Written by: Iruoma
Image by: @Ethamarh__
Going from clueless in the world of makeup to knowing how to apply a concealer is nothing short of a miracle for me. To be honest, I was scared to start out and just immersed myself in getting my skin barrier back, which was a good choice but ultimately, I needed to learn the ropes of applying makeup.
Where was I going to start with all the information for makeup beginners? I did some digging and here are 8 products you need to start your journey as a newbie:
1. Brush Set
Your makeup bag is incomplete without a set of brushes. Invest in good quality brushes.
2. Primer & Foundation
Primer acts as the base for your foundation, formulated to suit different skintypes, making it last longer on your skin. For example, if your skin is oily, a mattifying primer is a good option.
Matching your Foundation right is essential to a flawless finish. You need to get your foundation in the right shade and that is usually a tone darker than your complexion. I recommend going to the store physically as a beginner just to be sure of your shade.
Also check out the BiL ‘Meet Your Match’, a series of free tutorials teaching people how to find their match in complexion products.
3. Concealer
A concealer is usually a shade lighter than your foundation and it helps hide blemishes.
4. Face Powder & Setting Powder
The Setting Powder is used to set the under-eye concealer, while a face compact powder sets the entire face include brushing off any excess setting powder.
5. Eye Products

Eyeshadow Primer: The base for long-lasting and non-greasy eyeshadow.
Eye Shadow: Color pigments to accentuate the eyes.
Eyeliner: This highlights & somewhat shapes your eyes.
Mascara: To accentuate & extend your eyelashes
Eyebrow Pencil: To shape and fill-in your brows.
Eyebrow Gel: To ensure your brows stay in place.
6. Highlighter
This is optional but it helps accentuate the r cheekbones, collarbones and décolletage.
7. Lip Products
Lipstick and Lip-gloss to accentuate that pout, and Lip liner to outline the shape (I use my eyebrow pencil as a lip liner so you don’t have to buy an assigned lip liner).
8. Setting Spray
This is the final step, to set and keep it all in place!
Pro-Tip
There’s tons of resources now to help you go from a Beginner to Pro. I love the ‘University of YouTube’ for this, and recently TikTok has been schooling me. My advice would be: get your materials together and practice!
Rooting for us!