@Mort_Opal, Yep, sliders are where it's at, within those sliders you have the capacity to create Sims from the "attractive"
https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sPmuoktqxS0/W9B2dFckAnI/AAAAAAAAZqQ/8A1-WJoRhb4oSGujiIQpJxtiUzuFsAqdQCLcBGAs/s1600/Screenshot-30.jpg
https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7CV0NIzIM9k/W9CgIEaLUVI/AAAAAAAAZrM/oH885OrBScAddNEp4XQeXXGyYmeipdPKACLcBGAs/s1600/Screenshot-59.jpg
to the "not so attractive..."
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8CIcaMgJTjs/W9B4_IqQiKI/AAAAAAAAZrA/b46FbcWWjAAg-F1NHNVxP-Y6JhPFkGtEgCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/Screenshot-32.jpg
to sheer "ugliness..."
https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Oy8iqt5eQBc/W9CgTuXUYII/AAAAAAAAZrk/y-rnWzOo9As351YD3ZDjvNh5ICFOYCD8QCLcBGAs/s1600/Screenshot-66.jpg
Work with the sliders until you learn what they can do...then venture into cc. (Note that the above sims have some cc skins, eyes and hair)
But you can accomplish the same thing without ANY cc whatsoever. "Kyla" was created with NO cc at all.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--GTRU9Bj6fY/W7hqX6Tl1CI/AAAAAAAAY6w/VfHFOyDmHjUojVyWBzkALe9dKIV8LsHfQCLcBGAs/s1600/Screenshot-62.jpg
Kyla is all EA sliders and content.
Believe me, @Mort_Opal YOU can do it. In January 2017, my sims looked like THIS. :D
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xOUq2iTPIBE/WHA8ESeRtkI/AAAAAAAAIIQ/9Fjp_n9N_5UUjspK9GB3TSHXEaAIj35zACLcB/s1600/Screenshot-14.jpg
Almost two years later...
https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qEUl-fPxFJA/W6vqlwKx_0I/AAAAAAAAYGc/8M1ncxEpkYogQnQCet54SbgVKVXUaKu5QCLcBGAs/s1600/Screenshot-66.jpg
That's right, I've only been simming for a little less than two years. :)
PS: ...oh and I'm a guy... :D I don't know the first thing about makeup...and the only time you'll ever find me in the make-up section is when my RL wife drags me kicking and screaming into the weirdly smelling section of the department store.