Hello! Well, this year, 10th grade, I've decided to start wearing makeup. However, I'm pretty much clueless as to how to start out! Any help would be much appreciated. Okay, so, I'm 15 years old, have lighter brown hair, freckles on my nose, and light brown/green eyes, though not hazel. My skin is, well, not fair, but not dark. It's more like...pale tan-ish? I'm not sure how to describe it. Anyways, I currently use Covergirl Smoothers Tinted Moisturizer in Light-Medium, but that doesn't give a lot of coverage. Help, please!Thank you very much!

I'm just a little older than you, but only this year have I started wearing makeup. So far what I use is Clinique foundation and coverup and CoverGirl LashBlast mascara. Lately, if I'm going to a party or something, I've been getting brave and putting on more makeup. I have Almay's "Play Up the Hazel" eyeshadow, Rimmel's Professionaly Liquid Eye Liner, and Benefit's BeneTint lip color. But of course I never wear them all at one time. I choose which of the three I want to use and then stick with that. And I got all of these at either WalMart or Macy's.

hello, amelia! do you need foundation? at your age that may not be necessary (do you acne and are trying to cover up?) i would suggest if you do like the coverage you try mineral makeup. it's more subtle and looks great. it's summer, everything is fresh, i would suggest a great mascara like clinique's "high impact" and a cream blush (or powder if you prefer, in a pinkish tone like "dame" from MAC) that you can double as a lipstain as well, which is done by moisturizing your lips and applying with your fingers. very soft, very beautiful look. i use mine as a bit of color on the upper eyelid as well (i got the inspiration from a jcrew catalog where the model had similar coloring to me) and i love the look. i also do that with a plum color.
another suggestion is you go to MAC and tell them what kind of look/makeup you'd like to have. they'll teach you how to apply it, show you which colors look good on you and you can come out of the experience more confident about how to apply or what looks good on you.

Thank you so much! Yes, I have acne on my forehead, mostly. The tinted moisturizer that I use is just not cutting it, and since I'll be going to highschool this year, I'd really rather not start off with a spotty face. Thank you for your suggestions!

a tinted moisturizer may be counterproductive, mineral powder, being powder, will control moisture on your skin and absorb it better. also, if you wear bangs, (and who isn't nowadays?!) this could help, as the oil that is on your hair naturally may be making it a bit worse.
if you make a scrub of plain yogurt and and sea salt and lemon juice and exfoliate daily and use it as a mask for 10 minutes in the am and before bed your acne will improve within a month.

good luck and tell us how you do!

If you've got acne, you need to treat it, not just cover it. That may be a very simple and inexpensive thing to do.

Witch hazel is a good astringent, and available cheaply. You can also moisten a cotton pad with water and then add a little tea tree oil, which you can get at Target for about $5 for a 2 oz bottle. Since you use it by the drop basically, it will last a long time.

Yes, I second treating the acne. Also there are ingredients in foundation that can actually aggravate acne - Here is an interesting article on that subject. I would recommend searching out some acne-friendly foundations. I don't know of any offhand, but I know there are some out there that contain salicylic acid, which is a common ingredient in over the counter acne preventing products.

Mineral makeup is supposed to help with acne, even though I didn't care for it myself. If you live in a big city, there is usually one in a mall where you can get a free application. I felt like it was too cakey, even though it's supposed to be sheer coverage...my two girlfriends that I went with agreed. We also went to the Aveda Institute on our girl's weekend and had our hair, nails, and makeup done, and everyone agreed that the Aveda makeup was great. It's all natural, so it felt light and it stayed on all day long. If you try any over the counter brands, I would suggest Physician's Formula, since it is also supposed to be good for your skin. You mamy just need to combine a tinted moisturizer with a little bit of powder. Remember not to wear too much makeup, or it will look like you are playing dresss up. Mascara and foundation is pry enough for someone your age.

and beware that some of those oil-fighing foundations can also dry out/flake the rest of the skin as well, resulting in a not so healthy look~ ah, so much small print, ey?

shoediva, I am a fan of mineral makeup. I don't find it cakey at all, unless you apply too much of it (but then again any makeup can be cakey if you apply too much). I find it far more natural and less heavy than liquid makeup by far. A little goes a long way with the mineral makeup, plus the less other ingredients it has in it (other than minerals) the better. It takes some skill to find the best way to apply it to achieve the best coverage with a small amount. Several of my friends and acquaintances use the mineral makeup and considering that we are in our 40s and 50s, that says a lot because the last thing you want at this age is cakey, unnatural makeup that settles into lines and wrinkles, but you do want good coverage.

My daugter is 16 and going into grade 11. She has acne as well. She is a huge MAC fan. I don't know what she buys by way of product but I can tell when she applies it well and when she 'just slaps it on'. There is a big difference so once you find something that works for you, I would suggest you take the proper time and use the techniques you learned to make sure you apply it well so that it looks good.

I'm 44 and use Merle Norman. I like all their products but they only have a couple of stores in my city and their hours aren't always convenient. I've previously used Clinique and Lancome. A while back I tried a MAC foundation (MAC is in every shopping mall - convenient!) but found it had yellow undertones that didn't work for me so I threw it away.

Yesterday my daughter needed more makeup so I went with her to MAC. I noticed they had spray foundation - much like what Carmindy uses on the show. I asked about the spray foundation. (I notice that when Carmindy uses it on the show, the MO's face looks shiny at the end.) The MAC representative told me that the spray foundation was for dry or normal skin and that yes, it tends to be shiny.

I told her my skin tended to oily so I would like a pressed powder foundation that is non-oily. She suggested something and I bought it. I also bought a liquid concealer.

I tried both for the first time today. The concealer is great. The colour of the foundation was a perfect match to my skin but my face has been slick and shiny all day from this supposedly non-oily pressed powder foundation. I've been blotting all day! I don't know if they take product back but I'm thinking of going back with my shiny face and seeing if I can get something else.

makeup newbie, the more you try, the more you learn what will work for you or not. Your skin will change throughout your life. As you can see, even when you are in your 40's you still have try things, plus the products are always changing so it's always good to try something new every now and again and try the products that come with the makeup bonuses.

zebra1, before you rush to return it...ask thyself...shiny or dewy?
two different adjectives. at our age, dewy is fresh and youthful.
test drive it for a couple of days before you decide, or wait for feedback. (gee you look good today. hey, what up with your skin?)
*you will know*. ;p
some products are designed to deflect the light (via dewy shine) to hide lines/play with the light/make you look all those wonderful things, so really, try it a few days, follow with a rosy cheek and lips, mascara and see what happens.

signed
the makeup - fairy ;p

zebra1, before you rush to return it...ask thyself...shiny or dewy?
two different adjectives. at our age, dewy is fresh and youthful.
test drive it for a couple of days before you decide, or wait for feedback. (gee you look good today. hey, whatupwithyour skin?)
*you will know*. ;p
some products are designed to deflect the light (via dewy shine) to hide lines/play with the light/make you look all those wonderful things, so really, try it a few days, follow with a rosy cheek and lips, mascara and see what happens.

signed
the makeup fairie ;p

Thank you so much for all of the fabulous help! So, all weekend I was checking out this "Bare Minerals" stuff, and I have decided that it would be awesome to have. However, being 15 and not receiving a whole lot of money for babysitting, I'm not so sure that I want to spend $60+ on makeup. So, are there any quality products that I can find at Wal-mart/Walgreens that you know of? Particularly mineral foundation?

Even at my age (43), I have sensitive skin and will still break out if I use the wrong products. The secret is to use really good skin cleansing/moisturizing products. It's worth the money to buy even just 2 products as your base, and I have honestly found that I can use less expensive makeup if the cleansing/moisturizing routine is one that suits your skin type.

Lancome makes a product called Gel Radiance...it uses to be called Gel Clarte.
It's a clarifying cleanser and a little goes a long, long way. It feels like I've tried every cleanser on the market, and I always come back to this one. It's not too expensive, and I only buy it twice a year, sometimes longer. There's a Toner which has the same name. It's important to exfoliate your skin, but at your age not as much. Toner's can over-dry, which can stimulate *more* oil production. But I do use one in the T-zone when my skin needs it.

Do this day and night. Really, it's true that good skin prep work resolves many skin problems, like acne. So - the makeup question . Shoediva suggested Physicians Formula, and that is available at Wal-greens/drugstores. Also, L'Oreal is a sister company of Lancome, and I've found that these foundations work very well on my skin. I know there's alot of poo-ha ha about liquid foundation looking fake and heavy, but I love mine. I use a L'Oreal 'Infalliable' and have found an excellent match to my skintone. Most people think I don't even wear makeup. And at my age, that's something. It does not clog my pores, which is the problem I have with most foundations, and it's reasonably priced. I have a translucent powder that I very lightly dust on my nose and forehead if it looks too oily, not 'dewy'.

I'm not a fan of any Mineral makeup, as some others here have said too... it's too drying for my skin type and tends to settle in the creases, rather than float over them. And, it causes the oily areas break-out.

If you're acne doesn't clear with regular cleansing, it would be worth it to check with a Dermatologist. I'd be really careful about using any products with salicylic acid, or harsher, unless you're under a Doctor's supervision. Because these products can cause your skin to get red and scale, and then we try to counter that by applying too much moisturizer, which causes breakouts, which starts the cycle all over again... I've done that too many times until I got the right combo of products.

good luck!!

Right now, I use that Proactiv solution stuff, and I'm pretty disappointed with it. I mean, since I've been using it, the acne on my cheeks has cleared up, but I still break out on my forehead. I don't understand why it doesn't work for me! My mom and sister use it, and they say that their faces have definitely cleared up. That's what the rest of the Proactiv users seem to say, too! My skin can't be that special or different from everyone else's! If my forehead acne improved, my foundation dilemma would be solved, because that's the only reason I felt the need to wear it. Thank you very much for your suggestions, Elle. : )

amelia - there have been a couple posts on this site about skin care - Proactiv in particular. Bottom line IMO is that all changes in skin care regimen take a number of weeks to "kick in" so to speak. So dont give up faith on Proactiv too quickly! Also, it doesnt work for everyone! If you've been using it for more than a month it may be worth it to try something new. Even better? you can give the stuff you didnt use to your mom or sister if its working for them! Another lesson to be learned? What works for one person doesnt always work for another - even if they have the same skin type and problems. Unfortunately everyone needs to find what works for them. What makes it even harder is that this can change over time

Now that I'm done with that rant - I'll let you know what works for me with the disclaimer that it may not work for you. I use Paula's Choice cleanser, exfoliator, blemish cream, and sunscreen (I also have a mask, toner, and moisturizer that I use only when I need to) Her website is a wealth of information so even if your not interested in the products I suggest you check it out. I use Physicians formula talc free mineral powder. Its not high coverage, but I believe the brand makes foundations as well that should have more coverage. I've had good luck with it and the tiny jar is lasting FOREVER! After you find a good foundation that works for you, you can play with the rest of your make-up. Keep it simple as you figure out what works for you. A brown or clear mascara might look more natural than the more common black ones. Sephora makes a good waterproof brown one that is only around $10. Lip gloss is also my friend, I like AVON lip glosses - they go on sale all the time! Playing with make-up is fun once you get started!
Good luck!

amelia, I don't think you've said whether or not you have bangs or part your hair on the side so that it swoops across your forehead. If the Proactiv worked on the rest of your face then maybe if you have bangs or sideswooped hair, that is why it isn't working on your forehead.

It sounds like you might need some sort of light foundation for your forehead for fall. Every cosmetic line will claim to have something for your circumstances.
I wonder if you took some time over the summer to visit the cosmetic counters explaining what you are looking for and seeing if they have samples of the product for you to try before you buy, then maybe you'll find something you like without having to invest in the product until you've decided you like it.
Foundations are pricey but if you can work off testers for the summer then maybe by fall you'll only have to buy one. Perhaps more babysitting over the summer will cover the cost? Maybe your birthday is this summer and you can ask for 'makeup money'? Maybe your parent/guardian will help with the cost?

Oh, and message to makeup fairie ilibaby...I've been wearing this MAC foundation all week to see if perhaps it's 'dewy' and not 'oily'. I think you may be right.
The first day I wore it I had to be outside all day it was super hot out - not a good day to test. I've since been wearing it in 'normal' circumstances and it does appear to be 'dewy'. I have to blot around 6 or 7 at night but other than that my skin does have a nice glow. I've worn matte makeup forever and I find this to be a nice change. I'm keeping it after all! Thanks ilibaby!

A suggestion for the application of makeup - since you are just starting out, and you need to learn the basics, I suggest purchasing a good book about makeup. I understand Carmindy has a book, and there are several by my personal favorite makeup artist, the late Kevyn Aucoin. Many of these books include lots of pictures and diagrams, and are just full of information useful to the inexperienced makeup user.

oooh, zebra1 thanks for the feedback! i'm soo glad it worked out for you!!! i love the dewy look, much better than the dry/flaky look, especially the older i get. lol usually the drier the makeup the more it tends to settle in the lines. i am a faithful exfoliator. here weather is so dry i have to do stuff to combat dry skin, one of which is wearing a thin/mixed with moist face layer of sweet almond oil, which i let my skin absorb for 5 minutes. (after exfoliating), then do spot concealer and under eyes, sides of nose/folds. wait a few minutes, then i do my mineral foundation, followed by the rest. when i hear about mineral foundation settling into lines/looking dry- woes i immediately think that the skin wasn't properly hydrated prior to application. if you live in a humid environment the air is already helping you preserve your skin moist. lucky! ;p
have a great day~

Alas, I do have bangs. And I wear them down to cover up my forehead! Go figure! Thank you so much for all of the help. There's actually a Sephora makeup counter thing at JCPenney's that I might go and check out. Oh. About mascara. I've gone completely makeup CRAZY after posting this and getting all of these fantastic suggestions, and I've looked up some mascaras on walgreens.com. I found one from Maybelline; Lash Discovery(waterproof) and thought it was cool because of the itty bitty brush. Has anyone tried this before? It was the one I was planning on buying. : )

I have fair, blotchy, sensitive, dry, eczema patched skin. I have used Aveeno for many years and have been happy with it. Plus, you don't need to go to a high end department store for it.
I use bare minerals and only found it cakey when the cakey faced woman over applied it. Many cosmetic companies are getting on the mineral band wagon. Check out L'Oreal and Covergirl. I like Maybelline mascara over any other. I tried a Maybelline mascara that had the itty bitty brush and I tossed it out, clumpy!
Here's the best advice I was given when I was younger: start light, blend, don't go heavy on the dark eye liner, clean your face completely before bed. I'm obsessed with healthy skin! Hope this helps.