Teenage Beauty—Tips

"When can I start wearing makeup?" It's a question that most moms dread, but inevitably get if they have a daughter (or more!) in the house. Before throwing your hands up in despair over the fact that she's growing up too quickly, remember this: You were her age once, and it's only makeup. So resist the urge to impose an all-out ban and assume a positive role. Teach your daughter the beauty basics and give her some freedom to experiment. She'll eventually figure out what works for her.

With a few exceptions, most teens I know stress about their skin and getting the ever-dreaded zit. Genetics and hormones play a big role in how skin looks and feels – and so does caring for skin with the right skincare products. Get your daughter into the habit of washing and moisturizing her face everyday, and it will eventually become as automatic as brushing and flossing.

Oily skins should opt for an oil-free cleansing gel and lotion; normal skins can try a foaming cleanser and moisturizing lotion with SPF 15; and dry skins will benefit from a creamy cleanser and moisturizer. Once a week, do a mother-daughter spa night at home. Try an exfoliating scrub to get rid of dry, flaky skin, or face masks, which are available in hydrating and deep-cleaning formulas.

When it comes to makeup, teens don't need a lot to look their best. Skip all-over foundation and get her a stick foundation or blemish stick that matches her skin tone exactly to cover blemishes. A pressed powder compact is an easy way to touch-up oiliness that builds up on her t-zone throughout the day. Keep color simple: Sheer, neutral colors on eyes are easy to wear and mistake-proof. Blush is flattering at any age, so pick a shade looks like her cheeks when they're naturally flushed. All she needs on lips is lip gloss or lip stain in a shade that looks like the color of her lips, taken up a few notches.

A lot of teens are very conscious when it comes to hair – from unibrows to underarm and leg hair. If your daughter has bushy eyebrows, get her tweezers with a slanted tip and show her how to pluck only stray hairs between her brows. Use a clear brow gel to keep brows in place. Shaving is the quickest and easiest way to get rid of coarse and thick body hair. To avoid painful nicks, get her a razor and super-thick shaving cream. Shaving in the shower when skin is soft and hairs are plumped up is her best bet.

Chances are, you are your daughter's biggest role model, so be deliberate in your efforts top set a good example. The best beauty tip you can give her is that happiness and true beauty comes when you accept and feel good about who you are.