part of a makeup routine. They can be used for covering up skin discoloration, pimples, and under eye circles.
TIP: Keep in mind, the color you use to cover these different “skin imperfections” may have to be different colors with different undertones.
Blush
Some people have a poor experience with drugstore blushes. They have the bad reputation of having a chalky texture and providing little to no pigment.
Although this is true for some, hey they all can’t be winners, the drugstore formulas have come a long way. A few of the products are so good that those in the beauty community consider them “dupes”for higher end products.
A dupe in the makeup world is a product that is less expensive but gets the job done like a prestige product. These do not just apply to blushes. There are dupes for foundations, concealers, mascaras, you name it.
Special Note: Dupes are quality products in their own right. A dupe is not a high-end product sold for a lower price at another location other than a drugstore or beauty store. Those are counterfeits. Beware of counterfeit products, they can cause serious health problems due to irregular ingredients, how they are made and stored.
Dupes give the exact same look, and even sometimes the same lasting power, without the same price tag! We are all about saving some dollars!
It is true that lower priced items will typically lack the more luxurious packaging, better ingredients, a high-end name, and may possibly not last as long (but as mentioned above the jury is still out on that one).
![Milani Baked Powder Blush, Luminoso [05] 0.12 oz (Pack of 6)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/519XbHgBFAL._SL160_.jpg)
TIP: When you can, multitask, multitask, multitask. Cream blushes are one of the best multi-taskers in your makeup bag. They can be used as a blush, lip color, and we have even heard of some beauties using them as a base for their eye shadow.
Highlighters
Contour
Contour can be one of the scariest techniques for makeup beginners. As long as you use the right technique and the correct colors, you are set.
When contouring you are trying to create a shadow and therefore takeaway light from some areas of your face. Contour is how you chisel your cheekbones and get the “Kardashian look.”
This can actually give you the appearance of a slimmer face or nose. It can also give the look of a smaller forehead. There are many things that contouring and highlighting can do.
For some, contouring will not be a part of their everyday look, but we are always about a little bit of contour to sculpt our cheekbones!
Bronzers
Well isn’t bronzer just contour? No, no, no. Contour and bronzer are each meant to do different things. Bronzer is meant to add warmth to the face. Think of it as helping you to look like you just came back from a beach vacation.
TIP: Stay away from orangey bronzers! There are some amazing drugstore bronzers on the market but beware of those that are too orange. Just like a spray tan, these will give you an Oompa Loompa look and that’s not what we want.
Eyeshadows
Eye shadow can be one of the most fun parts of makeup. This allows you to have the most creativity, as there are thousands of looks that you can do. You can be as dramatic or as natural as you would like with your eye shadow look.
Some drugstore eyeshadows are not the best formulas. Like blushes, they can be chalky and not pigmented but there are plenty of exceptions. So, it is important to do your research before you buy.
Eyeliners
Eyeliners are used to define the eyes. Depending on the technique you use, you can even change your eye shape.
Eyeliner is another product that you can get away with not spending an arm and a leg on. There are so many affordable formulas that are just as good if not better than the more expensive products.
Mascaras
Mascara tints the colors of your lashes. Depending on the formula and brush used, mascara can help add volume and length to your lashes.
In our opinion, drugstore/ affordable mascaras are just as good as high-end mascaras. This is definitely our favorite budget buy!
TIP: When using your new mascara, do not, I REPEAT, do not, pump your mascara into the tube. This will push air into the product, causing your mascara to dry out faster and increasing bacteria. Twirl your mascara wand lightly upward to distribute product equally over the wand.
Eyebrows
There are many different ways to enhance your eyebrows and many different products to use.
TIP: When choosing a brow color, avoid choosing the color black. The color deepest brown will look more natural, whereas black typically appears too dark and intense, even if your hair is black.
Lips
A lip color is great to add a pop of color to your makeup look. Lip products are something that are pretty easy to choose from the drugstore. Just be careful of matte formulas. They can be more drying if not made with the right ingredients.
Setting Powder / Setting Spray
After you have worked so hard on your makeup, you HAVE to set it into place. Well, you don’t have to, but why would you want to risk letting all of your beautiful work go to waste?
When choosing how to set your makeup, you have a few choices. You can either set it with a powder, a setting spray, or with both.
TIP: We recommend setting your under eyes with a powder if you are using a concealer. This will stop your concealer from moving it throughout the day and keeping it from settling into your fine lines and wrinkles.
Using a translucent powder will give you the most bang for your buck. You can set your entire face with one product.
Summing Up
See, creating a beginner’s makeup kit on a budget doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice quality.
Now that you know what products we recommend, there is probably a lot more you would like to know about makeup.
Need some inspiration for an easy, beginner friendly look? Youtube is a great source for learning how to apply all of your new products. Videos like the one below will really help you improve your skills! Remember you don’t need the exact same products to achieve a similar look. Work with what you have!
Last update on 2024-11-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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