WHAT TO EXPECT FROM YOUR MAKEUP LESSON
Makeup lessons at Cotton Rouge & Company are personalized to you — your goals, your current skill level, your products and the type of lesson you've booked. Some of our lessons are more application-focused, with your artist walking you through a finished look while explaining the products, brushes and techniques they're using along the way. We'll show you things like which brush makes a particular step easier, where to place a product and how to recreate the technique yourself at home.
Our more in-depth lessons take that education a step further. In addition to creating your makeup look, we'll dig deeper into the why behind what we're doing — things like how different brush shapes, lengths and tapers change the way a product applies and blends, how your individual face and eye shape affect placement, skin and skincare considerations, product selection, and how changing a tool or technique can change the finished result.
Think of the difference less as “we teach you” versus “we don't” and more as how deeply we're diving into the mechanics behind the application.
Different Cotton Rouge artists have different teaching styles and may offer different lesson formats, so your experience will reflect both the lesson you've selected and the artist you're working with.
But regardless of which lesson you've booked, our goal is the same:
We want you to leave understanding your makeup better than you did when you walked in — not simply wearing a beautiful application.
BRING YOUR MAKEUP BAG!
Seriously. Bring it.
Bring the makeup you actually own and use — and bring your makeup brushes, too. You do not need to go shopping before your lesson. In fact, we'd rather you didn't!
Part of helping you create a makeup routine that actually works is understanding what you're already working with.
We may find products in your bag that are perfect and simply teach you a better way to use them. We may find something you've never quite known what to do with. We may discover a gap in your routine that would be worth filling.
And no, we're not judging what's in there.
Drugstore makeup? Bring it.
Luxury makeup? Bring it.
That random product someone convinced you to buy and you've never figured out how to use? Definitely bring it.
What you already own also tells your artist a lot about how you shop for makeup.
If most of your products come from the drugstore, we're not going to hand you a list of $70 products and tell you that's the only way to create beautiful makeup. There are fantastic products at every price point.
If your makeup bag is filled with luxury brands, that tells us something, too!
Our recommendations aren't about telling you that you need the most expensive product. They're about finding products that make sense for your preferences, your routine and your budget.
BRING YOUR BRUSHES, TOO
Even if you have absolutely no idea what half of them are supposed to do. Actually... especially then.
Bring the brushes and tools you currently use at home. Just like your makeup bag, seeing what you already own helps us understand what you're working with and make recommendations that actually make sense for you.
During your lesson, your artist may show you a better way to use a brush you already have, demonstrate why a different brush makes a particular step easier, or point out a tool that could fill a gap in your collection.
And don't worry about having the "right" brushes before you arrive. Please don't go buy an entirely new brush set for your lesson! Part of our job is helping you figure out what you actually need.
How deeply we dive into brush education will depend on the type of lesson you've booked. In an application-focused lesson, we'll explain the brushes we're using and how they help you recreate each technique. In our more in-depth lessons, we may go further into how things like a brush's shape, density, length, flexibility and taper affect the way different products apply and blend.
Either way, bring what you've got.
You may already own exactly what you need — you might just need someone to show you what to do with it.
THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN
You don't need to arrive with a formal agenda, but spend a few minutes beforehand thinking about what frustrates you about doing your own makeup.
Maybe it's:
Tell your artist what you struggle with, what you already love about your routine, and what you'd like to be able to do when you leave.
INSPIRATION IS WELCOME! If there's a makeup look you'd love to learn, bring a few photos.
Just remember the same rule we use with all inspiration photos: they're inspiration, not a blueprint.
Filters, editing, lighting, facial features and skin texture can dramatically affect how makeup appears in a photo.
We'll help translate the elements you love into something that works for your face, your skill level and your everyday life.
HOW TO PREP YOUR SKIN
Clean + moisturized is perfect. Come with a clean face and complete your normal skincare routine beforehand.
Your everyday serums and moisturizer are absolutely fine. Hydrated skin is happy skin for makeup application!
There's no need to add extra products, try a new skincare routine or do anything special just because you're having a lesson.
We actually want to see your skin under relatively normal conditions because we're teaching you how to do your makeup in your real life.
Coming straight from work? That's okay! We know makeup lessons don't always happen first thing in the morning.
If you're coming directly from work or somewhere else and already have makeup on, you can wash your face here at the studio before your lesson. No need to stress about figuring out how to arrive bare-faced at 5:30 after working all day. We've got you.
DON'T BE EMBARRASSED BY WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW
This deserves its own section because we hear it ALL THE TIME.
"I know I should probably know this..."
Nope.
You don't.
Unless someone has taught you why one brush creates a completely different effect than another, why would you automatically know?
Unless someone has explained how your eye shape affects eyeshadow placement, why would you know where to put it?
Unless you've spent years working with different products and skin types, why would you know why one foundation works beautifully for you and another doesn't? Makeup is a skill. Skills are learned. There are no stupid questions during a makeup lesson.
YOU DON'T NEED TO REPLACE EVERYTHING YOU OWN
Please don't leave your lesson thinking you're about to receive a shopping list for an entirely new makeup bag.
Our goal is to help you understand what works, what doesn't, what you already have and what's actually worth adding.
Sometimes you don't need a new product at all. You need a different brush or a better technique.
Sometimes the $12 product you already own is fantastic.
And sometimes there really is a product that could make your life considerably easier — and we'll explain why we're recommending it.
We want your makeup routine to feel realistic enough that you'll actually use what you've learned once you get home.
EXPECT TO PARTICIPATE
Depending on the style of lesson you've booked and your individual goals, your artist may demonstrate techniques, have you practice them yourself, or work through the application with you.
Ask questions.
Stop us if something doesn't make sense.
If we use a brush or product and you're thinking, Wait...why THAT one? — ask!
This is your time to pick our brains.
We want you to leave understanding more than just what we put on your face. We want you to understand how to recreate it.
AND YES, YOU CAN COME BACK!
Makeup is a lot of information to absorb in one sitting.
Many of our clients choose to come back for another lesson after they've had some time to practice, but it is absolutely not a requirement.
A follow-up lesson can be used to troubleshoot what you've been practicing, learn another look, tackle a different part of your routine or simply build on what you learned the first time.
Whether you visit us once or decide you want Makeup Lesson: Part Two, our goal is the same:
You should leave feeling more confident doing your own makeup than you did when you walked in.
WANT TO BRING SOMEONE ALONG?
Makeup lessons can be even more fun when you learn together! We especially love lessons for two or three people — mother + daughter, sisters, best friends, or anyone who wants to make an experience out of it.
If you've already booked your lesson and someone would like to join you, reach out to us before your appointment. Depending on the artist's schedule, we may be able to extend your appointment and add another individual lesson.
Each person participating in the lesson will need their own booked lesson so we have enough time to work with everyone's individual features, products, questions and goals.
Already booked solo? No worries at all! Your lesson was designed to be a one-on-one experience.
And if you're interested in a larger group makeup class, we offer those too! Visit our Makeup Lessons page or contact us to learn more.
Our more in-depth lessons take that education a step further. In addition to creating your makeup look, we'll dig deeper into the why behind what we're doing — things like how different brush shapes, lengths and tapers change the way a product applies and blends, how your individual face and eye shape affect placement, skin and skincare considerations, product selection, and how changing a tool or technique can change the finished result.
Think of the difference less as “we teach you” versus “we don't” and more as how deeply we're diving into the mechanics behind the application.
Different Cotton Rouge artists have different teaching styles and may offer different lesson formats, so your experience will reflect both the lesson you've selected and the artist you're working with.
But regardless of which lesson you've booked, our goal is the same:
We want you to leave understanding your makeup better than you did when you walked in — not simply wearing a beautiful application.
BRING YOUR MAKEUP BAG!
Seriously. Bring it.
Bring the makeup you actually own and use — and bring your makeup brushes, too. You do not need to go shopping before your lesson. In fact, we'd rather you didn't!
Part of helping you create a makeup routine that actually works is understanding what you're already working with.
We may find products in your bag that are perfect and simply teach you a better way to use them. We may find something you've never quite known what to do with. We may discover a gap in your routine that would be worth filling.
And no, we're not judging what's in there.
Drugstore makeup? Bring it.
Luxury makeup? Bring it.
That random product someone convinced you to buy and you've never figured out how to use? Definitely bring it.
What you already own also tells your artist a lot about how you shop for makeup.
If most of your products come from the drugstore, we're not going to hand you a list of $70 products and tell you that's the only way to create beautiful makeup. There are fantastic products at every price point.
If your makeup bag is filled with luxury brands, that tells us something, too!
Our recommendations aren't about telling you that you need the most expensive product. They're about finding products that make sense for your preferences, your routine and your budget.
BRING YOUR BRUSHES, TOO
Even if you have absolutely no idea what half of them are supposed to do. Actually... especially then.
Bring the brushes and tools you currently use at home. Just like your makeup bag, seeing what you already own helps us understand what you're working with and make recommendations that actually make sense for you.
During your lesson, your artist may show you a better way to use a brush you already have, demonstrate why a different brush makes a particular step easier, or point out a tool that could fill a gap in your collection.
And don't worry about having the "right" brushes before you arrive. Please don't go buy an entirely new brush set for your lesson! Part of our job is helping you figure out what you actually need.
How deeply we dive into brush education will depend on the type of lesson you've booked. In an application-focused lesson, we'll explain the brushes we're using and how they help you recreate each technique. In our more in-depth lessons, we may go further into how things like a brush's shape, density, length, flexibility and taper affect the way different products apply and blend.
Either way, bring what you've got.
You may already own exactly what you need — you might just need someone to show you what to do with it.
THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN
You don't need to arrive with a formal agenda, but spend a few minutes beforehand thinking about what frustrates you about doing your own makeup.
Maybe it's:
- "My foundation never looks right."
- "I have no idea where blush is supposed to go."
- "My eyeshadow always turns into one muddy color."
- "I bought all these brushes and don't know what any of them do."
- "My makeup routine worked for me ten years ago, but it doesn't anymore."
- "I want to wear more makeup without feeling like I'm wearing MORE makeup."
- "I don't know what colors look good on me."
- "I want a five-minute everyday routine."
- "I want to know how to get more dressed up when I need to."
- "I don't even know where to start."
Tell your artist what you struggle with, what you already love about your routine, and what you'd like to be able to do when you leave.
INSPIRATION IS WELCOME! If there's a makeup look you'd love to learn, bring a few photos.
Just remember the same rule we use with all inspiration photos: they're inspiration, not a blueprint.
Filters, editing, lighting, facial features and skin texture can dramatically affect how makeup appears in a photo.
We'll help translate the elements you love into something that works for your face, your skill level and your everyday life.
HOW TO PREP YOUR SKIN
Clean + moisturized is perfect. Come with a clean face and complete your normal skincare routine beforehand.
Your everyday serums and moisturizer are absolutely fine. Hydrated skin is happy skin for makeup application!
There's no need to add extra products, try a new skincare routine or do anything special just because you're having a lesson.
We actually want to see your skin under relatively normal conditions because we're teaching you how to do your makeup in your real life.
Coming straight from work? That's okay! We know makeup lessons don't always happen first thing in the morning.
If you're coming directly from work or somewhere else and already have makeup on, you can wash your face here at the studio before your lesson. No need to stress about figuring out how to arrive bare-faced at 5:30 after working all day. We've got you.
DON'T BE EMBARRASSED BY WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW
This deserves its own section because we hear it ALL THE TIME.
"I know I should probably know this..."
Nope.
You don't.
Unless someone has taught you why one brush creates a completely different effect than another, why would you automatically know?
Unless someone has explained how your eye shape affects eyeshadow placement, why would you know where to put it?
Unless you've spent years working with different products and skin types, why would you know why one foundation works beautifully for you and another doesn't? Makeup is a skill. Skills are learned. There are no stupid questions during a makeup lesson.
YOU DON'T NEED TO REPLACE EVERYTHING YOU OWN
Please don't leave your lesson thinking you're about to receive a shopping list for an entirely new makeup bag.
Our goal is to help you understand what works, what doesn't, what you already have and what's actually worth adding.
Sometimes you don't need a new product at all. You need a different brush or a better technique.
Sometimes the $12 product you already own is fantastic.
And sometimes there really is a product that could make your life considerably easier — and we'll explain why we're recommending it.
We want your makeup routine to feel realistic enough that you'll actually use what you've learned once you get home.
EXPECT TO PARTICIPATE
Depending on the style of lesson you've booked and your individual goals, your artist may demonstrate techniques, have you practice them yourself, or work through the application with you.
Ask questions.
Stop us if something doesn't make sense.
If we use a brush or product and you're thinking, Wait...why THAT one? — ask!
This is your time to pick our brains.
We want you to leave understanding more than just what we put on your face. We want you to understand how to recreate it.
AND YES, YOU CAN COME BACK!
Makeup is a lot of information to absorb in one sitting.
Many of our clients choose to come back for another lesson after they've had some time to practice, but it is absolutely not a requirement.
A follow-up lesson can be used to troubleshoot what you've been practicing, learn another look, tackle a different part of your routine or simply build on what you learned the first time.
Whether you visit us once or decide you want Makeup Lesson: Part Two, our goal is the same:
You should leave feeling more confident doing your own makeup than you did when you walked in.
WANT TO BRING SOMEONE ALONG?
Makeup lessons can be even more fun when you learn together! We especially love lessons for two or three people — mother + daughter, sisters, best friends, or anyone who wants to make an experience out of it.
If you've already booked your lesson and someone would like to join you, reach out to us before your appointment. Depending on the artist's schedule, we may be able to extend your appointment and add another individual lesson.
Each person participating in the lesson will need their own booked lesson so we have enough time to work with everyone's individual features, products, questions and goals.
Already booked solo? No worries at all! Your lesson was designed to be a one-on-one experience.
And if you're interested in a larger group makeup class, we offer those too! Visit our Makeup Lessons page or contact us to learn more.