When it comes to makeup the most important thing is just technique and lotsss of practice. It took me hours of practice every day when I first started doing my makeup. Using good products definitely helps but knowing how to do makeup that suits your facial features and the overall style you want is what's most important.
The only expensive makeup products that I think are actually worth the money are setting powders and setting sprays. Everything else has really good affordable products. Mascara, eyeliner, lipliners, lipgloss, and makeup brushes are the products you really shouldn't waste a lot of extra money on.
If you start out wanting to do a more natural style, it's important that you make sure you're actually applying enough makeup because it often takes more concealer to even out the application and not seem patchy. Cream products (for blush/bronzer/contour) also help a lot with achieving a more natural makeup look since powders leave a really matte finish.
A lot of makeup application also depends on your skin type. I have oily skin so I have to use A LOT of powder both when I initially do my makeup and then when I fix it throughout the day (I also use only powder blushes/bronzers/contours instead of cream because it lasts longer when my face gets oily). If you have dry skin, then focus on using "hydrating" products and using a lot of hydrating skincare products before you do your makeup.
The best advice I got when I first started was to look for makeup influencers who look similar to me to make sure that the makeup techniques they teach will actually work for my face.
Don't be discouraged when you first start because it truly does just take a lot of practice to learn and figure out what works best for you<33 I'm always willing to give more help or makeup advice if you'd like!

For perfumes it really depends on what you're goal is. Are you a hobbyist, a collector, or just want to find a signature scent to wear daily or on different occasions. ⁠∘⁠˚⁠˳⁠°

I'd recommend buying Decant for different perfumes/body mist if you want to know what smells like what and what's different. Its a step up than smelling it at a store tester cause you can see how the scent evolves over time and how it reacts with your skin chemistry specifically.

→
Decants are basically share in jars where sellers takes perfumes and divide it into smaller quantities to sell. Much more affordable. You can get vials or sprays.

I also recommend writing your thoughts on the scents, what you liked, what you didn't, etc.. cause if you're like me, you'll probably forget what it smells like. And it helps to recognize patterns in scent profiles.

You don't have to write it in flowery poetic language the industry often use, just write it on how it makes sense to you, since life experience plays a big part in our sense of smell and association...( ,,⩌'︿'⩌,,)

Like others have said, makeup comes down to practice; my go-to is anything at the drugstore; most times they have sales, so the stuff isn't that expensive. Expensive brands and the drugstore brands are more or less the same; sometimes people just pay for the label, not the makeup itself.

I would recommend getting a cheaper eyeshadow palette and some brushes and just playing around with the colors and seeing what looks good. Setting powder and setting spray are great tools as well, sometimes a primer, but you can just use face lotion as a base.

For perfumes, I go to whatever department store is closest and smell the perfumes, then whatever one I like. I buy a tester online; it's the same perfumes, just cheaper, as it was the tester. I would also recommend starting with a body mist; they smell lighter than perfumes and are often cheaper.

For beginners, I'd recommend starting with something easy like lipstick or mascara. You don't need to go all out and buy every product just yet because it can be super overwhelming when you're still new to makeup. Yes, expensive products can mean better quality (not always) but it doesn't do much if you don't know how to use them. So, start with drugstore makeup like most people do. After you feel more comfortable, you can then slowly add more steps to your makeup routine like doing your blush or base etc.

I'm not too deep into fragrance but I personally will vouch for fragrances from Arabian houses because they smell expensive yet super affordable compared to designer houses.

So I do collect perfumes, and I do have a couple perfumes that smelled so good in the moment, I bought it, then I HATEDDDDD it. I have at least 3 perfumes I REFUSE to touch.
Something I started doing was spraying the perfume on the test strips, waving it to air it out, smelling it, getting my initial thoughts, then carrying it around with me to see if I still like the same smell later. It helped a lot at first, then eventually my nose finally stopped playing tricks on me. You might try it out!

Makeup, get the cheapy products from Walmart, Dollar Tree. Try it out, see how you like stuff first before spending good $$ on useless shit. I can't tell you how much money I wasted on foundation, just to find out I can't STAND foundation. I wish I got drug store products first.
Also, if you have sensitive skin, it'll probably take a minute to find what works for you. It took me almost 10 years T~T. My acne and sensitivity was all hormonal, once I finally turned 20, it all just went away and my skin can handle literally everything now.