If you’re just getting started with makeup, here’s a simple, affordable, step-by-step routine that actually works
Let me just say this right now: you do not need a million products to start learning makeup. You just need the right ones, a little guidance, and a reminder that we all started somewhere (yes, even me with my unblended concealer days and overdrawn brows that lived their own lives).
If you’re brand new to makeup, this is the routine I wish someone had handed me when I was staring down the drugstore aisle with zero clue what to buy. So here’s the breakdown, step by step, with products I actually love and use. Let’s get into it.
Step 1: Prime Your Skin
First things first: primer is that bestie who holds everything together. I used the e.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer because it smooths out your skin texture and gives your makeup something to hold onto. Think of it like Velcro for your foundation. Just a little goes a long way. Focus it around the nose, forehead, and wherever you have pores that like to act up.
Step 2: Even Out Your Skin Tone
Next up is foundation. I used the Revlon Color Stay Makeup Foundation because it’s beginner-friendly, lightweight, and doesn’t feel cakey. It gives you enough coverage to even out your skin tone without making it obvious that you’re wearing foundation.
I applied it with the e.l.f. Total Face Sponge which is soft, bouncy, and makes blending super easy. Just dampen the sponge, dot the foundation on your face, and blend it out with gentle dabs. This part is so satisfying – it’s like watching your skin come together.
Step 3: Conceal and Brighten
Now for concealer. I used the Maybelline Super Stay Concealer under my eyes and on any spots that needed a little extra love. It’s brightening, full-coverage, and doesn’t crease if you set it right. Pro tip? Let it sit for a few seconds before blending – it gives you more coverage that way.
Step 4: Contour Like a Pro
You don’t have to be a pro to contour. I used the Black Opal True Color Stick Foundation in a deeper shade to warm up the face and bring back dimension. I applied it around my hairline, under my cheekbones, and a little under the jaw. Blend with the same sponge (just use a different side) and suddenly, you’re sculpted but still looking natural.
Step 5: Add a Flush of Color
Blush is that final touch that brings life back into the skin. I used the Milani Cheek Kiss Cream Blush on the apples of my cheeks and blended it up toward my temples. It’s creamy, buildable, and gives that soft, healthy glow.
Step 6: Set It and Forget It
I took the Wet n Wild Photo Focus Loose Setting Powder and pressed it under my eyes and around my mouth to keep the concealer from moving. It’s translucent, so it won’t change the color of your makeup, and it helps everything stay in place without feeling heavy.
Step 7: Brows, Baby
Let’s talk brows. I used the Milani Weekend Brow Pen in Soft Brown to fill in sparse areas and add definition. The brush tip makes it easy to mimic hair strokes, so your brows still look like brows (not blocks).
Step 8: Lashes for Days
Mascara is one of those things that instantly makes you look more awake. I used the L’Oréal Telescopic Lift Mascara and let me tell you—it’s lifting, lengthening, and doesn’t clump. Just wiggle the wand from root to tip, and boom: eyes wide open.
Step 9: Melt It All Together
This step makes all the difference. I used the Pacifica Vegan Collagen Setting Mist to melt everything together and bring back some hydration. It makes your makeup look more like skin and less like makeup sitting on top.
Step 10: Lips for the Win
To finish off the look, I grabbed a brown lip liner and paired it with the Revlon Super Lustrous Glass Shine Balm. It gives just enough color and all the shine, without feeling sticky or heavy.
Final Thoughts
That’s it – a full face using products you can find at the drugstore, with beginner-friendly formulas that still do the job. You don’t need to spend a fortune, and you definitely don’t need 50 steps. This routine right here will have you looking polished, confident, and ready for anything.
Tag me if you try this routine, and let me know which step you’re most excited to master!
See you next post,
Ale Jay
