What type of makeup should I use?

[ThisSickKid]

https://twitter.com/i/#!/ItsMarisaaaaa/m… Scroll through this 4 picture album. What type of makeup tips should I use (techniques, brands, products, etc.)? I have freckles and medium sized eyes...I'd like to keep it a natural look! Thanks!

[Mee]

I am by no means a makeup artist or expert but I have been playing around with it for the last year or so. If your on a budget go for drugstore brands. Revlon and Wet n' Wild make some nicely formulated eyeshadows. I also like Covergirl's Shimmering Sands trio eyeshadow which is great for a neutral look. For higher end eyeshadows I'd say Nars makes some nice ones I really like Ashes to Ashes, Lhasa, and Blondie. Another higher end brand that is slightly cheaper than Nars is Urban Decay, I don't own any individual shadows but I do own the original Naked palette and it is has my favorite eyeshadow hands down. I think it's worth the money considering it's versatility, you can make dramatic looks or a more natural look. I've used it more than any of my other eyeshadows. I would stick to taupes, browns, and overall light colors if you want a more natural look.

I am not too experienced with blush but again Nars makes some great blushes, they are heavily pigmented so use a light hand but the one and only blush I own is from Nars is called Luster and it gives a really natural flush, it's a apricot color which looks more natural on me than a pink blush. I've heard really great things about Rimmel Lasting Finish blushes and Covergirl Cheekers blush.

As for mascara I only buy from the drugstore because I think drugstore mascaras are just as good as the higher end brands. I've been using (and liking a lot) L'Oreal's Voluminous Original mascara in blackest black. It's my favorite but I would also recommend Covergirl's Lash Blast Volume (the original one in the orange tube). I haven't tried a high end mascara with the exception of something by Estee Lauder and I thought it wasn't anything special, but I've heard good things about Benefit's BadGal Lash mascara.

I don't use bronzer but Nars Laguna bronzer has a huge fan base and apparently it is universal on all skin tones but I've also heard NYC bronzer in Sunny is a great one. From what I understand, bronzer should also be used with a light hand.

For lip products I would suggest Revlon Lip Butters, they are buildable in pigmentation but you can also use them lightly for a more natural tint of color. There's also Maybelline Baby Lips which are basically tinted chapstick. I've heard Revlon makes good lipsticks in general. For higher end Nars and MAC make some nice formulas, I found that MAC has a bigger selection. Now, I'm not into lip glosses but I seem to find a lot of people rave about Revlon and L'Oreal lipglosses the most drugstore wise.

I don't own many tools for applying makeup but I think makeup brushes are way better than applicators such as eyeshadow "sponge" applicators that come with some products. My favorite line of makeup brushes are by Sonia Kashuk (the weirdly shaped black handle ones) they're affordable (for me, they range from $9-$19) and great quality. Other people who use them compare them to MAC brushes which are quite expensive. I own the synthetic domed brush for applying face powders like blush and crease brush for applying eyeshadow to the crease. I own a ELF eyeshadow ELF professional brushes (white handle) are only $1 and the quality is okay. Not terrible but they won't last as long as Sonia Kashuk. Lastly, I own an Urban Decay shadow brush that came with my Naked palette which is nice quality but UD brushes are a bit pricey. Know how to use your tools and keep in mind brushes can have multiple purposes, like I use my crease brush to blend eyeshadow. To care for your brushes you can do a Google search on how to clean/care for them. I just like to wash mine with a gentle fragrance-free hand soap and let dry. Also don't forget that your hands are also a good tool when applying makeup.

If you want to keep a natural look just stay away from loud or bright colors. Drugstore makeup is great if you can't afford the higher end brand, they're also a lot of dupes to higher end products. And good quality drugstore products are out there The great thing about higher end products is that you test them out in stores like Sephora and see how the product works on you in person, which you can't do at a drugstore. If you are interested in a product go online and read reviews from multiple sources about it, it will help you make a decision on whether to buy it. If you want to know how to use a product or a tool Google a "how to" that's where I've done most of my learning. You can also Google search natural look tutorials.