Makeup Artist, Kristofer Buckle has worked with countless celebrities and magazines.  Now he brings his expertise to Cover Shot and offers these smart ideas for looking your best.

Department Store Makeup Counters Are NOT the Place to Start

When women are looking for advice or tips, or just a place to get started on developing a new makeup look, they should not begin with fancy makeup counters. The salespeople there have one goal: to sell their products, and lots of them. 

If you are unsure of what you want or need, they will often try to sell you too much and recommend products that are expensive and unnecessary. Their products are often great, but unless the customer knows what she is looking for, the process can be hazardous to her wallet.

Start a Scrapbook: 

A great way to gather new ideas is by creating a scrapbook with pictures and tips from magazines. Beauty, fashion and even tabloid magazines are full of how-to tips and new-look ideas. Clip interesting items that seem particularly relatable to your needs and paste them into the scrapbook to reference and remember. This is the best way to easily develop an idea of what is possible.

Experiment Down Low: 

Women can waste a huge amount of money experimenting with makeup. Experimentation is great, but there is no need to buy high-end products from high-end retailers. If a woman wants to try out a new color of eye shadow, she should look to the local drug store first. 

Buy a cheap version first and try it out. There is no reason to have low confidence in low-priced products. If the color or style doesn’t work, at least it isn’t a huge waste of money.

NEXT: Eye-turning Tips