How to Be the Ideal Girl

Learn to love yourself. This is probably the most vital part of the process. Believe it or not, no matter how bad you feel about yourself, you are not alone. So many girls, especially during adolescence, feel depressed or in competition with others. Take a look at yourself. What are your best personal features? Maybe you are the top in your class: Do people tease you about that? Just think that in ten years time, you will be in a successful, well-paid job! Maybe you're bigger than your friends: Don't feel you have to diet, just choose clothes that suit you, get enough exercise, and smile...anyway, most people first notice your smile before anything else.

Smile. Brush your teeth and use a whitening mouthwash at least twice a day, and use a tongue cleaner before brushing in the morning. During the day, if you're allowed chew whitening gum whenever possible.

Do not chew gum in school/libraries/in interviews/at work. There is nothing worse than gum falling out of your mouth at an important moment.
Exercise. You don't need to fork out on expensive gym memberships. All you really need is a good set of trainers! You can run around the block, cycle to the local shop on errands, or get off the bus a stop early. Every little thing helps. Also, the fresh air works wonders on conditions such as acne! Bonus!

Correct your posture. Stand up. Place your left foot in a direct vertical line downwards from your shoulder. Place your right foot's heel at the arch of your left foot, and turn out about 20*. See? Easy elegance. This not only makes you appear more poised and glamorous, but it also makes your legs seem slimmer! When walking, look straight ahead, with your shoulders down and comfortably back. Imagine a wire coming from your head to the sky which you must not bend or move. There! The perfect posture. When sitting, try not to slouch. If you can, sit all the way back on your chair, with your feet on the floor, and your back on the back of the seat. If you often come home feeling tight and sore around your neck and shoulders, take time to lie flat on the floor and stretch. Then lie upside-down on the sofa with your head pointing towards the ground. This will help elongate the spine and help to relieve the aches.

Have fun. What do you love doing? If you're a beach bum at heart, try to swim as much as possible, and get to the beach whenever you can. Just add mates and plenty of sun cream and you have a great day.

Be physically gorgeous. In terms of clothing, always try before you buy. Something that looks great on your best mate may not look so good on you. Only choose clothes that suit your body shape, your coloring and your personal lifestyle. Don't choose something just because it's high fashion; focus on classic pieces which you can wear and love forever.

Choose the right accessories. In terms of jewelry and accessories, don't go over board. Massive faux gold creoles teamed with huge 'bling' is NEVER a good look. Stick to simple but classic pieces. An over sized pendant, simple diamond/diamante studs, and a sophisticated string of pearls will never go out of fashion. Throw on a simple black handbag (T K Maxx always have a large selection of quality leather bags), a pair of sunglasses to suit your face type (again, don't choose a high fashion pair because A: they'll go out of fashion quickly and B: they can make you look ridiculous!) and a silk scarf and you're done!

Get great skin. To maintain great skin, have a simple beauty routine. Exfoliate your face in the shower (use a scrub such as Neutrogena or Clean and Clear, which are designed for young skin). Nivea Visage Gentle Cleansing Lotion keeps skin soft and blemish free. Garnier Pure SOS Pen gets rid of anything. It's even worked on a cold sore! For body moisturizer, try The Body Shop's Pomegranate Body Butter, which keeps skin smooth and supple. NOTE: Never, and I repeat, never, use body moisturizer on your face. Often, they're are far too oily and scented which can irritate the sensitive facial skin. For deodorant, Mitchum's 48h Protection spray is fantastic, as it lasts from dawn till dusk! One must have beauty product is Carmex Lip Balm, which cures chapped, dry or sore lips instantly!

Look fantastic. Finally, make up. For the day-time, simplicity is key. Use Witch concealer (hides spots and heals them at the same time) to hide blemishes, Rimmel Clear Complexion pressed powder (which is designed for younger skin), and Maybelline Colossal Volum' Express mascara are the best for this purpose. NOTE: If your lashes aren't naturally curly, use a normal pair of eyelash curlers to give them a sexy boost. For an evening/part look, you can have a bolder look. Use all the above products, and then add some subtle eyeliner (Rimmel is good for this as they offer many different colors), Rimmel Bronzer (delicately applied please!), and some 'wow' eye shadow will give you a fresh faced 'femme fatale' appearance.

Work hard. Whether you're at college, middle school or sixth form, getting grades is massively important. Working hard earlier on makes life easier later on when it comes to finding a job, paying the bills, or attracting the man of your dreams. Organize your school work and get useful apps. If your school mates are giving you a hard time for being clever, just think that in ten years time you'll be better off than them, both in a career, finances and relationships. Being a well paid business woman is much cooler than working in McDonald's for your whole life.

Eat well. Make sure you eat 5 portions of fruit and veg. every day. An easy way to do this is by having chopped banana on your cereal at breakfast, an apple at break or on the bus, a salad for lunch, and two portions of veg. with your tea. Also, make sure that you drink enough water a day. If you begin to feel hungry, have a glass of water before eating. This will help you not to over eat, and often, you will feel hungry if you're actually thirsty!

Find yourself a talent. Try learning a musical instrument, like the saxophone. Join a local music group; not only are these a great way to improve your skill, but it's a great way to make like minded friends and guys! Or maybe you could learn a language; you can travel all over the world and communicate with locals, making your stay so much more fun. You can also meet lots of people that you wouldn't ordinarily meet through a language! You may be really good at sports so join a dance class or soccer class. Why not give it a go? It's easier than you may think! Just think of all the wonderful people you could meet!

Be yourself. Don't ever change yourself to meet the pressures of your peers. If someone gives you criticism, just think: 'Do I trust the person?' 'Do I value their advice?' 'Do they have a point?'. After saying yes to all these questions, consider taking action on the criticism. If the answers are no, just brush them off...they're probably jealous anyway! Finally, never change for a guy. If he doesn't appreciate you for how you really are, he will never love you as truly as you want. Keep your eyes open for that guy who will appreciate you, you never know, he could be hiding in the least likely place!

Remember that what constitutes "ideal" is a matter of opinion. Your idea of "ideal" might be very different from somebody else's. So, you should try to be what YOU think is ideal -- not what somebody else tells you is ideal.

xoxo; Manka