I would recommend Mary Kay makeup. (Yes, I'm a consultant, but I'm not trying to sell it much currently. I love it for myself and my daughter.) If you find a consultant near you, she will give you a complete makeover. If she's doing what she's supposed to do, she will teach you about makeup. Should you choose not to purchase anything, you will still walk away with some good basic knowledge that you could use to purchase other makeup.
That being said, I love MK brand for many reasons. It is not cheap, but it is quality stuff and lasts forever. I was using Cover Girl foundation, but even I could tell the difference when I tried MK. (I'm not much on over- primping for myself; I want to look my natural best, personally.) Anyways, MK is quality, and they have so many choices to choose from. It's nice to have someone help pick the colors that suit you; your consultant should take the time to listen to what you want out of makeup; she should never pressure you to purchase what you don't want. And MK is always a 100% moneyback guarantee; if you get 3/4 of the way through your makeup and decide you've never liked it, you can return it to your consultant for an exchange or complete refund.
I don't use the whole ball of wax myself. I use foundation, blush, 1 eye color, and mascara. (I'm over 40, and it's nice to have help evening out my skin!) Anyways, I just want to look neat. My goal with makeup is to use the minimal amount I can, look fairly natural, just minimizing the major spots I want to hide.
Anyways, if you would want to try a no-pressure (it should be no-pressure) makeover, you can go to
www.marykay.com to find a consultant in your area. At least that way you learn a little about skincare and your skin type and makeup, personalized just for you, for free! And they can come to your house, so you don't necessarily have to find childcare!