Jennifer Garner Jokes 'I Am My Own Worst Beauty Advice' as She Recalls Wearing 'Pancake' Makeup During Younger Years

The '13 Going on 30' actress says she used to wear theater makeup for every day

Jennifer Garner's beauty routine has come a long way — at least according to the actress.

When asked about the "worst beauty advice" she has ever received while appearing on the Nov. 12 episode of the Lipstick on the Rim podcast, the 13 Going on 30 star jokingly claimed she only had herself to blame for past makeup mishaps.

"I didn't have to receive it. I am my own worst beauty advice," Garner, 52, told hosts Molly Sims and Emese Gormley. "If you look at any pictures of me all the way through college, if I have makeup on, I wore my theater makeup. It was pancake makeup on my face. I [had] a white circle," she said, motioning to her face.

"It's so bad!" Garner continued. "It's so, so bad."

The Alias actress posted a clip from the podcast episode on her Instagram on Sunday, Nov. 24, adding an old photo of herself in the bright white theater makeup. In the throwback image, Garner is also wearing a full-on period costume, complete with ruffles and lace.

Related: Jennifer Garner Says She Never Ate Processed Food Growing: 'We Had Only What' My Mom 'Could Make'

Pancake makeup is typically used on theater performers so that the audience can see their faces better from long distances. In regular lighting, however, the high-coverage makeup looks incredibly extreme.

Garner previously told PEOPLE that she was not allowed to wear makeup as a teen, and so she would sneakily apply it during homeroom.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

Related: Jennifer Garner Hilariously Documents Being a 'Mom at a Haunted House': 'I'm Not Who You Want, Take My Son!'

"I had a tackle box of stage makeup and so I thought that if I wanted to look pretty, I should wear that same makeup," she said in the 2019 interview. "So I wore a pancake makeup. I drew on blush. I basically looked like Raggedy Ann."

Garner also jokingly told PEOPLE that her makeup skills as an adult are not much better. "Do I seem like someone who’s good at applying makeup?" she said. "I own the nicest brushes and I own contouring things. If I used it, I would just look bruised."