1.) Expensive does not equal high quality. 2.) Don’t be afraid to mix and match across brands. 3.) Brushes are worth the investment (not necessarily the most expensive are required, just that the right tools for your technique + features can go a long way).
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I wish I had known more about what I liked and what looked good on my skintone before making a lot of purchases. I also wish I knew more about less expensive dupes and what I was willing to spend the money on.
haha, I wish I had known that no good makeup was being produced from 1999 to about 2013 and just hunkered down to wait.
Lol, that is NOT at all true
I know, I know- it’s just where my style was at the time relative to what was available. I was not a kissable-body-shimmer-and-coral-lip-gloss kind of girl.
OMG, everything I know now! Top of the list would be:
• I wish I had known how to blend.
• I wish I had known that sometimes you DO have to pay more to get a good product.
• I wish I had known the importance of using the right tools.
But paying more is relative and doesn’t necessarily mean spending $100 on a foundation. You just have to know WHAT are the products to splurge on and what you can save on. And that it depends on your skintone, skin type etc. For me, pencil liner and mascara I can save. Foundation is worth spending more. Not $100 but $30, $40 yes. And Christian Loubotin $90 lipglosses will ALWAYS be scam and not worth the ginormous upcharge! ?
Let me explain. I wasn’t saying that the more you spend, the better the quality. I was referring to spending $40 on foundation instead of $8.
In the 80s and 90s, I put up with cakiness, streaks, and oxidation from the foundation I wore because I didn’t know any better. In more recent years, I’ve discovered that, for my skin, there are no foundations in the world that work like EL Double Wear, so it’s totally worth the money.
So agree that expensive does NOT equate good or worth it. Inexpensive does not automatically mean bad or poor quality. And there are hits and misses in EVERY brand.
Also trust your gut. Do what makes you happy and don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone!!
I’ll answer this in two parts: one as a teenager and one as an adult who rediscovered makeup. As a teenager, nothing. That is when to have the trendy makeup experimental experience that makes you cringe as you look back on it (I’m talking to you thick black and bright blue eyeliner and blush (Maybelline Cheekers!) that was thrown on with abandon in the 80’s). This also goes hand in hand with the severe abuse of Aquanet hairspray. I kind of view it as a rite of passage.
As an adult who rediscovered makeup in my 40s, I would have taken more time to be thoughtful about what to use to realistically fit my lifestyle and not to the “you must have” lists that seem to have grown significantly over the years.
I wish I had known that makeup takes a looong time to use up!
I do know this, but it still doesn’t keep me from buying more makeup. I fear I may never learn this lesson! Lol
As a person who only opens and uses one product of each type (or color) at a time, I can double-enforce that. Most products take months to finish (even when used daily) and if I’m due diligent with expiration dates, I’m discarding many half-used items and un-panned eye-shadows / blushes). 😆
Most concealers and foundations take ~6 months to use up (for me), I will barely use 1/3-1/2 of an eyeshadow primer in one year (so it makes sense to buy minis instead of full size), etc. Sure, I had my `surprises` with powders and eye brow pencils being faster than usual to use up, but usually make takes a looong time to use up, so even buying back-ups a long time in advance doesn’t make sense for me.
There is no such thing as a “universally flattering” ANYTHING, especially lip and highlight colors. Tread carefully before purchasing anything labeled as such, especially if your skin tone falls outside the statistically more common ranges.
Wow….. that’s going back quite a few years! One thing I wish I had known then that I did learn when I was an MUA in the 80’s was that using brushes to apply e/s, while tricky at first, is far better than spongetips! Unfortunately, once I quit doing so professionally, I quickly forgot that lesson. Yuppers. I actually returned to spongetips after having my son. Used them clear until going back to using brushes for my eyeshadow around 7-8 years ago. And yes, one CAN still get a very diffused, well blended look using them, but not as quickly.
Another one is that I’m someone who has always needed lip liner. Didn’t exactly understand this when I was way younger, though. I’m always going to be, and always have been, that person whose lipstick *may* just wander outside the lines! Feathering since 20’s! I attribute this to my full lower lip and that my outer lip turns downward, typical of many a Native American person.
I wish I’d learnt earlier that just because I LOVED something in a brand something else in that range may not be the same. This has caused me the most disappointments.
and also not to worry too much about missing out or never finding that thing again because there will inevitably be something else in the future that is better, and the thing I missed out on will be outdated in a few years (something I learned with clothing, but I think applies with makeup to some extent).
MAC is not the only brand on earth? LOL
I wish I understood the value of brushes. I literally had one eye brush (flat shader) and one flimsy angled contour brush for almost 20 years. Applied foundation with fingers until about 5 years ago.
-makeup is more versatile than you think. try different combinations, techniques, etc. you don’t have to buy a whole new product to get a different look
-don’t spend so much time watching youtube videos. like 95% of them just claim everything is the ~best product ever, can’t live without it~ (among the bigger channels at least)
1) What is worth the splurge / investment
Sometimes expensive is better because some ingredients / formulas are more expensive / complex. But other ingredients are cheap and makes no sense on spending extra money for the name brand. Some products are worthwhile investing more money (e.g. foundation, concealer), some not (e.g. a basic silicone primer, a basic talc/mica powder).
2) Try before you buy
I have an odd complexion… very few colors (eyeshadow, blush, lipstick) actually look good on me. Even if I purchase those items online, I need to go to store to swatch the actual color to see if the subtleties in the undertone match me.
3) How to mix and match ingredients
Make-up is a little bit of chemistry and sometimes products / ingredients don’t mix well together. A good foundation can look awful with some primers and powders. I wish I knew that I need to experiment with various techniques and combinations when I introduce a new product, before stating if it’s good or bad.
4) Make your own rules
After purchasing many beauty sponges and foundation brushes just because other used them, I finally realized that I just like to apply foundation and concealer with my fingers.
After many attempts, I finally realized that I hate loose powders… it’s pressed powder all the way for me.
There are many examples of products I just purchased because they are in the make-up routine of other people. But I have my own style, my own lifestyle, my own preferences.
Bonus) Brows… please don’t ignore brows
I wish I have known brows are important from the start. 😆 I cringe thinking I used to do full face make-up without brows.
Don’t buy makeup only because it has good quality, but if it looks good on your face! Also: This shade of whatever, swatched good on your hand and looks divine on internet photos, BUT how many times you will use it and… does it look good on your face?
There is sponsored videos where the products are given free of charge and many of the makeup have not been purchased by the person who presents them. So there is no reason to run and buy, because once all the sponsored videos ran out there is not a single person using them!
Don’t let yourself sink into First – World problems. Big hugs from Greece!
Omg TOTALLY agree about the brushes! I used to apply with fingers or applicators, but when I finally bought brushes, I was able to achieve the looks I had been going for.
They seem superfluous, but they really truly help make your eyes look the way you want quicker and easier.
*Not to settle for bad foundation.
*It IS fine to wear eyeshadows in the same color family as your eye color.
*Invest in eyeshadow brushes.
*Start reading beauty blogs sooner.
*Not to be afraid of more pigmented blushes; they can work with fair skin.
*Not to be afraid of vampy lip colors. I can pull them off.
All of the above except vampy lip colors (I’ve always loved them) and reading beauty blogs (they didn’t exist until I was in my 40s, I think). I still struggle to wear eyeshadow the same color as my eyes. I want to, but I can’t seem to get it to work. I haven’t given up, though.
I wish I knew that it is better to take your time when buying makeup, that even LE products will either be repromoted or there is something very similar in the market. Oh, and undertones are everything!
I wish that I had known more about undertone and colour matching. I have definite preferences in colours but it took awhile to figure out what shades of those colours actually work well with my skin tone, eyes and hair. I wish I didn’t have FOMO with many LE products and now know that if I really want something I should buy it and not wait. I agree with all your responses, Christine.
How to put it on! Everything, from foundation to eyeshadows, etc. so, I got my 1st ever makeover from Chanel. I was blown away by what they did. Then I tried a Mac makeover. Loved that too. But, it was the Bobbie Brown national makeup artist where I really learned a lot. About the right colors for me, etc. how to blend the eyeshadows, Wow, what a great lesson. I take that with me today. I did not know anything about makeup when I was getting into it. It was blue cream eyeshadow and black eyeliner on the lids, with pink highlighter on the brow. Lipstick colors back then were all wrong for my coloring. Borrowed my moms, whose coloring was the exact opposite of me! Gosh, I learned a lot.
1. investing in good brushes is worth it
2. i have really hooded eyes so some looks just dont work on me or need to be heavily adjusted
3. thick black liner all around my eyes just makes them look smaller
4. eye shadow takes forever to use up so buy sparingly
oh god yes, same with the hooded eyes, I think learning how to adapt looks to suit my eyes really made a huge difference. part of that was accepting that a cateye flick was not going to work for me, and focusing on using my hooded eyes to their advantage (that flash of colour on my lid that is hidden when open) was a better use of my time.
1. Everyone thinks their coloring is super unique and almost nothing looks right on them. They’re usually wrong. People’s personal preference and bias for/against certain products keep them in a box and if you’re doing someone else’s makeup it can seem obvious to go with what they tell you, use your best judgement but don’t limit yourself. I’ve used a lot of the same products, formulations, colors, combos across a wide variety of people with different coloring and aside from a few notable exceptions it’s always worked out well. People are always shocked they love something they thought they hated. I think having someone else put it on them makes a big difference psychologically.
2. The beauty community can be toxic, enjoy what you enjoy and ignore the rest.
3. Price does not equate quality.
4. Experiment, play with the makeup, don’t adhere to using a product only the way it’s marketed.
5. Makeup trends don’t flatter everyone and that’s okay.
6. I’m not sure how to word this last one without sounding like a snob, I assure you I’m not, I enjoy watching influencers as much as anyone but… learn from makeup artists who apply makeup to people other than themselves, the versatility and problem solving is a lot more helpful than watching several people do their own makeup the exact same way(unless those people have very similar skin to you, then that’s definitely helpful to see how products might work on you).
1. Don’t waste your time or money trying to like things. You can’t magic away sensory issues.
2. Be picky about green and purple eyeshadows.
3. Just about any lipstick is going to look bad on your dry, dry lips if you don’t incorporate them into your skincare routine.
4. If you *really* like that expensive thing and can’t find anything that compares, just save up your spending money and get it. Don’t waste your money on an inferior product you don’t have the talent or experience to “make work.”
I wish I had known about the correct undertones for my porcelain complexion and not wasted lots of money buying foundations that just did not work.
Blend, blend, blend! A high price doesn’t mean it’s a miracle product, same goes for a lower price product, it might be your HG. Research before you add it to your cart! You don’t need to buy everything!
1.) Pay attention to the skintone, undertone and skin type of the person racing about a product. One size does not fit all!
2.) Try not to buy so many things just for curiosities sake. Get more samples, go in store to sample and swatch, wait for a while for the desire to diminish.
3.) Realize that just because you love certain colors doesn’t mean they will look good on your eyes, lips or face. Show your love for these shades (deep purple, yellow gold, warm bronze, etc.) by buying a phone case or throw pillows or a travel mug in those shades instead of yet another eyeshadow palette.
4.) This one I STILL struggle with: When you have found the perfect blush shade you love, quit buying dupes!
5.) Only open two, at the most, mascaras at a time. You are going to forget how old, or not, they are and won’t be able to decide if they are good (or not.)
I wish I figured out what my preferences truly were sooner. It took years of never wearing my matte blushes until it dawned on me it was because I dont like that finish. Wish I had figured out sooner that cool toned anything looks ridiculous on me so duh don’t buy those type of shades! And last but not least, don’t fall for product or brand hype. Back in early 2000, before influences and youtube, there was still a lot of hype over certain brands and certain products (no doubt more genuine, but hype nonetheless). Todays “best thing since sliced bread” is tomorrows forgotten stale & moldy bagel. Get excited about things only if they actually excite you, not just because you keep hearing raves and figure there must be something to it if everyone is talking about it so much.