One of the most exciting things about being a girl, first and foremost, is the ability she has to accentuate her appearance.

While our mothers will continue to lecture us about our inner beauty, an inevitable part of growing into a young woman is the use and application of makeup.

Makeup can and should be used to enhance certain features; a little bronzer can minimize the appearance of the nose, highlight can give a certain twinkle to the eye and foundation can blend the complexion for an all-round even finish.

As a kid, I recall that wearing makeup was reserved for super-special occasions such as elegant dinners, school pictures and formal holiday events. However, as I got older, I started wearing makeup more frequently and, now, I wear it every single day.

I got started with makeup by watching my mother every single morning. As a little girl, especially in the summer with nowhere to go, I would cuddle up in my blanket by her vanity and watch her dip brushes into an array of powders and lightly line her eyes with subtle coffee and olive pencils. Every morning, she would start with her naturally beautiful, bare face and when she was finished, she looked even more gorgeous, though I didn’t think that was even possible.

From that point, I started doing my makeup the same exact way she did hers, with the exact same liners, mascara and everything. Eventually, the brown and green changed to black, and I made my own adjustments based on what I personally liked; the fun in finding what I liked was all the experimenting I had to do. I have, literally, bags upon bags of makeup filled with every lip liner, stain, plumper and eye shadow color one could imagine.

Makeup is a super-fun tool that any gal should have at her fingertips but, when it comes to the ladies at PB, they appear not to have been as fortunate as I to have learned how to correctly apply cosmetics.

I completely understand not having someone around to teach you the tips and tricks of the trade, but YouTube can be a perfect replacement. The number of women out there who upload videos to help young ladies just like us to present themselves in the classiest way is outrageous. Find someone you like and a look you want to pull off and try it after watching a video.

Honestly, it’s better to be unsure and learn how to do it than to pretend you know and look like a mess.  I’m a huge supporter for self-expression and individuality; however, there’s a difference between applying a smoky cat eye and resembling a skunk. And those girls out there who think that wearing the same makeup for weeks at a time is attractive, think again. There is nothing worse than a cake face, especially with old foundation.

And the whole grunge look on the eyes? Ladies, leaving your mascara on for a week isn’t totally “mysterious” and “seductive”; it’s gross. The mites on your lashes eat away at the mascara and eventually your eyelashes, making them brittle and broken. Get some makeup remover and reapply your Maybelline in the morning.

As far as foundation goes, liquid is usually the most common base, though some opt for pressed powder or sometimes both. Foundation is an actual lifesaver; the only problem it poses is a certain difficulty for finding the perfect shade for one’s natural skin tone. Picking one that is closest to your skin color could make the cut except for the fact that most girls don’t blend. An obvious orange line often forms on the necks of young girls all over Paint Branch. If you’re going to wear foundation, at least blend it down your neck so the change in color between your face, neck and shoulders is gradual.

Makeup is fun, expressive and, for the most part, beautiful. But it’s even more flattering when it is correctly applied. Learn from your friends, your family or even the Internet.

There’s no point in putting it on if you don’t achieve the image that makeup was made for in the first place; refined beauty with a dab of bold glamour.