Sephora is beautiful, in a way, and it’s fun, like a candy store or a lollipop forest. But lollipop forests are also a bit overwhelming. How do you navigate them?

To find out, I talked to Beauty Manager Billie Jean Rodriguez.

First, Sephora is laid out strategically. Perfume is on the left, makeup on the right, and skincare in the middle. Within each section, cosmetics are divided by brand into stalls or shelves against the walls.

Front and center is the beauty studio, which Rodriguez says is the first place for someone new to makeup to start. A mini makeover is free (Sephora offers full makeovers, which cost upwards of $50, but only after a store has been open for twelve months). According to Rodriquez, makeovers are accurate because the store hosts a hand-held “color IQ camera.” After taking pictures of three different parts of your face, the camera matches your skin with several foundations, lipsticks and concealers the local Sephora provides. Brand names, prices and, for some products, the intended skin type (dry, oily, etc) are included. Shoppers can tab the suggestions up or down for slightly lighter or darker shades, which Rodriguez says is helpful for people who like a more dramatic look or know their skin tone will change in summer or winter. Or, instead of going to the physical location, shoppers can virtually try on eye and lip makeup using the free app, Sephora To Go.

Perfume

Go for rollerballs, according to Rodriguez. At 20 to 25 dollars, they are about half the cost of spray perfume. Because they are small, they are not as big of a commitment.  They can also quickly be swapped for new scents when the old one runs out, and they can conveniently be packed into makeup bags.

Skincare

“For the 15 and 16-year-olds that come in here, the first thing I teach is skincare,” Rodriguez said. “If you look after it right, your skin can be makeup-optional.”

For high-schoolers on a budget, Rodriguez recommends the Pearl Eye Mask, which comes in varying options based on skin type and is priced at six dollars. To tackle very oily skin, she suggests more oil.

“It always surprises people, but an oil cleansing gel is really good,” Rodriguez said. “It attracts the oil from your face and pulls it off.”

Makeup

Cheap, good and long-lasting makeup is found in the Sephora Collection, which has to be cheap, good and long-lasting because the line is designed to be a gateway to other items at the store, according to Rodriguez.  

Something most high-schoolers should avoid is liquid eyeliner, which Rodriguez says dries slowly and can be hard to apply. Instead, she recommends eyeliner pencils. For precise application, draw small strokes at the rim of the lid, then connect them.

Eye shadow palettes from Urban Decay are popular, but Rodriguez says there are cheaper options that look virtually the same. Shoppers should choose an Urban Decay palette they like and select several of their favorite shades. Then they should match those hues with individual eye shadow colors from the Sephora Collection, which fit into one make-your-own palette. Each Sephora Collection shade costs ten dollars, compared to the 54 dollars of an Urban Decay palette. Another advantage is that this strategy allows shoppers to build their own palette over time.

Inexpensive lipstick can be found from any brand. Rodriguez says the search is open to trial-and-error.

“Try out different brands if you’re not sure you love one thing,” she said.

More general guidance: shoppers should go for what they’re naturally drawn to.

“For some girls … they want something bold,” Rodriguez said. “But if you walk in and you’re wearing no makeup or something subtle, that’s probably what you want to buy.”