http://www.beautylish.com/a/vpimy/essential-beauty-products
I recommend you all take a look at this article from Beautylish. It's fantastic and I believe it really puts things in perspective for people who aren't as experienced in how to use makeup and does so in a fun way!
I thought it was a perfect guideline for helping beginners to put together a basic makeup kit as well.
Definitely take a look, and if you haven't signed up to Beautylish, I recommend you do. It's a great place to find tips and tutorials by other makeup gurus. You can make your own profile, add pictures, videos and link to your twitter account, etc. I think it's awesome :)