Advise on creams in US

aww, try luminizer or BB creams for dewy look. Revlon photo ready is a good place to start.

 

Hi dear, looking dull means maybe you do not follow a CTM routine properly.
CTM is cleansing Toning and Moisturizing.
You need to do it all the 3 steps atleast twice daily.

If your skin is acne prone and oily then choose non comedogenic cosmetics and skin care products.
I think in US you have wide range of products so you are lucky in that aspect.
Try neutrogenA brand for cleanser and moisturizer.
Yes you need moisturizer even if you have oily skin.
Use a pure rose water of any reputed brand as a toner. Dont skip these 3 steps.

Here are other advices-

1) Don't use sunscreen during night parties/events. It causes white cast in photographs.

2) use a BB cream or tinted moisturizer to even out skin tone and fade acne marks (for parties/functions) follow it up with a compact (choose correct shade) and add a lil blush, eyeliner, mascara and a lip gloss. You're done to glow in party.
After you get experienced in it you can go for a good foundation and eyeshadow.

3) before few hours of the expected function or even a day before function, use a good face scrub to exfoliate your dead skin and clogged pores.
Try neutrogena blackhead removing scrub
Follow it up with a good face pack for glowing skin.

Since you are in US, try to get these facial masks- montagne jeunesse or beauty formulas brand.
They come in one time use sachets and cost you only a 1-2 $ and give you instant glow.

4) besan+turmeric+milk pack if applied daily will give you glowing skin slowly but naturally.

5) good diet and good sleep is always as usual important and so is the water intake.

 

hiiii
firstly don't worry... not knowing anything about make up is not a crime... you are very beautiful you don't need make up so you didn't bother....
everyday i apply a BB cream with sun screen and some mineral powder...
during any parties i do use a revlon primer followed by revlon foundation and revlon compact...
use garnier under eye roll it really does wonders...what ever products you buy try to buy everything of the same company so that they go well with each other...
remember to get everything that is non comedogenic ("do not clog pores" a fancy way of saying it)...
one more advice try to catch up with youtube about applying make up.... this is where i learnt about make up

 

Few days back I was in same boat and always thinking what other girls do. Some of my friends are really very good on make -up side.

Few changes what I made in addition to weekly scrub and face pack schedule

1. I use BB cream and compact powder for daily make-up.
2. I was always fond of Kajal (eyeliner) but was never regular. Now I apply Kajal and eyeliner everyday (I am still in learning phase of eye make-up)
3. Try to change face wash . I use two face washes one I use when I am at home or night (normal one) and other one before going out (I use The Body Shop Vit C ). It's really good to keep my face glowing.
4. Earlier I was using normal lip balms. Now I use Maybelline Baby lip balm.

These are few small things which helped me to look better than what I was earlier.

 

BB means beauty or blemish cream (kind of cream, replacement of face moisturizer). It's available in many brands (I use Olay). Regarding Neutrogena, I didn't have good experience and switched many brands in between. Finally I am stuck in 'The Body Shop' for compact powder, face wash, body lotion/moisturizer and body wash.

Regarding shade, most of the shops carry sampler so you can try which one is best for you. Also,

 

You need to go to cosmetic stores nearby and check for the correct match for your skintone. There's no other way to know which sgade suits you best unless you try it on your skin.
Always ask the shop lady to apply tester shade near your jaw line for getting correct match of compact or bb cream or foundation to your original skin tone.

Bb cream is a beauty benifit cream which is like a day cream but tinted. It is ideal for daily use whereas foundations are usually heavy and not easy to maintain for daily use.

Try loreal true match bb cream or maybelline bb cream stick.
I dont know what shops you get cosmetics in US... but I mnow that sephora and walmart stores have cosmetics. Try there.

Even e.l.f and essence brand cosmetics are cheap and good quality you get for 3-5$ range. Try them untill you get used to makeup and then go for high end brands like MUA or MAC etc.

For facewash, if neutrogena didnt suit you, best would be to use cetaphil cleanser and cetaphil moisturizer.

You can try buy the tea tree set from the body shop. It has tea tree face wash, toner and moisturizer I think. That should work for you.

If your age is > 25yrs, invest in a good night cream which also adds glow to skin on regular use.
Go for the body shop vit E night cream.

 

From what you have written I suspect your skin colour has changed. Your current foundation and powder probably doesnt match your skin colour. Maybe it is one shade lighter or darker and that is why you look dull.

In us go to Macy's. Pick a macy's in a trendy upmarket place, go during weekday daytime when they are not so busy to their makeup section. You can go to one of the makeup counters there and request a makeover. They will show all the shades, they have so many, and use their products on you and show you which shade, how to apply etc. If you take your present foundation and show it they will tell what is the problem, is it too light or too dark -- actually this depends on the girl helping you. Some are very helpful, some are meh. Clinique is good US brand and so is MAC.

 

Body shop illuminating cream with vitamin e is also gud, n many said abt bb cream, hope something will work, keep ur self hydrate, all d best.