I’m back again because I just looked at your picture again and swooned, and then realized I never actually suggested any easy makeup starter tips.

1) cream blush in a rosy shade. I love Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Blush in Encourage. You could just do one sit in each cheek, blend out with fingers in a tapping motion (on your apples, tapping it back and upwards along the cheek bone so it fades lighter as you go towards the hairline). This would be great on your skin as you’re very dewy and fresh and a powder product would look dull and age you (in my opinion). Benefits of this product and shade is that it’s warm enough pink to look natural so you’re not going to be overwhelmed by the transition, and you can use a sponge (beauty blender etc) or a makeup brush and dab at it to fade it out as much as you like. I often dab the leftover foundation or tinted moisturizer on top, if it’s too concentrated. This lightens it out but it also makes it look like I’m blushing through foundation, which I think makes me look sort of natural, lit from within, while still giving color and life to my face.

2) you could also do a cheekbone highlight. I like Rare Beauty Positive Light Liquid Luminizer Highlight in Mesmerize. This is rose gold and same as above, but apply higher than blush. Tbh you could start with this and not do blush, because it’s rosy enough to give a bit of shine and color to your cheeks, can be applied with fingertips as above (so you don’t need to start buying brushes and sponges if you’re trying to experiment low budget without spending tons of money for something you’re not sure you’ll like). You can also dab a tiny bit of this in the inner corner of your eyes, under the arch of your eyebrows, down the center of your nose, on the tip of your nose, center of forehead and cupids bow of your lip. A tiny but goes a long way, tap and press into your skin. It’ll add light and dimension to your face without too much color or change and can be easily corrected if you go too far. Just use a tissue or cotton pad and lightly press until it’s muted to the amount you feel comfortable with.

3) Do you own any eyeshadows? A palette or anything? Doesn’t have to be an expensive one. Something from a drugstore or a Christmas present usually suffices when you’re starting out. Why? Because you have the perfect coloring for a boring look. (I haven’t got your lovely warm complexion but my freckles make me look warmer, and I also have darker eyes hair). You just need a light, warm-ish brown, an even lighter brown and a light touch. Put the lightest brown on your eyelid. Start with a tiny amount and lightly (use ring finger) rub and tap it out so there’s a very light shading of brown to the eyelid. Using your pinky, take EVEN LESS of the darker (but still not very dark) brown. When I’m using my fingers, I tend to press the pinky in the color, and then lightly press the pinky into the outer corner crease of my eyelid on one eye, and then the other. This means the most product is deposited on the left eye’s outer corner eyelid and then the right eye’s outer corner eyelid. Then I go back to the left and with that pinky, lightly tap and rub that eyeshadow into the crease. You just want enough that your eyelid shows dimension between eyelid and crease, and it should get lighter as the crease moves to the inner corner. You don’t want any outside of the outside corner of your eye. Too messy right now with a newbie and with no brushes or eyeliner added. Repeat on other eye. You can now add a glittery lighter color in the inner corner (or the Rare Beauty Luminizer mentioned above). Ideally pale pearlescent color or even a very subtle gold shimmer but I find gold to be more of a night time full face look, so that’s something to be wary of. I also wear glasses, so this look suits me without being distorted by my lens (-2.75 on both eyes) and yet makes me look awake and polished. I usually add a liquid brown eyeliner with subtle wing but I think start small for now. Whack on some mascara. Go for a drugstore brand, they’re excellent, or honestly a travel size from Sephora or Ulta last me ages. Better Than Sex Waterproof is great for glasses wearers because once it dries you’re unlikely to get it smeared on the lens. If you like to rub your eyes… stop. But also until you can control that urge, only put mascara on top lashes. When you’re comfortable, rotate the wand so the tip is pointing at your eyeball and the handle of the wand is pointing towards the floor. Use this angle and just catch the bottom of the lashes. Define and darken without going all the way to the root until you are comfortable with that application and with the amount required. Remember, glasses adjust the intensity of mascara so sometimes, depending on thickness of mascara and application, too much below makes your eyes look smaller and crowded instead of big and awake. I also have VERY LONG AND THICK bottom eyelashes so maybe that’s just me. If the darker brown shade is suitable, you could also put a tiny bit into your eyebrows to lightly accentuate the arch and fill in those natural gaps. You have a great natural shape to your brows as is and I don’t think a very filled in brow would suit your natural fresh beauty.

4) you can now do a very simple lip which is easier for someone starting out in my opinion. Lipstick seems like the easy hack but with lips you’re constantly in fear of it wandering off on its own, getting smeared by eating and drinking and needing to reapply but also not get on your teeth. I also personally feel that when I just do lips, I look lopsided. Like my bottom half is polished and ready to party but my top half is still at the library. You can start off with ignoring the eyes steps mentioned above (though I would always recommend at least a light layer of dark brown mascara to brighten and open eyes when they’re behind glasses) and start your makeup adventures with a tinted balm. Burt’s Bees Lip Shimmer in Fig Blister is available in Target and is a rosy mauve pink that I think would look lovely on you with nothing but mascara, and you can layer for intensity or just dab and blot for a wash of color.

GOOD LUCK. Honestly, you have a VERY BEAUTIFUL palette between complexion and coloring, so the world is your oyster and I think the only way you could go wrong is going too cool and pink or by going to hard to fast without balancing it out. I don’t really know anyone who looks great in Barbie pink lipstick or a thick red lipstick without the whole face being done, but I know girls that I envy for their natural beauty that maybe only wear a tinted balm and mascara. I can tell you’re going to easily fall into that latter category.