Building a Beginner Make-up Kit

When I was 6, long before anyone thought to teach me, I started wearing makeup. Every morning after my father dropped me off at school, I rushed to the girls bathroom to encircle my eyes with heavy black liner, and to paint my lips bright red. It was not until a few years later that my grandmother, the picture of beauty and class, gave me the proper cosmetic instruction that would last me a lifetime. She taught me that eyes were the windows to the soul, and the face was the frame. No longer did I look the part of a six year old clown.

If you have decided that the time is right for your daughter, niece, or friend that has (gasp!) never tried her hand at cosmetic application to learn the right way to apply makeup, then these tips will help you to decide what to include in that first beauty kit.

First, choose a good cleansing and moisturizing combination based on the individual skin needs of the recipient. There are literally hundreds of products on the market that are made specifically for skin conditions such as blemishes, dry skin, oily skin, etc. A good makeup remover and cotton balls also beg for inclusion in the first cosmetic kit.

Foundation and concealer are probably the most difficult choices to make. Always test foundation on the jawline of the person that will be wearing it to ensure a natural looking complexion. Concealers are designed to cover blemishes, veins, and dark circles, (among other things), and it may take a little experimentation to find the right formula for the first-time cosmetics user. Generally, younger skin does not need as much help in this area as older skin does, but break-outs can be a typical problem at that age.

Neutral colors are best for subtle makeup application, and are especially good for someone that is inexperienced in the art of cosmetic application because neutrals leave a little wiggle room for errors. For eyes, I recommend the Neutral Eye Edition of The Beauty Encyclopedia from e.l.f. The kit includes 12 neutral toned shadows, an applicator, and a coordinating eye liner pencil, in addition to step-by-step application instructions.

For younger girls that are just starting to wear cosmetics, especially those that are very active, I always include a tube of waterproof mascara. This pretty much eliminates those smudges that are the result of long, busy days.

Blusher and/or bronzer application are the two parts of cosmetic application that are most frequently done wrong across ALL age groups. Choose the products and colors that are appropriate for the complexion of the person that is to receive the makeup kit, and provide ample instruction about the proper application technique.

Lipsticks and glosses are the most fun, and diverse part of a cosmetic kit for beginners. I like to include a few tinted and sheer glosses so that the beginner can experiment and find the colors that she likes best.

Once you have chosen the appropriate products for the new cosmetics user, the next step is teaching application techniques. You can choose to have a lesson taught by a professional, or you can do the teaching yourself. These options are not going to cover all bases or occasions, but they can be a good start. My favorite way to instruct a beginner on the art of cosmetic application is to apply your makeup together. This is also a great way to spend quality time with a younger female relative and create positive memories that will last forever.