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Please note that I am not a professional of any kind so any information in this post is not meant to be medical, legal, financial, relationship or any professional advice.These makeup essentials are the basic makeup products to build a good makeup collection that is easy to use and is versatile.
Are you looking for some good makeup essentials? Then this post is for you!
Having good makeup essentials are a great way to build a versatile makeup collection.
Whether you like doing natural makeup looks or bold makeup looks, it’s good to have good basics.
So if you’re wondering what makeup products do I need? Then keep on reading for great makeup tips!
This post is all about makeup essentials.
Makeup Essentials
1. Moisturizer
Moisturizer may not seem like a makeup essential, but for a great makeup prep you should use a good moisturizer. Having a good base can make all the difference in how your makeup looks.
This moisturizer from Tower 28 Beauty is said to reduce redness, hydrate skin, and improve texture and the reviews are amazing! This would be a great base to start with.
If you like a really glowy and dewy makeup look, Tatcha has this amazing dewy moisturizer that gives the skin a really beautiful glow. It’s beautiful under makeup but also looks really good alone for a no makeup look.
2. Primer
Another great makeup product to build a good base is a good primer. This will help keep your makeup look smoother and stay on longer.
A really popular one is this Power Grip Primer from e.l.f. Cosmetics. It’s very tacky, but that’s why it helps keep makeup on longer.
There are also great primers for redness like this one from Smashbox.
Or there are also fantastic blurring primers as well to help give a smooth makeup base. This blurring primer from Milk Makeup is great for blurring pores, controlling shine, and helping the makeup to last longer. And it has amazing reviews.
3. Foundation
This wouldn’t be a post on makeup essentials if we didn’t mention foundation
There are so many types out there and it really will depend on what your preference is and how much coverage you are looking for.
Foundation is great if you like a bit more coverage and even skin tone. There are light, medium and full coverage foundations and different type of textures light liquid, cream, and powder.
If you want a really good quality foundation then you should definitely try out this one by Makeup By Mario. It is lightweight but super buildable if you want full coverage, and it looks so similar to skin it’s unreal!
It’s a very natural looking yet stunning foundation and a little goes a long way so it lasts a long time.
4. Tinted Moisturizer/Skin Tint
Some days you might want something a bit lighter but that still gives a bit of coverage. That’s where a good tinted moisturizer or skin tint comes in.
These are great for more casual days and especially in the summer when you don’t want to wear a lot of makeup.
A tinted moisturizer or skin tint with a bit of concealer looks more natural than foundation but still looks stunning.
This Glow Hydrating Skin Tint from Milani gives a sheer to light coverage and a really nice dewy finish. And it’s pretty affordable.
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5. Concealer
Concealer can be one of the most versatile makeup essentials products. It can be used with a full glam makeup look, or with natural makeup looks on its own or with a skin tint.
It’s great to even out skin tone and cover any redness or dark spots under the eyes. It’s even works great as an eyeshadow primer.
Just like with foundation there are different textures and different levels of coverage.
For a lightweight but good coverage concealer, this one by Hourglass is really really good! It gives such a beautiful natural finish that brightens the skin.
A very similar consistency but super affordable one is this concealer by e.l.f. It also gives a really natural but beautiful finish.
If you like a more full coverage foundation, then you might want to try out this one by Tarte. It has really great reviews and it’s super full coverage.
6. Powder
Powder is a great makeup product to have in your makeup collection. It can help give your makeup a more smooth finish and help conceal redness and shine.
There are loose powders and pressed powders and it really comes down to your preference. Pressed powders give a bit more coverage but they are pretty similar.
For a pressed powder this one from Kosas is really impressive. It’s talc-free which is great and it gives a really nice natural finish that helps with shine but still has a nice glowy look.
If you like more of a loose powder, this one from e.l.f. gives a nice blurring finish and it’s at a great price point.
7. Blush
One of the makeup essentials that can make a big difference on your makeup is blush. It’s such a great makeup product to add to your makeup collection.
A good blush looks youthful and natural and blends seamlessly into the rest of your makeup.
There are different forms of blush (liquid, cream, or powder), depending on your preference. Liquid and cream are great for that natural makeup look and they give a beautiful glow. They require a tiny bit more blending but the finish is stunning.
One of the most popular liquid blushes right now are these ones from Rare Beauty. The shades are beautiful and the finish is amazing.
If you like more of a powder blush Milani has a gorgeous powder blush at a great price point.
8. Bronzer
Just like with blush, bronzer can make a big difference in how your makeup looks, and it also comes in liquid, cream, and powder.
Tower 28 has this really good cream contour + bronzer which is super blend-able and gives a beautiful sun kissed look.
If you’re looking for more of a powder bronzer, this one is a great price and has amazing reviews.
9. Highlighter
Highlighter is such a pretty makeup product that it had to be included in this makeup essentials products.
Adding just a tiny bit of highlighter can give such a beautiful glow that is so youthful and natural looking.
A super affordable but stunning highlighter is this one from Essence. It gives a really nice lit-from-within glow.
A liquid highlighter that is intensely popular right now is this one from E.l.f. It blends like a dream and gives a natural but beautiful glow.
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10. Eyelash Curler
An eyelash curler may not be a makeup essential for everyone, but a lot of people consider it an essential.
If your eyelashes are short and straight or just don’t want to hold a curl, then you’ve probably already used an eyelash curler.
It can really curl lashes and make a HUGE difference in how mascara looks. You can even use it on days when you don’t feel like wearing mascara to give your lashes a bit of a lift.
11. Mascara
In almost every makeup essentials kit there’s mascara. It’s one of those makeup products that’s a classic and has been around a very long time.
There are soooo many types of mascaras out there that do different things. Some lengthen and give volume, some give a more bold eyelash look, while some a more natural lash.
It really depends on what you like.
A super popular mascara is this one by Too Faced because it makes lashes look longer and fuller while still looking natural. It’s a bit pricey but they have a mini version too which is great if you want to test it out.
A more affordable mascara that has a similar effect, is this one from Essence. It makes lashes look long and the price is fantastic!
12. Eyeshadow
Depending on where you are on your makeup journey you may use eyeshadow all the time, or you may rarely use it. It is a makeup essential for many though, so we’ve included it in this list of makeup essentials.
It really can make your makeup look good and add an extra something.
There are quite literally thousands of different eyeshadows and eyeshadow palettes out there so it can get kinda overwhelming if you’re not used to using eyeshadow.
If it’s something you’re interested in you might want to start with a neutral palette which is easier to use and works with many skin tones. Lawless has these talc-free palettes that are really pretty and have 8 neutral shades which makes it super beginner friendly.
The colors are super pretty and it’s great makeup for beginners.
13. Eyeliner
Eyeliner can seem a bit tricky to master, but it doesn’t have to be. Eyeliner can be used to give a bit of definition and warmth to the eye without doing some special technique.
There are tons of easy and quick tutorials online on how to use eyeliner.
Liquid eyeliner can be a bit harder to control but it can also give you a finer line than a pencil or a gel eyeliner can. Whereas pencil liners and gel liners can be smudged to give a smokey look.
This eye pencil from Essence is really good because it’s very pigmented but stays on and is waterproof.
If you like more of a liquid eyeliner, this one from Nyx Professional Makeup is really good!
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14. Brow
The style is constantly changing with brows so it can feel tiring trying to keep up with the latest trend. Years ago it was all about super thin brows, then really thick brows, then there was the soap brow trend.
You can try out different styles if you like, but it’s still always good to know how to make your brows look good while still looking natural.
There are a ton of different brow products out there and what you’ll need will depend on what style you are going for.
A good brow makeup essential is a simple brow pencil. This can be super versatile and used to create different brow looks.
This one from wet n wild is super affordable and has really great reviews!
15. Lip Liner
Lip liner may not seem like a makeup essential but it can make a HUGE difference on how your lipstick looks. Not only can it make the shape of your lips look really good, but it can make your lipstick look a lot better.
If you haven’t tried using a lip liner before I highly recommend it. Once you try it, you probably won’t want to wear lipstick without it again.
Even a lip gloss or lip balm looks amazing paired with a lip liner.
If you don’t have any lip liner, a neutral color is the best to start with because it can be paired with a lot of different shades of lipstick.
Tower 28 has one that is a lip liner, eyeliner, and cheek pencil which is a great way to save money by just having to buy one thing.
E.l.f. also has a really affordable lip liner which comes in beautiful shades and it’s a triangle shaped liner which can make it a bit easier to use.
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16. Lipstick/Lip Gloss/Lip Balm
Almost any makeup essentials list will have lipstick or some type of lip product. Whether you prefer lipstick, lip gloss, lip balm, or a lip oil, you probably wear one of them if you wear makeup.
There are countless lip products out there and just with most things in this list of makeup must haves, it depends on what you like.
Usually a good place to start is to have one or two lipsticks, a lip gloss, and a lip balm or lip oil.
For lipsticks, it’s good to start with an everyday shade. One that’s not too bold, and that you would feel comfortable wearing pretty much any occasion. One of the most popular shades for this is Pillow Talk. Not only does this lipstick apply amazing and feels great, but it’s a beautiful everyday shade.
E.l.f. has an amazing lip oil that feels super luxurious and isn’t sticky. It’s really affordable and the shades are SO good!
17. Setting Spray
And last but definitely not the least on this list of best makeup products is setting spray. You don’t want to do all that hard work and then not have it last long or have it smudge throughout the day.
Setting sprays not only help your makeup stay on longer, but they can actually make it look better. Depending on what you like they have setting sprays for a matte look, a dewy look, for oil control, blurring, hydrating, and even waterproof ones.
One/Size has a mattifying and waterproof setting spray that is seriously so good when it comes to keeping your makeup on longer and looking good.
E.l.f. has a really good hydrating setting spray if you like your makeup to look a bit more glowy and dewy. And it’s a lot more affordable than most of the setting sprays out there.
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