Beauty blunders we all made in high school

I was by far the coolest person in high school … if by cool you mean using copious amounts of gel to slick my hair back into a ponytail and writing cheesy song lyrics on my converse shoes. Yeah, I was awesome.

For many of us our beauty journeys started in high school and it was a glorious time for experimentation and discovery. But like every journey, there were bound to be some speed bumps along the way. And while a few years later, some of us may have tried to burn the photo evidence, I hope that now we can all look back and laugh at the beauty blunders we (or maybe just me) made in high school...

#1 Stealing your sister’s or mum’s foundation

Foundation or tinted moisturiser was probably the first beauty product many of us reached for in our teens (thanks to all those lovely pimples). But forget spending hard earned pocket money buying before trying - it was just so obvious to ‘borrow’ from your sister or mum first. The only problem with this was, it wasn’t quite the right match, so the classroom was often divided amongst pale ghosts and oompa loompas. And nobody in my year got the memo about avoiding the lips and eyebrows upon application.

What I’d tell my daughter: To use a BB cream that will minimise her imperfections, but still look natural.

Try:

1. ​Bobbi Brown BB Cream SPF 35
2. Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream
3. Chi Chi Super BB Cream
4. Revlon Photoready BB Cream

#2 Shaving things that needn’t be shaved

Me? It was my arms. I just count my lucky stars it wasn’t my eyebrows. When you first start using a razor (usually for the legs) that first-time silky feeling is so addictive, it can be hard to resist shaving other areas.

#3 Dyeing your hair the harshest colour possible

Forget finding a colour that suited your skin tone, if it was good enough for Christina Aguilera, every girl HAD to have it. Or for those who prefered the ‘emo’ look, I’d love to know if your natural blonde locks have recovered from all that black dye?

What I’d tell my daughter: If she was desperate to change the colour of her hair, I would make sure she was using something semi-permanent like Schwarzkopf Live Colour.

#4 Using cloud lollies to stain your lips

Cloud lollies were definitely bought for their staining abilities rather than taste. They gave lips that perfect pinky-red flush and teachers couldn’t do a thing about it. The only downside was how dry and wind burnt they’d get from the sticky residue.

What I’d tell my daughter: To use sheer lip crayons. They’re easy to apply, add just a hint of colour and will keep lips hydrated.

Try:

1. Face of Australia Sheer Gloss Lip Crayons
2. Clinique Chubby Stick Baby Tint Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm
3. Natio Smoothies Lip Colour Crayons
4. Burt's Bees 100% Natural Lip Crayon
5. Designer Brands Chubby Lip Crayon

#5 Not getting the deodorant memo

I swear one day out of the blue I went from being a fresh-smelling little girl to a stanky woman in need of some deodorant STAT. Lucky for me, my mum was happy to inform me of my stench and hand me some Dove on the spot. Others might not have been so lucky…

#6 Racoon eyes (on purpose)

If only black, half-smudged eyes would come back, as they are so much easier than a precise flick. Whether you smudged your liner on purpose or simply wore a million coats of mascara (per eye - the clumpier the better), the blacker your eyes, the cooler you probably were.

#7 Cutting your own fringe

God I really hope some of you did these things too, otherwise this is just turning into one big confession list for me. But yes, I cut my own fringe at the tender age of 15. Most likely using the kitchen scissors. Being a bored teenager is a dangerous thing. I didn’t do a bad job, although it was a cross between a side fringe and a full fringe. It didn’t catch on.

#8 Using white-out to create a French mani

A great way to make time pass in third period, but not such a great end result.

What I’d tell my daughter: To use stick-on French mani nails like Nailene French Finish Nails, which are easy to apply and you’ll always have a polished finish.

#9 Not knowing you could pee with a tampon in

Which meant that when it came to that time of the month, you were going through tampons at lightening speed. Some schools are quite thorough with their education on the matter, but they’ll often miss obvious facts like this one.

What I’d tell my daughter: I would educate her on how to use them properly or if she was a bit shy when it came to these matters, I’d point her in the direction of articles like this.

Did you make any beauty blunders in high school? What advice would you give to teenage girls?