Older Sister Advice: Makeup

By: Melody Lau

People often have a love-hate relationship with makeup.

On one hand, it’s fun to put on — turning your face into a blank canvas and allowing you to experiment with different colours and designs.

But on the other hand, makeup can be expensive, time-consuming and it may not react well with your skin.

Makeup certainly isn’t for everyone and it doesn’t need to be, but if you’re looking to explore different kinds of makeup products for the first time, we are excited to share some advice for you.

Not to be dramatic or anything but your first makeup experience is a pretty monumental moment.

I remember the first time I wore makeup in middle school, I just used my mom’s products secretly since I didn’t want her to know I wanted to try wearing makeup. 

She would always tell me that makeup would ruin my skin if I started at a young age, but I was so obsessed with makeup tutorials on Youtube that I wanted to try out something simple for myself. 

Although I had only put on a rosy pink eyeshadow and attempted to curl my lashes, my friends had still noticed that I was wearing makeup and I felt embarrassed. I was unsure if it was a good thing that they noticed or if I was even doing it properly.

My mom noticed my eyeshadow as well when I went home and laughed at how my makeup was even. Instead of lecturing me, she decided to take me to Walmart to pick out some beauty products of my own. 

I definitely recommend being open with your older sibling, friend or parental figure about wanting to try on makeup, as I’m sure they’ll be happy to give you some guidance.

If you’re just getting into makeup, you don’t need much. Sure, you may be inspired by your favourite influencers but there’s a lot of learning and baby steps involved.

I recommend starting with the basics such as concealer, mascara, eyelash curler and lip makeup.

Concealer

Personally, I don’t think foundation is needed and concealer is enough to cover up pimples or any marks on your skin. All you have to do is dab a few dots on your face and blend it away with a beauty blender. Concealer is also better for your skin by letting it breathe instead of painting your face with a heavy foundation. 

Be sure to go to local stores to test out different concealers to find your perfect shade match and to see if it’s actually effective in covering up red marks or if it’s too cakey. Also, if you want to cover up dark circles under your eyes, make sure to get a shade lighter than your usual!

Mascara + Eyelash Curler

Mascara is a staple for many. It’s simple — and with just a few waves of the wand, the product easily brightens your eyes. I know an eyelash curler can look intimidating, but I think it’s an essential pair with mascara. Whenever I put on mascara without my eyelash curler, my eyelashes tend to get more clumpy without the eye-opening effect.

A tip is to swipe your mascara wand on the tip of the bottle (every edge of the wand)  to avoid too much product and clumpiness. Too much product or swipes on your eyelashes will either create spider-like lashes or cause you to smudge under your eyes. 

For mascara, I also usually purchase the waterproof edition, as I noticed the product lasts much longer and it also smudges less. It’s more difficult to take off at night, which is why you also need a great makeup remover, whether it’s the cloths or a liquid.

Lip Makeup

It’s always important to keep your lips moisturized to avoid dry lips and dead skin. Chapstick is obviously great, but it’s also nice to try a lipstick after you put on your usual chapstick to add a pop of colour. 

There are many forms of lip makeup, from lip gloss to lipstick. There are benefits to each, such as lip gloss is great to add a sharp shine but it can also be sticky. With lipstick, colour really comes out but it may be too light or dark for your liking.

As you can see, there are so many variations within even the simplest forms of makeup products. I think the best is to try out products with friends or family members and have fun experimenting.

You may also discover that Makeup may not be for you and that’s totally okay. When you’re rocking your confidence, you’re glowing on the inside and out!

If you have any makeup tips, favourite looks that you’re excited to try out or want to share what you don’t like about makeup, be sure to message us or just say hi on IG! Please remember that no questions are ever embarrassing or too awkward. 

About the Author:

Melody was a Master’s student in Journalism and Communication at Western and hopes to pursue a career in entertainment or investigative journalism. She also loves Letterboxd, country music and is excited to be a part of the Apricotton Team! Connect with her here.