Lately I've been low-key browsing make-up and - now that I'm slowly getting into a situation when I can purchase nice things - I've been getting some interest in playing with it; two brands that are on my "wish-list" as of right now are E.L.F. Cosmetics & Anatasia Beverly Hills. What are your favorite brands? What ones do you recommend or avoid and why?

I'm completely new to this, so any tips as well about it is greatly welcomed.

Thanks! :)

Boop.

Well. I recommend an ipsy subscription first and foremost. That'll let you try basically everything. All the girls in my house get one and I've got one for pretty much just skincare and eyeliners. 

Just playing with theirs and helping with some more special effects kind of shit, there's the alt Staples, Urban decay and Kat von d. I've seen some nice things out of tarte and Anastasia Beverly hills. Fenty is pretty much the go to for foundation of you have a challenging skin tone. RiRi wasnt fucking around when she said she was making a shade for everybody. I haven't been impressed with elf or nyx in years (though elf does have my favorite cheap black lipstick that I'll still wear occasionally). Pretty much I only dabble in the more out there colors since I'm usually doing something for cosplay or some kind of special event or costume. 

I will say fuck Urban decay's naked pallet. Maybelline makes an awesome dupe that I feel has more versatility than any of the naked versions.

Link Tree

I'm not a huge make-up person but the Urban Decay Naked 2 eyeshadow palette is my all-time favorite. I use Avon for eye liner, foundation, and some other basics because my mom is a sales person. It works but is nothing special I would say.

To preface this, I'm not a HUGE makeup person, but I have tried a fair share of brands over the past 10 years and these are the ones that stand out to me so far! I also 100% recommend an ipsy or other type of makeup subscription box as Chao stated. I was able to experience a lot of brands that way that I would've normally not bothered to due to the product prices.

TARTE - This is probably my favorite brand. Everything from this brand is so SMOOTH and light that you don't really feel like you're wearing makeup. Their lip sticks are the BEST for comfortable wearing, but they do not stay well over long periods without retouching. Their clay eyeshadow palettes blend really well and their metallic eyeshadows really POP.
Personal Recommendation: https://www.ulta.com/lippie-lingerie-matte-tint?productId=xlsImpprod13971129

URBAN DECAY - This brand is my ultimate weakness next to Tarte, but can get pricey. The products are just 100% quality for the price you pay for them. It's actually really hard to only recommend ONE item. Their eye pencils, mascara, primers, and eyeshadows are just amazing.
Personal Recommendation: https://www.ulta.com/original-eyeshadow-primer-potion?productId=xlsImpprod3330137

NYX - Another great brand and on the more affordable side. Their Matte Finish Makeup Setting Spray is amazing and I tend to like their foundations more than other brands for my skin type. Their concealers are worth mentioning too.
Personal Recommendation: https://www.ulta.com/matte-finish-makeup-setting-spray?productId=xlsImpprod5050031

TOO FACED - Alright, so this brand is pretty reliable, but it is definitely a bit pricey. I have tried the mascara, eyeshadow, face primer, bronzer, and brow pencils. I'm not sure I'd recommend it over the other three above though. 
Personal Recommendation: https://www.ulta.com/sweet-peach-eyeshadow-palette?productId=xlsImpprod13941029

MAC - Ah, this brand. Pricey as fuck, but honestly amazing quality. They have some of the smoothest, blendable, highly pigmented eyeshadows you can buy. The primers are perfect. The Matte Lipstick is on point. I have yet to try their foundations, but I've heard great things.
Personal Recommendation: https://www.ulta.com/art-library-palette-flame-boyant?productId=pimprod2004212

BAREMINERALS - Still one of my favorite go-to foundations for light coverage day to day. It's fast, it's effective.. I highly recommend it!
Personal Recommendation: https://www.ulta.com/original-foundation-broad-spectrum-spf-15?productId=VP11362

ELF - I'm going to be a bit of a naysayer regarding this one. I have not loved everything I've purchased from ELF and definitely would NOT recommend their eye shadows. They do not blend well, build well, or have any significant pigment. However, their primers are okay and their tools are pretty good considering how cheap they are.
Personal Recommendation: https://www.ulta.com/primer-infused-blush?productId=pimprod2003079

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS - I have not tried a lot of this brand, but I purchased this eyeshadow palette back in September of last year and it has been my go to ever since. It blends amazing and the colors are subtle but still rich and can be built up for a more dramatic flair. I definitely plan on trying out more of this brand in the future. 
Personal Recommendation: https://www.ulta.com/soft-glam-eyeshadow-palette?productId=xlsImpprod17841007


And just because, here are some of my favorite skin care brands.

FIRST AID BEAUTY: Oh my god. This brand is so good! I have mildly acne prone skin and using this brands products, sometimes even without ache medicated products, kept my skin so smooth and acne-free. TRY THEM SERIOUSLY.
Personal Recommendation: 
1. https://www.sephora.com/product/facial-radiance-pads-P278317?icid2=firstaidbeauty_bestsellers_us_productcarousel_ufe:p278317:product
2. https://www.sephora.com/product/hello-fab-coconut-skin-smoothie-priming-moisturizer-P415237?icid2=firstaidbeauty_bestsellers_us_productcarousel_ufe:p415237:product
3. https://www.sephora.com/product/ultra-repair-cream-intense-hydration-P248407?icid2=firstaidbeauty_bestsellers_us_productcarousel_ufe:p248407:product

MURAD: This brand blew me away. The best acne products I've tried and just generally great feeling after I've used them. There is a 30 day trial of all of the acne control line if you want to try it out before committing to full size bottles. I didn't need the whole set in the end. The Oil-Control Mattifier moisturizer is simply the best product I've ever tried in my entire life.
Personal Recommendation: 
1. https://www.sephora.com/product/clarifying-cleanser-P4016?icid2=murad_bestsellers_us_productcarousel_ufe:p4016:product
2. https://www.sephora.com/product/oil-control-mattifier-spf-15-pa-P227801?icid2=products grid:p227801:product
3. https://www.sephora.com/product/essential-c-cleanser-P9941?icid2=products grid:p9941:product
4. https://www.sephora.com/product/essential-c-day-moisture-spf-30-broad-spectrum-spf-30-pa-P9940?icid2=products grid:p9940:product


I like how I prefaced this with "I'm not that much of a makeup person" then proceeded to write an entire story about more makeup brands than most people would probably recognize. LOL

Some scattered opinions/anecdotes:

- Anastasia brow products are delightful!
- Tarte foundation and setting/minderal powder are great - the foundation is very full-coverage but doesn't break me out like others.
- Too Faced has some cute products - the palettes are meh for the price (my favorite is the "Natural Eyes") but I love their mascara.
- Fenty - I haven't personally gotten to try anything from them yet but I'm planning on getting my next foundation from their selection since my shade is hard to match.
- Kat Von D - I won't buy/support her products bc I have issues with her... The eyeliner is pretty decent but the foundation line oxidized terribly orange/yellow on my skin :(
- IT cosmetics makes some great skincare products (facewash especially) and I have an eyebrow pencil/crayon from them that I love
- Will second that Murad makes some of the best acne treatments!!! (Mario Badescu is also good.)

I don't wear nearly as much makeup as I used to, especially since I finally seem to have my skincare routine down so I don't have constant pizzaface. Splashing a lot of money out on fun and fancy makeup is a waste if you don't have a good skincare plan as your foundation imo. Depending on your skintype and needs (acne, dry skin, redness, etc.) get a solid cleanser (CeraVe is my favorite), toner (I use Thayer's Witch Hazel Rose Petal toner), AM and PM moisturizer that suits your needs (Yes to Carrots w/SPF for AM, Neutrogena Oil-Free Combination Skin for PM). Add to that any sort of ointments or treatments you might want to use (a salicylic acid scrub or benzoyl peroxide spot treatment for acne, acid peel pads for anti-aging, etc.) and it's the start of a whole routine. There are soooo many resources out there online for finding what products work for you - I'd just start with the basic wash/tone/moisturize routine until you figure out your favorites!

I definitely second Mero's point about having a great skincare routine and products before investing in expensive makeup! Paying more for skincare is wayyyy more worth it. (:

One thing I would like to add is exfoliating! I agree with all the players here that I have said skin care is your first step, and it ABSOLUTELY IS! You would be amazed at what you're skin will look and feel like with a good routine, with really nice products!

I exfoliate 1-2x per week, usually a mild exfoliant that contains only natural ingredients, like walmnut shell. You gently scrub and leave on for about 5 minutes and then wash off, followed immediately by a mousterizer.

also *scren shots prynnes posts and saves for later* way to go on breaking it down girl! jfc xD

First of all, I agree that a good skincare routine goes a long way to having a nice base to work on. My cosmetologist friend has given me lots of tips xD Wash and moisturize daily. Exfoliation depends on your skin type, and so do masks.

For both makeup and skincare, don't just buy things because your friends love the product. It might work for their skin, but be a waste of money on yours. Hence the makeup subscription box being a great idea. If you can spare the money, go get at least a consultation from a cosmetologist. A facial treatment is fun, too :D but anyway, the point is to find out your skin type in order to choose the right skincare products for you. You don't necessarily need the most expensive products, just the right kind.

Makeup has been pretty iffy for me. I've tried lots of drugstore stuff and the only stuff that doesn't ruin my skin or bother my eyes is from Nyx. For foundation, my favorite so far is Urban Decay Naked Skin. I top it with a powder from Nars to set it. I agree with others who love Anastasia Beverly Hills for brows! For eyeshadows, Too Faced and UD are my favorites still. Some people hate the Naked palettes, but I'm not adventurous with eyeshadow colors so they make me happy. Naked 3 has a lot of fallout, but Naked Smoky is nice! I love Kat Von D for her liquid lipstick, but I prefer Stila's liquid eyeliner. UD also makes good lipsticks... I love UD's All-Nighter setting spray.

One last thing: watch Youtube makeup videos, they give a lot of tips and tell about their opinions on the millions of products they get to try.

You don't necessarily need the most expensive products, just the right kind. THIS! Very good point, Tana!

Also, I totally forgot about Stila. They're great too! Especially the liquid liners as Tana said. I just don't typically use liquid liners.

@Phis LOL I kind of went overboard. XD Shhh.

 I do have to agree with not supporting Kat Von D on a personal basis. Look into it if that's something that would bother you. All products of hers my household has have been gifts as she's ah... A controversial person.

I know we have a lot of first aid beauty/Murad skin care items floating around too.

Link Tree

I use Nyx products for my brows.

I sincerely recommend EM Cosmetics brush tip eyeliner. I've tried so many liquid liner pens and this is hands down, by far, the best one I've ever tried.

I'm ride or die for Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara (and I don't care what anyone says, but L'Oréal Lash Paradise is NOT an acceptable dupe for it, the brush isn't as good and the formula is not the same).

I like Pacifica or Urban Decay or Colourpop eye shadows.

My favorite lip products on the planet were Smith & Cult lip flattes, but they've been discontinued (although I hope they come back before I run out of my colors!). Juiva's Place has some decent lip colors!

I also really am loving MAC strobe cream highlighter right now.

And I use a Model & Co contour stick which I really like for my cheekbones.

I will not support Kat Von D because she's got a history of antisemitism and associating with people who have histories of antisemitism, Jeffree Star because he's got a history of making racist comments, or Limecrime because the owner has a shady history that I don't even fully remember but you can Google it if you're interested.

Also Glossier Balm Dot Com is excellent to go under liquid lipsticks. Just a super thin layer.

I rarely, if ever, wear foundation, but when I do I just use maybelline because it's a better match for my skin than any other brand including higher end ones.

These are all amazing suggestions & tips! Thank-you all so much!

I will definitely be looking into all of this throughout the summer when I start working. :)

Love you all! ❤

Honestly, everything I now know about makeup, I learned from youtube. If I did have to pick one brand to buy things the rest of my life from, it'd be Makeup Revolution (found online and at Ulta Beauty). Cheap while also providing great products and actually have lots of dupes of other high-end products.

Youtube is super helpful in that you can find tips for makeup brands that help with your skin type - Oily, Combination, Dry...

I started watching Casey Holmes back in the day because we have the same problems with oily, sensitive skin and I can basically go off of what she recommends will probably also work for me. 

You can search for "best drugstore ____" or "best high-end ____" "....for oily skin" "....for combination skin", etc

I echo what others have said that there's excellent products both from the drug store as well as high-end makeup. And I really love to watch the youtubers that love to find items from both areas as a lot of times I don't wanna throw down $25 for a concealer. :P