5 Beauty Tips For Women Who Don't Like Wearing A Ton Of Makeup

Makeup can be a scary concept for a lot of girls. If you didn't have an older sister to show you the ins and outs, or if your experience with makeup came from mom telling you blue eye shadow wasn't for you, you may have never grown up to be the kind of girl who takes joy in doing her makeup.

Unfortunately, for many girls, it feels like a necessity rather than an option. If that's you, don't despair. With a bit of know-how, your daily routine can be cut down to a few simple steps that make wearing makeup easy.

We've outlined some beauty tips below that will revolutionize the way you think about makeup:

1. Find a good BB cream.

Foundation is overwhelming for anyone to step into, but if you're not into your makeup, it can be an absolute nightmare. The choices are overwhelmingly murky, with different powders advertising different benefits, liquids, creams and mousses all touting buzzwords and every shade available always having unhelpful names like “Ivoire” and “Natural Ivoire.”

Luckily, BB creams are much more straightforward. The Korean BB creams that started the BB trend all come with a laundry list of benefits and qualities that American-brand BB creams rarely have. But brands like Maybelline, NYX and Revlon still offer some options for anyone who wants a hassle-free look.

Maybelline Dream BB Pure, $6, Amazon; NYX BB Cream, $9, Amazon; Revlon PhotoReady BB Cream Skin Perfector, $12, Ulta 

BB creams in the United States are often sheer, which means matching to your own skin can be as easy as deciding whether you qualify as light, medium or dark.

A BB cream can be applied with your fingers in a couple of minutes, without worrying about blending it in or using the right tools. It can even out your complexion and perk up your skin without the heaviness of a foundation.

2. Ditch the eye shadow.

If you're trying to streamline the process of makeup, eye shadow should be the first thing you chuck out. It can be pretty and flattering when well-applied, but the learning curve is steep, and quality and tools do matter.

Plenty of professional looks can be created without eye shadow as long as you focus on the right tools to skip it: mascara and eyebrow gels. Although both sound scary, a good application of mascara and clear eyebrow gel will brighten your look and wake up your face in the same amount of time it would have taken you to apply your eye shadow, with way better results.

Maybelline Great Big Lash Mascara, $3, Amazon; Maybelline Great Lash Clear Mascara, $4, Amazon 

3. Get a good multitasking lipstick.

The lipstick options in a drugstore seem endless. The colors range from beige to red, to deep purple, and the finishes are just as varied. But if you're looking to lock down a straightforward make-up routine, forget the variety. Look for one creamy, sheer pink lipstick.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Pink In the Afternoon, $7, Amazon 

Of course, there are many options for achieving full, pouty lips. However, a sheer pink-toned lipstick can work as both a gentle wash of color on your lips and as a blush on your cheeks. Yes, a blush. Dabbing a couple of spots of lipstick on the high points of your cheeks and then gently tapping it with your finger can create a gentle rosy look that works as well as a cream blush would.

4. Tightline.

Eyeliner can make a look alluring, or it can bring you back to middle school, when the raccoon look was in style. My suggestion? Get a decent black gel liner and tightline.

Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Liner, $8, Amazon 

Tightlining is the technique of putting liner on your top waterline, in between your eyelashes. Although it sounds scary, it is about as difficult as putting on regular liner, but without the risk of disaster. By applying the color carefully to your top waterline, you avoid creating a heavy mess on your upper lid, while still drawing attention to your eyes.

Darkening your lash line also helps enhance your eyelashes, which will look fuller and thicker as a result. This suggestion is particularly helpful for those with hooded eyelids or monolids.

To apply, gently pull up your top lid and slowly drag your angled eyeliner brush in toward your tear duct. Go in short strokes, and focus on getting the liner applied as evenly as possible.

5. Find a good finishing powder.

Finishing powder should be the finishing touch to your look. A good one will help preserve your makeup throughout the day, and it can be reapplied as needed. Finishing powders absorb the oils that can turn a look from dewy to greasy, or make you feel like you need to wash your face halfway through the day.

A pressed powder is convenient to use and easy to carry. Brands like NYC and Rimmel stock cheap, well-received powders with mattifying qualities. If you're pale, look for a transparent powder. If you have darker skin, a tinted powder will prevent you from accidentally giving yourself a ghostly cast. Avoid loose powders, as they're harder to apply and impossible to reapply without making a mess.

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder, $4, Amazon