Top 10 Essential Makeup/Skincare Products~

Hey guys!~

Recently, a few of my friends from school have just started learning about the basics of makeup, so I got the idea to write about what I would consider to be the 10 most important makeup and skincare products, that I would recommend for everyone to have~ ^^

(Disclaimer: I am no expert on makeup, but I've been experimenting with makeup quite a lot for about 4 years now, so this is advice from what I've learnt so far!~ ^^)

1. Moisturizer

A good moisturizer that suits your skin type is really important! Especially if you have dry, flaky skin, a suitable moisturizer is absolutely essential, and even if you have oily skin, it's still good to use a light moisturizer. If you have combination skin like I do, try using two separate moisturizers: a richer one on the drier parts of your skin, and a lighter one on the more oily parts, it really does make a difference!

Baviphat Peach All-in-one Waterfull Cream

2. Brushes

They're not exactly makeup products, but having a small range of brushes makes a huge difference when applying even very basic makeup, I learned this the hard way! You don't need a huge amount of very expensive professional brushes, especially to begin with, just a small kit of about 5 or so brushes will do: One large foundation/blush brush, at least two eyeshadow brushes of different sizes, one sponge tip brush, and one pointed or angled eyeliner brush

I would recommend buying brushes in a set rather than separately, as a set is usually better value (One brush of decent quality usually costs upwards of $5AUD, whereas a pretty good set of 5+ brushes can cost as little as $10-20), and gives you a good assortment of brushes.

Remember to keep your brushes clean!

Cerro Queen Brush Set + 2 random brushes~ XD

3. Concealer

It's quite safe to say that everyone gets blemishes occasionally, some people more than others, and concealer is the best way to cover them up. Although small spots can be covered up with foundation, darker blemishes and under eye shadows often cannot be, no matter how much you apply. However, they can be fixed with just a small amount of concealer~

When buying concealer, always go for a shade lighter than your skin tone for maximum effectiveness.

NYX Concealer in a Jar

4. Foundation

A good foundation (or BB cream) is absolutely indispensable! A bit of coverage can be the difference between dull, slightly unevenly toned skin, and bright, smooth looking skin! Finding the right shade of foundation isn't difficult, as long as you put in a bit of effort. Make sure to always try a foundation before buying it, and be sure that it is what you are looking for. Since foundation is used on a large area of your face, don't skimp and buy a cheap brand, if there is one type of makeup that is worth paying a bit of extra money for, it's foundation!

Etude House Precious Mineral BB Cream, Skin79 Super+ Beblesh Balm, NYX Twin Cake

5. Makeup Primer

Primer is applied before makeup, smoothing out the skin to make a good base, and helps your makeup last longer without smudging. The two main types of primer are foundation primer which is applied all over your face before foundation, and eye primer, which is applied on your eyelid before eye makeup.

I personally do not use foundation primer (because I'm lazy), but eye primer is something I have used quite obsessively since I discovered it! I have noticed that my eyeshadow colours look much more vibrant and holds better when I use a primer, and my eyeliner does not smudge off like it used to.

 La Splash Eyeshadow Base/Sealer

6. Eyeliner

A basic black or brown eyeliner is very easy to find, and even one of decent quality shouldn't cost a fortune. There are 3 main types of eyeliner: Pencil liner, liquid liner, and gel liner.

Pencil liner is great to begin with, it smudges out quite easily for a softer look, and is usually easier to remove, and harder to mess up with.

Liquid liner can come in a little container with a brush, or as a brush pen. I find pen liquid liners to be the most convenient and easy to use, and is great if you want darker, sharper lines. I usually carry around a pen liquid liner when I go out, since it's great for quick makeup touchups.

Gel liner is similar to liquid liner, it generally comes in a little container, sometimes with a brush (However, I'd recommend buying your own brush, a small angled brush is best). I find that gel liner tends to last longer, so I actually prefer to use gel liner over liquid liner when I cosplay or wear heavy makeup.

 Rimmel Exaggerate Liquid Liner, MAC Smolder Eye Kohl, Heavy Rotation Gel Liner, Super Skinny Eye Marker

7. Eyeshadow

A small palette of eyeshadows in colours that are flattering to your features may not seem like much, but it can really help brighten up your eyes. For a natural look, you want to stick to beiges and browns, mostly just to create a bit more depth, but I personally love experimenting with lots of different colours and combinations of eyeshadows to create new looks.

My recommendation would be to buy an assortment of inexpensive eyeshadows to try out in order to find your best colours, before investing more money into good quality ones. Remember, your favourite colours aren't always the ones that look best! (Another thing I learned the hard way...)

Eyeshadows can also be used to fill in and define your eyebrows, giving you a nicer, tidier look overall. (I don't really like eyebrow pencils, they are a bit too harsh looking for my tastes~)

 88 Colour Eyeshadow Palette, L.A. Girl Mega Pearl Eyeshadows, Maybelline Eye Studio Palette

8. Mascara

Although I have a small obsession with wearing false eyelashes, a good quality mascara is still something I consider really important to have.

Mascara is something that is worth paying a proper amount for, cheap mascaras just don't cut it, especially if you have short eyelashes. I find that curling your eyelashes and applying mascara really opens up the eyes. Layering different mascaras is great if you have short eyelashes, using a lengthening mascara under a thickening one can really give your eyelashes (and your overall look) a huge boost!

For school, I'm usually too lazy to put on much makeup at all, but I almost always curl and mascara my eyelashes. I only use waterproof mascara because it holds curl better, the other ones weigh my eyelashes down~

Maybelline Lash Stiletto

9. Makeup Remover

As great as makeup is, it is obviously not good for your skin if it is left on for a long time, so a good makeup remover is almost just as important as good makeup. Acne/pimples/blemishes can be easily caused by not removing your makeup properly, and can be just as easily prevented. Make sure to get a good makeup remover that works for your skin type, especially is you have sensitive skin like me. I find that many makeup removers irritate my skin, so do be careful when you buy one!

 Jurlique Cleansing Lotion, La Prairie Cleansing Water

10. Facial Cleanser/Scrub

Cleansing and exfoliating is quite basic skincare. It removes impurities, as well as dead skin cells, giving you nicer, smoother skin. There are so many types of cleaners and scrubs to choose from(Blackhead removing, oil control, brightening etc.), so it's probably best to choose a few, and switch between products regularly for a wider range of benefits, and so that your skin does not get immune to it.

When it comes to scrubs, be careful when choosing one if you have sensitive skin. Very coarse scrubs can irritate your skin, and cause more harm than good. Try to find a product with less and smaller grains in it~

Nivea Visage Gentle Exfoliating Scrub, Baviphat Mango Steam Scrub, Neutrogena Rapid Clear

Other Highly Recommended Products:

• A good lip gloss/lipstick/lip stain 

• A white/pale/glitter eyeliner to brighten up the eyes

• Good quality false eyelashes and glue (Smaller pairs can look quite natural, not too obviously fake~)

And that's it! I know it might sound like a lot to have, but trust me, it really isn't~ XD
Over the years, without even trying to, I've built up quite a large collection of makeup, much more than what I have suggested here! ^^;
It's not much compared to those (lucky) people with entire suitcases full of makeup, but it's quite a bit for a teenager with strict and disapproving asian parents~ XD

And another thing: Even if you don't finish using a makeup product, don't just keep it for ages! If you use very old makeup, it can irritate your skin and eyes! >_<

As a very rough guide, never keep liquid/cream products (Liquid eyeliner, mascara, liquid/cream foundation etc.) for longer than a year, and dry products (Power eyeshadows, powder foundation etc.) should be replaced at very least once every two years. Note that these are the absolute maximum time limits, most people would tell you to replace these products much more often!

I hope that you guys will find this guide somewhat useful!~ ^^

~アキ

P.S. Please leave a vote on my polls so I know what I should post next!~ ^^