I have a holiday party to attend next week and need to buy some simple make up....I need some suggestions, specific to brands etc, colors.

I NEVER wear make up...I don't own any and don't plan to continue wearing any but would like to look really nice for this party.

I need to buy something cheap. I would like a basic lipstick, some kind of foundation(?), cover up(?), something like that, and some basic eye shadow. I have blue eyes and a pink-tinged complexion with no acne issues.

Can someone tell me some good brands, colors etc to look for? I'm shopping on Sunday I think for this party. Thanks!!

Do you have a local salon you can go to for a make-up application? It will be about $25 and will look perfectly applied. It's almost the same amount you'd spend for a bunch of stuff you don't want to use again anyways.

Yeah, I agree with this comment. If you're just using it for a day, you'll spend far less money (for a far nicer product) by just having the makeup application done for you.

Salons will do it (if they do things like facials there), but so will a lot of the makeup stores in the mall, like MAC and others. Since you're not used to wearing makeup, I'd suggest asking for a very subtle look, with neutral colours that complement your face.

A makeup shop might be a better option than a salon, if only because the people there tend to be really enthusiastic about makeup and trends and different looks. Some places will give you product in the amount you spend for the makeup application, too, since mostly they do it to promote their products. And they should take appointments.

Good idea, faiora! I didn't even think of the mall.

It's one thing to buy some cheap make up, it's a whole other story to apply it if you don't know how to. You're better off doing as these ladies suggest and get it done for you. I don't think you necessarily have to go to a salon or a department store because if you do you will be under the slight obligation to buy something. If you don't want to do that I would ask your most stylish friend, someone who you can obviously see is good at applying make up and ask her to do your makeup for you, offer to clean her brushes for her and take her out for brunch in return.

Make up is so much fun, I can't understand why so many women don't wear it. I'm all for woman power and everything but if applied subtly and correctly can make your natural beauty shine. A little concealer and foundation to even out the skin tone, you can buy tinted moisturizer for this since you have to wear moisturizer anyway! A little mascara to make your eyes pop, and a bit of tinted lip balm will go a long way. And if you're on the wrong side of 35 you absolutely have to have blush, there's no getting around that I'm afraid, it can take 10yrs off your look.

If you do get your make up done and happen to like the look then go shopping for some make up. There are a lot of awesome youtube videos on how to apply it.

"The wrong side of 35"? Gasp! I've just discovered I'm on the wrong side?!?!?! Oh no!

And I don't have any blush!!!!!!! Seriously, there isn't ANY blush in the house, I haven't worn blush since I was a teen.

Wannabeskinny, what have you done to me?!?! Here I was drinking my coffee and eating an apple and now I'm a hot mess realizing I could look 37 if only there was blush in the house!!!

Oops, sorry didn't mean to make you feel bad love! I'm 38 and I NEVER wore blush in my entire life. I've always loved make up but I didn't always feel the need to wear it every day. So sometimes I'd go out with make up and other days I would go out bare faced and never thought twice about it. The past couple of years though it's been a different story. Now when I go out without any makeup at all I get odd questions like "are you ok, is everything ok?" or "are you not feeling well?" It's humiliating and since I feel OK and NOT SICK then I don't want to be asked that. My daily makeup routine takes less than 5 minutes and involves only concealer, blush, mascara and tinted lip balm. Because let's face it, as we get a little older the pigment in our lips and cheeks seems to fade fade fade, our skin gets a little drier and we need to replenish that youthfulness. You don't have to be drag queen made up to look nice and put together.

Just yesterday I went to a family birthday party and my MIL was there with my SILs. None of them wear make up and they're older than me and they look a fright. It bothers me when people don't put a little effort into looking their best - you don't have to go to the lengths that the Kardashians go to but a little lip balm goes a long way. People look at you when you speak and if your lips are ashy and white it's off putting. My MIL was helping me do something and all I could think about was why on earth she wouldn't put some moisturizer on her hands, they were red and chapped and flaking. Really? I understand you don't care about beauty but really?

If you're paying for the makeup application there is no obligation to buy product, it is only if you are getting a free application at the Clinique counter or the like, that you should buy something. That said, lipstick comes off easily, so you may want to buy a cheap lipstick in the same shade as they apply, so that you aren't without.

thank you for all the suggestions!

while i never wear make up, I do know how to apply basic make up and was hoping for some cheap brands/colors that i could look for at the store....i like the idea of having a professional do it for me, but in reality with my schedule that wouldn't work...although I like having that option if i need to in the future

what color eye shadow works best for blue eyes?
what color/shade of foundation works best for pink-red complexions?

that's what I need to know at the moment

thanks again for all your help!

At drugstores certain brands have palettes that are already designed for certain eye colors. I find good make up at target.

I can almost guarantee that sunscreen is the real reason you look younger than you are - not Olay.

UVA rays age your skin probably more than anything else out there, and while sunscreen mainly blocks UVB, some brands do a decent job of keeping your UVA intake moderate as well, so your skin doesn't lose as much elasticity.