Makeup? Help!!

This is not a sponsored post. Just one woman's quest to update her makeup routine. :)

Does this aisle scare any of you?

Is anyone else at a loss as to what most of these products are for and how you would use them?

How in the world am I supposed to pick the right products to lengthen, plump, tighten, conceal, and brighten? Where do you even begin when there are so many choices all promising to fix whatever you're looking to fix? Every cosmetics aisle is so overwhelming that I want to run screaming from the store!

About every five years, I get the urge to update my makeup routine. I've never been one to wear a lot, but the older I get, the more I want to help my face out a bit! Usually I start with my sister. She's good at that stuff and won't laugh at my hopelessness. Sometimes I read magazines for advice, but that can be confusing too. Other times I take a chance on buying something new, and after a few days it usually goes in the bottom of a drawer to die. 

This time I decided to head to our local mall for a makeover. But which store to choose? I'd already done Bare Escentuals on my last overhaul and the department store counters always seem so intimidating. We have a Sephora here that I hadn't tried, so that seemed like a good place to start. They offer 45 minute makeover consultations, if you agree to spend $50 on products in their store. Now that may sound like a lot, but trust me you can spend that in no time!

Let me tell you, I loved my experience. The guy that did my makeup was very helpful and gave good advice. He used a lot of products, but helped me pare it down to some essentials at the end. This is definitely the most makeup I've ever worn in my life. It's honestly a little more than I could keep up with and would want to wear everyday. However, I did purchase some basic things I think will work for me and it was a relief not to be shopping blind. Plus Sephora has a great return policy so it didn't feel risky to try something new.

Here's my before and after, just for fun...

So how about you? Am I the only one who's scared of the cosmetics aisle? What do you do when you're desperate for some makeup help?