Learn Hardcore Spanish (Spain): Mi amiga se maquilla un poco la cara antes de la entrevista. - My friend puts a bit of makeup on her face before the interview.

maquillar = to put makeup on someone else
- La maquilladora maquilla a la actriz. = The makeup artist puts makeup on the actress.
maquillarse = to put makeup on oneself
- Mi amiga se maquilla. = My friend puts on makeup.

In the sentence, the subject (mi amiga) is performing the action on her own face, so Spanish uses the reflexive form se maquilla.

What exactly does the pronoun se mean here?

Here se is a reflexive pronoun meaning that the subject does the action to themselves.

Mi amiga se maquilla…
Literally: My friend makes up herself… → idiomatically: My friend puts on makeup…

It doesn’t translate directly into English as a separate word; it is just required in Spanish to show the action returns to the subject.

Why is it la cara and not su cara?

In Spanish, when talking about parts of the body (and clothes), it’s very common to use the definite article (el, la, los, las) instead of a possessive:

Se lava las manos. = She washes her hands.
Me cepillo los dientes. = I brush my teeth.
Se maquilla la cara. = She puts makeup on her face.

The possessive (su cara) is usually only used if you really need to emphasize whose body part it is, or to avoid ambiguity. Because the reflexive pronoun se already shows it’s her own face, la cara is the natural choice.

Could I say Mi amiga se maquilla un poco su cara?

It would sound unnatural or wrong in standard Spanish. With a reflexive verb and a body part, Spanish almost always uses the article, not the possessive:

✅ Mi amiga se maquilla un poco la cara.
❌ Mi amiga se maquilla un poco su cara.

Using su cara here feels redundant and unidiomatic.

Why is it se maquilla un poco la cara and not se maquilla la cara un poco? Is the word order fixed?

The word order is flexible. All of these are possible and correct:

Mi amiga se maquilla un poco la cara antes de la entrevista.
Mi amiga se maquilla la cara un poco antes de la entrevista.
Mi amiga se maquilla la cara antes de la entrevista un poco. (much less common, sounds tacked on)

Placing un poco right after the verb (se maquilla un poco la cara) is very natural; placing it after la cara is also fine. The meaning doesn’t really change; it’s just a question of rhythm and style, and the original version is probably the most natural.

Could I leave out la cara and just say Mi amiga se maquilla un poco?

Yes. Mi amiga se maquilla un poco is perfectly correct and very natural.

Se maquilla already implies she is putting makeup on her face.
Adding la cara just makes it more explicit, but it’s not always necessary.

The version with la cara slightly emphasizes that it is specifically her face, which can matter if, for example, she also does her eyes, lips, etc. and you want to be explicit.

Could I say Mi amiga maquilla un poco la cara without se?

Yes, but it would mean something different:

Mi amiga se maquilla un poco la cara.
= My friend puts a bit of makeup on her own face.
Mi amiga maquilla un poco la cara.
= My friend puts a bit of makeup on (someone else’s) face.

Without se, mi amiga is putting makeup on another person, not on herself.

Why is it antes de la entrevista and not antes la entrevista?

Because antes on its own is an adverb (meaning before in general).
To say before something, Spanish uses antes de + noun:

antes de cenar = before dinner
antes de salir = before going out
antes de la entrevista = before the interview

So you must include de when a noun follows.
❌ antes la entrevista is ungrammatical.

Why la entrevista and not su entrevista (her interview)?

Spanish often uses the definite article where English uses a possessive:

antes de la entrevista
Literally: before the interview
Contextually: before her interview (we understand it’s hers)

You could say antes de su entrevista, but it usually isn’t necessary if the context makes it clear. The version with la is very natural and typical.

Why is it mi amiga and not mi amigo?

Because amiga is the feminine form of amigo.

amigo = male friend or a friend of unspecified gender (in some contexts)
amiga = female friend

The sentence is describing a female friend who is putting on makeup, so mi amiga is used.

Where does the pronoun se have to go? Could I say Mi amiga maquilla se un poco la cara?

The pronoun se must go before the conjugated verb in this structure:

✅ Mi amiga se maquilla un poco la cara.
❌ Mi amiga maquilla se un poco la cara.

General rule (for simple tenses):
Reflexive pronoun + conjugated verb
Me / te / se / nos / os / se + verbo

It can attach to the end only with infinitives and gerunds, e.g.:

Va a maquillarse. / Se va a maquillar.
Está maquillándose. / Se está maquillando.

Is maquillarse the only way to say “to put on makeup” in Spain?

Maquillarse is the most common and standard verb in Spain for putting on makeup.

You may also hear:

ponerse maquillaje = to put makeup on (more literal, using the noun maquillaje)
- Mi amiga se pone un poco de maquillaje.
pintarse los ojos / los labios / las uñas = to do one’s eyes / lips / nails
- Se pinta los labios. = She puts lipstick on.

But for the general idea “get made up / put on makeup”, maquillarse is the main verb used.