How to Improve Your Looks and Personality (Teen Girls)

Co-authored by Elle Monus

Last Updated: May 9, 2022 Approved

Adolescence is complicated; we all agree with this. There are days when you feel like you're lying in a miserable puddle of mud, and days when you get up from this puddle, ready for a fresh start, ready to change something, until someone or something pushes you back in the puddle, making you lie down there a few more days. It's horrible, isn't it? Well, you have no reason to accept this situation anymore! It's time to get up, stand tall, and show everyone you're an amazing person. This article will tell you everything you need to know for a complete make-over: change and improve your looks, emphasize your great personality and become a new you.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Improving Your Looks

1
Take care of your face. You have probably heard this tip a gazillion times, but it's more important than you think. When you meet someone new, you look at their face first, don't you? Your face tells a lot of things about you, and if you take good care of it, it would show everyone that you respect yourself and your looks. You can easily take care of your face at home.
- First of all, you should find out what kind of skin you have. Search for tips about finding your type of skin on the Internet and in magazines. The way you take care of your face depends on how your skin is. Do you have pimples? Then, you have oily skin. Is your skin coarse, dehydrated? Then, you have dry skin.
- Clean your face twice per day, in the morning and before you go to bed. Use a cleanser suitable for your type of skin. Don't rub your face too harshly. When you apply the cleanser, use warm water, but not hot, to open your pores. When you rinse your face, use chilly water to close your pores. Then, buff your face gently with a towel.
- Apply a moisturizer suitable for your type of skin: a gentle one for oily skin, a stronger one for dry skin. You should apply it rightly after you clean your face, when the skin is slightly wet, as it would be better absorbed.
- Use a scrub twice per week, right between the cleanser and the moisturizer, to remove dead cells.
- Use a face mask once per week. You can prepare a mask with things from your refrigerator, or buy a mask special for your type of skin. You can ask a dermatologist about this, or search for recipes on the Internet. The mask should be applied after the cleanser and the scrub.
- If you are suffering of acne, you should talk to a dermatologist, who can give you the best advice to cure it.
2
Take care of your hair. Your hair is also really important, in fact, you always study people's hair, even if you don't realise it. Taking good care of your hair is easier than you might believe. You can do it cheaply with a few basic products.
- Again, you should study your hair and the way it presents itself during the week. The hair can be oily or dry, too. If your hair gets dirty and stiff really fast, and it glows in the light, then it is oily. If your hair is wiry, then it is dry. Figuring out what type of hair you have helps you pick the best care schedule.
- Wash your hair. Don't wash it every day, it can get wiry, or oily even faster. The best choice ( and the one that particularly works for the author of the article ) is washing it twice a week. Choose a shampoo that suits your hair type; you can pick it according to the ingredient list, or to the advice you might receive from other people with similar hair type or specialists. Shampoo your hair, rinse, then shampoo again, and then rinse again. The second shampoo-rinse sequence has to be longer and more careful. Be sure to completely rinse your hair, so it won't be any more shampoo.
- Apply conditioner only if necessary (so if you have dry hair). Conditioner might make your hair more oily. Pick a good conditioner, and apply it at the ends.
- Dry your hair properly. Blow-drying is not quite recommended, but you can do it once per week, or slightly twice per week. Don't over-blow-dry your hair, as it can grow more sensitive, and it can have the tendency to be easier destroyed.
- Brush your hair properly. Don't brush it too harshly. Be careful especially when your hair is wet, and it is more fragile.
- Tie your hair up properly. If you have oily hair, you should tie your hair up more, as it can become oily if it touches your face. Tie your hair up when you are doing sport. Don't tie it too strongly, as it can affect your hair, or make it even oily.
- Don't use too much products on your hair. Embrace your natural straight hair or your curls. Sometimes, a natural look is the key to success.
- Hair masks are a solution, too, but search for professional advice if you decide to have periodical hair masks ( they are recommended for more serious hair problems, like hair loss ) .
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3
Take care of your teeth. A beautiful person always flashes a smile to the people around. Having healthy teeth is extremely important. As with face and hair, you have to take good care of your teeth, too.
- Brush your teeth daily, at least two or three times a day. Use a good toothpaste and a good toothbrush (change your toothbrush once at three months). When your are brushing your teeth, your should pay attention to the cleaning of the tongue, the gums and the inside of the cheeks, too. Brush your teeth for around one to three minutes, and don't forget to rinse.
- You can use other special dental products like mouthwash or dental floss.
- Chewing gum is not ideal, but it can be useful from time to time. You shouldn't make a habit from chewing gum, as it can become unhealthy if excessive. Still, you should have a packet of gum in your bag, just in case. If you suspect your breath of smelling badly from some reason, chew some gum and the problem is solved until you arrive home to brush your teeth.
- If you don't have any problems with your teeth, still have a dentist appointment once at six months.
4
Take care of your nails. We use our hands and legs a lot, so our nails are subdued to a lot of things during the day. That's why we should take good care of our nails, and give them attention periodically. There a few basic things to know about treating your nails right.
- Clip your nails and give them a beautiful shape. For this, you might want to talk to someone specialised in this domain. The ideal shape for your nails depends on the fingers' length, hand shape and other stuff. You can keep them short and natural by clipping them periodically. If you want long nails, clip them less.
- Paint your nails. You can choose bold colours for short nails, and suave pastels with drawings for long nails. You can paint your nails at home, or go for a mani-pedi session at the beauty parlour, after all, it's your choice. You can find catching tutorials all over the Internet, that teach you how to give your nails a beautiful look. You should take care of your mani-pedi at least once a week.
- Don't apply coloured nail polish too often; give your nails a break of 2-5 days after wiping the nail polish off.
5
Be careful with losing weight. A lot of teenage girls are concerned about their weight, and they think it's not normal for their age. They see their friends looking skinnier, and they also see unbelievably thin models on the catwalks. This is just a misconception. If you think you are fat, then there are 90% chances that you're wrong. Fat means an abnormal state, when your weight is much bigger than the normal one. Fat doesn't mean a little thicker thighs, which appear huge to you. Instead, having curves is much more attractive than looking like a walking stick. If you really want to change something about your weight, you can do a few healthy things.
- Don't start fad diets. Fad diets mostly mean self-harm at your age, and they recommended it if the diet is recommended by your doctor. If you really think you need a diet, talk to one of your parents and ask them for an appointment with a nutritionist. Internet diets are not a good idea. A specialist can help you properly.
- Don't cut off food. This is one of the biggest mistakes you can do. Skipping meals can only cause harm to you; also, it's not important how much you eat, but what you eat.
- Try eating more fruit and vegetables. It really helps. Also, try to have a diversity of products in your meals: diary products, meat, carbohydrates.
- Avoid junk food. Still, if you would like to eat an ice cream, don't refuse this to yourself. A little chocolate will never harm. It's also really important to drink lots of water.
- Pick up a sport that you enjoy. It's one of the best decisions you can make, no matter what your opinion on your weight is. Physical exercise is essential for leading a healthy life. The activity can even be a hobby, like dancing or gardening, that involves physical exertion.
- For a professional piece of advice, talk to a specialist.
6
Drink lots of water. This is another really popular, but extremely useful tip. Water is really good to your entire body. It's said that there isn't a certain recommended quantity of water, and it actually depends on age, height and weight. You can approximately drink 8 glasses of water per day (or four bottle of 0.5 litres). Drink a few sips from time to time, so you would keep yourself hydrated during the day. Still mineral water is preferred, but you can also drink sparkling water. Processed juices can't replace water. After all, always pick water.
7
Do sports. Sports are a good thing to add to your daily schedule. It doesn't matter if you are a sporty person or not. You should have a workout session of 30 minutes once per day. A workout session can even be walking around your neighbourhood. As long as it involves moving around, it can be included in your daily schedule. Don't run away from the PE class; instead, enjoy moving with your friends. Start going to gym, or take dance, yoga, fitness or zumba classes. You can even start doing a certain sports, like football, volleyball, badminton or whatever. You can even add music to your sport session. And most importantly, enjoy the sport(s).
8
Sleep enough. Sleep is really important, as it helps our body rest and our cells to regenerate. One of the keys of natural beauty is a good sleep. You should sleep around eight hours a night, and plan the going to bed hour to fulfill this amount. Don't sleep with your TV turned on, as it may affect your sleep. Also, don't drink caffeine in the afternoon or evening, because it can keep you awake. Prepare a comfy bed, tuck yourself in and relax. You should fall asleep quite soon.
9
Dress the way you would like to. Clothes say a lot of things about us. Think about it! If you see a girl wearing ripped up jeans and a black T-shirt with a rock band, you would say she's a rocker, wouldn't you? Clothes express our style and our personality. You should apply this idea to your own outfits, too.
- Check your wardrobe. Donate all the things that no longer suit you, someone may need them. If you know the content of your wardrobe, there are bigger chances to make stunning fashion combinations. If you have the possibility, go shopping with your mum, sister or best friend. This way, someone who knows you well may suggest you a few pieces of clothing you have never expected yourself to wear.
- Express your own unique style. Wear clothes that suit your body and your special personality. Don't copy anyone, just inspire yourself. Try to diversify your fashion choices, if you can. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. You'd better wear a horrible outfit today, at school, then go for it for a date, for example!
- Add accessories. It can be a cute necklace, or a bold bracelet. It just has to say something about you. Accessories are a final, sweet touch for a perfect outfit. A plain white T-shirt, for example, can be completed by a silver chain with a funny pendant and ta-daaa! your outfit is ready!
- Never think only clothes from popular brands are looking good. This is a huge misconception. You can find beautiful things even in second-hand shops and thrift shops. Don't be ashamed if your clothes don't belong to a brand. Nobody will check the label, but everyone will admire your beautiful pieces of clothing.
10
Experience different hairstyles. Depending on your hair length, texture and type, you can choose various hairstyles which suit your face and express your personality. There are plenty of tutorials on the Internet about how to wear your hair, and you can choose something from there. Again, choose diversity. Even going for a wrong hairstyle teaches you not to do the same mistake again. There are a lot of choices available for girls with short hair, too: try a few elegant pins or a bold hat. You'll see that everyone will appreciate your outstanding looks.
11
Apply make-up. Make-up makes you look girlier, and it can emphasize your most beautiful face features. There a few secrets about the applying of the make-up, which every girl has to know.
- Apply make-up carefully and sparingly. If you put too much product on, it would look all caked up, and ridiculous. The best make-up for an everyday school look is natural, but slightly obvious. This means the basis, then a little eye-shadow, foundation/concealer, mascara and a pink or nude lipstick.
- Don't forget to wipe the make-up off at the end of the day. If you sleep with your make-up one, you will get your pores all clogged up. Also, a lot of unwiped make-up can lead to future wrinkles and dryness.
- Not all types of make-up can suit your face shape, eyes shape, lips shape. For doing the best choices, talk to a specialist who can recommend you effective tricks. After you learn what you need to learn, search for tutorials online or articles about make-up in magazines. Then, start to exercise. It won't be perfect at the beginning but, you know, practice makes perfect.
12
Apply perfume. Perfume is the final touch you can add at your daily look. Choose a perfume that represents you and, of course, that you like. Spray a medium quantity (not too much, as it would be irritating) on your neck, wrists and behind your ear (your pulse points). You'll see that you'll turn heads wherever you go!
13
Get rid of beauty bad habits. Everyone has bad habits, but some of them are not that obvious. Bad habits include biting nails, touching your face and hair constantly, popping pimples and others. They are all enemies of your ascent to being a natural beauty, so we must eliminate them from our lives. Sometimes it may seem to be really hard, but it all depends on you wanting to do this change. You can talk to one of your parents, or a specialist about this. You have no reason to feel shame. Everyone has a bad habit. Maybe someone doesn't bit their nails, but they shake their knee constantly or something similar. It's admirable that you want to make a change, when others are caught in their own bad habits and deny that. Instead of acting like nothing happens, take action.
- You should identify when you have the bad habit. Maybe when you're nervous or concentrated, or when you're influenced by a powerful emotion. After you decide what causes the burst of your bad habit, try to avoid such situations. Sometimes you can't, like when you're at school and you're concentrated at the lesson, and you start biting your nails. You need to have the power of reaction. As soon as you realise your bad habit is in process, hide your hands under your thighs, in your pockets or under the desk. It all depends on you.
- If you bite your nails, you can paint them, although you might have the temptation to bite the dried polish. Get a cute drawing on your nails. Probably the sight of your beautiful manicure would convince you not to bite your nails.
- If you have the tendency to pop your pimples, stay away from mirrors as much as you can, as the sight of the acne would make you lose yourself to your bad habit. If you're looking in the mirror, though, focus on your eyes.
14
Agree that you can have bad look days, too. You can't look outstanding all the time. After all, this is kind of ridiculous and artificial. Sometimes you won't be in the mood of pimping yourself up. This is okay and completely normal. If you understand this, then it's alright. Don't aspire to perfection, because nobody's perfect. Still, try to look your best all the time. You don't have to step inside your class in a dress and high heels every day. A pair of jeans and a large anorak is acceptable for bad look days, too. Think about the message you're trying to send: it isn't "Today I don't feel in the mood of looking good." , but "Today I look good even in comfortable clothes."

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Improving Your Personality and Relationships

1
Figure out what doesn't work. If you read this article, then you have a reason for your desire to make a change at yourself. Think about this reason. Write it down, if you want. This reason would be the basis for your inner change. Maybe you're shy, and you don't talk too much to people. Maybe someone has made you suffer, and pushed your self-respect and love down, in the puddle mentioned at the beginning. No matter what it is, now it's the past. The fact that you read this article is only the first step to change. Of course, it all depends on you and on the decisions you make. As soon as you develop the answer for this question, plan your next step. If you're shy, what do you plan to do? Talk to more people, of course! Try to develop your own solutions, before reading the rest of the tips. Mostly important, don't forget that you are special in your own way, and no one can prove you contrary.
2
Start a journal. It may look like a cliché taken from teenager movies, but it can help you more than you can think. You don't have to write daily or to write everything that happens to you during a day. Instead, the journal has to be your support during your ascent. If you're concerned about something, put it down, then start doing something else, not related to your worries. You can write about your feelings or emotions, about your thoughts and opinions. Put down your successes and your achievements, and remember yourself constantly that you're special.
3
Work on your posture. Think about it: why is a certain girl beautiful, apart from her stylish outfits and her beautiful make-up? The posture is important, too! In fact, nobody will glance twice at someone who hides their face and acts like they would like to be anywhere else. Keep your back straight and your chin up, walk relaxed, arms swinging on your sides. Don't hide your hands, as it may look like a sign of insecurity. Don't be afraid to walk in a sassy way: you have all the reasons, in fact, you're amazing!
- To be sure that you'll always remember about keeping up your posture, draw a little star on your writing hand. At school or work, you'll most probably write, you'll see the star, and remember about the posture.
4
Smile. Smiling always brings the others close to you. You would most probably talk to someone smiling, instead of someone who wears a permanent frown on their face. From the personal experience of the article's author, forcing a smile is quite hard, especially if you're that type of person who smiles only when there's a reason to. Still, you have to try to fake it. For example, you run into a friend on the street. As you walk towards them, think about the experiences of your friendship, the inside jokes, the funny bloopers and everything else that's amusing. You'll see that a smile would unconsciously appear on your lips! You'll gradually learn how to smile friendly in all types of situations.
5
Work on the inner-talking. Everyone talks to themselves, even if they don't admit it. Inner-talking is something common and logical for anyone, and you may not believe it, but it has a major impact on your opinions and feelings. If you continuously tell yourself things like "I am ugly." , "Nobody likes me." or "I'm dumb." constantly, you will start to actually believe them. Instead, you should do exactly the opposite. Compliment and praise yourself, offer you a kind reply every day. You can do it in your mind or out loud, it doesn't matter. Do this periodically, and you'll see that it will work better than you have imagined.
6
Relax. A relaxed person is a happy person. Sometimes we're too stuck in the affairs of the day, that we forgot to take a break and do something calming or fun. You're young, and this is the time to enjoy yourself in every way possible. Stop studying for around one quarter of hour, and do something else: read a magazine, take a walk, eat something, listen to some music, or whatever relaxes you. Enjoy everything that surrounds you, let yourself daydream or do crazy things. Maybe you would like to dance in the middle of the supermarket. Just do that. People will probably judge you, but who cares? I don't.
7
Enjoy the pleasure of hobbies. Hobbies are great. When you go to university, then work, and then you start a family, you won't probably have time for your hobbies. So, you have to enjoy your favorite things to do now. In other words, read, listen to music, watch movies, go out with friends. Develop your own daily activities that relax you and get you concentrated. Don't be afraid to try something new. It can be anything, from being a drummer in a rock band to study a difficult language. Being busy with your hobbies makes you feel fulfilled, relaxed, calm, you.
8
Spend time with your family, friends and people that care about you. This is like a puzzle piece which can't be replaced by anything. They are the people that love you and accept you, no matter what. Give love and care back to them, constantly showing them that you care. Planning common activities is an idea worth to try. A picnic in family, or a chick-lit movies night with your best friends can bring a smile on everyone's face. Realise that, if you weren't so special, these people would not love you so much!

Community Q&A

Question

How do I gain confidence?

Community Answer

You just need to believe in yourself that you are a great person.
Question

How can I change my appearance and personality to impress everyone?

Community Answer

You can never impress everyone. If you are kind and happy and help people, and dress and look the way that you like, this will show everyone that you are confident in yourself and they will be impressed.
Question

What should I do so that everyone likes me?

Community Answer

Be kind, help people, greet people properly and always put a smile on your face. Everyone likes cheerful people