Make-up for Teenagers

Most teenage girls begin wearing light make-up around the ages of 12-13 as they become more aware of their appearance. As a teen, your make-up should look natural and enhance your facial features. Don't overdo it, this will only make you look silly. With a few simple, inexpensive products, you can play up your finest features -- and look great! 

"Makeup for teens" should be light. You don't need to use make-up on every facial feature you have! Mix and match to find out what looks best on you. 

For parties, you may want to add a little more make-up to enhance your features. Make sure you blend it in well with your fingers or a cosmetics brush and check it in bright light when you're finished. 
Foundation 
Foundation for teens is not necessary. While it can clog your pores, it will also look overdone. Skip the foundation and use a concealer on your blemishes only. Lightly dust on some loose powder over your entire face to even out your skin tone, control oil, and set the concealer. 

Freckles 
Don't try to hide your freckles. You may not appreciate them, but they are part of you. Exposure to sunlight makes freckles darker so avoiding the sun and using a sunscreen will keep them in check. As you get older, they can fade -- and then they won't be an issue. 

Eye Make-up 
You may not be interested in eye shadow until you're a little older. If so, that's great. When you do begin wearing it, keep it light and use any trendy metallics and sparkles sparingly. They can flake off into your eyes and cause irritation. Eye shadow does not have to match your eyes, however earth tones (tan, brown, gray) are very complimentary to blue, brown and hazel eyes. 

When you begin using mascara, brown works best for both blondes and brunettes. Black is probably too harsh, especially in the daytime. If you think brown isn't dark enough, try brownish-black. 

Waterproof mascara may be necessary for sports and outdoor activities in warm weather. It stays on longer and doesn't run -- but it's harder to take off. It's best to keep make-up to a minimum and you won't have to worry about undesired smearing. 

If you're going to use an eyeliner, a pencil liner looks more natural than liquid liner. Learn to apply it with a steady hand for straight lines, and blot it with a tissue if you get it on too dark. 

Blush 
Liquid and stick blush are popular choices for teens because they glide on smoothly and blend in well. Pinks and peaches compliment almost any skin tone. Apply to the apple of your cheeks and blend outwards, towards your hairline. 

Lips 
For luscious lips, lip gloss does the trick. If you want to add some color to your lips for a nighttime look, try a lipstick in a sheer color. For extra shine, put the lip gloss on over your lipstick. Always have lip balm handy for chapped lips. 

General Makeup Advice 
As with any make-up, blending is the key. Check your make-up in daylight if possible and don't be afraid to swipe off any access with a tissue. For additional tips, check out our Makeup Tips page. 

If you ever experience any skin irritation, quit using make-up immediately until you find out what the problem is. Consult your dermatologist for the best remedy.