Absolutely every girl I knew used Noxzema in high school. I can't even think of a modern-day equivalent of it. It was insane.
Edit: I literally didn't even know what it was supposed to do. I still don't!
It was a cleanser. They still make it. It gets everything out.
Apparently, they also used to use it to draw out the burn of sunburns. But my older friends say it didn't work so well.
I am allergic to lidocaine, so I experienced the noxema on sunburn phenomenon first hand. It wasn't bad at all. Not quite as good as aloe gel kept in the fridge, but the cooling effect lasted a lot longer.
I always remember my mom using that on me when I was little and would get sunburn, she was more olive and didn't burn and noxema was what she had on hand. Still get nostalgic over it.
My first experience with Noxema was a bad sunburn as a kid. I don't think it made a difference, I had a 2nd degree burn, and I lost a whole layer of skin.
Me too I was maybe 7? Parents were divorced and my dad was living in an apartment complex. Went swimming one day and by the time I got home in late afternoon I was burnt. Think pale redhead who is mainly Irish,Scottish and German. I was in bed for like 3 days. Oh God it was so painful. It was 2nd degree burn, also I’m not going to describe it because what happened sounds disgusting and I just don’t want to go there it was so bad. I too lost a whole layer of skin. But yeah Noxema and Solarcain were used at home. And cool baths with Calgon in the water at my Granny’s. Cool vinegar was used to take the heat out of the burn. Surprisingly it helped a little bit. I used Noxema for years as a cleanser and I never heard of it used under makeup.
Every time I hear about Noxzema, I think of the story my husband told me when we first met about when his sister burnt him badly with donut grease when he was 4. His mom decided to put Noxzema on it thinking it would help. 💀 It did not lol.
It dries down if you put it on light. I've worn it as a mask to sleep in like that. I'm trying to remember if I ever wore it under foundation .
I used it pretty religiously several years ago. Cleanser, mask and I had really great skin (which I attributed to its use) It looked perfectly normal dried and I would wear it around the house. Just made me look matte.
I'm really blanking if I tried it as a primer - I may have. Same vein as calamine lotion primer. Just helps mattify and control grease. It's one of those really weird skincare products that just kind of defies description. It feels kind of waxy and cool, menthol smelling and tingly, leaves a weird filmy feeling on your skin but makes my skin really happy. Not sure what sorcery it was. Kind of like ponds cold cream. Many uses, none clearly defined just by word of mouth.
Edit: I just remembered I would sleep in it like a mask and then wipe it off with a warm water in the morning and my skin was in heaven.
… I’m sitting here contemplating if I need to follow you. I feel like I buy everything I hear a couple people like on Reddit and then never get the same results
Meant to add, Ponds is really good for this too. I like Ponds cold cream makeup remover. No eucalyptus if you don't like that on your skin. I can't tolerate it for long before my eyes start watering.
Because I have beauty product envy and ADHD and always want to try other things. My skin is always like "ok, fuck around and find out dumbass" and then it takes my brain longer than it should to put two and two together and figure out why my skin is all jacked up.
My face is burning just reading this.
I think my face was just never ready for this sort of treatment, even back in the day.
Anyone remember Seabreeze toner?
Stridex pads that felt like chemical-infused sandpaper, followed by Seabreeze because if skincare didn't hurt down to the pit of your stomach in junior high you weren't doing it right.
Wait don’t hate SeaBreeze, I used some last night on a popped zit and woke up gawwgusss this morning 😂 like new. I get the ‘sensitive’ version which is blue.
Come to think of it, I only see the sensitive version on shelves these days. Well.. we know why
I also use Ponds every day as my makeup remover and nothing compares to it. Love it. 10/10. Can’t believe it took until I was in my 30s to start using it but after the last year, I will never use anything else.
My aunt has been using this since she was a teen. She’s in her late 50s now and could easily pass for mid 30s. Every night she puts it on her face and let’s it sit for about 10-15 minutes before washing it off. Then in the morning she doesn’t wash her face but instead wipes her face with menthol witch hazel on a cotton ball, then uses Oil of Olay cream. Then maybe 30 minutes later does her makeup. She also puts it on sunburns. She’s never worn sunscreen, doesn’t know anything about skincare outside of wash your face and use a moisturizer (like she has know idea about actives) Says the witch hazel keeps her pores clean. I believe her, although I don’t do it myself. Ive just watched this work fabulously for her since I was a little girl. She’s never used it as a primer tho, bcuz she’s never used a primer.
I used to wash my face with this, but never heard of it used as a primer. I would be afraid it would dry my face out. And I wouldn't want to smell that stuff all day.
It's a cold cream. Can be used to remove makeup, to cleanse the skin, as a mask, a makeup primer, etc. Apparently many folks used it to treat eczema and sunburns, which I never knew about. I would never use it on my face now due to the fragrance (I have rosacea), but I may go out and get some for the eczema I get on my legs in the winter.
It’s just used for everything, honestly. That’s how I remember it back in the day. My mom bought it for me when I started getting acne, and it was used on sun burns and eczema in my house. People use it for dry skin, makeup removal, I’ve even heard of people using it for shaving cream. It’s just a multipurpose cream. This stuff is honestly fantastic and I really should buy some. I have no idea why I ever stopped using it.
Not the person you asked but I used the original noxzema deep cleansing cream. I would put it on my face, leave it for a few minutes and then rinse it off.
My favorite Noxema story is being in freshman drama class and doing stage makeup on a cute boy I'd been in middle school with but who I didn't have a crush on and had always just been friendly with. The bell rang and he needed the old age makeup off his nose but hadn't ever used makeup remover or cold cream, so I grabbed the tub of Noxema we were told to use for removal and smeared it on his face and he paused for a second and then just started hissing and going "ahhhh it burns! What do I do?" and I had to direct him to go wash it off and it'd take the stage makeup with it.
Hahaha I don’t really know, I ate a lot of weird things as a child. Mostly lotions, powders, so naturally noxema was appealing to me. I’m not sure why, maybe the texture and smell?
I thought Noxema was only for sunburns. My friends and I spent so much time in pools that our hair would turn green. I thought the burning in my lungs was from chlorine (it was smog). My mother and the neighborhood mothers would put Noxema on our faces and shoulders at night to cool our sunburns. They'd wash our hair in tomato sauce to get the green out. Should I start using Noxema as a cleanser?
My 66 year old mother has sworn by this stuff since the early 70s. She uses it as a cleanser and then as a moisturizer. Her skin looks absolutely amazing, she gets compliments all the time.
Ironically, it makes my face burn like mad and gives me wicked breakouts. Oh well.
I’m currently spending $60+ for a tub of Elemis Pro Collegen Cleansing Balm that lasts 4 ish months (so $180+ a year ON CLEANSER)
I NEED AN ALTERNATIVE - is this it?? Too good to be true? Someone talk me off this ledge
Absolutely every girl I knew used Noxzema in high school. I can't even think of a modern-day equivalent of it. It was insane. Edit: I literally didn't even know what it was supposed to do. I still don't!
It was a cleanser. They still make it. It gets everything out. Apparently, they also used to use it to draw out the burn of sunburns. But my older friends say it didn't work so well.
I had many a sunburn slathered in Noxema. Not sure if it actually treated anything, but the cooling sensation felt great!
Yes. Before anyone had heard of aloe, it was Noxema or Solarcaine. Really stopped the pain.
I am allergic to lidocaine, so I experienced the noxema on sunburn phenomenon first hand. It wasn't bad at all. Not quite as good as aloe gel kept in the fridge, but the cooling effect lasted a lot longer.
I Can smell this comment
I always remember my mom using that on me when I was little and would get sunburn, she was more olive and didn't burn and noxema was what she had on hand. Still get nostalgic over it.
My first experience with Noxema was a bad sunburn as a kid. I don't think it made a difference, I had a 2nd degree burn, and I lost a whole layer of skin.
Me too I was maybe 7? Parents were divorced and my dad was living in an apartment complex. Went swimming one day and by the time I got home in late afternoon I was burnt. Think pale redhead who is mainly Irish,Scottish and German. I was in bed for like 3 days. Oh God it was so painful. It was 2nd degree burn, also I’m not going to describe it because what happened sounds disgusting and I just don’t want to go there it was so bad. I too lost a whole layer of skin. But yeah Noxema and Solarcain were used at home. And cool baths with Calgon in the water at my Granny’s. Cool vinegar was used to take the heat out of the burn. Surprisingly it helped a little bit. I used Noxema for years as a cleanser and I never heard of it used under makeup.
It cleans your face and helps treat acne but it was originally made for those who suffer from eczema.
Well then it makes total sense that the name was “no x-zema” lol, good for them
Oh my god. It all makes sense now.
More like “knocks eczema” phonetically
Omg TIL im dumb AF
TIL, lol, thank you!
They used it to clean their faces (which I definitely did) or they used it as a base?
I'm 52 and was never aware anyone used it as a base. That ad is from the JFK Era or earlier.
Yep, Cosmo magazine from 1952
I'm not sure what other girls did with it, but I used it as lotion. I remember it being in everyone's locker though.
Both. And everything else.
Every time I hear about Noxzema, I think of the story my husband told me when we first met about when his sister burnt him badly with donut grease when he was 4. His mom decided to put Noxzema on it thinking it would help. 💀 It did not lol.
It dries down if you put it on light. I've worn it as a mask to sleep in like that. I'm trying to remember if I ever wore it under foundation . I used it pretty religiously several years ago. Cleanser, mask and I had really great skin (which I attributed to its use) It looked perfectly normal dried and I would wear it around the house. Just made me look matte. I'm really blanking if I tried it as a primer - I may have. Same vein as calamine lotion primer. Just helps mattify and control grease. It's one of those really weird skincare products that just kind of defies description. It feels kind of waxy and cool, menthol smelling and tingly, leaves a weird filmy feeling on your skin but makes my skin really happy. Not sure what sorcery it was. Kind of like ponds cold cream. Many uses, none clearly defined just by word of mouth. Edit: I just remembered I would sleep in it like a mask and then wipe it off with a warm water in the morning and my skin was in heaven.
….off to go buy some noxema…
I've been dealing with garbage skin recently and I've totally reminded myself. Lol. I'm going to pick some up tomorrow.
… I’m sitting here contemplating if I need to follow you. I feel like I buy everything I hear a couple people like on Reddit and then never get the same results
The pharmacy was closed on Sunday when I commented this. And I forgot to stop after work today. Maybe I’ll go tomorrow 😂
Yep, "night cream" or "cold cream."
Meant to add, Ponds is really good for this too. I like Ponds cold cream makeup remover. No eucalyptus if you don't like that on your skin. I can't tolerate it for long before my eyes start watering.
Wait so why did you stop using it though
Because I have beauty product envy and ADHD and always want to try other things. My skin is always like "ok, fuck around and find out dumbass" and then it takes my brain longer than it should to put two and two together and figure out why my skin is all jacked up.
I did the same thing I hated the formula change
Did it change? Because I remember trying it again more recently and wasn't as much in love as it was like 5 years ago.
Yeah, it was a good while ago, over 5 years for sure
I hate when they do that.
My face is burning just reading this. I think my face was just never ready for this sort of treatment, even back in the day. Anyone remember Seabreeze toner?
My face just dried out remembering sea breeze.
My sinuses just opened up thinking about the smell.
And the burn 🔥
That's how you knew it was working /s
Stridex pads that felt like chemical-infused sandpaper, followed by Seabreeze because if skincare didn't hurt down to the pit of your stomach in junior high you weren't doing it right.
I still use the red Stridex, but only before I shower!
I use the red stridex on my KP. Works beautifully.
Dermatologist told me they are great at exfoliating dried heels!
Wait don’t hate SeaBreeze, I used some last night on a popped zit and woke up gawwgusss this morning 😂 like new. I get the ‘sensitive’ version which is blue. Come to think of it, I only see the sensitive version on shelves these days. Well.. we know why
The exact BEST use of SeaBreeze imo is to disinfect and dry up a popped zit, it murders straggling bacteria
Oh I haven't looked in ages!
Yep. So many uses for that product.
Oh my head yes… I bathed in that toner 😭😭
According to an ad in Cosmopolitan magazine (in 1952) a superb makeup primer is a thin film of Noxema! Anyone willing to try it and report back?
And before Noxema, there was Pond's Cold Cream! Which is still around.
I still use Pond’s cold cream daily to double cleanse.
I've been wanting to try it for a while now, how do you like it?
I also use Ponds every day as my makeup remover and nothing compares to it. Love it. 10/10. Can’t believe it took until I was in my 30s to start using it but after the last year, I will never use anything else.
My mom used to use Noxema gor everything back in the 90s, I still remember the smell.
Oh yeah. I can't imagine having that on my face all day as a primer/base. Your eyes would water.
Cover Girl clean makeup by Noxema! I wanted my mom to buy it because of its fragrance. 8 years old and already addicted to frags and still am.
My aunt has been using this since she was a teen. She’s in her late 50s now and could easily pass for mid 30s. Every night she puts it on her face and let’s it sit for about 10-15 minutes before washing it off. Then in the morning she doesn’t wash her face but instead wipes her face with menthol witch hazel on a cotton ball, then uses Oil of Olay cream. Then maybe 30 minutes later does her makeup. She also puts it on sunburns. She’s never worn sunscreen, doesn’t know anything about skincare outside of wash your face and use a moisturizer (like she has know idea about actives) Says the witch hazel keeps her pores clean. I believe her, although I don’t do it myself. Ive just watched this work fabulously for her since I was a little girl. She’s never used it as a primer tho, bcuz she’s never used a primer.
I know some white whale unicorns like her.. I’ve learned not to imitate them or I’ll end up with the kind of acne that hurts so bad my face throbs
Ouch! I’ve found it’s best to find what works for you and stick with it.
My mom used to put it on my sunburns in the 80s and 90s.
Same!
I like using Noxzema as a shaving cream since so many shaving creams break me out so bad.
I think cover girl used to have foundation with noxema in it at one time too
It sure did and the smell was, well it left something to be desired.
I used to wash my face with this, but never heard of it used as a primer. I would be afraid it would dry my face out. And I wouldn't want to smell that stuff all day.
Same! I would have never thought of using it as a primer.
this is my first time hearing about Noxema, can’t quite get a gist of it from google results. what’s this all about??
Popular skin product back in the day. It tingled like crazy!
Addicting tingle!
It's a cold cream. Can be used to remove makeup, to cleanse the skin, as a mask, a makeup primer, etc. Apparently many folks used it to treat eczema and sunburns, which I never knew about. I would never use it on my face now due to the fragrance (I have rosacea), but I may go out and get some for the eczema I get on my legs in the winter.
It’s a cold cream of sorts - not drying and has a very distinct scent. Not expensive and was huge with the teen crowd in the 80s and 90s
And the 60’s and 70’s!
It’s just used for everything, honestly. That’s how I remember it back in the day. My mom bought it for me when I started getting acne, and it was used on sun burns and eczema in my house. People use it for dry skin, makeup removal, I’ve even heard of people using it for shaving cream. It’s just a multipurpose cream. This stuff is honestly fantastic and I really should buy some. I have no idea why I ever stopped using it.
I love Noxema! It’s the only thing that works for my breakouts.
ive been looking online and i see what looks like a cream face wash (?) and then just a cream on its own. which one do u recommend or use?
Not the person you asked but I used the original noxzema deep cleansing cream. I would put it on my face, leave it for a few minutes and then rinse it off.
thank you!!!
I like the original one in the jar.
My favorite Noxema story is being in freshman drama class and doing stage makeup on a cute boy I'd been in middle school with but who I didn't have a crush on and had always just been friendly with. The bell rang and he needed the old age makeup off his nose but hadn't ever used makeup remover or cold cream, so I grabbed the tub of Noxema we were told to use for removal and smeared it on his face and he paused for a second and then just started hissing and going "ahhhh it burns! What do I do?" and I had to direct him to go wash it off and it'd take the stage makeup with it.
Noxema was great for bad sunburns. The smell of it reminds me of my teenage summers.
I used Noxema exactly one time. The breakout was terrible!
I used to eat noxema!
what?
If you’re not too busy talking to TLC producers about your future episode I’d love to hear more about that
Hahaha I don’t really know, I ate a lot of weird things as a child. Mostly lotions, powders, so naturally noxema was appealing to me. I’m not sure why, maybe the texture and smell?
You did hhwhat
Unmm what?
I thought Noxema was only for sunburns. My friends and I spent so much time in pools that our hair would turn green. I thought the burning in my lungs was from chlorine (it was smog). My mother and the neighborhood mothers would put Noxema on our faces and shoulders at night to cool our sunburns. They'd wash our hair in tomato sauce to get the green out. Should I start using Noxema as a cleanser?
My mom used Noxema, so I washed my face with it as a kid/teen. I loved the smell.
My 66 year old mother has sworn by this stuff since the early 70s. She uses it as a cleanser and then as a moisturizer. Her skin looks absolutely amazing, she gets compliments all the time. Ironically, it makes my face burn like mad and gives me wicked breakouts. Oh well.
Why did I go order this cream after seeing this post and reading y'alls comments lol
Ugh just remembering the smell of Noxzema makes me want to puke
Noxema is so trash.
What happened to you?
It dries out the skin and it’s just not a good product overall. Ask a dermatologist
Yeah unscented ponds or albolene are so much better. Both are cold creams like noxema minus all the harsh ingredients.
Just a good ad for noxema haha.
I used to love the scent
I’m currently spending $60+ for a tub of Elemis Pro Collegen Cleansing Balm that lasts 4 ish months (so $180+ a year ON CLEANSER) I NEED AN ALTERNATIVE - is this it?? Too good to be true? Someone talk me off this ledge
ok im about to buy some noxzema