You’re young, so you probably don’t need foundation. If you have blemishes, you might want to get stick concealer (I like Neutrogena) - you just dot it over the spot and then tap it with your ring finger until it’s blended. It’s usually quite easy to figure out your color - most concealers come in light, medium, dark, and then corrective colors like green and red.
If you want some coverage on your skin, a good tip is to buy a liquid foundation (something oil-free is good) and mix a few drops with an SPF moisturizer. Use a foam wedgie to apply it lightly, and you’ll get an even skin tone but it won’t look like you have on a mask. I love Neutrogena Oil-Free Foundation and Oil of Olay moisturizer. Matching your skin color can be a pain in the ass, so it’s cheaper to buy those little $1 samples in some similar shades before you commit to a big bottle of foundation. But if you cut it with moisturizer, as long as you get within a few shades, you’re okay.
If you have naturally flawless skin, I’d try Revlon Skin Lights brand. You get it in tints - natural, blush, bronze, gold, and some new ones, I think - and it goes on very sheer but makes your skin luminous. I need something stronger, but my friend with perfect skin loves it.
Mascara is a godsend - I always wear mascara no matter what. L’Oreal Featherlash is my recommendation, because it adds length and isn’t at all goopy. Unless you’re blonde, I’d go with black or deep brown. Also, Revlon has this new High-Dimension brand that comes in black with highlights of another shade, like blue or green. It sounds weird, but it really highlights your eyes and makes them stand out, and the color isn’t even obvious. For a special occasion or a night out I love it.
Blush can be a pain in the ass. I’d suggest getting a cheek stain - I like Revlon’s China Doll, which comes in a little pot. It looks really dark but goes on lightly so you look as though you are flushing slightly. You just dab a dot on your cheek bone and smear it with your fingers
You can’t go wrong with lip gloss, tinted or clear. There are a bazillion different kinds out there; Naturalistics is my favorite.
Make-up remover is nicer than soap, but you can also just use Vaseline. I use it every night to remove my mascara. If you have sensitive skin, you might want to try Cover Girl Remover because I’ve heard it’s really delicate.
Those things - foundation, concealer, mascara, blush, and gloss - are the basics. I usually spend a little more on them, because I wear them every day and want quality. It might sound like a lot of make-up if you don’t wear any, but it only takes me five minutes in the morning to do all of that and I look very natural, just slightly enhanced. If you wear nothing else, mascara is your best friend and will brighten your eyes and make you look fabulous.
Once you get that stuff down, you can experiment with cheaper products. I think the brand Rimmel (which is sold at Wal-Mart) is amazing - it’s very cheap but good quality. Wet & Wild works well, but you can definitely tell that the quality is low. Anyway, if you want to try blue mascara or silver eyeliner or purple eyeshadow or red lipstick, you can buy these cheap brands and experiment. If you hate the color, you can toss it without much guilt. It’s a good idea to play around because you never know what might look really good on you. I’ve been pleasantly surprised many times. Most of all, remember to have fun.