Teen Beauty Secrets **HOT TOPIC**

Great beauty advice can be hard to come by, so I decided to share the best beauty tips to make you even more gorgeous (in my opinion)!

• Less is more - Ever notice how some of your friends look best with no makeup at all? No matter your age, too much makeup makes you look worse. If you wear foundation, powder, blush, eye liner, mascara, eyeshadow, lip liner and gloss on an everyday basis, then you're overdoing it. Tone it down: All you really need is a great mascara, concealer for blemishes and gloss. Add a pop of blush in winter.
• Natural hair is always hot - Whether you have super dark or light blonde hair, curly, wavy or straight, always keep it down to help framing the face. You can also try highlights to give you a nice sun-kissed look. We see too many teens lightening their hair several shades and the look can be super-tacky, not super-fabulous. The trick is to let people assume your hair is au naturale, not that you gave yourself a bad dye job from a bottle.
• Buying foundation or lipstick? Test it first - There are some beauty products you simply must try out at a department store before you buy. These include: Foundation, lipstick, blush and powder. Always make sure you buy the right shades and that the products are suitable for your skin.
• Pat concealer in, NEVER RUB IT IN! -  When applying concealer, put a bit on the pad of your middle finger and pat it in. Never rub it in. By using this technique, the concealer will stay on longer and give you perfect coverage.
• Take care of your nails  - Not into manicures and pedicures? No worries. Just make sure to keep nails clean and the same length. If you do want to paint them, don't keep the polish on until half of it's chipped away. Also, there's nothing worse than too-long toenails. Keep nails clipped between pedicures. (People tend to judge others by the care they put into their hands and feet.)

Remember: Beauty is mostly internal. Being confident is very important. People will notice you wherever you are. Now, you may not be wearing makeup and your toes might not even been repainted in weeks, but if you're happy and smiling you will still be 10 times prettier than the most popular girls on campus. (Trust me).

-Tan