Not the catchiest post title in the world, but it gets the message across… eventually.
If I’d had the same kind of beauty budget back then as I do now, perhaps I would have killed off my obsession at a younger age… but I didn’t.
I had £5 a week and 20 Sovereign Lights used to cost £2.56 – sorry Mum, Dad… I’ve quit now though right?
This left me with approximately £2.44 a week to spend on EVERYTHING else… my makeup came off a market stall. If I was feeling flush, I would hot-foot it down the chemist to grab a pressed powder that bared a closer resemblance to a tub of Johnson’s finest than anything else, both in formula and colour!
The things I’d tell my 14 year old self that she NEEDS to own aren’t ‘dupes’ of well known products… they’re close. They would certainly have been close enough to satisfy my teenage wants. Hell, I’ve bought them at my age haven’t I?
ELF Studio Blush in Gotta Glow (£3.50) is a fair match to NARS Albatross… it’s chalkier and less smooth-textured with a lot of fall out, but ELF have captured that pale gold highlighter thing very nicely indeed. And all for £3.50!
Barbara Daly Easy on the Eye Shadow pens (£5.62) would have me twirling these things about like I’d just stepped off the Ellis Faas counter at Liberty. Who knows, I might have even spray painted ’em silver.
Ruby & Millie I-Writer Liquid Eyeliner (£10.50) far too pricey for my teenage budget, but within reach with the help of one of those lovely Boots £5 off No7 and Ruby & Millie vouchers! No dupes… but I just wish I’d owned one of these when I was struggling to create lovely smooth eyeliner lines. Ok, so I still can’t do the flick… but I’m blaming my hooded eyelid for that one.
ELF Mineral Eyeshadow Primer (£3.00) for the love of God, I would scream at my younger self to buy an eye primer. This one would do nicely, it’s not *quite* as long lasting as UDPP… but it’s also not *quite* £11.50 either.
Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy (£4.50ish) my 14yr old self would never have been savvy enough to know of this little miracle. Sad really.
Lanacane Anti Chafing Gel (£5.99) You may scoff, but have you ever compared the ingredients between this and Smashbox’s cult Photo Finish primer? No? U.S. girls have been savvy to the wonders of Monistat Chafing Gel for years… and this is basically the same thing. Though, to be fair.. both are pretty ineffectual for me.
Yaby Cosmetics Pearl Paints pp040 Cappuccino Dream (£2.50) a tiny little pan, but how often do we get through a whole shadow? Plus… it’s got a tiny little price to match! I’m also quite impressed between the similarities of Cappuccino Dream and the now discontinued MAC Style Snob.
Silk Naturals Mineral Blush in Climax (£4ish) unsubtly named for it’s similarities to a certain NARS Blush which holds true makeup cult status. Orgasm of course! This look-a-like packs a bit too much shimmer for my 29yr old self, but my 14yr old alter-ego would be all over it like a rash. Probably a genital one if today’s teenagers are anything to go by *tsk, tsk and all that I’m getting old stuff*
17 Cosmetics Solo Eyeshadow in Mardi Gras (£3.49) I’m sure this was about 20p back when I bought it a few years ago. The packaging has now been much fancified, but hopefully the shade remains the same. This is a pretty good budget alternative to MAC Satin Taupe that I would have been very pleased to own.
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What things would you insist your younger and less financially frivolous self go out and buy immediately?
My cousin is 10 years younger than me and is now off to sixth form, she asked me about cheap, nice makeup the other day. We went out to have a look but ended up cooing over the high end stuff.
I’m going to show her this post and then help her find brown girl friendly alternatives.
I’ve already told her that 17 make brilliant shadows for their budget, she has a Colossal eyeshadow and a Rimmel pencil so I think she’s doing OK so far.
fab post! my teenage makeup kit consisted of mostly collection 2000, the wet to dry foundation powder, the lengthening mascara and the kohl liner. I didn’t really ‘get’ eyeshadows until i started blogging!
I also had this dark purple 17 lipgloss that I loveeeeeed =)
Looking back, I don’t think I would’ve changed anything… except the horrid fake tan years ages 15-18. Bad times.
x
I didn’t wear makeup when i was 14…. 🙁 lol Wore eyeliner at 14-16, then gave-up wearing makeup, and only there at 18 have I started wearing other things.
I would have told myself to take care of my skin more, and to get more sleep.
I don’t think I did too bad when I was younger. I bought mostly lipbalm and then The Body Shop makeup during semi-annual sale time (otherwise did not fit my budget at all). Not sure I wore foundation though, just some blush, an eyeshadow and a lip product of some sort.
Great post! I didn’t wear much makeup at 14 but the things I am teaching my 14 year old right now are great money savers for her. LOL I wish someone would have taken the time to fill me in too
great post! how we always miss out on some wonderful products
I would definitely have told my teenage self to wear sunscreen and spend on fake tan! Unfortunately I got a Saturday job at 16 in a tanning salon and it was an unofficial rule that as staff, we had to use the sun beds and appear tanned to entice customers. I shudder to think of the damage I did to my skin during the 2 years I was there, so I am now spf obsessed. Faking it is definitely the way to go.
Oh how I wished I could have given myself so much advice. Ohhh and I would have given so much for todays’ hair straighteners.
E x
Trouble is, you couldn’t really tell a teenager to buy some of those things – teenagers don’t have debit cards! I was stuck with crappo high street foundation that was all too orange until I could order Lily Lolo online.
My first ever eyeshadow was a blue 17 one. I threw it out recently, I don’t know why because there was nothing wrong with it and I should have kept it for sentimental reasons. I wore this with mascara most days to school.
I really wish I had a young niece or girl cousin to pass on my makeup knowledge to…for now all I can do is give excessive advice to my friends XD. Anyways, I would tell myself to get a decent hair straightener, watch more Youtube makeup tutorials, and introduce myself to Makeupalley. And the miracles that are L’oreal lineur intense, Rimmel stay matte powder in transparent, L’oreal True Match foundation, Maybelline Mineral Power liquid concealer…it would have saved me tons from trying out so many products that just didn’t work for me. The only really wise thing I did was to go and buy a MAC 182, although I was shell shocked for a while back then at how much I had to pay for it…
Well, I must be getting pretty old too… lol!
But all jokes aside, this is a great post, helpful not only to the teenagers, but to the… adult makeup junkies too: gives a sense of what’s necessary in a makeup collection (and if u mention PixieEpoxy one more time, I ‘m gonna have to order it, lol)! 🙂
xxx
I definitely would’ve told myself to buy UDPP or something, even if it took a couple weeks pocket money to save up and buy it online!
I love this post. I relied on Rimmel and 17 when I was in my teens, and those still seem to be a good bet. I’d tell myself to shop around online, use mineral companies’ samples for my bright colours and save up for good concealer and powder. I second SilhouetteScreams’ UDPP investment idea as well – that stuff revolutionised my makeup when it first came out.
I bought Elizabeth Arden’s 8 hour cream for the first time at 14, which was probably the only good purchase I had made. The rest of it was heavy, cheap foundation and dodgy tan! I would have told myself to give my skin a rest, and I should have listened to my mum telling me I didn’t need so much cover up! Or black eyeliner!! Great post