Empower your makeup journey with a world of expert tips, curated buying guides, and interactive quizzes, all created by Ulta’s team of esteemed beauty industry experts. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out, there's something for everyone.
Level Up with Confidence: Explore Ulta’s Makeup Resources
Ulta Beauty offers a comprehensive suite of resources designed to enhance your makeup application and product selection.
Comprehensive Buying Guides
Our in-depth guides walk you through everything from achieving a glowing summer look to mastering the latest colored lash trends. Find the information you need to create flawless looks that reflect your unique style.
Interactive Quizzes
Take the guesswork out of your makeup routine with our interactive quizzes. From finding the perfect foundation to personalized lash and mascara recommendations, we'll help you discover the perfect products for your specific needs.
Your One-Stop Shop for All Things Makeup
Ulta Beauty provides a vast selection of high-quality makeup essentials and innovative new products from your favorite brands. Explore our makeup offerings and discover everything you need to create a look you love. Ulta Beauty is here to be your trusted makeup resource.
Explore Our Makeup Categories
- Face: Discover foundations, concealers, blushes, and more to create a flawless base and enhance your natural beauty.
- Eyes: Find everything from eyeshadows and eyeliners to mascaras and brow products for stunning eye looks.
- Lips: Perfect your pout with a vibrant array of lipsticks, glosses, and liners in every color and finish.
- Nails: Keep your nails looking chic with our selection of nail polishes, treatments, and accessories.
- Makeup Brushes & Tools: Equip yourself with high-quality brushes and tools for a flawless makeup application every time.
- Body Makeup: Even out your skin tone and achieve a flawless finish with our range of body makeup products.
Frequently Asked Questions About Makeup Application
What is the correct order to apply makeup?
The correct order to apply makeup is generally as follows, though this order is flexible depending on your preferences:
- Skincare: This is technically not makeup, but it's the foundation for a flawless look. Cleanse, moisturize, and apply sunscreen every day, even if you're not wearing makeup.
- Primer (Optional): Apply a primer to create a smooth canvas and help your makeup last longer. Explore Ulta's selection to find the perfect primer for your skin type.
- Foundation: Find your perfect match with our shade finder tool! Choose a foundation that complements your skin tone and offers the desired coverage, whether it's sheer or full.
- Concealer: Target specific areas like blemishes, dark circles, or hyperpigmentation with a concealer that blends seamlessly.
- Powder (Optional): Set your foundation and concealer with a light dusting of setting powder. This helps control shine and keeps your makeup looking fresh.
- Bronzer, Blush, & Highlighter: Now's the time to add dimension and color to your face! Explore Ulta's wide range of bronzers, blushes, and highlighters, available in liquid, cream, and powder formulas. Find your perfect blush shade with our statement blush guide!
- Eyebrows: Fill in your eyebrows to frame your face. Choose from our extensive selection of brow products, including pomades, pencils, and gels, to fill and shape your brows to perfection.
- Eyeshadow & Eyeliner: This is where your creativity shines! Use eyeshadows and eyeliners to create a variety of looks, from subtle to dramatic.
- Mascara: Want luscious, dramatic lashes? Find your perfect mascara match with Ulta's lash quiz! We offer a variety of mascaras designed to lengthen, volumize, or define your lashes for a show-stopping look.
- Lips: Complete your look with a touch of color on your lips! Choose from lipstick, lip gloss, lip oil, and more.
How to learn to do makeup?
There are many ways to learn how to do makeup, from free online resources to professional classes. At Ulta, makeup lessons are offered at select stores. You can also learn from online resources, including Ulta’s buying guides and social media, which are full of makeup inspiration and tutorials.
Here are some general tips to get started:
- Start with the basics: Learn how to apply foundation, concealer, brows, mascara, and a simple eyeshadow look. Once you're comfortable with these basics, you can experiment with more advanced techniques.
- Practice makes perfect: Don't get discouraged if your makeup doesn't look perfect right away. The more you practice, the better you'll become.
- Invest in good quality makeup brushes: This will make a big difference in the application and overall look of your makeup.
- Find your inspiration: Look at pictures of makeup looks you admire and try to recreate them.
- Most importantly, have fun! Makeup is a way to express yourself and boost your confidence.
Makeup Inspiration and Trends
Color Theory in Makeup
Understanding color theory can significantly enhance your makeup application. It helps in choosing complementary shades for eyeshadows, lipsticks, and even foundation to achieve the desired effect.
Seasonal and Event-Specific Makeup
- Spring Fashion Week Trends: Bold blush, two-toned lipstick, and colorful eyeliner are set to make a big splash.
- Summer Looks: Outshine the sun with products that withstand heat and moisture. Summer makeup reflects the lightness of the season and feels light on the skin. A little bronzer can create a slightly tanned look.
- Wedding Day Makeup: The goal is to make your eyes shine bright while accentuating your smile. Perfect wedding makeup is subtle, elegant, and accentuates natural beauty.
- Halloween Makeup: Deconstruct a look layer by layer, tackling one zone at a time (eyes, cheeks, lips). Cream products are ideal for layered looks as they blend quickly and move naturally with the skin.
Specific Makeup Techniques and Styles
- Smokey Eye: Draw attention to your eyes with a smokey eye look. For the office, opt for lighter and medium gray tones. For evenings, intensify the look with black eyeshadow or a thick application of eyeliner.
- Everyday Makeup: Simple, everyday makeup should be easy to apply and subtle. It typically involves foundation and concealer to cover dark circles, finished with mascara to draw attention to the eyes. This can serve as a base for an evening look.
- Gold Makeup: Explore gorgeous ways to wear gold makeup, with tips from makeup artists on how to wear this metallic hue.
- Eyeliner Looks: Discover eyeliner looks that are more exciting than a classic cat-eye. The bold cat-eye is also highlighted as a major trend for fall.
- ‘Clean Girl’ Aesthetic: Achieve an effortless ‘clean girl’ makeup look with guides on this popular aesthetic.
Makeup for Mature Skin: Tips and Product Recommendations
The best makeup for women over 50 focuses on enhancing features and promoting a feeling of confidence. The key is to highlight, not hide, and to use products that pamper and soothe aging skin.
Skin Care Prep for Mature Skin
Proper skin preparation is crucial. The focus is to hydrate, plump, and smooth the skin as much as possible. This often involves sheet masks, serums, and heavier creams or oils to ensure a healthy glow. Brightening creams for the eyes are recommended, but avoid anything too heavy that can settle into fine lines. Using fingers, hands, or a brush to apply skincare is effective.
- Hydrating Masks: Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Mask, La Mer The Lifting Firming Mask, RéVive De-Puffing Gel Eye Mask.
- Moisturizers: Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator.
Priming for Mature Skin
The right primer can blur fine lines and pores, extending the life of makeup. Apply a thin layer after skincare products have set.
- Primers: Laura Mercier Perfecting Pure Canvas Primer, Saie Glowy Super Gel, Victoria Beckham Beauty The Cell Rejuvenating Illuminator, Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer.
Concealer for Women Over 50
Concealers for mature skin should meld hydrating ingredients with actives like peptides. Apply sparingly, targeting only areas that need coverage, such as the inner corners of the eyes to brighten. Avoid applying too close to the eye or near smile lines to prevent creasing. Setting with a tiny amount of invisible powder can add staying power.
- Concealers: Victoria Beckham Beauty The Concealer Pen, Merit Beauty The Minimalist, Westman Atelier Vital Skincare Concealer, Chanel Sublimage Le Correcteur Yeux.
Makeup Base for Mature Skin
Opt for thinner, more moisturizing foundations. Tinted moisturizers are great for everyday skin, while foundations with medium coverage and a skin-like, long-lasting finish that won't settle into fine lines are recommended for a flawless look. Application with a sponge, brush, or fingertips is suitable.
- Foundations: Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, L'Oréal Paris True Match Tinted Serum Foundation, Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Foundation (apply with a damp sponge to sheer out), Dior Forever Skin Glow Hydrating Foundation SPF 15.
Eyes & Lashes for Mature Skin
For mature eyes, black mascara is preferred to add brightness. Curling lashes is essential. Matte or satin finish eyeshadows are most flattering. Cream shadows can also be flattering when used up to the crease.
- Mascaras: Hourglass Unlocked Instant Extensions Mascara.
- Eyeshadows: Victoria Beckham Beauty Eyewear, Trinny London Eye2Eye.
- Eyeliners: Sarah Creal Eyes Up Kajal Eyeliner.
Perfecting the Brow for Mature Skin
Avoid gray brows; opt for a color that matches your original eyebrows to add brightness and frame the face. Soften and round the shape of the eyebrows, avoiding sharp or squared-off angles. Use a fine-tipped pencil to mimic brow hairs for a realistic look.
- Brow Products: RMS Beauty Back2Brow, Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz, Merit Brow 1980, Victoria Beckham Beauty FeatherFix.
Adding Color and Shimmer for Mature Skin
Cream blush is fabulous for mature skin, adding hydrating color to make the skin look more youthful. Tap blush onto the apples of the cheeks for a fresh flush, avoiding placement on the sides or using it for contouring. Bronzer should be applied to areas where the sun naturally hits the skin, not for contouring. Shimmer products are generally avoided, but subtle luminosity that attracts light is beneficial.
- Balms/Blush: Jones Road Miracle Balm, Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick.
- Bronzers: Sarah Creal Just Like Paradise Sculpting Bronzer.
- Highlighters: RMS Beauty Luminizer.
Explore Makeup Looks and Tutorials
Discover makeup look tutorials and guides, including iconic looks, magical makeup for different ages and skin tones, and easy eyeshadow edits to find the perfect look for you.
Tutorials and Guides:
- Pillow Talk Makeup Tutorials + Guides: Learn how to achieve the Pillow Talk look, including makeup for rosy blush and lip tints.
- Setting Powder Insights: Discover the differences between pink and peach setting powders versus regular setting powder and why you should try them.
- Celebrity Red Carpet Makeup Looks: Get inspired by celebrity makeup as seen on the red carpet.
- Bronze Makeup Look: Create an effortless bronze makeup look using a palette with multiple shades.
- Matte Makeup Look: Learn how to create a magical matte makeup look with tutorials.
- ‘Clean Girl’ Makeup: A guide to achieving the popular ‘clean girl’ aesthetic.
- Summer Makeup Routines: Unlock beauty secrets for an Unreal summer glow-up.
- Celebrity Makeup Routines: Discover how celebrities create their go-to everyday or sculpted makeup looks.
- Nude Makeup Look: Create a smouldering nude makeup look using sculpting techniques.