How to Look and Feel Great As a Teen Girl

Co-authored by Supatra Tovar, PsyD, RD

Last Updated: November 22, 2022

Looking and feeling great as a teen girl takes a little effort and know-how. Fear not though, it's not hard, rather it's about being aware of your physical and mental health, style, grooming and attitude needs.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Embracing Who You Are

1
Look in the mirror. What do you like about yourself? Is there anything you would like to improve about your health? What would you like to improve about your appearance? Start making some personal goals that you can follow up on!
- Be proud of yourself. You are you, and you will never change it. Accept yourself and bring the best out of you!
- Feel confident and beautiful. People see what you want them to see, so feel beautiful. Nothing is more important than what you think about yourself.
2
Think about what you actually can change. Things such as your eye color, any genetic conditions, your natural skin color, your ability to run or walk if you use a wheelchair, or your height are thing that you can't change. Remember though, if you are only 13, you may still have some growing to do height-wise so eat a balanced, nutritious diet and don't start smoking in order to reach your full height potential. Other things, you just need to accept as a part of who you are. If you don't like your hair color, you can change it. If you don't like your weight, you can change that too, but make sure you feel comfortable in your own skin and change it for yourself, not for others.
- For the things about yourself you cannot change, time spent lamenting that you have physical attributes you dislike is time not well spent. Instead, it is better to find a way to accept what you were given and move on to focusing on what you can change, like what you know, what you do every day, and what you'd like to do when you grow up.

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Your Health

1
Think about your health. Do you need to eat more, less or the same? Do you need to eat healthier, or start cooking some of your own meals? A little treat now and then is fine, but a Big Mac and fries every week is definitely not healthy! A good rule of thumb: Put good in, get good out!
2
Practice good oral hygiene. Brush your teeth after every meal for three minutes, then floss, and use mouthwash to keep your breath smelling good. When you brush, make sure your getting your gums too. Brush your tongue about one minute every time you brush your teeth to keep it pink. If you have crooked teeth, get braces and do as your dentist recommends, or, embrace your individual quirks and only straighten your teeth if it has a medical benefit. There's nothing wrong with cosmetic dentistry, it's just not essential to looking and feeling great.
3
Stay fit. Ask your doctor before starting any intense exercise routine, especially if you have asthma or any other chrome conditions. Don't over exert yourself to reach the numbers below. Use the times as a guide, and do what you can, gradually working your way up to longer distances and faster repetitions.
4
Exercise daily. You need at least 30 minutes of exercise everyday, even if you did 15 min cardio, then got up and played wii fit for another 15 min. Try to work your way up to these times and you will have your 30 minutes of exercise. Walking is great exercise.
- Warmup (5 minutes): simple stretches for 3 minutes, light jog for 2 minutes
- Cardio (15-30 minutes): jog a mile everyday or jog for 15-30 minutes a day. If you can't do this because you have a mobility issues, find your own way of keeping as fit as you can to look and feel great.
- Toning (30 minutes): do 50 sit ups a day, do 20 push ups a day (if you can't do it all in a row, try at least 6 in a row at first) do 60 arm curls a day with 5 pound weights (at least 20 in a row)(hold one weight in each hand, hold arms to sides, then lift weights up to shoulders, then back down and repeat), 50 over head presses (hold 5 pound weights above shoulders with arms bent, then lift arms straight up over head and lower arms back to first position. Do 50 squats and 50 lunges.
- Flexibility (10 minutes): hold splits on each leg for 2 min everyday, then straddle (middle) splits for 2 minutes (don’t force yourself to go all the way down at once, and don't bounce in any stretch), stand up with your feet shoulder width apart and reach for your toes for 1 minute, do simple stretches for the next 3 minutes.
5
Eat well. Try not to eat too many calories for your height, but enough to maintain a healthy weight. This number should be increased if you exercise regularly. Eating correctly will help your body keep or become a natural, beautiful shape. Always and only eat healthy meals which are breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack in between lunch and dinner. Skip the snack if you are not hungry. Don’t overeat – only eat until you are comfortably full. Minimize sweets and soda, but plan occasional treats. If you eat sweets, eat small portions.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Your Personal Style

1
Consider your style. What's your style? Preppy, classic, edgy, girly? Think about what you like, what looks good on you, and what to avoid. Take your height, weight, age and form into account. If you are an hourglass, for example, look up what clothing those with hourglass figures should wear to flatter their body. Make sure whatever you wear, you feel comfortable in. You can't feel good if you don't like what you wear.
- Look in magazines and find clothes that fit your body. If you have small breasts, use V-necks, if you are small, try wearing heels, etc. There is always a style for you.
2
Take care of your hair. Wash your hair every two days with shampoo and conditioner, or less, or more. Do what works for your hair. Brush your hair whenever needed or at least two times a day. If your hair is heavy, you may enjoy a cut with layers. But don’t go too crazy if you're not used to it - they can take quite a while to grow back out if you don't like it. Be sure that the hair styles are cute.
3
Have nice looking nails. Nails are very important in your appearance. Keep your nails looking good by clipping them once a week to an even length; one popular choice is 3-6 millimeters above the skin. Clean under your nails everyday. You can also paint them if desired.
4
Properly tend to your skin. Wash your face with warm water and facial cleaner or soap every morning when you wake up and at night before you go to sleep. After washing always use facial moisturizer. To keep the rest of your skin clean, take a shower every day using soap that won’t harm your skin, or have a bath or full wash. Lotion your body immediately after you get out of the shower. Drinking lots of water, (at least eight glasses of water a day), will make your skin glow and keep it healthy. (It also helps prevent acne).
5
Keep your lips smooth and looking healthy. Put on chapstick/lip balm on when you’re at home, especially during the winter. Wearing chapstick in public is nice too, it gives a natural glow to your lips.
6
Wear light makeup if you desire. It's no secret that makeup can improve your appearance. All you really need to wear is a bit of concealer, powder, lip gloss, and mascara. But don’t make it too obvious, the point is to make people think that you’re not wearing makeup. You can wear your makeup during the day with touch-ups every now and then, but make sure you take it off once you get home to let your skin breathe. Remember that make-up appropriate for a thirteen year old may look a little odd for a young woman of 19, but if you think you look and feel good, go for it!
7
Smell good and pleasant. Wear deodorant every day. You may need to put it on more than once. The smell shouldn't be too strong, either. Find a perfume that matches your personality, and stick to it. Don't wear so much that it's overbearing, though.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Friendliness

1
Smile and be friendly. A warm smile and a friendly demeanor can make anyone more appealing and attractive. Smiles and friendliness also attract potential friendships and allies. No amount of makeup can replace the beauty of a warm smile, and when we smile, we feel better about life, others, and ourselves.
- Be aware of your body language. Keep your head held high, not looking at your feet.
- Always try have a positive attitude, and try not to let other's negativity bring you down.
- Don't fold your arms when someone's talking. It shows you are not listening. Smile, and nod to show you are being attentive.
- Never roll your eyes when someone is talking, it shows condescension, making it seem as if you think you are better than they are.
- Reach out to people and try to make new friends. Nobody will be able to help being drawn to your optimistic friendly style!
- Don't worry about people not liking you. Be yourself and it won't matter.

Warnings

Don't become a bully or a mean girl just to fit in. Believe it or not, nobody really likes the mean girls.

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Don't wear excessive foundation, eyeliner, bronzer, etc. You won't look nice. Girls who are caked in makeup can look fake to some. Additionally, some makeup can be bad for your skin.

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Don't try to be like everyone else. People will eventually see that you're being fake. It is okay to fit in and like similar things to others but do not copy.

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You do not need to be thin to look good. Remember that it is important to eat healthy. Do not avoid all foods and most of all, do not start an eating disorder, because rather than looking better, your self-esteem goes down and you will look much worse!

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