Hiya everybody, ive never really used these forums before…. Anyway I’m looking to start playing around with make up… But it’s a wee bit confusing there’s so much available lol

Having never used anything more than a bit of lippy before, I’m not sure what I need, shades etc. So I was wondering if any of you lovely people would help me out with picking a beginner set for myself.

It doesn’t have to be the best stuff, just something that includes a little of everything, preferably for 50 quid or less. I have Amazon prime, so any Amazon links would be useful, and also some recommendations on who to watch on YouTube for learning make up skills.

Thanks in advance X X X

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I bought a Superdrug christmas gift pack off ebay for £20 as a start. Then concealer, foundation, primer and lippy from mixmatchmakeup.com (mixmatchmakeup.com is very cheap and I don’t like anything I got from there so not worth bothering with!). The Superdrug stuff is ok and included some decent brushes, powder, eyeshadow, mascara, eyeliner, nice lipsticks, bronzer, highlighter, so a lot to get started with.

As I got a bit more aware of what it all does I bought more from amazon and beautyoutlets.co.uk.
beautyoutlets.co.uk is cheap as it has end of range stuff from middle market brands like Maybelline, Rimmel etc which do seem better quality.
TBH I think you can only learn by trying it all out, making a mess, and looking at dozens of videos. I’m still rubbish at it. You’re being asked to learn to paint like Vermeer so it’s going to take time!

Lots of girls here will say go to Mac or Boots for a foundation colour match, but I didn’t feel confident enough for that.
If you’re lucky it all gets rubbed off anyway.

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It’s worth getting a decent foundation in the right shade. Go to Boots and ask for a colour match. If you go in drab then there’s a good chance they will have had guys ask for this before so no need to let nerves get the better of you. I always found the staff to be really helpful. No point getting the best foundation at first, but Boots No7 is decent enough for a first try then you can take it from there.

You’ll probably need beard cover for stubble too. There’s loads of forum topics how to do this so take a look. Try just foundation first though.

While you’re getting the hang of applying makeup, look in Poundland as they usually have branded end of line makeup. Great for practicing with.

As for the rest, bit of lippy, eyeshadow and mascara will be enough to start with. I also like to use a white kohl pencil on the inner corner of my eyes too. Makes a big difference.

That’s what I suggest anyway although others might differ. It’s about what works for you really, we are all different.

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I can also reccomend Boots No7. Cheap but effective.

The sales persons are all good capitalists: they don’t give a damn as long as they make a sale; ask them for advice.

There are, of course, several videos on the internet, as there’s many a cis girl wanting to experiment and get some advice without ending up looking like a panda (I can’t reccomend any, I haven’t really used them, which explains a lot

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Second on the No. 7 recommendation! Generally all of a really good quality.

Eyes will probably be the trickiest part to master. Don’t be deterred if your first few attempts fall short of your expectations, just wipe it all away and try again. Shouldn’t take too long before you start nailing it (but yes, invest in wipes).

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Boots are totally cool about offering free advice, the only downside is that you might be recognised by passing customers as you sit in the chair. So maybe travel to another town.

The Maybelline website has a gizmo that uses the camera in your phone to take a selfie and then advise you on skin shade. That’s basically what Boots do anyway.