Makeup tips for beginners….Look, I’m not exactly a morning person. Never have been. The only time I willingly got out of bed early was when *NSYNC was on TRL and I thought maybe—just maybe—Justin Timberlake would see me through the screen. Spoiler alert: He didn’t.

Anyway. If you’re here for makeup tips for beginners, welcome to my very real, very messy world. Because honestly? I didn’t start learning this stuff until I was 27 and desperately needed to not look like and just crawled out of a haunted forest during Zoom calls.

I was tired of looking like a raccoon in a windstorm and needed a glow-up. And fast. So this is me, giving you the beginner makeup playbook—real girl edition. No 45-step contour. No lies. Just a get-you-out-the-door-in-5-minutes routine that you can do even if your eyeliner hand is shaky and your concealer looks like you finger-painted it on.

Let’s go. And yes, you can drink your coffee while reading this. I insist.

Step 1: BB Cream Is Your Best Friend. Like, Ride or Die.

If foundation freaks you out, don’t worry. Same. I once used a full-coverage one without blending it down my neck and looked like I had on a ghost mask. A full-on Casper cosplay.

Here’s the thing: you don’t need foundation for a decent everyday makeup look. BB cream is like that chill friend who never judges you. It smooths stuff out, adds just enough color, and doesn’t feel like a face blanket.

💡 My favorite? Maybelline Dream Fresh. Lightweight. Slightly dewy. Smells kinda nostalgic, like teen magazines and bad decisions.

Just slap it on with your fingers or a damp sponge. Don’t stress about perfection. This is your “I have 3 minutes to look human” step.

Step 2: Concealer is for Regret (and Under-Eye Circles)

Here’s a fun fact: I once stayed up until 3 AM watching conspiracy videos about Avril Lavigne being replaced by a clone named Melissa. You think I don’t need concealer? Please.

Use it under your eyes, around your nose (trust me, redness hides there), and on any unwanted guests (aka zits that pop up at the worst possible moment—looking at you, forehead pimple during date night).

You don’t need a fancy one. The e.l.f. Camo Concealer has been saving my face and my wallet. Tap, tap, blend with a finger or sponge. Done.

Step 3: Brows: Just Fill ‘Em, Don’t Overthink ‘Em

I once tried to get those perfect, carved brows and ended up looking permanently surprised. Like, cartoon villain-level surprised.

For beginners, less is more. Use a brow pencil that’s close to your hair color. NYX Micro Brow Pencil is foolproof—even when you’re half awake and one eye is still closed.

Start in the middle of your brow, flick upward, then fill toward the ends. Avoid the Instagram blocky brow unless that’s your vibe (in which case, live your best life, babe).

Step 4: Blush = You’re Alive, Promise

Real talk—blush scared me. I thought I’d end up looking like a clown in a wind tunnel. But no blush is just… flat.

Cream blush is where it’s at. Just dab it on the apples of your cheeks with your fingers. Blend it like you’re rubbing in gossip at brunch.

My current crush? Glossier Cloud Paint in Beam or Dusk. It gives you that flushed, “I just got a compliment from my crush and tried to act normal” look.

Also—pop a little on your lips. Boom. Two birds. One product.

Step 5: Mascara & Eyeliner: A Chaotic Love Story

Okay, mascara and I? We’ve had… issues.

There was this one time I sneezed right after applying it and ended up with smudges that made me look like I’d watched five back-to-back Nicholas Sparks movies.

Here’s what works:

  • Skip eyeliner if it stresses you out.
  • Use brown mascara if black feels too intense.
  • Wiggle from root to tip, don’t pump the wand like you’re churning butter in the 1800s.

If you must do eyeliner (and I get it, it’s empowering), try a brown pencil smudged at the lash line. Less pressure, more forgiving. Like a soft breakup text.

→ Insert GIF here of someone totally botching their eyeliner, followed by a “nailed it” smirk. You know the vibe.

Step 6: Highlighter Is Optional. But It’s Fun. So There.

This one’s like glittery happiness in stick form. Swipe it on your cheekbones, Cupid’s bow, maybe under your brow. You don’t need it. But… you kinda do.

Pro tip? Use whatever’s leftover on your finger to dot the inner corners of your eyes. Boom. You now look like you slept eight hours and drank water. Even if you didn’t. (You should though. Hydrate, girl.)

Step 7: Lips: Tinted Balm, Baby

You know that moment when you put on a little color and suddenly feel like a better version of yourself? That’s tinted lip balm for me.

None of that “precision lipstick” nonsense—ain’t nobody got time for that at 7:48 AM while trying to microwave yesterday’s coffee.

Go for Burt’s Bees Tinted Balm or e.l.f. Hydrating Core Lip Shine. They feel like chapstick but give you a little “I actually tried today” glow.

My 5-Minute Makeup Bag Dump for makeup tips for beginners

Just so you know I’m not full of it—here’s what’s actually in my I-only-have-5-minutes makeup bag right now:

  • BB Cream (Maybelline, you get me)
  • e.l.f. Concealer
  • NYX Brow Pencil
  • Glossier Blush
  • Wet n Wild Mascara (don’t judge, it works)
  • Highlighter stick
  • Lip balm with a hint of sass

→ Insert image of an actual messy makeup bag here, maybe with a rogue hair tie and a Starbucks receipt peeking out.

Real Talk: makeup tips for beginners

I spent years thinking I couldn’t do makeup because I didn’t know where to put bronzer. Turns out? You don’t have to know everything to look cute. You just need a few reliable tricks and some products that don’t betray you mid-sweat.

Also, if you do mess up… just call it abstract expressionism. Or “a bold creative choice.” We’re out here wingin’ it (literally) and that’s perfectly fine.

Worth Reading (If You Want to Go Deeper or Laugh Harder)

Final Thoughts (But Not Really Final Because We’re Still Learning, Right?)

So yeah. If you’re new to makeup or just wildly impatient like me, this 5-minute everyday look is for you. You’re not doing it wrong. There’s no “right.” There’s just you, looking a little more awake, a little more glowy, and a lot more ready to take on the day (even if that just means answering emails with your camera off).

Try the routine. Tweak it. Throw the blush in your purse and call it a mobile glow unit.

And if all else fails—red lip + sunglasses. Instant mystery. You’re welcome. https://kohopoho.com/top-hair-growth-oils/.

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