Here at P. Louise, we’re literally obsessed with teaching you every single step of your makeup journey, no matter if you’re just starting out or you’re already giving the pros a run for their money! I mean, we started off as a makeup salon before we moved into making actual makeup and we still host makeup classes at our Empire, so when we say we're obsessed, you know we mean it.
Let’s be real, the makeup world can be a minefield of lingo, and trying to figure out what everything means can be a whole drama. So, we’ve put together the ultimate list of makeup terms that is going to transform you from a beginner to a total pro!
From mastering that perfect 'Cut Crease' to understanding our iconic 'Lip Bases' and that all-important 'Pad A Pat Pat', we’re giving you the full lowdown right here. This is the list of makeup terms you’re going to be living for, so keep coming back to it, babe!
Makeup Terms For Beginners
Generic
Adhesive
The essential sticky bit! Adhesive is the special glue you use to apply your falsies or loose glitters. It's the key to making sure your glamorous add-ons are locked down and secure all night long.
Airbrushed
The ultimate goal, honey! Airbrushed describes a flawless finish that looks seamless, blurred, and completely poreless. It's the smooth, perfect canvas you achieve through expert blending and often a little baking.
Application
This simply refers to how you put your products on! Whether you’re stippling your foundation or pad a pat patting your eyeshadow base, application is the technique you use to create the final look.
Bridal Makeup
A total moment! Bridal makeup is a tailored look designed to be long-lasting, flawless in photos, and perfectly enhance the natural beauty of the bride. It's about timeless elegance, babe!
Crease
The crease is that gorgeous, hollow area right above your eyelid, where your lid meets your brow bone. It’s where all the magic happens! This is where you strategically place your darker, dusty colours to add dimension and create the illusion of a deeper, more defined eye look.
Creasing
When you apply makeup without a primer, or even without a good one, often a line develops where the eye naturally creases. This is referred to as creasing which is the next item in our list of makeup terms, and everyone in the makeup industry works very hard to avoid it! To do this, apply a good quality primer with a thick and creamy consistency that creates a perfect base for your products.
Cruelty-Free
This is a non-negotiable for us! When a product is cruelty-free, it means absolutely no animals were harmed or tested on at any stage of the product's development. It's beautiful makeup with a clean conscience.
Cupid's Bow
That gorgeous little dip right in the centre of your upper lip! Highlighting your cupid's bow with a touch of highlighter instantly creates the illusion of a fuller, more defined pout.
Dewy
This is the finish that says, "I just drank a gallon of water and my life is perfect." A dewy finish looks fresh, hydrated, and has a gorgeous, non-glittery glow—it’s the opposite of matte and gives you that radiant glass-skin moment.
Doe Foot
This is the name and shape of the sponge on the end of stick applicators like concealers, foundations and more.
Dupe
We love a bargain! A dupe is a product that performs almost identically to a high-end or luxury item but comes with a much sweeter price tag. Quality doesn't always have to break the bank, babe!
Fluffy Brows
This is the trend you need to be on! Fluffy brows are all about brushing those brow hairs up and outwards using a Brow Balm or brow gel. It makes them look super full, feathered, and gives you a gorgeous, structured-yet-natural look.
Makeup Remover
The essential end-of-day hero! Makeup remover is a product designed to effortlessly break down and cleanse your makeup from the skin, ensuring your face is clean and ready for your nightly skincare routine.
Masterclass
A serious education moment! A masterclass is an in-depth, expert-led training session focused on specific makeup skills or techniques, often led by a top MUA to help you perfect your craft.
Matte
Matte is the smooth, flat, and completely shine-free finish. If you want a zero-shine look, whether it's your foundation or eyeshadow, you're going for matte—it’s the total opposite of that dewy or glossy vibe.
MUA
Your industry queen! MUA is the abbreviation for makeup artist, the talented professionals who know all the tricks and are ready to create magic on your face.
Natural Finish
The perfect balance! A natural finish is a look that isn't too matte or too dewy, it just looks like polished, perfected skin. It's the 'your skin but better' vibe we all crave.
Neutrals
The classic colours that work with everything! Neutral shades are colours like browns, taupes, creams, and nudes that are universally flattering and perfect for creating soft, everyday looks.
No Makeup Makeup
The ultimate illusion! This is a technique where you use light products and subtle application to enhance your features, making it look like you are wearing very little or no makeup at all—it's perfected natural beauty.
Nude Lipstick/Eyeshadow
Your go-to shade for complementing any look! A nude shade is one that closely matches or slightly enhances your natural lip or eyelid colour, making it the perfect everyday staple for a refined finish.
Pigment
The concentrated colour payoff! Pigment refers to the pure colour found in makeup products. When a product is highly pigmented, it means you get intense, vibrant colour with just a tiny amount of product.
Soap Brows
The must-have fluffy brow trend! Soap brows refers to the technique where you use a wax or a Brow Balm to brush your brow hairs upwards and outwards. This gives them a super lifted, structured, and feathered finish that looks instantly snatched.
Waterline
The waterline is the inner rim of your lower eyelid, right where your lashes start. Applying a dark eyeliner here is killer for a dramatic look, or use a nude/white pencil to instantly make your eyes look bigger and more awake.
Techniques
Baking
This is a technique that gives you that snatched, flawless finish, honey! You apply a super thick layer of Setting Powder (usually under your eyes and on your jawline) and let it just chill for about five to ten minutes. The heat from your skin literally 'bakes' the product, and when you finally brush it away, you're left with an ultra-smooth, creaseless masterpiece!
Blend
This refers to applying any element of your makeup in circular motions to leave an even and stunning finish. Foundation needs to be blended properly to help it last well on the skin and to give an even finish, eyeshadow needs to be blended to remove any harsh lines and contour needs to be well blended to avoid anything looking cakey. The key to blending is patience, take your time and good things will come to you babe.
Blow Out
Get ready for the drama! The blow out is all about the bottom lash line, where you heavily smoke out and blend the eyeshadow downwards. It creates this super diffused, sexy effect—like smoke gently rolling away from the eye. It's the moment for a sultry eye look!
Carve The Brow
You have probably heard about carving your brows all across the makeup world, so we had to include it. When you hear someone saying they are carving the brow, they're referring to the process of using a flat brush and an eyeshadow base to create a defined line underneath the eyebrow. This helps to elongate the brow and remove any unwanted hairs or pigmentation. If you don’t already carve the brow, it will transform your makeup game!
Contouring
Next up, we have contouring. This refers to any type of makeup technique that aims to enhance or sculpt part of the face or body. Concealing the undereye with a light concealer, using a base shade darker than your skin tone to define your cheekbones or using highlighter on the cheekbones can all be considered as contouring.
Cut
When we say cut in makeup, we mean sharp, defined, and precise! Whether you’re creating a crisp 'cut crease' or defining a super sharp cheekbone, cutting is all about making those lines pop and look absolutely snatched.
Cut Crease
Okay, this is for the fierce ones! A cut crease is an eyeshadow technique where you use a bright base or concealer to carve out a super defined, sharp line in your eye crease. It creates a bold contrast that makes the colour on your eyelid look insanely vibrant and clean.
Foiling
The trick to making shimmers intense! Foiling is the technique of wetting your brush with a setting spray or water before dipping it into a shimmery eyeshadow or pigment. This gives the colour a high-shine, foiled, metallic finish.
Gradient
A seamless, smooth transition! A gradient describes two or more colours that blend into each other without any harsh lines. It's what you aim for when blending your eyeshadows from light to dark.
Halo Eye
A show-stopping eye look! The halo eye features a deep, dark colour on the inner and outer corners of the eyelid, leaving a bright, lighter, or shimmery shade right in the centre—it creates a gorgeous spotlight effect.
Layering
The key to longevity and full coverage! Layering is the process of building up thin coats of makeup, like applying thin layers of base or concealer, to ensure your look lasts longer and looks perfectly blended.
Ombre Lip
Obsessed! An ombre Lip is a two-toned look that creates a stunning gradient effect—you typically use a darker lip liner blended into a lighter shade in the centre of your lips. It's the ultimate trick to making your lips look naturally fuller and totally dimensional.
Pad A Pat Pat
Now, would it be a P. Louise list of makeup terms if we didn’t include our pad a pat pat? When we refer to pad a pat patting, we are talking about gently patting your brush over your eye base for a smooth finish that will last all day. Doing that pad a pat pat makes a big difference in how your makeup looks and lasts!
Shading
This is the clever bit of contour! Shading means using a darker, usually matte, colour in specific spots—like under your cheekbones, in your eye crease, or under your jawline. This creates the illusion of a shadow, which is how you create depth and sculpt your features.
Smokey Eye
A timeless classic! The smokey eye is all about taking dark shadow (think blacks, greys, or deep browns) and blending it seamlessly from the lash line upwards. You want a soft, diffused gradient effect that looks sultry and perfectly smoked out.
Stippling
A gentle dabbing or tapping motion used to apply foundation or concealer with your brush or sponge. Stippling is the secret to layering your product without dragging it around, giving you the smoothest, airbrushed, full-coverage finish imaginable.
Tightliner
If you want your lashes to look insanely thick without any visible eyeliner, you need to be tightlining! This is the technique of applying your eyeliner right into the roots of your upper lashes, making them look denser and fuller instantly.
Transition Shade
This is the eyeshadow shade that does all the hard work! A transition shade is a neutral colour (usually just a few shades darker than your natural skin tone) that you blend into the crease first. It helps all your subsequent darker colours blend out flawlessly, so you never get any harsh lines.
Base & Face
Base
Right, let's talk base, girls. The base is your absolute everything. It's that non-negotiable step that creates a perfect, juicy, blank canvas—a seamless foundation for the magic you're about to unleash. But 'Base' has more than one meaning in the makeup world. Your base is your face and the foundation you create, from skin prep, foundation or our iconic eye bases.
Our speciality is of course our iconic, multi-use eye bases. They're the holy grail, making sure your eye makeup applies totally flawlessly, so you can effortlessly slay every single look. Trust us when we say, these bases grab hold of your shadows, making them POP! Every colour, every pigment, it just hits different, making your look vibrant, vivid, and undeniably P. Louise.
BB Cream
The best of both worlds! A bb cream (or beauty balm) is a lighter option than traditional foundation. It offers a touch of coverage while giving you skincare benefits and a gorgeous, dewy finish.
Blush
Oh, you want to look instantly youthful and healthy? Then blush is your best friend! This gorgeous colour brings life to your cheeks—think pinks, peaches, and berries. Whether it's powder or a creamy formula, applying blush is the quickest way to look lifted and fresh and adds a pop of colour to your face. And we're not short of blush here, babe.
Bronzer
Babe, if you want that fresh-off-a-tropical-holiday glow, you need bronzer! This warm-toned magic adds sun-kissed colour to your face, making you look naturally sculpted and healthy. Dust it everywhere the sun would naturally kiss you, hello forehead, temples, and cheekbones! Use it to contour your face as well for a super sculpted look.
Brow Pomade
A highly pigmented, creamy wax used to fill in and define your brows. Brow pomade delivers a bold, sculpted look that is super long-lasting—perfect for a defined, powerhouse brow moment.
CC Cream
Your hero for perfecting skin tone! A CC Cream (Colour Correcting) focuses on evening out your complexion, reducing redness, or brightening dullness while offering light coverage and skincare benefits.
Colour Correction
A secret technique to neutralise unwanted tones! You use specific colours (concealers or creams) opposite to your skin concern, like green for redness or peach for dark circles, to balance out the tone before applying foundation.
Concealer
This is your secret weapon, babe! Concealer is a thicker, super-pigmented product that's used to spot-cover blemishes, banish dark circles, or hide any redness that’s cramping your flawless vibe. Use a shade lighter under your eyes for a gorgeous brightening effect. Our eye base is the perfect concealer replacement for under the eyes and spot covering.
Contour
No, we're not talking about Paige's dog, contour is a type of makeup technique and now a product that aims to enhance or sculpt parts of the face. Using a base shade darker than your skin tone to define your cheekbones, jawline, nose and temples. It's all about creating dimension if your look is feeling a little flat.
Foundation
The foundation is where every killer makeup look begins! This is the essential base layer that works to even out your entire skin tone. Whether you want a sheer coverage for a natural vibe or a full coverage moment, this product is your key to a perfect canvas. Our tinted moisturiser is the perfect replacement for those wanting a makeup look that doesn't look or feel heavy.
Highlighter
If you want to glow like the goddess you are, grab your highlighter! This shimmery, light-reflecting product goes on the highest points of your face—think the top of your cheekbones, down your nose, and on your cupid's bow. It reflects light beautifully and gives you a radiant, lifted look.
Micellar Water
A gentle, no-rinse solution! Micellar water is a type of makeup remover that uses tiny cleansing molecules (micelles) to attract and lift makeup and impurities from the skin without needing to be scrubbed off.
Primer
The real MVP of long-lasting looks! Primer is what you apply after your skincare and before your foundation. It preps your skin, helps blur pores and fine lines, and basically acts like the perfect double-sided sticky tape to make sure your makeup clings on and looks flawless all day long.
Setting Powder
Your security blanket for flawless makeup! Setting powder is a loose or pressed powder that you dust over your liquid or cream products. It instantly mattifies, removes any unwanted shine, and locks everything in place so you don't get creasing or movement.
Setting Spray
We absolutely cannot let your masterpiece melt away, babe, but what is setting spray? After spending all that time blending your face, and nailing the perfect eye look, you need a good-quality setting spray to lock it all down. Think of this as the final, magical mist that creates a protective barrier over your makeup. It instantly melts all those layers together, banishes any powdery look from your Setting Powder, and guarantees your flawless vibe lasts through thick and thin—you'll be snatched and secure from morning till night!
Eyes & Eyebrows
Brow Balm
A brow balm is designed to help you achieve those iconic soap brows at home. Our formula gives you long-lasting, structured, and fluffy results in seconds, meaning you can ditch those balms that take ages to set and get straight to creating brow magic, babe.
Brow Gel
Your go-to for tamed and sculpted brows! Brow gel gives you that control you need to shape those hairs and fill in any sparse spots for a slightly more natural finish than a balm. It’s all the power, right in your hand! Choose a clear brow gel to shape your brows and keep them in place or a tinted brow gel that matches your brow hairs to fill in any gaps and keep those brows looking full.
Cosmetic Paints / Eye Paints
This is where we play! Cosmetic paints or eye paints are highly pigmented products that can be used everywhere, not just on the eyes. Use them to create graphics, bold liner looks, or even mix them into your base for an instant colour pop.
Brow Palette
This is the kit you need for brow domination! An Eyebrow palette usually contains a selection of powders and creams that are perfect for mixing and matching. It allows you to custom-blend the exact shade you need to fill, define, and contour those fierce arches.
Eyebrow Pencil
Your magic wand for detailed definition! An Eyebrow pencil is used to create the appearance of tiny, individual brow hairs. It’s easily buildable, letting you nail the shape and adding that perfect depth before setting them with a Brow gel or balm.
Eyeshadow
The makeup essential that allows you to transform your whole look! Eyeshadow refers to the coloured powders or creams you apply to your eyelids. Whether you're going for a soft blend or a full-glam smokey eye, this is the product that adds dimension and colour.
Eyeshadow Base
A non-negotiable step, babe! An eyeshadow base is applied before your eyeshadow to cancel out any redness or veins, making your true colour pop. It creates the perfect tacky canvas that locks your shadow down, making sure you get zero creasing and maximum longevity.
Eyeliner
The key to defining and snatching the eye shape! Eyeliner is used to draw a line along the upper or lower lash line. Whether you're using a pencil for a smokey vibe or a liquid for a dramatic winged look, eyeliner brings instant structure and fierce definition.
Falsies
Obsessed! Falsies is just our cute way of saying false lashes. They are the essential final step to take your look from cute to full-glam, adding instant length, volume, and that necessary fluffiness for an eye look that is truly captivating.
Loose Pigment
Pure, concentrated, untamed colour! A loose pigment is a fine powder of pure metallic or matte colour that requires a special sticky base to be applied. It delivers the most intense, vibrant colour payoff and is perfect for adding that serious pop to your eyelid.
Mascara
This is the hero product for lifting and defining your natural lashes! Mascara is a cream or liquid formula applied with a spoolie brush to darken, lengthen, and volumise every single lash. It opens up your eye and finishes the look perfectly.
Lips
Bad Bitch Energy Lip Duo
This is the power couple your pout needs! A Bad Bitch Energy Lip Duo Juice Box contains our iconic Protect Your Pout Lip Conditioner and Stay Shining Crown Lip Oil—designed to be worn together for maximum impact and that instant feeling of being untouchable.
Lip Balm
Your hydrating hero! Lip balm is a creamy or waxy product used to moisturise, condition, and protect your lips from dryness. It’s a non-negotiable step before any colour application to keep your lips smooth and crack-free.
Lip Base
Now onto lip bases! A lip base refers to a liquid lipstick that is designed to be very long lasting. Usually only a small amount is required and they are highly pigmented. The P. Louise lip base is made with a super hydrating formula to prevent cracking. The benefit of lip bases over lipstick is that they usually last much longer!
Lip Gloss
The ultimate finish for dimension and shine! Lip gloss is a liquid product that delivers a high-shine, often plumped-up, glassy effect to your lips. You can wear it alone or layer it over your favourite Lipstick for an extra juicy moment.
Lip Kits
The full arsenal for a flawless pout! Lip kits are curated sets that include everything you need for a specific lip look, typically featuring a lip liner, a lipstick or lip base, and sometimes a matching lip gloss, all colour-coordinated for perfection.
Lip Liner
Don't skip this step, honey! Lip liner is the pencil you use to draw around the edge of your lips before applying your lip colour. It’s non-negotiable for defining your perfect pout, making your colour last longer, and stopping that annoying colour bleed.
Lip Oil
Skincare meets shine! Lip oil is a lighter, highly hydrating formula that gives your lips nourishment and a hint of glossy shine without feeling sticky like a traditional lip gloss. It’s the perfect way to look chic while treating your lips.
Lip Mask
Your ultimate moisturising treatment! A lip mask is a thick, deeply hydrating balm, often left on overnight, that floods your lips with moisture. It works hard while you rest, ensuring your pout is juicy, plump, and perfectly conditioned by the morning.
Lip Scrub
This is the essential prep step before any lip colour! A lip scrub uses fine grains or sugar to gently buff away any dry, flaky skin on your lips. It instantly smooths your canvas, making sure your lip liner and lipstick go on flawlessly without clinging to any dry patches.
Lipstick
The classic colour moment! Lipstick is the traditional lip product that comes in a bullet or tube. It provides rich colour, typically in a cream, matte, or satin finish, and it's essential for pulling any look together.
Tools
Angled Brush
This is the ultimate tool for precision, honey! An angled brush has a slanted shape, making it perfect for applying eyeliner, filling in your brows, or creating that super sharp, clean line when you carve the brow.
Blender Brush
Your essential tool for gorgeous, diffused colour! A blender brush is soft and fluffy, designed to apply your transition shades and seamlessly blend out any harsh lines between your eyeshadow colours for a flawless gradient.
Buffing Brush
Your go-to for applying cream and liquid foundation! A buffing brush is dense and rounded, and you use it with circular motions to press the product into the skin, giving you that smooth, streak free, airbrushed finish.
Concealer Brush
This small, firm brush is designed for targeted application of concealer. It allows you to precisely cover blemishes or place product in those tiny inner corners before you blend everything out for a flawless finish.
Damp Sponge
To get that seamless, airbrushed finish, your sponge needs to be damp! You soak it completely in water and squeeze it until it is just slightly moist. This stops the sponge from drinking up all your precious foundation and allows it to blend your cream and liquid products like a dream.
Detail Brush
When you need serious precision, grab a detail brush! This tiny, thin brush is perfect for intricate work, like applying eye paints, defining a sharp cut crease, or adding shimmer to the inner corner of the eye.
Eyelash Curler
The key to instantly lifted lashes! An eyelash curler is a little device used to gently clamp and curl your natural lashes before you apply mascara. It opens up the eye area, making your lashes look longer and giving your eye look that final, professional pop!
Fan Brush
An iconic tool for highlighting! The fan brush is a flat, fanned shape that allows you to lightly dust highlighter right onto the very high points of your cheekbones and down your nose without disturbing your base.
Flat Brush
This firm, flat-edged brush is essential for packing on colour! A flat brush allows you to press highly pigmented eyeshadow or glitter onto the eyelid, ensuring you get maximum colour payoff before any blending is needed.
Powder Brush
Your finishing tool! A powder brush is large, soft, and fluffy, designed to evenly and lightly sweep setting powder across the face to lock in your makeup without leaving you looking cakey.
Spoolie
A must have for brows and lashes! A spoolie is the little mascara wand like brush that you use to comb your brow hairs into place before using brow balm and to separate your lashes after applying mascara.
Final Thoughts
So, there you have it babe! The ultimate list of makeup terms for beginners that you can keep coming back to. The makeup world can be a confusing place, but we are here to support you every step of the way. Our products are all designed for any level, from beginners to pros, so we are truly a brand for the people! Whatever you need babe, we’re right by your side.