How to Wear Makeup at a Young Age (with Pictures) (2024)

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Co-authored byTymia Yvetteand Sophia Latorre

Last Updated: April 5, 2023Approved

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   Start with a clean face. Wash your face before applying any makeup. Use a gentle cleanser or simply a washcloth and water to remove dirt and oil from your skin. You should also remove any makeup that may be on your face before applying more.^[1]

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   Moisturize your skin. Choose a moisturizer with an SPF of 15 or higher to protect your skin from the sun. Put a small amount in clean hands and gently apply it to your skin. Putting moisturizer on before adding your makeup ensures your skin won’t look dry or flaky, and it will help your concealer and foundation blend better, should you choose to wear it.^[2]

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   Pick a light lip color. Choose a chapstick or lip gloss with a light tint or a bit of shimmer. Light pink, coral, or nude are good choices. Some products even come with delicious scents, like creamsicle or cupcake. Avoid bold or dark colors, since they can age you.

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   Add a little blush. Choose a light blush in pink, salmon, or bronze. You may even want something with a bit of shimmer or sparkle. Use a blush brush to lightly sweep the color onto your cheekbones, moving from the inside of your cheek to the outside.^[3]

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   Leave your brows natural. There’s no need to fill in your eyebrows at a young age. No matter their color or shape, they are beautiful exactly as they are. It’s best to leave them natural, as you don’t want a dark, heavy eyebrow to distract people from your face (and over plucking is never fun).^[4]

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   Use mascara sparingly. If you have naturally dark eyelashes you can stick to clear mascara, but if you have fair eyelashes you may want to use a brown or black mascara to darken them a bit and make them stand out. Simply swipe your lashes with a single coat, and make sure there aren’t any clumps. Use a clean mascara brush to remove any clumps.^[5]

   • Choose a waterproof mascara to prevent smudging and sweating it off.
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   Skip the eyeliner. Though you may be tempted to recreate that cat-eye look you saw on TV or in a magazine, it’s best to save the eyeliner for special occasions. It can be tricky to apply, meaning your lines may be wobbly or uneven, and may be a bit too bold for an everyday look.^[6]

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   Apply concealer sparingly. You may choose to add concealer on dark circles under your eyes or blemishes around your face. Use clean fingers or a makeup sponge to dab a small amount of concealer on problem areas. Be sure to blend it in well so you don’t appear to have blotches on your face.^[7]

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   Choose a foundation that matches your skin tone. The best bet is to go with a tinted moisturizing foundation rather than a heavy foundation, which can look overdone and cause breakouts. Test out a few shades before purchasing one to make sure you get the right color. Pay attention not only to the tone (light to dark) but also to the undertone (warm, neutral, or cool). Use a makeup sponge or clean fingers to apply the foundation. Blend it into your hairline, neck, and by your ears so it doesn’t appear as though you’re wearing a mask.^[8]

   • Choose a non-comedogenic foundation, meaning one that won’t clog your pores.
   • A cream or gel foundation is best for normal skin.
   • A liquid foundation will lock in moisture if you have dry skin.
   • Use a cream powder if your skin is oily.
   • Use a mousse foundation for combination skin.
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   Avoid highlighting and contouring. Though there’s recently been a lot of hype over highlighting and contouring, young people truly don’t need to wear that much makeup. There’ll be plenty of time to experiment with daring looks when you get a bit older. In the meantime, let your natural beauty shine.^[9]

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   Pick a light blush. A light blush with a bit of shimmer would be great for a special occasion. Apply it by swiping a blush brush across your cheekbones, starting at the inside of your cheek and moving back toward your hairline. Be sure to blend it in so it looks like your cheeks are naturally rosy.^[10]

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   Add a neutral eye shadow. Choose a color within a few shades of your natural skin tone, such as light pink, cream, tan or beige, bronze, or light brown. Use an eyeshadow brush to sweep a thin layer of shadow onto your eyelids, starting at the inner corner and moving outward. Avoid adding eye shadow above the natural crease in your eyelid.^[11]

   • To make your eye shadow look pop, take a small detailing brush and apply a little bit of glitter or frost eye shadow in the inner corner of the eye lid. Another option is to tap some shimmer in the center of the lid.
   • Eye shadow comes in powders as well as creams, though creams tend to smudge and crease more easily.
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   Apply a thin line of eyeliner. If you want to glam up your look, applying a bit of eyeliner can do so. Choose a pencil eyeliner, rather than a liquid one, for a subtle look. Start at the inner corner of your eye and lightly trace your upper lash line, keeping the liner as close to your lashes as possible, moving toward the outer corner of your eye.^[12]

   • You can also apply eyeliner to your lower lid as well. Start at the outer corner of your eye and only apply the eyeliner to two-thirds of your lower lid. Avoid creating a complete circle around your eye, which can look a bit harsh.
   • Use a makeup brush or a cotton swab to soften the lines and ensure they are even.
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   Curl your eyelashes. If you like, you can curl your eyelashes to create a stronger curve. Use a curling wand to lightly squeeze your eyelashes close to the base. Then, move the curler toward the middle of your eyelashes and lightly squeeze again. This will result in a pretty curve rather than a crimp at an odd angle. You can leave your lashes as is, or apply a light coat of mascara.^[13]

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   Add two coats of mascara for extra definition. For special occasions you may want to make your eyes stand out by using a bit more mascara than usual. Use the wand to thinly coat your lashes, starting closer to your lash line and sweeping toward the tips of your lashes, fanning the lashes outwards at the outer corners of the eye and upwards in the center of the eye.Allow the mascara to dry before applying a second coat. Use a wet cotton swab to remove any mascara that may have gotten on the skin around your eyes.^[14]

   • After doing your top lashes, you can add a light coat to your bottom lashes as well. Rather than dipping the mascara wand back into the product, swipe a light coat on your bottom lashes after applying mascara to your top lashes.^[15]
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   Finish your look with lip color. You may want to choose a color that’s a bit darker or bolder than one you would use for your everyday look. You can pick a matte lipstick or a shiny gloss. Red, coral, or pink would be good choices. If you go for a lipstick, make sure to blot it (put a tissue between your lips and press down gently) before you head out to your event.^[16]

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