DIY Makeup

First Impression

I’m not gonna lie, I downloaded DIY Makeup because my old makeup app got so cluttered with ads it was unusable. This one seemed simpler. First thing I noticed? The app actually lets you upload your own photo instead of forcing you to use some model’s face. That was a relief. I sat down on a Tuesday afternoon after my coffee, uploaded a selfie I took in the kitchen, and started messing around with a bright purple lipstick. Looked ridiculous, but I laughed. The tutorial popped up right away too, which was helpful because I’m not good at figuring out new apps on my own. I was surprised by how quickly I got the hang of it.

What It Does Well

The virtual try-on is the main reason I keep coming back. It works pretty well on my Samsung Galaxy A54. I can swipe through different lip colors or blush shades and they actually stick to my face, not just float around. It’s not perfect, but it’s close enough for me to decide if I’d buy something or not. The step-by-step tutorials are also good. They’re short, not those long videos that drag on. I followed one for a simple daytime eye look and it actually looked decent when I tried it for real later. Another thing I like is the product recommendations. I put in my skin type (dry, if you must know) and it suggested a foundation that I ended up buying at the drugstore. That was a win. The community part is okay, but I don’t post much. I mostly just look at what others are doing for ideas.

Where It Falls Short

Honestly, the app gets a little frustrating after a while. The virtual try-on can be slow sometimes, especially if I move my head. It freezes up for a second and then jumps back. That annoyed me when I was trying to show my daughter Sandra what a bold red lip would look like on me. She said “Mom, it’s glitching again.” She was right. Also, there aren’t that many looks to choose from. I expected hundreds, but it feels limited after a couple weeks. And some of the tutorials assume you already know basic stuff, like what a blending brush is. I had to look that up on YouTube. Finally, the ads. They’re not as bad as my old app, but they still pop up at annoying times, like right when I’m trying to save a look.

Is It Worth the Price?

Well, the app is free to download, which is great. But there are things you have to pay for inside, like extra color palettes or special tutorial packs. I haven’t bought any yet. I’m not sure I will. The free stuff is enough for me to play around and get ideas. If you’re someone who loves having every shade of eyeshadow available, you might end up spending money. But for a retiree like me who just wants to try a new lip color before buying it at the store, the free version works fine. I’d say it’s worth a download, but don’t feel pressured to open your wallet.

Developer & Support

This part is where I got a little disappointed. I had an issue where my saved looks disappeared. I had one I really liked—a soft pink and gold eye—and it just vanished. So I emailed support through the app. It took them three days to reply, and when they did, it was a copy-paste answer about clearing the cache. Not helpful at all. I wrote back asking for more help, but nobody answered. That left a bad taste in my mouth. I get that it’s a free app, but if you’re going to offer support, at least pretend to care. I haven’t had the problem again, but I don’t trust it completely now.

Privacy & Safety

I’m not a tech expert, so I can’t tell you all the fancy details. But I can say the app asks for permission to access your photos and camera. That makes sense for uploading selfies. I was a little nervous about that, so I only use a picture I took specifically for this app, not my whole gallery. The app also says it doesn’t share your photos with anyone, but I don’t know if I believe that completely. I haven’t seen anything weird happen, like spam emails or strange contacts. Still, I’d tell anyone to be careful. Only upload pictures you’re okay with floating around. That’s just common sense these days.