Tips for Teens: Skin Care and Make Up

Don't be fooled - Beyonce doesn't wake up with her hair in perfect curls and her face completely made up. She has to work on her look just like you do. The difference is, she has make up artists who keep her up to date on all the new trends and products. But buying and wearing make up should not be that difficult. Here are some tips to how to keep your skin healthy, choose the right products and shades, and look your best before you hit the school scene.

Cleanser and moisturizer are you friends. Before any make up goes on your face, make sure your skin is clean. Cleansers are designed to clean your pores, making your skin smoother. No matter what you've been told, light moisturizer should not cause your face to break out when used once a day (best before bedtime). Make sure you use products appropriate to your age - check the labels to assure products are made for you in mind. Products for adults can actually damage your skin (actually, the heavy creams will cause you to break out, and you don't want that, do you?) Once you have the skin care routine under control, move on to make up.

Tip on buying skin care products: There are many products out there, but you only need two things here. Get one cleanser - something alcohol- and fragrance-free, so it won't irritate your skin. One cream will do, too - no need to buy separate eye and face cream. It's all about saving your cash and time.

Don't use foundation to cover your entire face. Here is the scoop. Some foundation can actually clogs your pores. You can use foundation to cover blemishes. Using concealer for covering blemishes isn't such a good idea - generally it makes your skin tone look a shade or two lighter. No concealer spots on your face, please!

Tip about buying foundation: Find a drugstore that has tester products on display. That way you can try the foundation color on before you buy it. No need to spend money on a product you'll never use. Oh, and don't be afraid to return things. If a foundation is too light, don't store it in a shoebox under your bed - march right back to the store. They'll let you exchange it for the one you can use.

Watch out, girls! Here comes color! Just 'coz Halle Berry wears red lipstick in the Revlon commercial, does not mean you need to. Here is the thing - the whole point of make up is to enhance your features, not cover your face in bright colors and make you look like a paint-by-numbers poster. There is no need to follow every trend when it comes to make up. Stick to the colors that work for you. Make up artist Bobbi Brown offers the following advice for young women, "The darker your complexion, the deeper your color tone should be. Look for deep plums and chocolates for darker skins. Stick with roses and tawnys for medium skins. And for the palest skin, go with light colors like pale pink or sand pink." Get it? Use what works!

See, that was simple. Now that your face is clean, your blemishes are covered, and your colors are picked out, here are some things you need to keep in mind as you are putting on your make up.

Start with eyes. The key to eye make up is blending. Did you ever wonder why most eye shadows come with two colors in a set? Use the darker color on the lower part and the crease of your eyelid. Add the lighter color at the top of the lid, toward your eyebrow. Use your brush to blend colors well, and don't be afraid to take any access color off with a tissue.

Mascara is best when waterproof. It doesn't matter if you are into sports or not. Even is you don't run a risk of having your mascara run down your face, go with waterproof. It's that simple. You know what they say. Better safe...

Don't outline your lips. I have nothing against lip liners. I think they work best if you use them to fill in your lips before putting on some sheer gloss. Lip liner adds color to your lips, which is a plus, but it doesn't cost as much as some of the long lasting lipsticks. But outlining your lips is strongly forbidden - nothing worse then lips outlined in color when your lipstick has worn off. Need I say more?

Focus on lips even if you wear braces. Don't fear that wearing lip-gloss or any lip color will place emphasis on your braces. Wear any color you would wear if you didn't have them on. Just remember to keep your lips moisturized with a gloss or a lip balm, as braces can dry out your lips.

Be confident in your look. Even some sheer lip-gloss can make your face stand out of the crowd. Remember that more make up does not equal more attractive appearance. You're your skin healthy and your attitude about yourself positive. Confidence is where your true attraction comes from.