How to look absolutely stunning

We all have potential. But the number of people who actually USE it is getting lower and lower. Here's how to unearth the beauty screaming to get out...

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• All the things mentioned in this article, of course!

1. 
   A playful side bang is always in

   Hair. Ah, hair. It can be the defining feature, so be nice to yours and chances are, it will be nice back. Start with the haircut. Go to a good salon, and ask the stylist what would work with your face shape, coloring, etc. Once it's been cut, take good care of it. Use a good shampoo and matching conditioner. Pantene, John Frieda, or Tresemme if you are on a budget, Herbal Essence or Paul Mitchel if you're about average, financially, and, if you can afford them, Aveda, Bumble and Bumble, or Frederic Fekkai. Wash your hair about once a day, and always condition. You may want to consider highlights.

2. 
   don't overpluck, but don't underpluck. you want them to look natural.

   Eyebrows shape the face. If the eyes are the windows to the soul, eyebrows are the pretty curtains. Start grooming them if you haven't already. You may want to go to a stylist, but they tend to give you the shape that is 'in', rather than the shape that works for YOU, so it's probably best to try it yourself. A general rule, though, is to keep them aligned with the inner and outer corners of your eyes. Don't try to create an arch. You risk making it too high. If you want to arch your brows, you can and should go to a salon. It's worth the money.

3. Nails. Honestly, guys don't care what your nails look like, as long as they are not horrifically discolored. However, you care, other girls care, and it can give your self-esteem a huge boost. Buy 3-6 nail polish colors of your own(Hard Candy and Milani are cute and affordable) for when you need to do your own nails, but whenever possible, go to a nail salon. You don't need to get a full mani/pedi if it's too expensive, but even a simple polish change, every week or two, can go a long way. Do not get acrylics, however! They look good now, but it costs a fortune to keep them nice, and they ruin the real nail underneath.

4. Hygiene. Shower every day, twice a day if you need to. Wash and condition your hair, shave your legs, and, most importantly, scrub! You need to stay clean. Essence Of Beauty has wonderful smelling bath and shower gels, and they aren't too expensive, either. Wash your face whenever it gets too oily. Brush your teeth and tongue very well, and actually floss your teeth. Always wear deodorant. Actually, men's deodorant is recommended, because it last much longer. Be careful not to use a deodorant that contains aluminum, though. It can cause all sorts of problems later in life.

5. Moisture! You want to be soft at all times. After showering, apply a basic moisturizer all over, and perhaps layer a scented body butter over that. Do this every day, and soon it won't be a chore, it will just be a habit. And by then, you will, of course, be fantastically smooth all over.

6. Perfume. They write rock songs about it, and they write them for a reason; scent is strongest sense tied to memory. You cannot skimp on this. If you want to compliment your shower gels and lotions, and don't want to spend too much money, try Essence Of Beauty. If you are willing to splurge a little, go for Clinique's 'Happy', Tommy Girl, or any other nice designer perfume. You can get these for discounts at Marshall's, TJMaxx, and even CVS. However, you may want to get several, and alternate between them, because if you get too used to one perfume, you stop smelling it all together. To save money, buy sample sizes at CVS(they have top-notch brands for as little as $12 a bottle!).

7. 
   the fresh-faced look is always sexy

   Make-up. People are very picky about their make-up, so I personally can't tell you what to wear. Any make-up can look 'natural' as long as it is used in moderation. Most people need foundation or tinted moisturizer of some sort, lip gloss, and mascara. If you want to add something on top of that, fine. However, it is best to splurge on your lip gloss a little. Why? Well, sounds shallow, but it's the make-up that people see you reapply the most often. Beauty Rush by Victoria's Secret, Hard Candy lip sorbet, and Neutrogena lip gels are the best, and they aren't too-too expensive. Pucker up.

8. Skin. Oh, skin. It's tough to get it perfect, so try to focus on getting it decent, little by little. Do not get proactiv! It's an verpriced scam. Instead, get a prescription, concealer, and an oil free moisturizer. If your face tends to get shiny, also purchase oil blotter sheets. And as for tanning? Do not go to a tanning salon(skin cancer), or get one of those gross spray tans. Instead, put on a little spf 15 and sunbathe regularly. It's much more natural.

9. Jewelry. Heiress or homeless person? Yes, it's all in the jewelry. Go to an upscale jewelry store, and buy one or two nice pieces. Wear them as much as possible. For the rest of your jewelry, go to Claire's! While no one will assume that those pieces are as nice as your Tiffany(or whatever), they might also assume that they were expensive. But, as a rule of thumb, don't wear silver and gold together. It's tacky.

10. 
    genuine gucci purse

    Purse. You need a good purse. Buy one genuine designer bag(plato's closet has them for as little as $6), and make it your signature. The rest of your bags can be non-designer or good knock-offs. Like with jewelry, you only need one expensive thing to make everything else look expensive.

11. 
    check all stores. you never know.

    Clothes. Oh, you didn't think I'd forgotten clothes, did you? Everyone is very picky about what they wear, so it's mainly up to you. However, if you want to get designer clothes for a fraction of the price, go to Plato's Closet, TJmaxx, Marshall's, and even Spag's. Don't be embarrassed to be seen in these stores.

12. Underwear. Now, if you want to feel like a million bucks, here's a secret: get gorgeous underwear. Aerie by American Eagle has a nice selection.

13. Fitness. If you're still in school, play a sport. If not, invest in a gym membership. It's better to exercise a lot, but still eat a little junk food, than to lounge on the couch all day eating nothing but celery.

Tips & Warnings

• Wash hair with lotion once in awhile, to keep it soft.
• Wearing gorgeous underwear, I repeat, will make you feel hot, even if no one sees them... unless you want them to...
• If you're working on losing weight, wear black. It's a slimming color.
• Just doing 100 crunches a night can flatten your tummy in a matter of hours.
• Be nice. It's so easy to get caught up in your beauty and become a bitch, but remember that people are people and, yes, even though you're gorgeous now, you are in fact human and here for the same reason as everyone else.
• You don't need to get a boyfriend right away. Yes, it is nice to be in a relationship, but it's also good to be hot and single for awhile. Paris Hilton wasn't really single until age 25, and do you really want to be like her? No.
• If you're comfortable with it, wearing a thong eliminates panty lines. However, don't be that
• who leaves her thong hanging out of low rise jeans. It's really not sexy.
• Get a full 9 hours of sleep. I know, I know. Easier said than done. But it can be done. You'll notice the change, and your body will thank you.
• Drink lots of water. 8 glasses a day. However, most liquids other than soda count as 'water.' It helps your skin, and it makes you less hungry.
• Take a multivitamin that helps your hair, skin, nails, etc.
• Don't give any of your secrets to some bitchy enemy.
• Steam your face when you have the time. It really improves your skin
• If you have a red zit and no cover-up, put a few eye drops on it, and it will fade in minutes
• Wear as little make-up as possible. You want to look like you just rolled out of bed fabulous.
• Have fun! Don't let grooming yourself take up all your time; remember to go out and have fun on a regular basis. What's the point of being hot if no one's going to see you?
• Read. You don't want to be dumb. You can read just about anything. Fiction, Nonfiction, Chick Lit, Classics... brains grow more thoughts the more they're fed, right?
• Beware of perverted guys. It's a hazard of being beautiful.