Life
Nothing says nostalgia quite like beloved childhood items. Especially the ones found in the beauty aisle. The beauty products we used as kids may have been our first attempts to develop our grooming habits, gender expression, or presentation to the world. They were fun, and always made us feel just a little more grown up. Have you ever found yourself wishing you could buy a Dr. Pepper-flavored Lip Smackers just for the fun of it? Or wondered why Bath and Body Works discontinued your favorite scent? Wonder no more.
Thanks to the magic of the internet, you can still buy your favorite childhood beauty products. (Sadly, Sprite Remix is still resting peacefully in a nostalgia cemetery.) Thanks to a serious Google search. I’ve discovered that many of our go-to grooming products from the ‘80s and ‘90s actually never went away. They merely became difficult to find. Whether you want to collect your favorites for yourself, or you want to introduce your kids to a beauty trick you used as a little girl, finding your childhood faves isn’t as hard as you think. Here are 13 of your long lost primping tools, and where you can buy them.
1
Lip Smackers Necklaces
The fruity lip balm that you could wear around your neck, this gloss tasted great. Plus, your parents didn’t mind if you had it because it wasn’t really makeup.
Where to Buy: Walgreens, $4.49 for a 3-pack
2
Aquanet
Everyone’s favorite aerosol hairspray, Aquanet was great for rock hard, sky high hair. It was less good for your lungs and the O-zone, but if your moral compass is willing to past that, then you’re all set.
Where to Buy: Walgreens, $2.89
3
Hair and Body Glitter
The aerosol spray that got everywhere, glitter was all the rage. But be warned — wearing glitter has different connotations now that you’re an adult.
Where to Buy: Amazon.com, $6.72
4
Aussie Gel
Perfect for scrunching your hair or getting the perfect slicked back ponytail, you can still find your fave kangaroo-endorsed styling product.
Where to Buy: Walgreens, $4.49
5
Sun-In
Before you were old enough to dye your hair, moms everywhere sighed and gave in to letting you turn your hair orange with Sun-In. Sure, you could have used a little lemon juice, but where’s the fun in that.
Where to Buy: Amazon.com, $7.18
6
Bath and Body Works Cucumber Melon Anything
The ubiquitous scent of our childhood is still available at Bath and Body Works, with updated packaging. Today, body splash of our youth is marketed as a “fine fragrance mist.”
Where to Buy: Bath and Body Works, $6.50 - $14
7
Play-Doh Perfume
OK, so maybe this is just me, but the smell of Play-Doh brings me back to childhood. In fact, the smell provides such a sense of safety for me that I carry a fun-sized tub around in my purse and pull it out when I’m feeling anxious or unsafe. Well, it turns out that they actually make a perfume now, so you can wear the smell of Play-Doh wherever you go.
Where to Buy: Demeter, $20 for 1 oz. bottle
8
Crimping Iron
Nothing said stylin’ in the ‘90s like having crimped hair to match your Barbie doll. And even though you create the same look by braiding and gelling your hair, you’re a grown *ss woman now who doesn’t have time for that.
Where to Buy: Sally Beauty, $30
9
GAP Grass Body Spray
GAP’s signature scent, which smelled exactly like the name suggests, was discontinued. There’s a petition to bring back the customer-favorite. Until then, you can purchase it on eBay for anywhere from $50 to $150.
Where to Buy: eBay, $50
10
Stick On Earrings
Whether it was because you weren’t allowed to get your ears pierced or you just wanted to look like you had 5 holes in your ears, stick on earrings were the jam. Except for the fact that they were always falling off.
Where to Buy: Amazon.com, $8.17 for a pack of 72
11
Press On Nails
Lee press on nails may not be around anymore, but you can still get a quick manicure at the drug store and head out on your movie date.
Where to Buy: Walgreens, $7.99
12
Hair Mascara
A retro version of chalking, hair mascara was the mom-approved way to get funky colors in your hair. And luckily, you can still find it at costume shops.
Where to Buy: CostumeDiscounters.com, $3.18
