'My First Beauty' Tag

Thanks Sabine from Bini Blogs Beauty for tagging me for your My First Beauty Tag.

Here we go...

1. The first time I wore make up
I was a ballet girl for a short period of time, but it is fair to say I was less than graceful in a tutu.  I then branched out into tap dancing.  I had found my calling.  Shuffle shuffle tap! Shuffle step ball change!  It would have been at a ballet or tap concert that I was required to wear a bright red lipstick along with regulation bun or tight spiral curls. 

2. The very first make up item I bought/was given
My mother and I share a passion for all things makeup.  While my mother began allowing me try out her collection while I was very young, I distinctly remember the first item that was gifted to me, and was mine, all mine.  It was a hot pink lipstick by a brand called Outdoor Girl.  I believe this to be a UK brand, which probably doesn't exist anymore.  Come to think of it, my mother immigrated to Australia from the UK in 1966, and it just crossed my mind perhaps this lippy was antique before it became new to me in the late 70's.  Blurk!

My cousin Kath is two years older than me, and of course I idolised her sassy-ness from a very young age.  If Kath wore BigM shoelaces in her hair, then I had to have some too.  If Sweet Valley High books were what Kath was reading, then I had to read about those Wakefield twins too.  I even had my mother searching the shopping centres for a pinafore style dress at one stage, because cousin Kath had one.  So it makes perfect sense that the first item that I owned that was brand spanking new was an eyeshadow quad from Maybelline, inspired by Kath.  It had a Dark and Light Blue, and a Dark and Light Pink.  Think early 80's.  Legwarmers, fluorescent socks, and blue and pink eyeshadow to match.  I remember I was very particular about which side of each applicator was used in each shade.  I was obsessive compulsive about cosmetic cleanliness even then!

3. My first high end make up item
I really had to think hard about this one, and I really can't recall the first high end item I purchased with my own money.  I do recall in Year 8 at school I had a miniature eyeliner that was Estee Lauder and it was a royal blue colour.  I wore it heavily on my waterline.  It may have come with a GWP of my Mum's.  I was regularly sent to the 'girls toilets' to remove it from my eyes. 

I did start working casually in a delicatessen when I was almost 15 years old, in Year 9 at school, so I would say perhaps a high end lipstick or eyeshadow would have followed soon after.  I do think my priority at the time though was to save for a Sony Stereo with turntable, twin cassette deck and this new fandangled thing called a compact disc player.

4. My first "going out" look (as a teen, so talking dinner, not clubbing)
My signature look was a Lancome eyeshadow duo in quite neutral brown and champagne colours, and a Lancome lipstick in Sugared Maple.  Both discontinued long ago of course.  I also had Estee Lauder's Lucidity foundation when it first came out but it used to make my eyes water horrendously due to the old fashioned PABA sunscreen. 

5. My first make up faux pas
Thinking back to that Estee Lauder eyeliner in royal blue.... I definitely suffered from regular cases of inner eye goop due to the sheer volume of product used!

6. My first favourite beauty brands
I most certainly had loads of Australis, Bourjois and Max Factor products as a teen.  Nice!

7. As opposed to my favourite make up brands now
Guerlain, Chanel, MAC and Dior

8. My first perfume
I was given Charlie (the original) which smelt something like fly spray, and my mum bought me something called 'Cold as Ice' which was a perfume that felt... as cold as ice.  My first perfume splurge with my own money was Lou Lou.  I can still remember the ad...  'Lou Lou where are you?'  In my teens I wore quite a bit of Elizabeth Arden Red Door, but didn't we all?  In my late teens it was all Giorgio Beverly Hills (Roarrrrrrrrrrrrr Grrrrrr very sexy).

9. My first beauty obsession
It was all about the eyeliner.  Dark, smokey, colourful.  You name it - I wore it.  I loved a perm and highlights too.  Boing!

10. My first favourite hair & body items
I used lots of mousse and gel in my hair back in the day, but on my body it was all from The Body Shop.  I haven't been in The Body Shop for years and years.

11. My first nail polish
I remember the nail polish colour, but I am not positive which brand it was.  Most likely Cutex.  The colour was called Madly Mauve or Mauve Madness and was inspired by..... you guessed it......... Cousin Kath - the sister I never had.  I wore so many layers of this purple nail polish that there was no chance you could ever chip a nail!

That concludes the walk down memory lane... Thanks Bini for tagging me!