When Did You First Start Wearing Makeup?
I have a niece who is about to turn 6 (but acts more like 16) and I feel like she has been enthralled about makeup since birth… maybe even inutero. Ever since I can remember, she is always carrying a lip balm or gloss on her and loves to pretend to put on makeup.
I can only remember back to age 3 and my mother putting blue eye shadow on me for a dance recital, however, I wasn’t allowed to wear makeup until I was 13. That was the big day that I headed over to Brooks Drugstore and purused their makeup aisle. I probably only bought a few things from Wet n’ Wild since I was only babysitting at the time–and that was only bringing in about $2.50 an hour(!) Gosh, now I feel old.
When was the first time that you started wearing makeup and can you remember the first products you purchased?
Tags: beauty, makeup
10 opinions for When Did You First Start Wearing Makeup?
Eileen
Nov 2, 2007 at 10:41 am
Unlike most makeup lovers, I wasn’t dying to wear makeup as a teen. I was shy and wore thick glasses, so bringing attention to myself was the last thing I wanted to do. My wonderful mom told me constantly that I was beautiful and encouraged me to try makeup. I put it off until I was chosen for a student award and was asked to submit a picture. I was 15. My mom insisted that I make myself up for the picture, so we went to Grant’s to buy some makeup. I bought Great Lash mascara in black, blue eye shadow (it was the ’70s), a Maybelline concealer stick, Cover Girl powder, and some medium pink lipstick. I got a shock when I put on the mascara. I had never realized that I was blessed with long eyelashes. I loved my dark, defined lashes so much that I got contacts shortly thereafter. To this day mascara is my favorite cosmetic product.
The description of your niece made me smile, because my five year old cousin, Emma, has been fascinated by makeup since she was two. Whenever I visit, she pokes around in my bags looking for makeup. On my last visit my Smith’s rosebud salve went missing and there was no mystery about the culprit. Emma’s favorite activity is giving make-overs. Her mom has absolutely no interest in makeup; her sole cosmetic product is a lipstick that she wears only on special occasions. I have already promised that I will introduce Emma to good makeup when the time is right. I know it’s going to be great fun.
Vedo
Nov 3, 2007 at 8:47 am
Girls are starting to wear make up at a younger and younger age, its strange to see 12 year olds with make up, but we better get used to that.Its a strange world out there
Bionic Beauty
Nov 4, 2007 at 7:47 am
I was a late bloomer, lol. More of a tomboy growing up, I was concerned with riding my horse and caring for animals than makeup and boys. But my mom finally convinced me to wear some makeup in my freshman year of high school. I just started with mascara, lip stick and blush. I mainly used my mom’s freebies from the Clinique bonus time.
And, I know what you mean about the $2.50 babysitting jobs. I heard what kids get now, OMG! it does make me feel old, and yet it wasn’t that long ago. I think babysitting jobs bypass our inflation rates two-fold, lol!
Chica
Nov 11, 2007 at 4:35 pm
My mum has never worn make up and is not a girly girl at all and i have brothers not sisters so i wasn’t really exposed to it and didn’t wear any until I was about 15 and wore it(badly) when I went through my goth phase!
Thankfully I left that dodgy make up behind( black lipstick!) and started getting really into it when I was 18. I’m only 20 now but I’ve turned into such a girly individual I can’t imagine not wearing it.
Julie
Feb 24, 2008 at 2:00 pm
I remember “sneaking” some mascara on in 7th grade. It was my first rebellion against my mom, who was so gorgeous that all she needed was to curl her eyelashes (no mascara) and put on some lipstick (no liner). When she didn’t notice that I was wearing mascara, I slowly started branching out to powders (Cover girl pressed powders, the brown compacts). But sadly I was so clueless, and my town was so racist (my south texas hometown was like 85% latino but our local walmart only carried the ivory, and bright ivory type shades) that it made me look like a goth girl.
I look at photos from those days, and have to laugh a little, I was so dumb!
Debbie
Feb 28, 2008 at 1:25 pm
I was also a late bloomer. I didn’t start wearing makeup until i was about 19. It’s not like i wasn’t allowed, it just didn’t interest me in high school. The only thing i wore was gloss back then. When i discovered how great and fun it can be i definitely felt like i was behind. i wasn’t really sure how to apply shadow, blush, foundation, etc. that was about 2 years ago, but now thanks to makeup blogs like this i was able to learn and perfect my technique.
Ashley Samantha
Feb 29, 2008 at 5:55 pm
I was about 14/15 when I first started experimenting, but I didn’t start really getting into makeup until I was about 17. My techniques, however were seriously lacking lol. I just really started get savvy about the lingo and techniques when I was about 19, and I’m only 21 so I still have a ways to go.
Trisha
Feb 29, 2008 at 6:18 pm
@ 13 i remember finding a huge (& really cheap) eye shadow pallette, i thought i struck gold! looking back i think in reality i struck oil
yoyosushi3 (thu)
Mar 1, 2008 at 1:25 am
i first started wearing makep when i was…a freshman in high school? maybelline was my best friend. all my makeup was in stick form and my fingers were my brushes! quite the starving artist i was :P
Aimie
May 27, 2008 at 10:15 pm
i was 10. my mom nvr rly minded because i was an extreamly early bloomer. she always said when you get your period you can wear makeup. well not only 3 weeks after she said tht did i get it. i was just turning 9, never wore makeup till ten because it didnt interest me. :)
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