confessions of an ugly duckling

Growing up, I was never the pretty girl. Instead, I was awkwardly skinny (thanks to competitive rhythmic gymnastics) with an almost-unibrow (thanks to my glorious Russian genes). Add to that frizzy uncontrollable hair, braces, and (except for glasses) I was the typical nerd in middle school. Not surprisingly, no guy really paid any attention to me. Except of course to borrow my notes…

So I had my first kiss later than most girls. And I'm still pretty insecure about how I look (though I'm not gonna lie, puberty has been good to me— and so has my hair straightener, tweezers, and many pairs of 4-inch heels). And I may be a little too eager to share my notes with that hot jock in history class…

But the funny thing is, I'm really glad I was an ugly duckling. Because I was never that hot girl who just had to breathe to get a guy's attention, I was forced to develop my brain, my personality, and most importantly, I learned to laugh at myself before anyone else could. And you know what? I love that I can make fun of my frizzy hair—and so does every guy I've dated!

Now, I could recommend a metallic eyeliner to brighten up your eyes (like my bright blue M.A.C. Liquidlast Liner which I can’t live without), but no amount of hair gel and make-up will make you feel better unless the change comes from the inside. To all my awkward sisters out there—choose one thing about yourself that you LOVE (your sense of humor, your fashion style, your knowledge of British literature, etc), and let it be the source of your confidence. Work it, CosmoGIRL!

Do you have any embarrassing ugly duckling stories? I’d love to hear them!

XOXO!
Yelena,
CG! Editorial Intern