How To Apply Makeup Like A Pro: The Ultimate Guide
Makeup Steps Guide 2024: How To Apply Makeup Like A Pro For Beginners
By Khanak Mehta
If you used to watch makeup tutorials online from 2016 to 2019, count yourself as one of the lucky ones. Those videos often covered the basics of makeup and gave detailed breakdowns on the steps of makeup too. But, now almost any and every tutorial we see is all about more advanced techniques like graphic eyeliners, ombre lips, and a supermodel contour.
Well, not to worry, because we’ve got you covered. Whether you’re wondering how to apply makeup, or just need a mini refresher course in your makeup techniques, we’re here to help.
Keep reading to know how to do makeup step by step and get pro-level results!
The key steps of makeup
First of all, let’s be clear – when it comes to makeup, there aren’t any rules in our book. Playing with it is the perfect way to bring out your inner artist and express yourself without any boundaries. That being said, if you’re a fan of an everyday look inspired by your favourite off-duty models, there are a few key steps of makeup to keep in mind.
As a general rule of thumb, it’s best to start off with the right skin prep. With the clean girl look taking over our feeds in the past year, having healthy, glowing skin that shines from underneath your foundation has become paramount.
Follow this up with your face makeup steps – this includes your cheeks too. Move to the eyes, and then finish with your lips. These steps of makeup come in handy especially if you’re planning on playing with colour – once you’ve done one part of your face, you can balance and match the hues on your eyes, or vice versa.
Another good rule to follow is to either focus on your eyes or your lips. Again, if you feel like it, go ahead and go all out with both. But, to maintain balance and draw eyes to your best features, you should ideally pick one and emphasise it.
When it comes to giving your makeup a pro-level finish, the secret lies in perfecting your base. So, here are some of our top tips for your face makeup steps to help you get it right.
Step 1: Use a gentle cleanser
How good your base makeup looks depends on your skin prep. So, start with a smooth canvas by cleansing your skin before the following makeup step—this will help the makeup sit better on your skin. Choose a gentle, hydrating cleanser instead of a heavy-duty one to avoid stripping your skin of its natural oils and moisture.
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Know how: Prep your skin for makeup
Step 2: Prep with moisturiser
Hello, hydration! Applying moisturiser is one of the most important steps of makeup. Choose a gel formula if you have oily skin, and a rich cream formula if you have dry skin. If you have sensitive skin, opt for a fragrance-free pick to make sure your skin doesn’t look and feel irritated after. PS: If you want to save time on your makeup steps, you can even pick up a priming moisturiser that does double duty.
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Step 3: Prime your skin
It’s prime time! Now we’re getting onto the *actual* makeup in our list of full-face makeup steps. A primer helps lay the foundation for the perfect base by filling in pores, hydrating the skin, and aiding the makeup in adhering to the skin better. It also helps your makeup last longer, which is something we all want – after all, you don’t want to put in all that hard work into your look for nothing, right?
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Step 4: Lay the foundation
A foundation helps even out your skin tone, and depending on the finish, gives a matte look or adds a dewy glow, too. Make sure you use a shade that matches you perfectly, and keep in mind your undertones as well. If your natural skin tone is lighter in the winter and deeper in the summer, we suggest picking up two shades from the same line – one darker, and one lighter – and mixing them together to get your perfect shade every time.
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Discover: How to ace your base
Step 5: Conceal and perfect
If you’ve got dark circles, blemishes, or just want to add some definition to your face with a lighter tone, all you need is a concealer. Just one wave of this magical makeup wand, and your skin will look like you just came back from a relaxing spa day. Be sure to start off with a little bit and build it up as you go to avoid looking cakey.
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Step 6: Glow with highlighter
No ‘how to apply face makeup’ guide is ever complete without mentioning highlighter. Add dimension to your face with a silky, shimmery formula sans any chunky glitter. Place it on the highest points of your face to help uplift them and add a glow. You can also place it on the inner corners of your eyes or on your eyelids to make your eyes pop. We bet this is one of your favourite steps of makeup already!
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Shop now: Top rave-worthy highlighters
Top tips for a perfect makeup look
Now that you’ve got your bases covered, literally, with our full-face makeup steps, you can move onto the other steps of makeup. If you feel like adding some colour to your cheeks, reach for a bronzer to add warmth or a blush for a sun-kissed flush.
Want to add even more dimension to your face? Pick up a cool-toned contour powder and channel your inner supermodel by carving out sharp cheekbones for yourself. You can even strategically emphasise certain parts of your face by layering on a second coat of highlighter to create a multi-dimensional glow.
Then, move to eye makeup steps – primer, eyeshadow, eyeliner, kajal, eyebrows, and mascara. Remember, as is the case with your base makeup, an eyeshadow primer will also help prep your lids for makeup and make your look last longer.
Finally, finish with your lipliner and lipstick or gloss, and remember to carry it for touch ups so that you keep looking flawless all day long.
Ready to go pro with your makeup?
Now that you’ve got all the deets on how to apply your makeup, go ahead and try out the makeup steps we’ve put together for you. Remember, practice makes perfect, so if you want to look like a total pro, keep trying this look out till you’ve got it down to a science.
No more wondering, “how to do makeup”!
Steps of makeup 101
Q. What tools should I use to blend my base makeup?
You can use a brush, a makeup sponge, or your fingers. It all depends on the finish you’re going for, and whatever you feel the most comfortable with.
Q. Should I carry anything for touch-ups?
Yes, it’s always a good idea to do so. Carry a pack of blotting papers or a compact powder with a brush to tackle any oily areas, and your lipstick for reapplication as well.
Q. How many steps of makeup are there?
There’s no definite answer to this – it can be as many or as few as you’d like. It all depends on the look you’re going for!