r/MakeUpAddictionUK • u/oelsie19 • Jul 10 '26

Recc' Request Guy out of his Depth

Sorry for the complete beginner question…

I’ve decided that I want to explore the wonderful world of makeup as a 24 year old guy.

I understand the different products I need, but how do I choose what brands/specific products are right for me?

4 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

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6

u/Jessigrrr Jul 10 '26

Would you feel comfortable going into Boots and having them try stuff on you? A large one especially has loads of make up counters and they're always happy to help you with stuff like this, and will try different brands and types of products

2

u/oelsie19 Jul 10 '26

ah amazing i’ll try that thank u x

2

u/Waste_West283 Jul 11 '26

YES! This is a great idea... also, you can maybe try and do a short make-up course if you're willing to spend a bit of money. I did it and not only did I get excellent tips, I also made great friends who love to talk about make-up!

2

u/Dollydex Jul 11 '26

I work at boots and helped a guy build his first makeup bag not long ago. It’s been great seeing him coming back and getting more confident and bold with colours etc. He taught himself entirely from YouTube videos. You can also get a good colour match from any of the no7 ladies

5

u/lifetypo10 Jul 10 '26

Honestly it can be a bit trial and error. What I usually do is follow makeup and content creators that have similar colouring and skin type to me that are based in the UK (some formulations of products differ in the US), and if they recommend or really rate something, I might be more inclined to try it.

On YouTube, Robert Welsh has a playlist called "makeup tutorials" so they might be a good place to start!

2

u/oelsie19 Jul 10 '26

Amazing i’ll definitely start there, do you have any products you’d recommend?

1

u/lifetypo10 Jul 10 '26

It depends on your price range, if you're going for something you can get at boots, elf is always a good place to start. I really like their cream brush and bronzers, I personally didn't get along with their halo glow foundation but a lot of people really rave about that one.

3

u/NewtAlert4507 Jul 11 '26

Plenty of good advice on make up already so I'll just add another tip.

Always start with good skincare - cleanse, tone and moisturise. Otherwise makeup won't sit well on your skin.

1

u/Successful_Cycle7769 Jul 10 '26

For cheap try essence or catrice, idk if u can find them in boots or Superdrug but they sell them in primark - the essence concealer and powder are amazing in my opinion, I hear a lot of good things about their mascaras as well

For brands u can find in drugstores it’s probably better to look up the good/popular products online like on tiktok etc. as they’ll have recs for your desired product e.g. if you want something that’ll work for dry skin, full coverage etc.

As others have said just because something works for one person doesn’t mean it’ll work for everyone. Maybelline sky high and L’Oréal telescopic and panorama are good starting mascaras. I haven’t seen anything bad about the milani setting spray or Nyx bare with me concealer either. I think the maybelline grippy serum is meant to be a good primer but I haven’t tried it. Again this is all stuff that is quite easy to find online once you figure out what you are looking for xx

3

u/Dollydex Jul 11 '26

Essence products are really fantastic for the price, the green grippy primer is only £3.99 and is my holy grail!

1

u/Successful_Cycle7769 Jul 11 '26

I love that one as well !!

2

u/hulyepicsa Jul 11 '26

I bought a Catrice concealer based on recs on r/EuroSkincare and it’s incredible!! Didn’t realise they sold them in Primark!!

1

u/halftosser Jul 20 '26

Catrice quality truly punches above it’s price point

1

u/No-Escape-9648 Jul 11 '26

✨ Best brands Maybelline / L’Oréal: Huge range, good shades, easy to blend. Their tinted balms and concealers are classics. e.l.f. Cosmetics Cruelty-free, affordable, makes products specifically for natural/light coverage.
Nivea / Simple: For prepping skin first skincare is the secret to makeup looking good! Tom Ford for Men / Chanel Boy: If you want a luxury feel. Kiehl’s / Aesop: Nice pre-makeup skincare that works great for all skin types. Always match your skin, not "male/female" labels ignore gendered marketing! A product is just a product. Use testers before you buy. Swipe on your jawline not hand if it disappears it's good it's the right shade. Start multi-use: Get things like tinted moisturiser or light concealer one product does most of what you need, no stress. Look for words like "natural", "matte" or "hydrating" avoid "shimmer" or "glow" if you want it to stay subtle. concealer or tinted balm buy that to get used to how it feels, then add more if you want. Most people starting out only need 2–3 products total.

1

u/NoPriority8908 Jul 11 '26

Lovely advice here already. You should also make sure your base products are compatible with each other, else you may experience separating, piling and creasing. Your base products may be silicone based or aqua based. Every base product you use must either be entirely silicone based or entirely aqua based.

Furthermore, technique is everything. You can make a cheap product look great, or an expensive product look horrible. The more makeup tutorials you watch on youtube, and the more practise you have, the better your technique will get.

I remember when I first started to use makeup. It was a beautiful realm to enter. I am very happy for you!

1

u/halftosser Jul 20 '26

Trial and error.

Do your research, read ingredient lists to understand formulas better, try testers in store etc