When did you start wearing makeup?

[LouisaMay]

I was allowed to wear lip gloss (Dr. Pepper Lip Smackers...I still love it!) in 6th grade. I bought a pressed powder compact in seventh grade. I wore a little bit of eye shadow (always in the brown family) through high school. Foundation and mascara started in college.

[ADqtPiMel]

The only makeup I wore in junior high was foundation to cover up acne, but I took Accutane for a month freshman year and haven't had a zit since. I haven't really worn foundation since then other than special events -- just moisturizer and my skin looks great.

I think I wore a little basic mascara and blush in high school and college, but I've always been a tomboy (who has time to apply makeup when you're going straight to school from two hours of swim practice? not I). Even now, the only thing I do religiously is fill in my eyebrows a bit since they're naturally sparse.

But before junior high? Nothing besides Aquaphor on my lips.

[christiangirl]

I still don't really. Except for my sister's wedding, I just didn't. Not interested and my skin has always been clear so I didn't need things like concealer or powder. In college, I would wear lip gloss and clear mascara on occasion. I will wear that plus eye shadow for special nights out but only the eye shadows that come with instructions on the back. I tried to do a smoky eye on my own once and looked like I fought a grown man.

[ree-Xi]

Theater makeup as early as first grade, and real makeup when I started high school at 13. I wasn't even allowed to wear nail polish until then, either. I was a cheerleader in Junior High and used to sneak clear nail polish. That was the most rebellious thing I ever did. No makeup was both my parents' and my Catholic school's rules. The closest I got was Lip Smackers.

[aephi alum]

My mother took me to the Clinique counter when I turned 12, as part of my birthday gift. (This was against my father's wishes.) The saleswoman talked to me about the skin care system (important as I was entering puberty and starting to have problems with acne) and did a makeover using only light subtle colors. My mother bought me the 3-step skin care items, foundation, powder, light colors of eyeshadow, blush, and lipstick.

My mother also informed me, in no uncertain terms, that if I applied the makeup with a heavy hand, it would be confiscated. She had nothing to worry about. There was an eighth-grader at my middle school who looked like she had applied her blue eyeshadow with a paint roller, either was wearing fake eyelashes or had applied thick black mascara with another paint roller, and was going to go work a corner during recess. UGH.

These days, I usually just put on some lip gloss and run out the door.

[honeychile]

I wore lipgloss for baton events starting when I was three, and by the time I was four, my mother got me an eyelash curler, so that you could see that I did have nice eyelashes, even if they are blonde. I put on mascara as a joke when I was 10, and my mother AND father insisted I wear it from then on! My mother wore full makeup (I'm talking panstick!) from when she was 12, and people literally stopped her on the street to ask what she used on her face. When she died a little over a year ago,lots of people thought she didn't look a day over 40. She used to say it was because she protected her complexion. I'm hoping I have the same skin going on.

I mentioned in another thread that I was freaking out that my eyelashes weren't as full as they were, but I'm happy to say that I must have stressed out or moulted or something, because they're coming in nice & full again.

[Munchkin03]

Not until college on a regular basis, and that was just lipstick/mascara/eyeshadow. My mother doesn't wear makeup (other than being oddly religious about never leaving the house without lipstick on) and didn't really see the importance of our wearing it. I never had any problems with acne and maybe that's why...?

I typically don't wear it to work since I hang out with construction workers all day, but on the days I do it's usually eyeshadow/liner, light powder, and lipstick. My niece is on her school's dance team and can apply it really well. It's really funny how things change in a few generations.

[preciousjeni]

I was allowed to wear kiddie lip gloss starting around age 12, but I wasn't allowed to wear make-up until I was 16.

I don't enjoy it now. I put a little on for work, but there are some days when I don't feel like it. So, I take a little make-up bag to the office in case the urge to apply comes along.

[psusue]

I only became interested in makeup when I was in 6th grade. Before that it was just chapstick and BonneBell products, as well as nail polish on occasion (I only just stopped biting my nails, for the 3rd time, after 21 years of it).

I played with makeup in middle school and sometimes in high school, but I've never worn it regularly (still don't). Unless I have to look good for something (i.e. recruitment, wearing my letters, etc) I just don't bother. And even then it's mostly tinted moisturizer, mascara, and chapstick if possible.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

My mother doesn't wear makeup (other than being oddly religious about never leaving the house without lipstick on) and didn't really see the importance of our wearing it.

Your mom sounds like mine (although I'm sure yours is much much younger). My mom was from that era where you didn't wear eye makeup if you had glasses (she did) or blush or liner or any of that stuff...BUT you could not be caught dead without your Revlon red lipstick. Even when she got older and somewhat housebound, she put on lipstick EVERY morning. She absolutely didn't understand me wearing 4 colors of eyeshadow and blush and then just putting no-color lip gloss on.

At this point in my life of course, I TOTALLY understand the not wanting to be without lipstick thing. The pigment in your lips starts going when you get older.

[AlphaFrog]

I went through a time about a year ago that I wore shadow/liner/mascara every day. Now, I'm in a no makeup phase, unless I have somewhere besides 9-5 work to go to. It's kind of sad, though, because I'm pretty good at applying - especially special effects - thanks to theatre training.

[ASTalumna06]

I have the worst memory in the world, so I honestly can't even take a guess as to when I started wearing makeup. I think that I formed a habit of wearing it every day sometime in college.. during my sophomore year. I broke up with my boyfriend of 2 years over the summer, I joined my sorority that year, I started going to parties, etc. I was tomboyish in high school, and like another poster here mentioned, I was on the swim team so makeup wasn’t my #1 priority after morning practices – I focused more on lotions, deodorant and perfume to try and cover up the smell of chlorine.

Now, I can’t imagine leaving the house with at least SOME makeup. It’s always been very subtle, though. I use powder, eye shadow (usually brown shades.. sometimes light purples), brown pencil eyeliner (never could use the liquid stuff), mascara, lip gloss, and an eyebrow pencil. When you have very thin eyebrows like I do, these work wonders!

My whole makeup routine takes me maybe 10 minutes.

[FleurGirl]

I was a figure skater growing up, so I wore makeup for shows starting at 5 years old.
I didn't start wearing it regularly until I was 14 and a freshman in high school, and even then it was light.

[honeychile]

My mother was the type who wouldn't answer the door to Girl Scouts without full makeup! And moisturizer - 24/7/365, twice a day, over 95% of her body. I still feel her influence, but then, who looks good in blonde eyelashes?

[DubaiSis]

After my older sisters went to the dermatologist for the typical bad skin of teenagers, I was able to skip the worst of that because my Mom started me on (as prescribed to them) Clinique skin care and makeup. I still contend that my skin is in better condition at 45 than my peers because of wearing full makeup at 13. Of course, it was spackled on, but it was the late 70's-early 80's. I stopped wearing full makeup within the last 10 years or so, although I won't go out without mascara and I try to be good about moisturizer (since they all have sunscreen these days) every day.

Funny that Clinique is seen as old lady makeup when it's actually lousy for anyone who doesn't have oily skin. I think the stuff is way too cakey now. But it can sure soak up a 15 year old's greasy face. eeewwwww.

It's part of the process of girls growing up. The best you can do is teach a young girl how to apply it and hopefully a little about color choices. Frankly at 13, girls are mostly NOT very cute, so you might as well move through your gacky makeup phase while you're at it. And hide the cameras.