Makeup Kit for Beginners/Starters

Below are my picks for who are just starting to use makeup or are confused with what one should have to complete the makeup kit.

1. Concealer: For undereye dark circles and to cover scars/dark spots on face.

    My picks: MAC Studio Finish Concealer or Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Double Face Perfector

2. Compact or Loose powder: To remove the shine from the face. A must have product for ladies with oily skin.

    My picks: Maybelline's Dream Matte Powder

3. Eyeshadow/Eye Primer: A black eyeshadow is a must. It can be used for a smokey eye look and also on a liner for longer stay.

   Eye primer is important for the eyeshadow to stay longer without fading and creasing.

   Paint pots by MAC are amazing options, they can be even used as a cream shadow all by itself. 

4. Blush: It gives an instant freshness to your face.

    My picks/Must have shades: A red for a party/nightwear look, a pink for a light/natural look, a dark brown which can be used as a bronzer and a blush.

    Majority of the brands have a variety of shades, go with the one which has a good pigmentation and stays longer.

    My favourite brands for blush: MAC and Maybelline

5. Lipstick/Lipbalm: A lipbalm is a must before applying any lipstick. It makes your lips hydrated for a longer time. A tinted lipbalm can be used all by itself if you don't want to spend in a lipstick.

Must have shades for lipstick: Red, Rosy and Brown

6. Eyeliner: Two shades: Black and White is all you need.

    White can be used on your water line to open up your eyes instantly.

    You can use the white eyeliner as a highlighter for your cheeks, brow bone and near the tear ducts for the instant glow.

    My picks: NYX eyeliner pencils, Revlon Colorstay Liquid Eyeliner and MAC Gel Liner (You will need an eyeliner brush or an eye pencil to use this product) 

7. Mascara: For an instant eye opener, a black and a clear mascara completes the kit.

    Clear mascara can be used to brush up and set your eyebrows.

    My pick: Rimmel Glam Eyes Mascara and Covergirl Lash Blast

8. Makeup remover: Always remove your makeup and then relax.

    My pick: The Body Shop Makeup Remover.

Always clean your face with a good soap free face wash, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer, apply a moisturiser and a sunscreen, and then start your makeup.

If you have more budget then you might want to invest in a makeup brushes kit, although you can ignore them and your makeup kit will still be complete.

Adios! 

Mac Paint Pot

Hello People!
Is using an eyeshadow primer important? Is there a need to spend a whole lot of money behind this primer?

Well the answer is yes and no. :-D

We will start with the yes part, eyeshadow primer can be important if you have really oily skin which can make your cream shadows to crease and at times when the eyeshadows just won’t show up or won’t stay long no matter how much you layer it.
I have to use it cuz my eyelids are very dark compared to my face skin and the eyeshadows just don’t show up on my skin.
I use MAC Paint Pot in Soft Ochre. It perfectly matches my skin tone.

After applying the paint pot the eyeshadows suddenly just pop up on my eyes.
I sometimes use it with the concealer for my under eyes to give that instant brightness.
Well with the no part, good concealers and foundations can also do the trick if we just want the shadows not to crease.
And if you are just starting to use the makeup, you can skip the primer and use a concealer.

What the MAC website says:

A highly pigmented eye colour that goes on creamy but dries to an intense, vibrant finish. Long-wearing, colourfast.

Product Review:
Packaging: Easy to carry in your makeup bag.
Advantages: Can work the best as a primer, eyeshadow lasts long and the colour of eyeshadow pops up, easy application (tools needed: your own fingers), long lasting, lot of product available, very creamy, lots of shades to choose from, waterproof.
Best Feature: Does not crease and some shades work well as a cream eyeshadow all by itself.
Disadvantages: Pricey.
Price Range: USD$17.50 (0.17 US OZ)
                      INR 1050-1100 (5 gms)
Different skin types: For dry skin: use a good moisturizer before using the paint pot for a perfect primer.
For oily/combination skin: a perfect base.
Different shades/finishes available:
Cream finish: Soft ochre (Yellow beige), Painterly (Nude beige), Quite Natural (Dirty chocolate brown)
Pearl finish: Blackground (Black-grey with multi-colour)
Frost finish: Bare study (Soft beige with gold pearl), Rubenesque (Golden peach with gold pearl), Indianwood (Metallic antique bronze), Constructivist (Metallic brown w/red pearl)
Satin finish: Groundwork (Mid-tone neutral taupe)

How to use it: Use your finger or a concealer brush and apply evenly on your eyelids starting from the lash line right upto the brow bone.

Adios!

MAC Studio Finish Concealer

Hi You Beautiful people out there!

8 out of 10 women have the issue of having dark circles. It is one of the most common issues that we all ladies have.

But yes there is always a solution to all such issues.

The solution to our issue is a concealer and MAC has done a pretty good job in making different consistency concealers. For me the best turned out to be MAC Studio Finish Concealer.

What the MAC website says:

A lightweight, creamy, discreetly opaque concealer. Provides a smooth, long wearing invisible coverage for all skin blemishes.

Product Review:

Packaging: Small, Compact, Easy to carry in your makeup bag.

Advantages: Full coverage for under eye dark circles, easy application (tools needed: concealer brush, your own fingers), medium to full coverage for acne, long lasting, lot of product available, does not crease, very creamy.

Best Feature: It has a SPF of 35.

Disadvantages: Pricey, tough to choose the right shade.

Price Range: USD$16.50 (0.24 US OZ)

                     INR 920-1000 (7 gms)

Different skin types: Can get cakey on dry skin - make sure you moisturise before using the concealer, touch up with loose powder for oily/combination skin for the perfect look.

Available in cool and warm shades.

How to know which skin tone you are?

If you have a pinkish skin colour then you are cool and if you are a little towards the yellow side then you are warm.

Best way to know which concealer shade suits you: Try both the skin tone shades at the MAC counter and see which one looks more natural to your skin.

Always select a shade lighter to your facial skin.

I use NW 30.

Hope this helps!