It wasn’t until I was 14 that my father would even allow the sight of lip gloss on me, and only on special occasions. As I started to flirt with makeup throughout high school, I learned just how tricky these magic wands of beauty could be. Raccoon eyes to smudged lips, I could have saved myself a lot of embarrassment learning these tricks sooner;

Softer is better – Your best intentions for recreating that bold and glittery Kesha look-a-like can leave a smudged, clumpy mess that even lunch period isn’t look enough fix. Trying too hard with your makeup is a lot like trying too hard with a guy. A disastrous mess that everyone can see. Instead, try for a softer, natural look. Think Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez. Freshen yourself with a little eye shadow, a shade of colour to your lips and maybe some mascara to highlight the look.

Tailor to your features, not your clothes– You might think sparkly blue eye shadow would be the perfect thing to accent that new blue sweater, but going too matchy-matchy will only age you – all the way back to the 90’s. Instead try warm browns for blue eyes, mellow greens or gold for brown eyes and lavender for green eyes. Lipsticks and stains should only be one or two shades darker than your natural lip colour. Otherwise things can get a bit….dramatic. Case and point, that great-aunt of yours.

Keep it Clean– Nothing, not even that 1200 word essay in history, can spoil the week faster than a full pimple break out. You may think caking foundation on will make those unsightly pimples disappear, but in reality they will be setting up shop. Invest in a good facial soap and clean off your makeup every day after school. And never, ever, EVER go to bed wearing makeup; a stained pillow will be the least of your worries.

It’s OK to ask for help – Learning all this at once is a long and bumpy road, so why not cash in on others’ experiences? Older sisters, friends and even class mates may have a gold mine of experience to spark up your look. Don’t be afraid to ask around. Once you get your artistic flare rocking, they might be asking for tips from you!