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22 Makeup Tricks Every Beginner Should Know

Basics and beyond.

We asked the BuzzFeed Community for the makeup tips and tricks every beginner should know. Here are some of their responses, along with a few of our favorites!

1. Always start with a clean face, and figure out a skincare routine that works for you.

2. Do your eye makeup *first*, and your foundation and concealer last.

3. Warm up your mascara in you bra (or a glass of warm water) while you do the rest of your makeup, and it'll apply extra ~smoothly~.

4. A little bit of eyeshadow primer can go a long way.

5. Choose the right eye shadow brush that actually does what you want it to do.

6. A regular piece of tape's an easy way to get that perfect wing.

7. Or try doing a more linear wing, then swiping up with a makeup wipe to get the perfect swoosh.

8. Or, try using the end of a bobby pin to stamp on the perfect small wing.

9. A dab of concealer can easily fix a botched wing.

10. And if you have absolutely zero wing skills, practice every night to get better.

11. When you're buying new foundation, swatch it on yourself and wear it around in different light to make sure it's a true match.

12. Play around with different ways to contour for your face shape.

13. Contouring with bronzer's incredibly simple: just try the ~E3 method~.

14. Blend out your under-eye concealer in a wide triangle shape and you'll look more awake.

15. If you want to cover up your under-eye circles and skin-tone concealer isn't cutting it, try color corrector beneath your foundation.

16. Color corrector also works to hide any redness or yellowness that shows through your foundation.

17. Use a spoolie (aka a clean mascara wand) to quickly brush off any mascara flakes that may have popped up post-eyeshadow.

18. Layer powder between coats of mascara for extra thick lashes. Or just let the mascara dry between coats.

19. Avoid lipstick on your teeth: after applying, put a finger in your mouth and pull it out.

20. Definitely return makeup if you're not happy with it — many stores let you return products even if you've used them already.

21. Find a beauty YouTuber whose looks ~inspire~ you, and who recommends products you can actually use.

22. Or don't worry about the YouTubers at all...and remember that your makeup is for *you*!

Note: Responses have been lightly edited for length or clarity.

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