The Best Easy-to-Use Makeup for Beginners — With Videos and Photos

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We can't all be makeup artists (though that does sound fun). But if you've ever watched a makeup tutorial that seems to incorporate 17 brushes, three different concealers, and an insistence on completely shape-shifting your eyebrows and lips, you might wonder if you require an advanced degree in makeup application just to get started. Fortunately, actual makeup artists say that anyone—even complete beginners—can get comfortable with and good at doing their own makeup. And it doesn't take an army of complex products.

"Makeup doesn't have to be complicated to be impactful," says Los Angeles-based makeup artist Mezhgan Hussainy, who reminds us that even professional artists are constantly learning new techniques. "Sometimes the simplest products create the biggest difference, enhancing what's already there and helping you feel like your best self." Rather than overstuffing your makeup bag, she encourages beginners to start with a handful of versatile, easy-to-use products.

That's welcome news considering how many makeup formulas are now designed to help you succeed rather than baffle anyone who's never worked a makeup counter. Skin tints can stand in for heavy foundations, cream blushes melt into skin with your fingertips, and soft eye pencils can be smudged long before you have to commit to a less-than-perfect line.

Makeup artist Jenny Patinkin points out that products like these can make the transition to wearing makeup look and feel much more natural. Jumping straight into full-coverage foundation, shadowy contour, or dramatically winged liquid liner can feel jarring, not to mention discouraging if you're not yet confident with bolder products and dexterity-demanding techniques. “If you're accustomed to only seeing your bare face in the mirror and photos, it'll be a subtle difference versus a shocking, dramatic change in your appearance,” she says.

Marquis Ward, an Atlanta-based makeup artist, agrees. "My biggest piece of advice is to focus on enhancing your natural features rather than trying to completely transform them," he says, recommending that beginners start with products that are buildable, blend easily, and give you room to experiment without punishing every little mistake. (There will be mistakes, and that's okay.) "Makeup should feel approachable, fun, and confidence-building."

The products below are formulated to be more forgiving. Think of them as training wheels that work with you as you master makeup (and stay in your bag well beyond your beginner status). They're easy to blend, difficult to overdo, and self-assuring from the very first application.

Meet the experts:

• Mezhgan Hussainy is a makeup artist based in Los Angeles.
• Jenny Patinkin is a makeup artist and founder of Jenny Patinkin.
• Marquis Ward is a makeup artist based in Atlanta and Los Angeles.

Foundation: Skin tint

Commerce editor Sarah Han before applying skin tint.Photo: Courtesy of subjectHan after applying Iconic Super Smoother Blurring Skin TintPhoto: Courtesy of subjectWhat makes it beginner-friendly?

Unlike traditional full-coverage foundations that require careful blending and precise color matching, skin tints simply even out the complexion while allowing your natural skin to shine through. The result looks more like you, just a little more rested, a little more even-toned, and a little more hydrated, as they're often packed with moisturizing ingredients.

"For beginners, I always recommend a lightweight skin tint," says Hussainy. "They're much more forgiving than full-coverage formulas because they blend seamlessly into the skin and allow you to build coverage only where you need it."

Patinkin likes them because they don't require any special technique. "A sheer tint is a great place to start because it can be evenly spread onto the skin with just your fingers," she says. Her favorite is the Lisa Eldridge Skin Tint, which she calls “gorgeous.”

Ward also recommends skin tints, especially in stick form, like the LYS Beauty Triple Fix Blurring Skin Tint Foundation Stick. “It allows you to apply only where you need it,” he says, “while creating a natural, skin-like finish that never feels heavy.”

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Iconic London

Super Smoother Blurring Skin Tint

$35

Amazon

$32

Nordstrom

$35

Ulta Beauty

Forget fancy tools—for now. Patinkin says your fingers are perfectly capable of applying a skin tint, and the warmth of your hands actually helps melt the product into the skin. If you'd like a little extra polish afterward, gently bounce a damp sponge over everything to remove excess product and eliminate any streaks.

Hussainy recommends starting in the center of your face, where redness and discoloration are typically the most visible, before blending outward toward the hairline. Ward adds that thin layers are always your friend; it's much easier to add another swipe than to remove too much foundation.

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Concealer: Illuminating medium-coverage liquid concealer

Senior beauty editor Jesa Marie Calaor before applying concealerPhoto: Courtesy of subjectCalaor after applying Kylie Cosmetics Power Plush Longwear ConcealerPhoto: Courtesy of subjectWhat makes it beginner-friendly?

Concealer is one of those products that's easy to overthink, but it doesn't have to be. Rather than reaching for full-coverage formulas, Patinkin recommends a lighter illuminating concealer, like her favorite YSL Beauty Touche Éclat Concealer Click Pen. These lightweight yet still creamy liquid formulas brighten instead of masking, making dark circles and discoloration appear softer without looking obviously covered.

Hussainy agrees that less is more. "A creamy, blendable concealer is the easiest place to start," she says. "You don't need to cover everything—just brighten under the eyes or spot-conceal where needed."

Ward says medium-coverage concealers strike the perfect balance because they camouflage discoloration while still blending seamlessly into skin. They're also forgiving enough that beginners can slowly build coverage exactly where it's needed instead of accidentally applying too much.

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Kylie Cosmetics

Power Plush Longwear Concealer

$28

Nordstrom

$28

Ulta Beauty

All three makeup artists we spoke to agree that more concealer doesn't equal better coverage. Patinkin recommends applying a small amount of your chosen formula onto the back of your clean hand instead of going straight to your skin with the applicator brush. Then, use a small concealer or eye shadow brush—her brand's Angled Multi-Blender is perfect for this—to lightly tap it right where you need it. This gives you much more control and helps prevent creasing.

Hussainy likes the technique of using your ring finger to gently press concealer into delicate under-eye skin, while Ward recommends placing tiny dots only at the inner corners, outer corners, and any areas of discoloration before gradually blending with your finger, brush, or sponge.

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Eye shadow: Neutral matte-powder shadow

Associate social media manager Katie Gunderman before applying eye shadowPhoto: Courtesy of subjectGunderman after applying shades from the Morphe ChromaPlus 6-Pan Eyeshadow PalettePhoto: Courtesy of subjectWhat makes it beginner-friendly?

It's understandable to associate powder eye shadow with expertly diffused smoky eyes or mathematically flawless cut creases, but it's also surprisingly kind to newbies. Patinkin suggests starting with flesh-toned matte-powder shadows, which subtly even out discoloration on the lids while making eyes appear brighter and larger. Because powder stays blendable longer than many cream formulas—yes, she says powder is easier than cream—it's a snap to mitigate mistakes.

Ward suggests investing in a thoughtfully curated neutral palette. Something like the Makeup by Mario Master Mattes Palette offers enough variation to create everything from barely there definition to more dramatic looks without overwhelming beginners. For this same reason, Patinkin also loves the Natasha Denona Mini Matte Palettes.

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Morphe

ChromaPlus 6-Pan Eyeshadow Palette

$16

Amazon

$16

Ulta Beauty

Patinkin recommends using a fluffy crease brush to softly sweep color across the entire lid and through the socket line instead of trying to create multiple distinct sections.

When you feel ready for a little more dimension, Ward suggests beginning with a matte shade in the crease before pressing a subtle shimmer onto the lid with your fingertip. The key isn't precision—it's blending until you can't see where one color ends and another begins.

Editor-approved neutral palettesArrowArrow

Eyeliner: Creamy pencil

Gunderman before applying eyelinerPhoto: Courtesy of subjectGunderman after applying Make Up For Ever Artist Color PencilPhoto: Courtesy of subjectWhat makes it beginner-friendly?

Liquid eyeliner has a reputation for making even experienced makeup lovers sweat. Creamy pencil liners, on the other hand, are much more forgiving. "A soft pencil liner is much easier to control than liquid liner," says Hussainy. "It gives you time to blend or soften mistakes before it sets." That little bit of flexibility can make a huge difference.

Ward notes, too, that creamy pencils can easily be smudged if your line isn't perfect: "The learning process becomes much less intimidating." He and Hussainy recommend the Make Up For Ever Artist Color Pencil, which glides on without tugging and comes in a wide variety of shades.

Patinkin specifically recommends kohl (also known as kajal) pencils—she loves the Jillian Dempsey Khol Eyeliners—because they stay workable long enough to adjust the shape before setting. “Once you master lining with kohl, you can graduate to a gel liner,” she says, which is equally creamy but a little quicker to set.

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Make Up For Ever

Artist Color Pencil

$26

Nordstrom

$26

Sephora

Forget trying to draw one continuous line from inner corner to outer corner—that's difficult even for professionals. Instead, Hussainy recommends, making tiny dashes along the lash line and connecting them afterward. Ward echoes this advice, explaining that short, connected strokes give you far more control than one sweeping motion.

Patinkin offers another trick: Lightly hold the outer corner of your eye taut and, with a freshly sharpened pencil, work from the outside toward the center before switching directions and finishing from the inner corner outward. Then, use a small liner brush to gently smudge everything together so the individual dashes disappear into one soft, seamless line. “You should feel the base of your lashes moving as you apply your liner,” she says. “That's how you'll know you have the right placement.”

Editor-approved creamy pencilsArrowArrow

Mascara: Wire-bristle applicator

Contributing editor Marci Robin before applying mascaraPhoto: Courtesy of subjectRobin after applying Jenny Patinkin Big Reveal Fluff and Hold Volumizing MascaraPhoto: Courtesy of subjectWhat makes it beginner-friendly?

Some people may be skipping mascara these days, but there's a reason the rest of us aren't hopping on that trend: Nothing opens the eyes quite like lengthened, darkened lashes. And for many makeup users, new or experienced, nothing is more intimidating than the moment you lift that wand to your face; you may not even know which wand material and shape is the easiest to control.

“I prefer a longwear mascara with a bushy wire-bristle applicator for beginners instead of a silicone one because you get more grip and control,” says Patinkin. Silicone applicators typically have more widely spaced teeth, she adds, and wetter formulas that slide through the lashes, making them more likely to smudge and speckle on your skin. Her own Big Reveal Fluff and Hold Volumizing Mascara has plenty of grip, and the even curve of its spoolie applicator is as straightforward as it gets. We also love Essence Bye Bye Panda Eyes for its fluffy, uncomplicated wand and easy-to-remove tubing formula.

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Jenny Patinkin

Big Reveal Fluff and Hold Volumizing Mascara

$29

Amazon

$29

Credo Beauty

Forget everything you've seen in the movies: “The easiest way for beginners to apply mascara is to hold the wand at the base of the lashes, with your eyes open, and then blink into it,” Patinkin says. “You get used to the feeling of having something close to your eye this way, and it makes your eyes more dominant than your hands.”

Once you feel comfortable doing that, you can start gently pressing the wand into the lashes, wiggle the applicator back and forth a bit to deposit product in between each lash to help define your lash line a little more, and then fluff up over the tips.

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Brow product: Tinted brow gel

Beauty director Sarah Kinonen before applying brow gelPhoto: Courtesy of subjectKinonen after applying KS&CO Sheer Tinted Brow GelPhoto: Courtesy of subjectWhat makes it beginner-friendly?

Few products deliver as much payoff with as little effort as a tinted brow gel. In just a few swipes, it fills in sparse areas, shapes, and keeps hairs in place—no painstaking strokes required. "A tinted brow gel is the most foolproof brow product," says Hussainy. "It adds color, shape, and hold in one step without requiring precise drawing."

Ward calls it the easiest brow product to master because it's essentially multitasking for you. Rather than filling every gap with a pencil, you're enhancing what you already have.

Patinkin says the application is almost impossible to mess up as long as you remove excess product from the wand first. She recommends Maybelline New York Brow Fast Sculpt Mascara, while Ward likes Benefit Gimme Brow+ Volumizing Eyebrow Gel for its ability to add subtle fullness while still looking natural.

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KS & Co.

Brow Gel

$36

KS & Co.

Start by brushing the brows upward through the inner portion of the shape, then work toward the tails before returning to the center. Patinkin says this helps to prevent depositing too much pigment where your brows are naturally thickest.

Hussainy recommends letting your natural brow shape guide you instead of trying to redraw it completely. Ward also says to fill in sparse areas only and resist the urge to create overly crisp outlines.

If you accidentally color outside the lines, Patinkin says a pointed cotton swab easily cleans up stray pigment.

Editor-approved tinted brow gelArrowArrow

Blush: Cream blush stick

Gunderman before applying cream blushPhoto: Courtesy of subjectGunderman after applying Merit Flush BalmPhoto: Courtesy of subjectWhat makes it beginner-friendly?

If there's one product that instantly makes your complexion look healthier with almost zero effort, it's cream blush. "I'm team cream blush all the way," says Patinkin, who notes that it blends beautifully into skin's natural texture, creating a hydrated, fresh-looking flush that's difficult to overdo and nearly impossible to duplicate as easily with powder blush. Her favorite is Merit Flush Balm: “It's sheer and easy to blend, and the colors are very pretty,” she says.

Hussainy loves cream blush for beginners because it practically melts into the complexion. "It's incredibly forgiving," she says. "You can apply it with your fingertips for a fresh, skin-like finish." Ward agrees that cream blush is one of the easiest formulas to start with because it blends effortlessly and builds gradually versus depositing all its color at once.

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Merit

Flush Balm

$30

Sephora

All three artists recommend tapping—not rubbing—cream blush into the skin. But even if you apply it straight from the stick, you can easily succeed in creating a natural-looking flush. Hussainy likes placing color on the apples of the cheeks before blending up toward the temples for a lifted effect. Ward uses a similar approach, building the color slowly in thin layers.

Patinkin also offers an easy placement trick: “Make sure you stay one finger's width away from the bottom of the eyes to avoid getting into fine lines, and try not to apply lower than nostril level as this can make the cheeks appear droopy.”

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Bronzer: Cream bronzer

Gunderman before applying cream bronzerPhoto: Courtesy of subjectGunderman after applying Rare Beauty Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer StickPhoto: Courtesy of subjectWhat makes it beginner-friendly?

"A cream bronzer is much easier to blend than powder," says Hussainy. "It gives warmth without looking harsh."

Ward likes cream bronzers for the same reason: They melt into the complexion, making harsh lines far less likely than with traditional bronzing powders. Because they remain blendable longer, you have plenty of time to soften edges before they set.

The goal isn't dramatic contouring; rather, it's just re-creating the warmth your skin would naturally get from spending time outside.

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Rare Beauty

Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer Stick

$30

Ulta Beauty

$30

Sephora

Ultimately, proper placement is all about where the sun would naturally hit your face. But you wear sunscreen, of course, so if you need a reminder, that means lightly around the forehead, temples, cheeks, and jawline. Blend thoroughly with a sponge or fluffy brush. Hussainy emphasizes that you should never be able to see exactly where the bronzer starts or stops.

Editor-approved cream bronzersSave to wishlistSave to wishlist

RMS Beauty

Buriti Bronzer

$33

Amazon

$35

Nordstrom

$25

Ulta Beauty

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Chanel

Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream

$61

Ulta Beauty

Lip Color: Glossy tinted balm

Gunderman before applying tinted lip balmPhoto: Courtesy of subjectGunderman after applying E.L.F. Cosmetics Glow Reviver Melting Lip BalmPhoto: Courtesy of subjectWhat makes it beginner-friendly?

With lip products, there are probably more format and color options than in any other category. So why punish yourself with a matte, purple stain and contrasting contour when you can take it easy with a shiny, tinted balm?

"A tinted balm or glossy lip color is the easiest starting point," says Hussainy. Because these formulas are hydrating and semi-sheer, they don't require perfectly crisp edges or frequent mirror checks throughout the day. Says Ward, they're comfortable and flattering, and they enhance your natural lip color instead of completely covering it.

"I love a nourishing tinted balm like the Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm,” says Hussainy. “It gives beautiful color while keeping lips hydrated."

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E.L.F. Cosmetics

Glow Reviver Melting Lip Balm

$9 $8 (11% off)

Amazon

$9

Ulta Beauty

Choose a shade that's close to your natural lip color. According to Hussainy, you can swipe it straight from the tube and lightly tap around the edges with your fingertip for a foolproof finish.

Ward suggests you seek out a shade that mimics the natural tone of your lips. He recommends hydrating lips before applying color (your favorite colorless lip balm will do) and starting from the center of the mouth before blending out.

Unlike a bold, matte lipstick, you don't need perfect precision. If you can apply Chapstick, you can apply a tinted balm. And even if you apply nothing else, it serves as one of the easiest confidence-boosting products in any makeup bag.

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