Glow Like a Pro: Simple Makeup Must-Haves for Beginners
Image Credit: Anderson Guerra
Makeup doesn’t have to be intimidating or expensive. For beginners looking to explore the beauty world without overspending or overcomplicating the process, it helps to start with a beginner-friendly kit made up of the essentials.
Many beauty professionals recommend focusing on buildable, lightweight products that enhance natural features and create a radiant finish.
The first step is primer. Primer prepares the skin for makeup, helping to smooth texture and keep products in place. There are three types: hydrating, mattifying and hybrid or multitasking.
Hydrating Primers deliver moisture and often contain humectants like hyaluronic acid or niacinamide. These help smooth texture, improve makeup glide, and give a fresh, plump canvas, ideal for dehydrated skin. Range Beauty’s True Intentions Hydrating Primer offers a formula infused with vitamin E and sodium PCA that offers rich hydration plus a glowy, comfortable finish.
Mattifying Primers typically include oil‑absorbing ingredients to reduce shine and extend makeup wear, perfect for oily or combination skin. Fenty Beauty’s Pro Filt’r Mattifying Primer, recommended by People as one of the best for oily skin types, helps control shine while prepping the skin beautifully.
Hybrid or multi‑tasking primers are increasingly common due to being designed to blur imperfections, hydrate and control oil all at once, offering balanced performance. Danessa Myricks’s Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder tints, blurs and mattifies, absorbing oil/sweat and containing upsalite, squalane and hyaluronic acid for texture-smoothing and hydration balance.
Next is foundation, or for beginners, a skin tint. These skin tints use light-coverage formulas to even out the complexion without appearing cakey. Brands like Fenty Beauty and Maybelline offer affordable options with buildable coverage.
Concealer is another must-have in any makeup routine, offering both coverage and dimension. Many makeup artists recommend keeping two shades on hand: a shade that matches your skin tone for spot-concealing blemishes, redness or discoloration, and a lighter shade (typically one to two shades brighter) for brightening the under-eye area.
Blush has become one of the most popular products for adding life back to the face. Cream, powder or liquid formulas help create a healthy glow. Shades that match your undertone, warm, cool or neutral, tend to be the most flattering. The Lip Bar offers a highly pigmented, long-lasting liquid blush that delivers a weightless flush of color.
Mascara defines the eyes in seconds. A volumizing or lengthening formula lifts the lashes without the need for falsies. Pairing it with a brow pencil or gel brings instant structure to the face. Black Radience’s Body Building Mascara is an affordable favorite that provides reliability.
To complete the look, a brown lip liner paired with gloss or balm adds polish. This versatile combination flatters a variety of diverse skin tones and easily transitions from day to night. Juvia’s Place offers richly pigmented liners that stay crisp and bold and vegan lip oils infused with vitamin E and fruit extracts, offering a sleek, nourishing finish that's non-sticky and skin-safe.
While beauty routines are personal, many experts agree that less is more when starting. According to Livid Magazine, minimalist makeup is a long-term investment in healthy skin (See more: Livid Magazine). The goal isn’t to follow every trend; it’s to create a routine that feels good, looks natural, and grows with your confidence.
