Aaaah makeup... my obsession. If I could wear makeup all the time without the impracticalities of work, having to wash my skin and having it smear on everyone I'd be a happier person.

There's nothing that says newbie like bad makeup. So here's a few hints and tips from my end:

Keep it simple.
The simpler the makeup the less likely you are to screw it up. Just minimal dashes of pale foundation, some dark eyeshadow and a bit of mascara is a good start... especially if you're a guy.. .there's less finicky brush work and such so you can just sweep across your face without having to worry that your hands are trembling. Don't immediately start scrawling over your face with an eyeliner because it will just look rushed and unprofessional.

Don't copy other people's makeup.
Apart from being rude and looking like a copy cat you may well be the 19th Crow to walk in the door. Copying makeup seen in film clips and movies is usually a sign that you don't know anything about goth beyond Hollywood stereotypes.

Quality vs quantity.
Even the most adept makeup artist can't make up for bad products. Using moderate to good quality makeups will generally ensure that the coverage is even, colours are opaque/shiney/at least the colour you want it to be, will last longer and usually won't screw up your skin as fast. $2 eyeliner is 99% of the time absolute shite compared to $10 eyeliner. If you want to spend more you can ... but often the mid range products from $10-$20 an item are fairly good. The thing to note is that apart from appearance/skin tone reasonings I find that you use 5 $2 eyeliners much faster than you will 1 $10 eyeliner.

Tools of the trade.
Good foundation sponges, powder puffs, brushes and so forth can make the difference between good makeup and great makeup. They give smooth coverage and definition, finer lines and better control over colour. I like latex sponges for smooth coverage but if you have a lot of hair on your skin or other matters you might like a grainier sponge, soft blending brushes are great and fiiiiiiiine liquid eyeliner brushes/tips are a god send. It can be worth buying eyeliners that come with smudgers on the end of the pencil to give you that smokey eye look and often they make the pencil last longer.

Know your skin type.
Make sure you use makeup appropriate to your skin, if you've got oily skin don't use a cream, oil based makeup. If you have dry skin apply moisturiser before your makeup or after it is removed. Make sure you cleanse and exfoliate as often as your skin requires as it will keep your skin smooth and pimple free... and let's face it we all want a good canvas to draw on.

Maintenance.
Carry a little makeup with you at least if you're going out in full face paint. This means you can touch up smudges, reapply lipstick and powder over oily spots. Don't snog in a corner wearing full black lipstick you'll end up with it half way up your cheek.

Stay put makeup.
Keeping makeup on all day/all night can be a problem... staywear makeups are a god send and I find starting everything with a staywear foundation increases the lifetime of my makeup by a good 5 hours. Waterproof mascaras and eyeliners are great for this (especially if you're going to dance and sweat) and makeup sealants are incredibly useful. If none are available a very short squirt with a fairly light hairspray will seal makeup in the short term.

Take your time.
Just because I'm a slave to my paint and have done it so often I can do it quickly doesn't mean you can or should. Taking your time means you're less likely to draw wobbly lines and even if you do you'll have time to fix it.

Try it out.
You might feel like a little kid playing dressups but if you want to do something new in makeup try it out late at night when no one's watching. This way no one can see it and you can wash it off and try again if you don't like it. It also means that if it takes time to perfect a new technique you're not going out to a club after the first attempt.

Recommended products:

Buying Tips

Okay... so everyone knows I wear a tonne of makeup right? So how the hell do I afford it?

I think I've bought full cost makeup twice in the last 2 years. That's all it is, careful shopping. I know the products I use regularly and if these are cheap I will buy as much of it as I can, since buying 3-4 bottles of foundation marked down can often mean I get one free compared to the retail price. I also like to raid the bargain bins in chemists, department stores and drug stores such as Priceline/Price Attack. Checking dollar/pound shops is well worth your while, chain discount stores often buy large quantities of name brand cosmetics to sell off cheap when they are overstocked or the line is no longer being produced. This usually means you can get $15 cosmetics for around $2.

Keep your eye on junk mail and price tags, since specials can save you a bundle, I also like to buy things when you get a free gift since this means you can try new products free or get one you use regularly included. Also sign up for regular buyers clubs since these often mean you get special prices on products for being a brand loyalist or they give you spending points that you can later use to buy merchandise.

Also just shopping in the right store can save you up to around $5 per item. Buying from cheaper department stores like Kmart and Target will save you money over buying from Myer or David Jones but remember specials can make all the difference so sometimes they are not the cheapest!