culled from:wikihow.com
Part 1 of 2: Looking Amazing
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1Take care of your skin. Just getting your skin to be clear and radiant can give you the confidence boost to feel so much prettier. If you have really bad acne (especially if it's hereditary) you should see a dermatologist, but otherwise there are a few ways to care for your skin.[1]
- Use a simple face wash twice a day (once when you get up and once before you go to bed) to remove oils and dirt. You want a face wash that is right for your skin type (oily, dry, sensitive, etc.), that clears away grime, but doesn't strip your skin of the healthy oils.[2]
- When shopping for a moisturizer, try to find one with SPF in it to help protect against harmful rays. UV rays from the sun are especially damaging to your skin, and could cause skin cancer.
- Moisturizing your body (especially your hands) can help keep them from getting dried out, especially during summer and in drier times of the year, which will help make your skin look more radiant and healthy.
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2Maintain good dental hygiene. This is very important, both to looking pretty and to your overall health. You'll want to brush at least twice a day (more if you have braces; then you'll want to brush after every meal).
- Make sure you don't brush too soon after a meal. Wait at least ten minutes after you finish eating. Doing otherwise can damage your enamel, which will make it painful to chew sugary and eat cold/warm foods
- Having good mouth health can help your breath smell good, and that your teeth are nice and clean. Mouthwash only makes your mouth fresher for a short period of time but be careful what mouthwash you use some can cause cancer e.g Listerine and others. Another way to get good breath that lasts is to brush your tongue.
- Use dental floss to clean the areas of your teeth that can't be cleaned with a tooth brush. Floss between teeth, and at the gum line. This helps to freshen breath as well as keeping your teeth healthy
- Use teeth whitening strips sparingly, as the chemicals aren't great for your mouth.
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3Care for your hair. The prettiest hair is hair that is being cared for, that is healthy, and that you like.
- Wash as often as your hair needs. Everyone's hair is different. For curlier types, it's usually best to wash hair every 3 or 4 days, since shampooing everyday will damage the hair. If you have really oily hair, you will want to wash your hair less frequently. Oily hair is caused from stripping the natural oils from your hair, after a few weeks it will be less oily. You can find out whether or not you have dry/oily hair by running your fingers through your hair.
- Some tips for changing your hair are: use products after you shower to change the shape of your natural hair like leave in conditioner. If you want to style your hair using heat, apply a heat protectant, otherwise it can get damaged easily. Try spritzing it with some dry shampoo, then combing down.
- Occasionally get your hair done at a salon. It's often best to go to a professional for a haircut and for coloring, especially if you have difficult hair. Some popular haircuts include layers and side fringes. While you're there, ask what products (like shampoo and conditioner) they would recommend you use and just ask for a trim at the ends to get rid of the split ends or you could do it at home/best to get someone at home to do it for you.
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4Try out makeup. You don't have to wear makeup to be pretty, but there are some great ways to enhance your natural prettiness, or to help make you feel confident and good about yourself.
- For a "natural" look: eyeliner adds definition to your eyes. Choose a natural and subtle shade, like brown,or a color close to your skin color, to create a strictly neutral look. If you want your neutral look to be a bit bolder, try adding a thin line of black eyeliner. If you really need eyeshadow, which brightens up your eyes, make it natural and light. Try a champagne or brown color to get a natural look. Mascara really opens up your eyes and makes your lashes pretty. Also, add some clear lip gloss to enhance your lips.
- Use a bronzer. Contour your face from the temples, to under the cheekbones, to the chin (think of the number 3 when applying). This can make your face more slim and flattering. Also, if you have a wide forehead, or a larger nose, run the brush down the center of your face to diminish them. Play around with bronzer, but don't contour too much or it'll look like you had lots of plastic surgery.
- Use blush. There are many ways to apply this, including to the apples of your cheeks or onto your cheekbones. Blush can help widen (apply in a horizontal line) or lengthen (apply also to temples & jaw) your face.
- Highlight. There are many types of makeup you can use to draw attention to (i.e. white eyeshadow, light powder) the places where you want others to look at when they first see you. Some places include the forehead, cupid's bow, the brow bones, and cheekbones. You can also put some on your eyes or nose, if you think they're cute. Also look up on YouTube how to make natural makeup at home so you know what's in it and so there are not any unnatural ingredients you don't know about.
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5Wear clothes that make you feel confident. You don't have to wear clothes that are super trendy to be pretty, especially if they are clothes that you feel uncomfortable and strange in. It's the confidence that people will remember more than whatever clothes you had on.
- Make sure to wear clothes that fit you properly. It's hard to look pretty when your trousers are digging into your waist or hips and your bra is leaving marks on your skin.
- Having neutral bases in your wardrobe can be really useful when you're putting together outfits. This way you can do stuff like pair a neutral t-shirt with a brightly patterned skirt, a dark blazer and some cute shoes. Or plain jeans with flats, a funky necklace and a subdued blouse.
- Flatter a 'blah' outfit with accessories. Try a headband, colorful belt, or a cute necklace, but don't over-accessorize! Follow Coco Chanel's famous advice to take off one accessory before you go out the door.
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6Try out perfumes and see what makes you feel best. Also, you can try scented body lotions, or body splashes. Some women like a refreshing scent, while others like fruity, or floral scents. Whichever scent type you choose, be sure not to overdo it so that people around you are overwhelmed by the scent.
- Spritz yourself on your wrist (it is not a good idea to rub your wrists together because it can change the scent), elbows, and neck to create a hint of scent.
- You can also spray perfume on your hair brush before brushing it through your hair to give it a nice scent. Don't worry, the tiny amount of alcohol contained in perfume is not going to damage your hair!
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7Be healthy. being healthy is one of the top ways to be pretty, at the same time. A lot of it has to do with confidence and with healthiness both in your body and in your mind. It's easier to be confident when you're high on endorphins from exercise and when your mind is in a good place from getting enough sleep.
- Exercise. Get out for a run, or take a walk. Take dance lessons ballet especially helps cause it works all the muscles in the body as well as the abs. there are tons of different ways to exercise that are fun! Exercise releases chemicals that enhance your mood and make your body healthier, which in turn will make you more confident about yourself![3]
- Drink water. Staying hydrated helps keep your skin radiant and clear, it helps with weight-loss and exercise and will make your brain feel brighter and happier. Try and get at least 8 glasses of water per day. If you don't like how bland water is, squeeze a little lemon or lime into it, to make it more interesting. Eat lots of fruit can help as well sometimes I put quite a bit if weight of by eating fruit and healthy things, if you need to eat popcorn try and have a popcorn machine its a lot healthier mainly because the popcorn is being popped by air not by electricity so like the smell coming from the microwave when you heat something up is not good for you and because not so much fat is added to it but if you want add a bit if butter of icing sugar to it.
- Get enough sleep. When you don't get enough sleep it shows not only in the bags under your eyes, but also makes your skin worse and your overall physical (and mental) health worse. For adults 8 hours of sleep each night is average; teens need a bit more sleep. Don't stay up too late at night. When you feel your body starting to get tired, go to bed. I know this is hard for teens but don't go on your phone before bed time cause the radiation unsettles your brain so you won't be able to settle down, your better off reading a book or listen to music on your CD player while you sleep it helps :).
- Eat properly. Eating properly can help keep your body healthy, but it can also make sure that your skin stays healthy. For a healthy diet you will want to eat more fruits and vegetables (at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day). Try eating foods with essential fatty acids in them like salmon, walnuts, and flax seed, nuts as well almonds cashews all them things that are hard to chew on, as well as low-fat dairy products, which have vitamin A and acidophilus. Avoid junk food and highly processed foods.[4]
Part 2 of 2: Being Amazing
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1Build your confidence. Being pretty often has more to do with how you present yourself and less to do with what you look like. Of course it can help boost your confidence in yourself if you like what you see in the mirror, but remember to look on the inside, too.
- Have good posture. Sitting or standing straight will make you look more confident; slouching looks blah... like you don't care.
- Don't judge yourself. In so many cases, you act as your own worst enemy, saying things to yourself that you would never say to anyone else. Building your confidence means being okay with who you are and not trying to make yourself perfect (either in looks or in actions).
- Don't judge others. The things you think about other people reflect on how you think about yourself and what kind of person you are. When you find yourself engaging in negative thoughts and words towards other people, turn it around so that you find something positive about them instead (maybe you don't like what someone's wearing, instead of saying "Wow, she looks hideous" think something like "Wow, she's so confident in herself).[5]
- Don't compare yourself to other people. This is the most futile exercise you can possibly do, because there is always going to be someone who is smarter, prettier, and more talented than you. This will only cause you to feel worse about yourself.
- Fake it until you make it. Faking confidence tricks your brain into actually thinking you're confident, so the more you practice being confident, the more confident you'll feel. Start small (like wearing bright red lipstick, or higher heels) and, as you get more confident, incorporate bigger acts of confidence.
- Practice confident body language. Even standing in a power pose for 5 minutes every day can help make you more confident. Stand up straight when you walk, or sit and take up space. Don't cross your arms across your chest (typically a defensive gesture).[6]
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2Indulge in a photo. There's nothing like a good photo to help boost your self-esteem and make you feel better about yourself. You can use this photo when you're feeling down on your looks to remind you that yes, you are attractive and awesome.
- Selfies are great because you are in control of the image and how you are presented. Taking a selfie can be a great confidence booster.
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3Show your inner beauty. Attractiveness doesn't just come from how you look, it comes from how you act and how other people perceive. It's confidence, certainly, but it's also kindness, being a good listener, and being respectful to other people.
- While people are often initially attracted to outwards appearances (how physically pretty you are) they stick around based on your inward prettiness. Studies have found that people often re-evaluate someone's attractiveness based on good personality traits.[7]
- Do nice and helpful things for people without expecting anything in return. Drive a friend to the doctor, look after your sister's baby for free, bring cookies to your teacher after a difficult week. You'll show that you are a good person inside and you'll make people think well of you, which will increase your attractiveness.
- However, don't forget to take time off for yourself. You don't have to live your life for everyone else. Pamper yourself, too, or take time to just watch a movie.
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4Accept compliments. Don't turn compliments into a joke when someone offers you one. Remember, you are as awesome and as attractive as people say and you deserve to have compliments. Accepting a compliment does not mean that you are arrogant or "stuck-up."
- For example: if someone says "Wow, your hair is looking really gorgeous today" instead of saying something like "No it's not! I'm having a really bad hair day" (because even if you think so, no one else does) say "Thank you. I really appreciate that."
- Of course, you are under no obligation to accept a compliment that makes you uncomfortable. It's your right to decide where is the line and when it's being crossed.
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5Stop negative thinking. Thinking negatively will take away your confidence and make you feel and look less pretty (it really is all about confidence). For instance, if you start thinking you're ugly, your brain will begin to accept that as true, even when it isn't. Fortunately, stopping yourself from thinking negatively is something that you can do and that you have total control over.
- Learn to label negative thoughts. For example, if you think "My face is hideous" stop and say to yourself "I'm having a thought that my face is hideous." Don't beat yourself up over the thought, just acknowledge it.
- Once you've acknowledged the thought, you have to let it go. Your thoughts don't define you and they certainly aren't you. They are simply patterns that your brain has fallen into.
- When you've let go of that negative thought, replace it with a positive one. Instead of thinking "My face is hideous," think "I have really pretty eyes" or "my eyebrows are awesome" or you could even take it a step farther and tell yourself "I am not defined by my physical appearance."
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6Educate yourself about perceptions of beauty. The absolute most important thing you need to remember is that beauty standards (what is "pretty" for example) are completely subjective and depend on what society views as attractive. This means that beauty is constantly changing and that girls are being forced to live up to beauty standards that are basically impossible.[8]
- If you're comparing yourself to models in magazines or actresses in movies and on tv STOP! Those women who look "perfect" don't actually look like that in real life. Remember they have tons of hair stylists, wardrobe artists, make-up artists, special lighting and, of course, photoshop.[9]
- Remember also that you are in no way obligated to live up to other people's perceptions of prettiness. In the end, only you get to decide what is pretty for you.
- Follow SCHEPT: skin, clothes, hair, exercise, posture, teeth
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