This quirky little girl in a witch’s hat is my 5 year old sister Janey.

I’m sharing these pictures of her because, as crazy as it seems, she inspires me with her style and confidence. A full ten years younger than me, Janey picks out her own (mismatched) outfits and usually styles her own hair (she did her own ponytails here) and then struts around with a sparkle in her eye, flipping her hair over her shoulder like the diva she thinks she is.

Many times, she’ll come to me wearing light blue flower-print knee-high socks with gold tap shoes, a striped mini skirt, and a maroon top that reads "I only fly first-class"—and I want to tell her how hideous she looks and to go change immediately. But when she stands before me with her hands on her hips, all sassy and self-assured, I don’t have the heart to break her spirit with my stupid opinions.

I can only nod in agreement when she looks up at me with her big brown eyes and says, "Bree, look at me! I look SOOOOO cute!"

And then I watch in amazement as she works the room (or the gym) visiting friends and parents, dazzling everyone with her confidence. I’m sure the terribly un-matched smattering of clothes she’s assembled on herself makes people wonder how my mother let her out of the house looking like a homeless musician on the streets of San Francisco, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Janey has taught me to pay attention to my own sense of style, instead of worrying about how I think others expect me to look. It doesn’t come as easy for me as it does her, but being confident in my own skin makes me feel much prettier than having a face full of impeccable makeup.

Beauty is confidence, and confidence is beauty. Just look at my baby sister.

(PS—this is the outfit she wore shopping yesterday. Witch’s hat and all.)

There’s big news here at Teen Corner this week:

I GOT MY PERMIT… I am a student driver! Yay!

(If you’ve yet to get your permit, and would like a little tip from little ol’ Bree, let me just say this: Read The Manual . This is not a test you can pass with common sense alone—because, those people at the DMV? They are tricky folks. They try to throw you off with their big words and complicated questions that could easily be answered if they just asked them in an un-tricky way. Geeesh.) (Also—if for some reason you don’t pass the test on the first try, don’t worry, there’s always tomorrow.) (Just saying.)

Now that I’m a driver , my freaky mother is going nuts about the sunscreen thing. Since my face will no longer be under the protection of the tinted back windows, she says I need to make a habit of applying sunscreen daily. Personally, I think the woman is crazy, but after rummaging through a pile of her beauty products, I found this:

NARS Makeup Primer SPF 20

This primer is so lightweight, it sort of melts into my skin and disappears. And my foundation looks even better than it did before. (Which I didn’t think was possible.) The only problem I’m having is remembering to put it on… I might have to put a sticky-note on the bathroom mirror as a reminder! (Also, this is no substitute for the real sunscreen deal, but for someone like me, it’s a step in the right direction.)

Along with the primer, there’s a few other things I want to tell you about to help create flawless skin:

Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Stress Control Foaming Cleanser

This foaming cleanser contains salicylic acid and is really gentle. My sister’s skin is sensitive, yet she gets frequent breakouts on her forehead (if she would just listen to me and pin her bangs back during volleyball practice, she might not have a problem. But I’m just her older sister—what do I know?). When used daily, this cleanser helps to fight pimple-causing bacteria.

ThermaClear Heat Enabled Acne Treatment

This handy little device is the hit of our neighborhood. All of our friends come over to borrow our ThermaClear (even the boys—no joke!). (Before you gross out, please know that we thoroughly clean it with rubbing alcohol between uses. Thoroughly .)

Here’s how it works: Acne is formed when excess oil and skin cells clog a pore, allowing bacteria to be trapped and become inflamed. ThermaClear spot treats acne with a burst of thermal energy that penetrates the skin, much like a laser treatment at the dermatologist’s office, and neutralizes the underlying bacteria allowing skin to heal faster.

It doesn’t hurt at all, just feels a little warm, and it really works!

Don’t forget to work on your Halloween costumes—there’s only 10 days left (Bailey and I are going as Fook Me & Fook You from Austin Powers!).

Hope you have a great week.

xo,

Bree

I had a blast last weekend on our Northern California fishing expedition. The Trinity River was incredibly serene and beautiful, making the unbearable drive (FIVE HOURS, PEOPLE) totally worthwhile.

The view from the boat.

Andrea and me in our waders, ready to charge the waters. (Picture taken by my dad.)

As crazy as it seems, I kind of like fishing. No joke. I can’t wait to go again. (FYI, I’m a catch-and-release kind of fisher-girl so no fish were harmed (or eaten) on this expedition!)

On to the face of the week:

I’m not wearing any blush or bronzer here, just tons of MAC Technakohl Liner in Graphblack . This stuff rocks because I never have to worry about finding my sharpener (it’s a twist-up) and I love how it’s creamy going on, but dries to a no-smudge finish.

On my skin, I’m wearing the MAC Hyper Real Foundation SPF 15 in NC400 that I got a few weeks ago. Can I just say that I LOVE THIS STUFF!

It’s sheer but has nice coverage, has a slight pearlescent finish, and makes my skin look incredible. (I’m not wearing anything else on my skin in this photo—not even powder.)

On my lips I’m wearing Lipglass in C-Thru , my go-to gloss—I never leave home without it.

The first quarter ends this week, so I’ll be studying for tests and finishing up projects—fun, fun, FUN. (Not.)

Hope your week is great. xo, Bree

Teen Corner comes to you a day early this week, because—drumroll please—I’M GOING FISHING!

I’m not kidding. It’s the coldest day of the season so far, and my best friend Andrea and I are going to be out on the river with my Dad. It’s going to be just the three of us (a little father-daughter bonding thing, I guess) with no MySpace, no cell service, and possibly no Creme de la Mer (I’m trying to convince my mom to let me bring along her jar) for an entire weekend.

Before you go and peg me a spoiled brat for the whole Creme de la Mer thing, let me just say—it’s not mine, and I don’t use it every day. But the stuff works. Especially when it’s cold and windy and my normally good skin gets all chapped and dry. Gross.

Andrea and I consulted on the phone last night and came up with a little list of beauty essentials for our trip:

• Boots No 7 Quick Thinking 4-in-1 Wipes —I know I always talk about these, but they really are an essential part of my beauty routine. Fishing trip or not, these are coming along.
• Clinique Acne Solutions Emergency Gel-Lotion —because I’m not taking any chances. If there happens to be cute boys on the river (please God, let there be cute boys on the river) they will be charmed by my smashing personality and exquisite fly-casting ability—not blinded by a huge zit on my face.
• Nivea Original Moisture Body Lotion —there are probably two dozen different body lotions here at my house that do an equally great job, but I just love the way this one smells. (This reminds me of the time a guy-friend came to our house for the first time and was like, "what’s with all the lotion?" I hadn’t noticed before, but as I took a look around the kitchen and living room, there were no less than 8 full-sized bottles of lotion sitting in plain sight. Our family might be crazy, but we all have soft skin. Ha!)
• Vaseline Intensive Rescue Heal & Repair Balm —I’m actually packing this product for my dad, whose legs get dry and scaly after standing in the cold river in neoprene waders for hours on end. It’s so thick and creamy and relieves dryness and discomfort in seconds. (This will also be my backup in case my mom won’t let me bring the Creme de la Mer—I’ll use it to protect my face from windburn.)
• Neutrogena Healthy Defense Oil-Free Sunblock Stick SPF30 —because I’m not allowed to step outside without sun protection, and this one is just easy.
• Chapstick —a good ‘ol standby that never lets me down.

I’m not bringing any makeup—the fish (and cute boys) will have to appreciate my natural beauty (ha)—but, seriously, I’m looking forward to my weekend outdoors. Andrea and I are psyched!

Hope your weekend is as fun as mine is going to be.

xo,

Bree