Makeup Nostalgia: the perfect storm of sentimental and cringeworthy

Let’s take a stroll down memory lane; It’s Christmas time, and that auntie that you never see buys you your first makeup set. It’s complete with tacky lip glosses, unpigmented eyeshadow and brushes that hold no product.

Or, for some, your first encounter with makeup might be a tiny palette courtesy of your Lelli Kelly’s. Either way- instantly, you’re in love. Every time you go out for a meal with your family or to your friend’s sleepover you brush on that eyeshadow and slap on that lip gloss. Next thing, you’re watching YouTube videos teaching you how to use your makeup products.

All of a sudden, this cheap makeup set isn’t high enough quality for your taste… And so it begins. 

Now, it’s 2016. You think Zoella is possibly the coolest person ever and desperately want her seriously overpriced advent calendar. The king Kylie era is in full force. The lip kit craze starts, which inevitably leads to the Kylie Jenner lip challenge (by all accounts not our most intelligent trend). James Charles collaborates with Morphe. You inevitably HAVE to have the largest brightly coloured eyeshadow palette that you’ll probably never use.  

Then, the experimental phase, my personal favourite. This involves a lot of eyeshadow and strip lashes, or at least it did in my case! You watch and watch makeup tutorials until you can seamlessly blend a pink into a purple or cut a crease with impeccable precision. You think it looks great (it doesn’t) and you wear it to parties with your head held high. 

And before you know it, it's 2024, and whilst many of these habits are firmly left behind, there’s one or two products that never leave. Even as you grow and change your makeup style. This makeup product you’ve tried other versions of, but always inevitably come back to your trusted one. For most it’s a highlighter or a bronzer. For me it’s my conceal and define Revolution concealer. That thing has not left my side since the beginning of secondary school. 

Makeup trends come and go, and luckily, makeup is in many ways better than it was years ago. I think we all look at old pictures of us with our unblended contour and so-called ‘birthday makeup’ and scoff. However, I think there’s something special about changing makeup. The awkward eyeshadow and dark lipstick phase is a right of passage to help you find what works for you. You might have decided to lose the full glam and go for minimal makeup. Or you may have decided to keep the everyday cat eye after perfecting it. Either is great. You’re probably never going to see that tiny Lelli Kelly palette again, but can look back fondly on it because without it, you wouldn't have become you.

Edited by Marianne Hamilton.