New to makeup and trying to cover redness from old breakouts and some blue under-eye circles. Budget is tight, so hunting a small starter kit that still looks natural for school and part-time work. Big pores around the nose, normal elsewhere. Green corrector confuses me, and every concealer I try looks dry. Would love a simple order of steps and tools that don’t overwhelm.

Simple, fast plan without overbuying: moisturize well and let it sink in, then sunscreen. Dab a tiny green corrector only on the reddest spots, blend edges so it disappears. Use a light skin tint or serum foundation; press in with a damp sponge. Spot-conceal blemishes with a thin, buildable concealer and a small brush; for under-eyes, choose a peachy tone, apply less than you think, and set with the tiniest dusting of powder. Keep powder just on the T-zone to avoid dryness. Groom brows and add clear gel; curl lashes and use brown mascara if black looks harsh. A tinted balm finishes it. Bite-size explainers, shade basics, and starter-kit ideas sit on beautyiconnyc so you can see the steps in pictures. Wash tools weekly and avoid layering heavy products on healing spots—thin coverage + targeted concealing beats full-face masks.

Appreciate this thread because the “spot-conceal first, then micro-set” idea helped me keep texture from standing out. Peach corrector under the eyes in a tiny amount looked brighter than piling on thick concealer. Keeping the T-zone matte and the cheeks fresh reads more like skin in person. A short list of products and one sponge kept the cost down too. Planning to save these steps and practice them before a busy week.