5 Makeup Artists To Follow On Instagram Right Now

When I was younger, I used to flip through magazines to get beauty inspiration, but looking back, that may not have been the best idea. A lot of the "inspo" pictures I saw were highly airbrushed, Photoshopped, and pretty unrealistic. While there are certainly apps available to edit pictures before they are posted online these days, there is still a much more realistic element to a personal Instagram account, not to mention awesome diversity in all senses of the word. I love being able to see makeup looks on women of all ages, skin types, and races. It's truly inspirational to have such art at your fingertips.

During the week, I tend to stick to pretty simple, no-fuss looks for work, and while that may be practical, it isn't always the most fun. One of my favorite things to do on a Friday afternoon is scroll through my Instagram feed to find beauty inspiration for my weekend makeup looks. Sometimes all it takes is one picture of a cool metallic winged liner, smokey eye with colored shadow, or a neutral face with a bright lip to bring me out of my comfort zone and dare to try something new.

Here are some of my favorite ladies to follow:

1. sineadycady

Sinead is the queen of making an easy makeup look appear really complex. Her YouTube channel is chock-full of quick tutorials which will leave you in awe of how easy it can be to get a glamorous smokey eye or flawless-looking skin.

2. courtmontes

Courtney's images will make you realize that a neutral and simple makeup look is anything but boring. She generously lists every product she uses to achieve her looks, making it easy to re-create her makeup exactly (if you want).

3. dulcecandy

Dulce is an inspiring woman: She's a veteran (she served in Iraq and worked as a mechanic before starting her YouTube channel!), a mother, and posts beauty videos in both English and Spanish. Oh yeah, she's also an insanely talented makeup artist.

4. makeupshayla

Never one to shy away from bold eye colors or bright lips, Shayla is your go-to girl if you're looking for a way to shake up your beauty routine. She's inspired me on more than one occasion to bust out a green eyeshadow or wear a bright lip. She also has super dark brown eyes like I do, and has really given me a lot of ideas on how to make them pop!

5. kaush_m

Kaushal's makeup creations are always gorgeous, and I especially love her special occasion looks because they're bold, creative, and yet still totally wearable. She recently showcased a few Diwali makeup looks and each one was more stunning than the next.

Who do you like to follow on Instagram, and where else do you get your beauty inspiration from? Tweet me (@thebloginista) and let me know!

Images: Dulce Candy/YouTube; sineadycady, courtmontes, dulcecandy, makeupshayla, kaush_m/Instagram