If I’m new, what are some good basics that I should get into first?

It is important to note that everybody is a little different, and their preferences for the type of makeup or kinds of products are not the same across the board.  You should use this only as a guideline, but not as something that is universal to every person.

Face

• Foundation | MAC has several varieties in foundation, and it is a good idea to go to your local MAC store to get color-matched and determine the appropriate foundation for you.  Certain formulas are better for those who want full coverage, while others are preferential for light coverage.  Lightweight formulas include Studio Mist, Select Tint, Select CoverUp, and Studio Stick.  Medium coverage includes:  Face & Body, Mineralize Satinfinish, Studio Fix Fluid, and Studio Fix (Powder).  Heavier coverage includes:  Studio Tech and Full Coverage.
• Powders | MAC offers a good range of different types of powder, including pressed and loose.  Blot powder (pressed or loose) is designed to help reduce oil build-up for those with oilier skin.  The line also offers several bronzing powder options and iridescent pressed powders/highlighters.  Beauty powders, which are loose powder highlighters, are also fun to play around with.
• Concealer | While MAC offers several options for concealers, many rave about Select Cover-Up and Studio Stick Concealer.  Studio Lights are great for specific kinds of concealing, like brightening dark circles.

Cheeks

• Powder Blushes | Pressed powder blushes are easy to use, and there is a large variety in colors to choose from.  There are bold colors like Frankly Scarlet (deep red) to dark pinks like Dollymix to warm peach like Springsheen.  Some blush colors that are often highly reviewed:  Ambering Rose, Blushbaby, Breezy, Dame, Dollymix, Honour, Margin, Peachykeen, Springsheen, Sunbasque, and Well Dressed.
• Blushcremes | These are cream blushes, which means they give a bit of a shiny and dewy finish to cheeks once applied.  These are ideally applied using a stippling brush like the 188.  Some favorites are Blossoming, Brit Wit, Lilicent, and Sweet William.
• Cream Colour Bases | Similar to cream blushes, these are a creamy formula (though not as creamy as blushcremes) that are used as a multipurpose product, but they can be used to highlight and blush cheeks.  Virgin Isle is gorgeous on apples of cheeks as well as lips.  Pearl and Shell make amazing highlighters on cheekbones as well as on the inner tearducts.