It wasn’t really anything I thought about when I was younger. I would just wash my face with whatever soap was around, and then I’d remove all the suds with a washcloth… Pretty standard stuff for an elementary and middle school-aged girl. I don’t think I even used face lotion (GASP). And sunscreen? What the heck was that?
But when I was 12, I started breaking out, and that’s when I started a skin care routine.
Granted, it wasn’t great! I remember going to the dermatologist and the doctor giving me a really drying benzoyl peroxide soap called PanOxyl bar, which was so stinky and drying, and it bleached all of my t-shirts and towels… That was pretty much the extent of my first skin care routine. 😂
My routine finally got “official” in high school when I started doing the Clinique 3-step process.
Do you remember the light green plastic soap case that came with the bar soap? I remember taking that thing everywhere — on band trips, to sleepovers. That soap was my jam back in the day. I wonder if it still comes with the soap. Hmm…
Anyway, I continued that routine through college, which was when I *finally* started using a sunscreen. It was one by Oil of Olay. I used it because that’s what my mom used, and it was affordable for my student budget.
How about you? At what age did you start having a skin care routine?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Desirea says
July 14th, 2020 at 7:31 pmDidn’t we all have Clinique 3 step routine lol! It was so drying and made my skin feel awfuuulll. But I thought that’s what skincare was so I used it for years! A friend of mine had given me some ponds cream when I was about 21 and I loved it at the time. I felt so fancy!
Jennifer Emmett says
July 14th, 2020 at 7:40 pmOh my goodness you look like a pinup model! I think in my 30s I finally started washing, toning, moisturizing and trying masks. Oh how I wish I took an interest sooner…
Tara says
July 14th, 2020 at 10:27 pmI think around 13 I started having acne issues— my mom had me start with noxzema astringent pads and Buff Puffs, which was basically like using a Scotch Brite on your face. I had a dermatologist cream or two after that as well as taking antibiotic pills for acne, and I also dabbled in the Clinique three step and a Mary Kay set as well. It’s so interesting when I stop to think how skincare has evolved! I too used the apricot scrub, but thankfully I stopped at one container. Those Buff Puffs didn’t do me any favors though, I’m sure!!
Christine says
July 15th, 2020 at 12:43 amI definitely see Connor Claire in this youthful pic of you.
Us acne gals were forced into an early skincare routine, but I don’t recall much, just that it involved Noxema and Bonne Bell or Seabreeze.
When The Body Shop was catalog-only, I think that’s when I started; early college. I used the ground adzuki bean scrub and a clay mask and some kind of moisturizer (after the Noxema makeup removal). I got really sick once in junior high school and had to take Prednisone and holy crap my skin was like an angel’s bum! I wish I could’ve kept that up as part of my skincare routine.
Couldn’t afford Clinique. 🙁
Kim says
July 15th, 2020 at 6:15 amI agree with Christine – that’s the first thing I thought when I saw your pic. I definitely see Connor! 🙂
When I was young, I used Noxema (the cream in a jar) because that’s what my mother had. Then, at about 12 when the acne hit, it was Phisoderm, Buff Puffs and Sea Breeze. I don’t think I got on the 3-step Clinique bandwagon until after college and didn’t start wearing a tinted sunscreen until my mid-20s.
Efrain says
July 15th, 2020 at 7:40 amI think I was around thirteen when I started using a routine, mostly Avène products, but I became serious about it when I was fifteen wearing sunscreen everyday (or at least moisturizer with sunscreen).
MelodyJ says
July 15th, 2020 at 10:33 amI started at 11. Avon had a naturally based line they discontinued after a few catalogs in the early/mid-80’s. I was so disappointed. Almay had a counter in large J.C Penney stores and I used their 3-step cleanser, toner and moisturizer until they stopped making it.
MelodyJ says
July 18th, 2020 at 9:12 amI also used Buff Puffs, Sea Breeze, Aapri apricot facial scrub and Stri-dex.
Marty says
July 15th, 2020 at 1:06 pmI think I was in junior high and my mom tried to get me to use her Noxema, which I just hated! So I went to Walgreen’s and brought home Phisoderm and Buff Puffs, later used 10-0-6. When Clinique came out with their 3 step routine I followed it for many years, until my skin began to really dry out as I got older. Really didn’t get serious about sunscreen until I was 45 or so…yep, definitely late to that party!!!
Chelsea says
July 15th, 2020 at 2:56 pmMy early skincare routine was about sunscreen! I started doing moisturizer with SPF in middle school – it was by Eucerin, they reformulated it over a decade ago and I’m still salty. I think I cleansed with Cetaphil? My skin was dry and sensitive.
Jazzy says
August 3rd, 2020 at 10:15 pmStarted REALLY taking care of my skin in 8th grade! I’m now in 12th at 17 year old and never leave the house without spf for my hyperpigmentation and have a daily skincare routine while doing a mask every other day to clean out any cloged pores since I have mild acne!