beauty advice for my 15 year-old self

I originally got this idea from Sephora's online webzine, The Glossy. Makeup company founders would post a picture of themselves at 15 and then say what beauty advice they would tell themselves at that age.

Bobbi Brown

So what beauty advice would I give to my 15 year-old self?

Me on my 15th birthday

1. I would tell myself what Bobbi Brown would have told herself - don't make your eyebrows too thin!  Don't over-pluck, and don't let the Asians at nail salons to make them too thin. One day, thick brows are going to be in, and you're going to kick yourself for screwing up your eyebrows because of unfounded self-consciousness. Pluck where you need to, wax when necessary, but don't over-do it.

2. Do yourself (and me) a favor: work out! Like, you're seriously going to regret it later when you're huffing and puffing on an elliptical wishing you could run a decent mile like that hot girl running on the side of the road. Not saying you have to run half-naked on the side of the road, but you're gonna wish you had that luxury. Get active now so it won't be so hard later. 

3. Get better foundation. I know Mom likes bareMinerals, but with your teenage acne, it's just not cutting it. I still distinctly remember those three huge pimples you had next to each other right across your forehead in 8th grade and how hard it was to cover them up. Get something that's still non-comedogenic (doesn't clog your pores) but gives you more coverage.

4. Please, please, PLEASE - get a facial routine going. I swear, I still have dirt from 5 years ago clogging my nose pores because of you. I know it's hard. And annoying. And stupid. But do it. Because you are kind of annoying and stupid anyway. All 15 year-olds are - don't take it personally. 

5. So. Your hair. You are now old enough to start straightening it on your own. Don't let Mom keep doing it for another 2 years, because you're a big girl now and she's getting old. Plus, that's kind of embarrassing. So is not washing your hair enough. And I totally don't mind calling you out, because I'm 5 years older and 5 years wiser and learned from my mistakes the hard way. And trust me - I LEARNED from my mistakes, meaning I don't make them anymore. Do I still make mistakes? Yes. Do I make the same ones? No. That's important. 

And the best piece of beauty advice I could ever give my 15 year-old self:

You are beautiful. You are smart. You are kind and funny and sweet and special. I know who you want to be and who you want to be friends with, but they mean nothing. Spoiler: it gets better junior and senior year, but only a little. And college is the best of them all. Always remember to be yourself because you're happiest when you are. And a happy girl is a beautiful girl. 

What advice would you give to yourself at age 15? Leave a comment!

Much love,

Sydney (your 20 year-old self)