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What age were you when you started to wear makeup?


What age were you when you started to wear makeup? Why did you start? What products did you start out with?

I think I was sixteen or seventeen when I blew a ton of allowance on Benefit Cosmetics, but I wasn’t allowed to wear makeup in high school, so I didn’t get much opportunity to wear it! My best friend was REALLY into makeup, so I think I was trying to find more common ground with her at the time.

Thanks to Lexie for today’s question! Got a question idea? Submit yours here.

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Joyce Avatar

I’ve been wearing eyeliner since 7th grade – back when I thought the world ended at black eyeliner. Oh my goodness.

I started wearing more in high school but only on occasion. Even still, I’m just too stinkin’ lazy to put makeup on when I’m leaving the house. I’m only when I’m at home for hours that I’ll throw on a look!

Amy Avatar

Late 15 (not everyday though just whenever felt like experimenting) 🙂 I used to not like the idea of wearing makeup but something just clicked in me when I stumbled upon Michelle Phan. I realized that even with then, 3 years of art classes I didn’t like it but I did like experimenting with color and texture. So now I’m in love with the artistic side of makeup.

Lindsay Avatar

I wore mascara and eyeliner freshman year in high school and then wore a full face by mid sophomore year, but not too heavy. Instead of foundation I liked tinted moisturizer.

Alyssa Avatar

I think I was 14 when I got my first foundation, but I only wore it for formal family parties (weddings, 18th bdays). Senior year introduced me to bareMinerals makeup, so I wore that maybe 1-2 times a week for a year or so. I didn’t start wearing makeup regularly until I hit 21 and discovered that early morning labs= zombie complexion.

K. Avatar

Just turned 18 this year, and I’m starting to dabble in cosmetics.

Had to smile when I read about the disparity between you and your best friend (makeup wise) though, as it’s the exact same situation that my best friend and I are in!

But it’s cool, I feel like I get to learn from a more experienced person. And it’s always fun to poke around her makeup collection :oD

Michelle Avatar

I was really young actually! I was 12 when I discovered concealer and used that on and off to cover my dark circles until I was 15 so it wasn’t a big deal. Then at 16 I started to wear concealer every time I got out of the house and I also always tight lined my eyes. It’s only been recent, at the age of 17, that I started to get into other make up products like foundation, blush and highlighter.

K Avatar

Around 13, when I wore CoverGirl cream to powder makeup to cover up my nose! The thing is, I ONLY put it on my nose, and I don’t think at the time I realized just how obvious it was.

I also started making regular trips to the local drugstore after school with my best friend and I would buy bits and bobs like Wet ‘n Wild lipstick or M blue eyeshadow, and occasionally would wear those to school too.

Christine O Avatar

I was told by my parents that makeup was not allowed until I was 16. On the day of my 16th birthday I went all out with blush, light brown eye shadow, mascara and lip gloss. I thought I was the bees knees.

Maryla Avatar

I was about 12 when I was allowed to wear concealer, lip gloss, and a little bit of mascara. I started wearing eyeshadow, eyeliner and such when I was about 14. I didn’t start wearing foundation or blush until last year when I was 18.

EmTheColourful Avatar

I made my first attempt at 19 and prompty gave up, and started again around 24. However, I was wearing very very minimal make up only occasionally back then, and it was not until when I turned almost 30 when I got into make up 🙂

berries Avatar

It was only midyear of this year that I really got into makeup! Eyes, lips cheeks and highlighting etc~ I’m yet to turn 17 though.
I suppose my first ever step into makeup was when I bought an eyeliner pencil in 7th grade…

Bookworm Nails Avatar

I was 12 when I started, and I got to wear clear mascara and a CoverGirl face powder that matched my skin tone (it was in a green compact…can’t remember the name) I also had a LOreal TruBlend powder (also skin toned) that I loved because it had a compartment for a sponge, haha. I wore lipgloss, too.

I was always concerned with my skin and eyes the most(today too) so that’s probably why I started with face powder and mascara.

Chloe Avatar

I think I was 14 or 15 when I started wearing black eyeliner ALL the time. No mascara, just black eyeliner in my waterline and along my upper lashline. I think I must have looked like a panda for a few years there :/

Yazmin Avatar

i was 21 lol. my mother didnt like me wearing makeup when i was a teenager, saying muslim girls do not wear makeup, but then my cousin started wearing it, and my mother encouraged me to wear it. by then i was in my tom boy era and refused. and then three years ago, i sort of wanted to be more feminine, and i felt makeup played a part in that.

cydoniac Avatar

when I was 14 or 15,my mother took me to the department store and asked a shop assistant to help me find my first makeup…I finally bought a pink-purple/light burgundy eyeshadow duo, a clear lipgloss, a pinky-brownish lipstick, a black mascara, and a pinky-brownish blush, a really great Leonhardy blush brush which I still have(and it’s been 13 years since then!)and a black eye pencil… the reason why my mum herself took me there was that she wanted to make sure I would buy colours appropriate for my age,I would be given some proper advice by a professional and I wouldn’t end up looking like a gothic queen,’cause I was really into heavy metal music at the time…hahahahaha!!!! awwwwwwwwwww,the times!! 🙂
I never bothered putting on makeup at school though,I only wore it at the weekend when I went out with my mates…

Fadburger Avatar

I vaguely recall getting some Wet n Wild things when I was pretty young, but I only started getting a little lipgloss and eyeshadow in my 20s and I only started wearing blush this February then mascara soon after and eyeliner only this week…needless to say I have a lot of learning and catching up to do.

Jun Avatar

I think I started around 16. Those were the days when my foundation or powder didn’t match my neck and my face. Lol. So I always end up lookin like a ghost on pictures cuz it’s to white. Nobody taught me what to do with it. I just leaned when I started watchin youtube. 🙂

artemis Avatar

11, concealer…because i NEED to cover my dark hereditary circles…and some mascara. at 12 i started to also wear eyeliner, blush and at 13 foundation and powder. at 14-15 i began using eyeshadow too daily :)) and lipgloss. now, because i gotta wake up at 6 for school, i only use the face stuff, eyeliner and mascara 😛 usually

Faye Avatar

I was about 13 or 14 when I first started, I started listening to heavy metal and wanted to wear eyeliner so I started doing my eyes in black liquid liner… and from about then until 18 I didn’t really change up much else, then a couple of years ago I discovered Urban Decay and started really getting excited for makeup and since then I think I’ve managed to increase my stash to being worth at least £500-800 at a guess.

Nadia Avatar

I think I was about 12-13… I remember using make-up in 7th grade (Norwegian school system). And; I also remember buying a pressed powder on board on a boat between Denmark and Norway. The reason why I remember it is because I didn’t know anything about shades or colours at that time- and I bought the wrong shade. Of course 😛

Liz Avatar

With 19. I had gone to a girl school so never any desire to wear make up in my teens. After college I went to China to teach Business English, but because all my students were a lot older than me – many twice my age- I had to look older and professional. The first brand I really got into were Red Earth, an Australian brand that has since then disappeared.

Heaven Avatar

I was like 12, but it started out with just a covergirl face powder compact, and over the years evolved into more makeup and more expensive makeup haha:) i’ve learned a lot over the years and have come to love it as a hobby!

Verna Avatar

I started wearing makeup when I was 10, well just mascara. I don’t know if it’s a cultural thing that I started wearing makeup that young. But now I’m 16 and I’m sure i’ll be a makeup artist. I’m studying to be a beauty therapist and I have done makeup and shown how to do makeup on ten year olds on “makeup birthdays”. If I wouldn’t had started makeup that early, I wouldn’t be where I am now.

M. Avatar

I was 12, I believe. I’ve always been interested in makeup – I had those little sets with the stacking lipsticks and super flimsy plastic eye shadow palettes as a kid. So for me it was just a matter of when I could start wearing it out of the house.

My first real makeup was a Cover Girl eye shadow quad with light and dark pink and brown shades, plus Maybelline Great Lash mascara. I still like pink and brown shades together, but now it’s NYX Flamingo/Fahrenheit/Volcano. And I wouldn’t touch that mascara with a 12-foot pole!

Monticka Avatar

3rd grade, started with some mascara and some blush.
Then I started to use eyeshadow as well in 4th grade or something like that.
I had some kids makeup in a palette. Still remember the strooong smell of it!

Germa Avatar

11 when I got my first clear lipgloss. When I was 13 I started whit mascara. And I believe I was 16 when I started whit foundation. When I was 18 I became creative whit make-up.

Emma Avatar

I started wearing a bit of lipgloss at about 14 I think, then a bit of eye makeup at 15. I used to wear a rimmel bright white-silver eyeshadow all over my lid with nothin else and I thought it looked great, in actual fact looking at photos it wasn’t such a good look! haha. I didn’t wear a ‘proper’ face of makeup til I was a about 17 x

Cassykins Avatar

I was only allowed to wear mascara in mid-late middle school and maybe a little face makeup if I was having some especially bad skin problems. It wasn’t until junior year of high school-ish that I got a job and was allowed to buy what I wanted with my earnings (which of course was makeup) My mom doesn’t really wear much makeup herself, so I think part of the issue was she just didn’t know how to give me any guidance and, without that, I just wasn’t all that interested until I was older.

Ryou Avatar

I kind of work in phases. I think I actually STARTED wearing make-up when I was 16 or 17, then I got in a really silly gothy phase when I was 18. I didn’t know the definition of quality make-up at the time, everything I owned was either OLD hand-me-downs from my mother/grandmother, dollar store goodies. I think I graduated to mediocre drugstore brand and Avon/Oriflame at one point.

I took photography in college, got more familiar with department store make-up, and started getting interested in editorial style make-up. However, I had no actual basic skills in make-up, so I pretty much was just “drawing” on my models’ faces. ^^;

I think I decided to start polishing my basics a bit after graduating college. I did take classes for a while, but they were useless despite being VERY expensive. The “teachers” were literally just there to “criticize” your work (more like insulting really) without actually showing you how to do anything. They DID worship Indonesian celebrity television make-up style, which is basically drag queen make-up goes horribly wrong. To my horror, this involves shaving off your models’ eyebrows, fill them in with STARK black pencils, racing stripes blush, too-obvious shading and highlighting, heavily caked foundation and powder in shades far too light for your skintone… You get the idea. Hold me, I’m scared. ;A;

I didn’t actually start developing actual blending skills until the past few years. That is, when I discovered indie make-up companies and beauty blogs! Now I at least know how to blend, how to actually use different make-up brushes, how to use primer, how to foil eyeshadows, how to use loose eyeshadow, how to wear more than one color on my lids, and how to define my crease. I have beauty blogs to thank as I didn’t learn any of that in the classes I paid over $2000 for!

/endramble

Kathy Avatar

I was 13 years old. It was the Max Factor Wine With Everything eyeshadow set the lipstick and the blush.

I’d been playing with makeup since I was 6 years old, but I couldn’t wear it out unless it was a special occasion, like a ballet recital. If my mom got a shade of lipstick or an eye shadow that she didn’t like, she’d give it to me. I think it was self defense, because she couldn’t keep me out of her stuff!

espresso Avatar

About 12, and I started with Rimmel mascara, transparent powder and a nude eyeshadow duo, as I wanted to contour my eyes a bit, give my puffy lids some depth. ^^
My mother recommended most of my stuff to me and got me into it for the first ~2 years when I knew little about what I was doing.
The Rimmel eyeshadow duo was actually brilliant, the color payoff was so weak I could practice application for years without actually getting much color on my lids *lol* I guess it was a really good choice for a teen.

queenbea Avatar

My mom let me order my first make-up from AVON when I was in 7th grade. What a thrill. I’ve had a love affair with cosmetics ever since.

Martyisblue Avatar

I was twelve,when i started wear make up..i felt really wrong without it:
my eyes were too small behind my glasses,and i wasn’t allowed to wear contact lenses..at first i just lined my brown eyes with white or blue eye liner..and i layered a shimmering lipgloss on my lips to appear them fuller..now,i’m more interested about beauty brand,tips,colours and beauty products,impossible or difficult to find in my country..i really learnt a lot,and i hope to learn more and more..i would really thank Temptalia and Christine to be my main source everyday..:D

Kristabelle Avatar

Fifth grade…and it was reallyy not cute. I had a box of my aunt’s old makeup that I used for dance recitals, so for my school’s open house I smudged yellow-gold shadow all over my eyes (awful color on me) and applied Diva Pink (super loud hot pink) lipstick. This I wore with my sequined Glamour Girl halter top. I still wince thinking of it and don’t know why my parents let me.
There was a lot of bad makeup over the years, including mud brown lipstick in sixth grade (I thought it made me look older) and totally clashing makeup with clothes in high school. Thank god I’ve finally got it together now haha.

Violet Avatar

I was nine, and I wore hot pink on my lids, but *never* above the crease because I didn’t think you were supposed to. I did that for almost two years, with a little branching out in colours and lipsticks and *gasp* one day I was brave enough to wear mascara (hahahaha). I became more refined in the art around 12-13, but I didn’t start to get somewhat good at it until 15-16.

John Avatar

I started when I was 20 because I felt like I needed a bit of coverage for my skin like foundation/tinted moisturizer. It was also when I was comfortable enough with myself to get over the whole “guys-shouldn’t-wear-makeup” taboo. I started with MAC foundations, specifically the Studio Moisture Tint, then graduated to Studio Fix Fluid. I hated both of them. :]

Pamela Avatar

Believe it or not, my friend and I would sneak into my mother’s makeup and smear on eye shadow–in fifth grade! It was quickly quelled when mom saw my fifth grade class pic in which I attempted a smoky, grey eye. 🙂 I didn’t try makeup again until seventh grade but it was light colors until I got to high school.

Ashley Avatar

I know I had started to wear lipgloss by 6th grade because I have some on in a school photo. I started really wearing it in 8th grade (oh, 1999 and your white eyeliner…). The one thing I can say for myself — I was known on the cheerleading squad in 9th grade as “the girl who has the most perfect makeup.” Thank God for a mother and a friend who taught me how to apply!

Laia Avatar

I started to wear makeup when I was 16 just to go to clubs, but I started to wear it daily when I was 21, on my first traineeship and because that was the first year in which I started to show tan differences between my face and the rest of my body.

Alison Avatar

I started wearing a bit of light eyeshadow and eyeliner on and off when I was fourteen – but I wasn’t properly into wearing any until I was eighteen, and even now I don’t wear full cover foundation or anything heavy!

Lucero Herrera Avatar

I started wearing powder around my 13th birthday. My parents went and took me to a MAC counter, and got me a matched to a studio fix pressed powder. Looking back, it’s kind of depressing knowing my parents started me out with makeup to cover my terrible skin! Ha ha!

At around 14, I started wearing mascara, and my mom let me pick out a few things from MAC. Now, I’m nearly 15 and I wear stuff like tinted moisturizer, mascara, eyeshadow, concealer, blush, and such. However, seeing as I’m home schooled, I don’t wear it on a daily basis. 🙂

Carmen Avatar

I’m 14 now, and I’ve been wearing makeup for about 2 years. My first makeup was the Maybelline quad in Chai Latte (which I use almost everyday) and MAC Face and Body Foundation. I have a small collection of makeup now, and although I don’t wear it everyday (early mornings are hard enough with trying to eat breakfast and get ready AND get to the bus stop on time), i love the creativity that comes with putting makeup on!

LMichelle Avatar

My former best friend started as one of the very first girls i’ve known with make up. I let her try it on me, but I never liked it. Around 13 or 14 i discovered purple eyeliner, and WTH, I looked like I had taken drugs, but I loved it. I switched to using black eyeliner and I got compliments for it, slowly adding stuff from my mums to MY collection like mascara, powder, eyeshadow, etc. Now I am 17 and I guess I use everything apart from highligher! But I’m still experimenting with techniques and stuff!

Devi Avatar

I guess owning makeup and reading beauty blogs doesn’t necessarily count as “wearing” makeup. -.- If merely playing with cheap makeup counts, then I did so a couple of times when I was 12.

Other than that, I’m 19 and have yet to actually start ‘wearing’ the stuff. Every time that I buy something, I tell myself that I’ll start wearing makeup, but it just doesn’t happen. -_-

Ashley Avatar

14. Totally regret wearing it so young.
1) I had great technique upon first using it (didn’t really have to learn, just… did it), but then when I turned 15 I started doing really weird looks, and while application technique was still sound, it just looked a bit weird.
2) It definitely contributed to my acne.

Bonnie Avatar

Five or six maybe? I had tiny Hello Kitty lipsticks and Tinkerbell brush-on-peel-off nail polish. 😀
Around the same time, my mother would let me use a tiny drop of her foundation (whatever was in the top of the cap after she shook it up) and a dab of her lipstick from time to time. <3

Angelic Mariposa })Ӝ̵̨̄({ Avatar

I had to wait till I was 14 and my first eyeshadows were revlon which were in pan form with a separate palette pink shimmer, gold and silver (it was the 80’s) no black eyeliner or red lips. I still don’t wear foundation on a regular basis until winter or if I’m going out.

Kathrina Avatar

I didn’t wear make-up of any kind until the age of 15, which made me quite different from other girls in my grade since they often came to school wearing tons of eyeliner and eyeshadow.

Then I got a little make-up bag for my 15th birthday containing lipgloss, mascara and a (horribly sweet) perfume and I gradually became very interested in beauty items. It’s a lot of fun to dress up and wear make-up but I believe I managed to preserve the natural girl in me.

Rainy Avatar

I had a ridiculous stash of crazy flavored lip balms (as in probably 20-40) at 7, but I bought my first “real makeup” when I was 11. It was Jane Megabites in Megaberry that I bought for a christening and ended up wearing everyday until I ran out. For eyeliner and eyeshadow, I had 2 train cases full by 13, but wasn’t allowed to wear it everyday until I was out of grade school.

Looking back on it I shouldn’t have be shocked by people assuming that I was much older than I was.

Deb Avatar

Oh no, you bought such nice makeup and couldn’t wear it!

I started by painting my nails in junior high, and I dabbled in powder and eyeliner about a year later. In high school, I did the goth thing every now and then with black lipstick and eyeliner (but never to school).

It wasn’t until college that I learned how to do makeup for real and started investing in products that cost more than 99 cents. Once I grasped the basics, I started playing around with bright colors and blending, and once I got my first job, I dove in to Urban Decay!

Rachael Avatar

I remember being 14 and walking over to the Shoppers Drug Mart by my parent’s house to buy my very first lipstick. I was by myself and had no idea what I was doing and was too shy to ask the cosmetics ladies for help. I ended up picking a Maybelline Moisture Whip lipstick because I was in love with Christy Turlington back then. Unfortunately the colour was far too mauve-y and cool toned for me and looked awful. Eventually, after several trips to that same Shoppers, I realized that brownish warm toned colours look best on me. Ahhh memories.

my Avatar

I started wearing lip gloss when I was a junior in high school(though we weren’t allowed to wear any kind of makeup then…hehe!) But I got fascinated by it at an early age, around 5/6 y.o., when I used to play with my mom’s makeup (she scolded me…oopsy, didn’t know they were expensive! sorry mom!). I’ve learnt my lesson since then… 😀

Olivia Avatar

I wore makeup to parties (bat/bar mitzvahs etc.) when i was in seventh grade, but never to school. i only started wearing it daily in freshman year (one eyeshadow, sometimes liner, mascara and tinted lip balm)

Fitrah Avatar

I started wearing eyeshadow a couple months before my 22nd birthday. I don’t really have a concrete reason. My first palette was one of those 88 color palettes.

Makaira Avatar

I was 12 and obviously started off with thick black liner that I used to only apply the the under eye area, I didn’t even know that it was supposed to be applied to the waterline.

My make- up obsession started when I was 14 and from that age up I’ve been wearing full on make- up 85% of the time.

I started out using cheap drug store bands and random products from my mom’s stash. So things like Rimmel, L’Oreal, Clinique, Charlie etc. Now I’m a M.A.C freak… I use nothing but M.A.C

x

Lumi Avatar

High school. I vaguely remember applying lip glosses/lip sticks and some eyeshadows. Not much else.

I was no pro, that’s for sure. XD

I’m still not a pro now, but I’ve improved and expanded on my makeup skills.

Shaleshia Avatar

I started wearing lip gloss and lipstick when I was like, oh I don’t know, 8ish for play. I had the child makeup stuffand played in my moms make-up. But I opened myself to the world of beauty at 12. Learning about foundation, concealer, eyeliners, eyeshadows, blushes, brushes, mascara, skin care, lip liner, lip stick, lip stains, contour, highlighting, bronzing. .. I love make-up, always have & always will. I believe that I was 14 when I tried my first full face. I know that I didn’t need all that, but it was to try it all out. So much fun!

Amy Avatar

I think I started wearing make up in 7th grade…it was just glitter on my eyes and a little mascara…then in 8th grade i went through a horrible phase of bad eyeliner…haha and the story goes on. I wore the same makeup for like 4 or 5 years until I really started getting into makeup….

stacey Avatar

Similar question as posed on June 21, 2011: “How old were you when you first started wearing makeup? Do you think there is a right age to start?.”

Age 14 Freshman in high school….all these girls in Catholic school wore globs of it. Literally, can compete with Kim Kardashian in the amount they loaded on. Started with Clinique…and never stopped venturing with makeup since then.

Carrie Ann Avatar

I played around with makeup when I was about 11 or 12, but really started wearing it when I was in high school. I used to practice by doing my mom’s makeup and I did my friend’s makeup (and my own) before a school banquet. I really got into makeup after high school, though. As an adult, I could actually afford it and I had places to go where I could get more dressed up and wear pretty makeup.

Shayna Avatar

I had really bad acne as a kid, so my mom took me to a Bobbi Brown counter when I was thirteen. I’d say I got seriously into doing makeup for makeup’s sake was a few months ago.

Amrita Avatar

I was 17 going on 18… I only started last year, but I’ve accumulated so much! I went straight for colour, then bright colour, then neutrals, which is backwards xD And now I’m getting into vampy colours 😀

Deborah Avatar

I think I was 10 years old when I first started wearing makeup. My mom used to give me these little lancome juicy tubes to play around with, I would wear those only on special occasions and when I wanted to glam up my look a bit.Only by late eighth grade did I get into makeup- concealer, mascara and blush. Then by ninth grade I wore a full face- concealer, powder, blush, highlighter, shadow, mascara and lip gloss. It sounds like a lot, but I used very natural shades 😀

Carie Avatar

I was 11 when I really started to wear it, although my mom always gave me lipgloss and all that as a child that I used. I started out just playing with my mom and grandmother’s eyeshadow and lipstick, and then my grandmother let me buy these awful bright blue and gold eyeshadows from Mary Kay, as well as a bright pink lipstick >.< I started watching Youtube videos and improving my technique over time. I wore some foundation and tinted moisturizer in middle school. By high school I wore a full face. I'm 16 now and wear makeup whenever I leave the house (not because of confidence issues, it's just my personal preference.)

Jasmine Avatar

I love reading all these great stories! For dance recitals, my mom would do my makeup and as I got older I began to do it myself. I guess that was about 11, but it doesn’t really count because it was about once year. In 7th grade my friends and I were really into those minty lipglosses from Bath & Body Works, I remember smearing it all over my lips >.< I remember the summer before high school, I went to the mall with my friend and bought ELF $1 concealer, glittery blush, a cranberry e/s quad, liquid eyeliner, and an eyeliner brush. It was my hidden stash. I thought I was so cool. Beginning of freshman year in high school I played around with it, but never wore it. Beginning of 2nd semester I wore brown eyeshadow that barely showed up. Only during the end of the school year didI wear blush, powder, shimmery eyeshadow primer. Only last month I've started wearing mascara and foundation! Eyeliner I do everynow and then.

TiffanyG Avatar

My mom took me to Merle Norman right before my 8th grade graduation to get some very natural makeup. Just translucent powder, a little peachy eyeshadow, and brown mascara. I don’t think I bought any more makeup than that until the 10th grade.

Donalene Avatar

I was 13 when all of a sudden that was it! Full make up! I love make up and love buying it-usually high end brands because I believe in putting good things on your face. I think I have enough for a small store right now.I think Yardley was big then, can’t remember what else I used.

konstantina Avatar

I started at 36… 2 months ago, I found great tutorials on you-tube and people that provide excellent information like yourself.

Thank you

jackie Avatar

I think I was about 9 or 11, believe it or not. It wasn’t a lot of makeup–just some eyeliner and face powder, I believe. But that was when I first started experimenting with makeup.

Maureen Avatar

I would try to mess with drugstore brands after school starting when I was like twelve. I didn’t start wearing makeup regularly until I was maybe 14/15.

sass Avatar

31. I developed adult acne aka cystic acne which created scarring and hyperpigmentation. I needed to feel better so I went to MAC to try out foundations until my situation improved. I never needed “makeup”, but I’d use a bit of black eyeliner, mascara and lipgloss on special occasions, but it wasn’t a big deal at all. Today, I’m always in full face and I love love makeup. The possibilities are endless with all of the products out there. This hobby costs a lot from department stores to the drugstores, but makeup is one of those things that make me happy. 🙂

Alice Avatar

I think I got my first lipstick when I was 16. It was a maybelline lipstick. Then
I started to build up my collection slowly to concealed, blush, transparent mascara, etc.
I got my first foundation when I was 18 when I got my first summer job in a bank where wearing makeup is compulsory. I wore foundation, lipsticks, mascara, on and off in college years and when I first started working, then
I completely stop wearing makeup except interviews or wedding at age 25. Now I am starting up again and get into the whole art of eye makeup at the age of 31!

ManicuredSlayer Avatar

Oh whew, I was embarrassed when I saw the question but I feel so much better–because *I* was 16 before I was allowed to wear makeup–and then, only eyeshadow and light blush. Maybe light lipstick. NO mascara.

It’s no wonder, at 41, I am JUST learning how to do makeup right. Sheesh!

Of course my youngest sister “broke the rules” and sneaked makeup to school, cleaned it off before she came home LOL.

I think I let my daughter start wearing makeup when she was 13, and now that she’s 16, it’s not a big deal to her unless it’s something special like a dance.

stacey Avatar

Age 14- Freshman in High School. The girls in this Catholic School globbed the makeup on as thick as Kim Kardashian.

I think this question was already posed before on June 21, 2011.

Breanna Avatar

I started out with makeup in stages. At 12 I was allowed to wear lipgloss and mascara. Then at about 14 I was allowed the additions of powder, concealer and blush. Then at 16 I was allowed to wear the additions of foundation, eyeshadow, liner and lipstick (:

luis Avatar

i started to were makeup after my life skedule change and i graduated highschool and got a job it started with concealer. the wrong shade you know. i think i was like. so at 18 🙂 what can i say makeups for adults

Jen Avatar

20/21, I started purchasing products this spring like crazy because I wanted to look more polished to get a summer job/internship, I still buy a load of stuff but I’ve curbed it down a little since then.

L Avatar

When I was 17/18, just started college. I didn’t really care about make up before and just asked my mother to apply it for me if I need to attend some formal gatherings…

aleena Avatar

I was like 11 and I wasnt so interested in wearing it as much as i was just fascinated with it. I started out with some cool products from Illamasqua and MAC, and I’ve been in love with makeup ever since

Mel Avatar

Bought my first tube of Lipglass from MAC it was Oh Baby at age 13 but that was it up until 2 years ago I suddenly got super into makeup being influenced by Kat Von D and her amazing smoky eyes and wanting to achieve that look. Last year was when started to work on technique by watching tutorials and building my brush collection.

Connie Avatar

I was 15 when I first started getting into makeup, but the most I wore was lip gloss. Didn’t start REALLY wearing concealer and eyeliner until a year ago, which was my first year of college. I think my main influence was Youtube, since none of my friends were SUPER into makeup

Amy C. Avatar

In high school, I didn’t wear a lot of makeup. Even though I had issues with acne, it wasn’t so horrible that I really tried to cover it. I would wear black eyeshadow and eyeliner, then maybe a lipgloss and that was it.

I didn’t really start to get into makeup until I was in college and started watching makeup tutorials.

summerblue Avatar

13 — in 7th Grade. We had to have a note from a parent that it was OK. & it was only supposed be only liptick: ‘I give my daughter permission to wear lipstick.’ HA!!! But I cheated — I wore 1 coat of mascara, too. 😉

summerblue Avatar

Oh, I forgot to say, that white lipstick was in vogue then! We went to Woolworth’s & bought white lipstick for 59-cents. It was a real cheap black plastic tube with a brushed gold top. Funny how vividly I remember — probably becuase it was such a big deal.

Thanks for the memories, Christine!

Andrea Avatar

13. Yardley eyeshadow kit – real 60s stuff with cake eyeliner in navy and white, and white and blue shadows – and pale beige, almost white, lipstick. Also cake mascara! I used to paint a line of white eyeliner above the line of navy eyeliner. Still do something like that occasionally with a white or silver pencil! Also wore Oh! de London fragrance.

Nicole Avatar

Age 30 or 31, so about 2 years ago. I started out with a few MAC eye products (liner, shadow, paint pot) and the Bare Escentuals face starter kit. There really is an art to it, it has taken a long time for me to feel so-so at applying makeup, but I have a long way to go. I struggle with eyeshadow and blush application. Good brushes help.

tmmkitten Avatar

i was 12 when i was allowed to wear gloss and powder, 14 i could wear mascara and a bit of shadow, and 16 i could wear anything as long as my mother deemed it “natural” enough.

Ayzee Avatar

I started using AVON Cosmetics (the set for teens) when I was 13. I started out with a tinted balm, cheek blush, and pressed powder. That was all I could wear since I went to a catholic school so makeup should be kept minimal. 🙂

Gi Avatar

Uhm this may seem a little crazy, but i started wearing makeup when i was around 10 almost 11…. My friend and I were SOOO into it and we still are! ( having me now be 12 ) Of course every little girl took there moms makeup and played around with it! I’m very into cosmetics but i know what kind of makeup is good for me to wear and what I’m just not ready for. I do not wear foundation… I probably wont until i accually need it! I do not fill in my brows and I dont think anyone my age does. At the most for the face i wear A little bit of concealer for under my eye and A little bronzer I reently bought from MAC. Im aloud to wear makeup becazuse I purchase everything my self and i take good care of it!! Eyeshadow, lipgloss, bronzer, eyeliner, and clear mascara is pretty much my everyday look i guess. Hahaha.

Danae Avatar

when I was 15 I started using black kohl on my waterline when I went out with my friends. And that’s all I did till the age of 17 when I discovered winged eyeliner. I started really getting into makeup last year (age 19).

Joyce Avatar

I was always taught to apply lip balm and use hand cream at a young age, around 7 or 8. I started to pluck my eye brows,shave my legs maintain my bikini line, manicure and pedicure around 13, 14. My mother and my sisters would help me, until I could do it on my own. I also started my very basic skin routine around that age.

I didn’t wear full make up until I was 18, which quite late. My parents are African and were quite strict about my appearance. Abit of concealer or foundation where I needed it, powder, flicked eyeliner and lip balm/ nude lip. Or sometimes, plummy, wine or red lipstick, with mascara. My mother and sister taught me the basic rules about make up, skin care and hair care. I just adapted the rules to fit my face, my style and lifestyle. Im 34 now.

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