I read somewhere that most makeup photo models are about 14, not as old as 19!
I'm 72 and a makeup addict. I've been using moisturiser since I was about 13, but it wasn't called that back then, it was just skin cream. I started when I pinched a bit from my Mum's jar of Ponds' stuff and she saw me. The little jar had an orange lid and there was a matching one which had a green lid. That was 'cold cream', good for taking makeup off.
I've used makeup every day since leaving school; if not full face, then always moisturiser and often sunscreen, and have lived in tropical places where sunscreen's really compulsory if you don't want to get burned. The most expensive skin care stuff I've ever used is LaRoche Posay which I really like and still use now; the Toleriane cleanser is £12 for 400ml in Boots and it takes everything off easily. I have some products from The Ordinary along with the LRP, like the Granactive Retinoid 2% which really makes a difference to my skin texture, and a couple of others. I use the Rose Hip Seed Oil after the retinol; it's very soothing and moisturising. The only downside to that, is that my cat likes the taste of it and I sometimes wake up in the mornings having had a furry special exfoliation treatment! It doesn't do him any harm either.
It's probably more the result of proper skincare, moisturiser and sunscreen, but my skin is noticeably better than my mother's and my aunts', and some of my friends, at the same age. I'm fair-skinned, with freckles, and burn very easily. Yes, my eyelids are a bit droopy and I have a few lines but I don't have the older generation's real wrinkly wrinkles. I don't smoke and I drink mostly water when I'm thirsty, so that probably helps.
When something arrives from Cult Beauty or one of those other companies I love the samples that come with the order, all sorts of different skincare goodies. I try them out and think 'Ooh, that feels nice' then I look at the price of Pai, Drunk Elephant, Sunday Riley or whoever and think 'YOU ARE KIDDING!'. I've done without that spending that kind of money on skincare for all these years, I don't need to start now. For my hair I mostly use the usual supermarket shampoo/conditioner/style product range. I've tried buying much more expensive, and haven't found it worth it.
One thing I have stopped doing, is using petroleum-based products on my skin, it reacts badly to them, and I've replaced them with plant-based products, e.g. Nuxe lip balm instead of Vaseline or other mineral oil-based product. I do like those French pharmacy brands, and Kiehl's body lotion (a gift) which is very expensive but gorgeous. I save it mostly for my feet because I wear sandals for as much of the year as possible. I'll probably try Bioderma when it runs out, it's half the price. The Nuxe lip balm is as good a lip primer as MAC's Prep and Prime.
I do think a good skincare maintenance routine will give a better skin in later years than doing nothing until you see a problem. It's a good investment but definitely doesn't have to be expensive. I'm glad men are taking more notice now.