My First Act of Teenage Rebellion (No, it's not what you're thinking.)

My first makeup purchase was a CoverGirl foundation.

My parents didn't want me to wear makeup, especially my father, but I had acne breakouts as a young teenager, and I was really self conscious about it as a result.  I wanted to conceal the blotchy skin by wearing foundation.  So I saved my money, and one afternoon when I accompanied by grandmother and Aunt Judy to the grocery store in Finksburg, I snuck off by myself to the makeup aisle. 

 This CoverGirl commercial was popular then, and it was the look I wanted to achieve.

 

Once alone in the makeup aisle, I quickly scoped out the foundation selections, snatching the first bottle of CoverGirl Clean Makeup foundation I saw. I rushed to the check out line by myself, my heart pounding with adrenaline and worry. What if I get caught by my grandmother? What is she going to say? ( I assumed she knew about my parents' no makeup rule.) 

I felt like I was doing something very bad-- like I was going to be busted at any moment as the cashier rang up  my single item, me glancing around, scanning for my grandmother every few moments. I dreaded the woman making a comment that I was too young to buy makeup or inform me that I had to be sixteen (or not thirteen, anyway) before I was allowed to purchase makeup.  Worse, I feared the cashier lady would say something to the effect of "Does your mom know you're buying this?"

I gave the cashier my money; she made change. After handing me my receipt and the small plastic bag with my contraband makeup purchase, a wave of relief flooded my body. I did it! I would be looking good in no time. It would be a magical, overnight transformation! Angels would rejoice in heaven; I was sure of it.  

 

As I tucked the foundation purchase into my purse, feeling smug in that young, flippant teenage way that I just got away with a crime of epic proportions, my Aunt Judy suddenly appears as if out of nowhere. I was so concerned about my grandmother finding out about my rogue ways that I had forgotten about my Aunt Judy.  She asked to see what I bought and I handed over the incriminating evidence that I defied my parents, purchasing makeup that I had no business whatsoever buying.  I feared that she was going to take the bottle of foundation and either 1) return it right then and there or 2) confiscate it to use as evidence of my teenage rebellion.  Visions of being grounded for the next 100 years flashed in my mind.

 

Instead, she remarked that I probably bought the wrong shade, slipping the bottle of foundation back inside the bag. She carried on with the grocery shopping as if this was no big deal. (I should have known because Aunt Judy was always the cool aunt.)

 

Aunt Judy was right. (Of course she was!) I bought the wrong shade.  A rose beige tone (as I remember it) that was too dark for my porcelain skin.

 

Stubbornly, ridiculously, I wore it anyway, taking the extra time to try to blend it in. (Not that it helped, but in my mind it did.) I felt obligated to continue my rebellion by wearing it despite the foundation not being the correct match.  Do you know how long I had to save my money?  How long it took me to conspire to get alone long enough to make such a contraband purchase in the first place!? 

 

I despised my oily, blotchy, pimply, teenage skin and slathering it with CoverGirl Clean Makeup was the only way to cope. (It worked in the commercial so it would work for me, right?) I just wanted to look pretty. 

 

Finally, after months of this, my mother took me to a makeup artist in Eldersburg. The session was a birthday present. She was tired of me looking like I had mud smeared over my face.  Ouch.

 

All along, I thought I was in the clear since my parents never questioned me about it. I loved the makeup session. (Just so you know, the makeup artist tested several foundation shades on me and I was the lightest shade she had available, which my mom purchased along with an eyeshadow duo. Can you imagine how silly I looked wearing a beige foundation when I'm the absolute lightest shade of foundation available? Double Ouch. No, that's cringe worthy.) 

Still, all these years later, having that makeup session was one of the best birthday presents ever. I'm still looking for the ultimate foundation by the way. Now my skin isn't as oily as it was when I was a teenager, but it is as sensitive as ever. 

 

How old were you when you first started wearing makeup? What was your first act of teenage rebellion?