By far one of the most important of our beauty assets is our smile. Who can resist an enigmatic sparkling white smile?

You also can`t hide yellow teeth like you can most other physical defects. So you should always be sure your smile is at it`s best.

Perfectly straight teeth aren`t always necessary either, so if you could never afford braces or retainers don`t worry too much.

Some of the most beautiful women I know (and even myself), have never worn braces in their life. And have small imperfections in the straightness of their teeth.

Even some famous actresses have teeth that have obviously never worn braces (think Amber Tamblyn, Kirsten Dunst, Kristin Kreuk).

And yet they still manage to be amazingly beautiful because their teeth are well cared for, and shine like pearls.

So how can you make your smile enviable without spending a fortune at a dentists or on teeth whitening products?

Beauty Secret 4

Whiten and brighten your smile.

For this little beauty secret you use two household items that are rock bottom cheap to buy; Baking Soda, and Peroxide.

Yep, thats how simple it is.

You take the baking soda and peroxide and you make a thick paste out of them. You shouldn`t need more than a tablespoon of the paste.

Apply the paste to teeth, and leave on for 5 to 10 minutes every morning and night.

The most effective way to do this, and brighten your smile, is by brushing your teeth with the paste.

Baking soda and peroxide will not only whiten your teeth but clean them too, if you use them in place of toothpaste.

Then just sit back and watch the results!

Your smile will become visibly whiter, and to boot you`ll save a bundle on toothpaste, and teeth whiteners.

-----------------------------------------

Don`t you always hate it when summer rolls around, and your body is hardly swimsuit or shorts ready?

Or even the rest of the year when it seems impossible to disguise those figure flaws!

Beauty Secret 5

Hide figure flaws and defects.

If you are bigger in the butt and upper thighs than in the hips and waist:

Wear tighter tops to show off your trim upper body, and skirts that taper towards the hemline to disguise your pear shape.

Buy jeans that are a snug fit and are low rise (the low rise will emphasize your small waist and the tightness has a surprisingly slimming effect on legs and butt).

Dresses that end just a little above the knee work nicely for pear figures as they hide bulky upper legs.

The best swimsuits for pear figures tend to be bikini`s that have low cut bottoms with a flounce skirt. This draws eyes away from the legs, and minimizes them at the same time.

If you are bigger in the waist and bust, and your butt and thighs are more slender:

Wear shirts that tend to fall from the peak of your breasts downward, to hide a bulky stomach.

Or wear a snug t-shirt with a button up shirt or sweater over it, leaving the buttons unfastened on the shirt or sweater.

Wear shorts and skirts that are short to emphasize your good feature (your legs).

The best swimsuit for women who are big on top and little on bottom is a full piece that is high cut in the hips.

This hides the stomach, and shows of slender legs and buttocks.

If you are an extremely skinny woman all over:

Wear skirts that flounce out and shirts that ruffle to give you a more rounded appearance.

Wear semi loose dresses that are tight only in the right spots.

For instance emphasize a small waist with a dress that is cinched in the middle but flounces out from the hips to give a curvy appearance.

Wear tight jeans, or loose slacks with a pull over sweater, these will both work well for your figure type.

The best swimsuits for skinny women are of course bikinis. Full pieces give slender women a "little girl" appearance, and are not very attractive.

The bikini`s are best if they`re high cut in the hips and butt. This flatters a thin woman best by showing off her waist and legs.

Low cut bikini`s will also work well with a skinny woman though, if you want to emphasize slender hips.

If you`re a large woman all over:

You should go for just slightly loose fitting clothes. Too loose and you`ll only make yourself appear bigger.

Wear panty hose to make your legs look slim. Avoid overly tight clothes at all costs, this will make your skin roll, and you`ll look larger than ever.

Choose mainly capris and knee length skirts or dresses for summer.

Avoid shorts, mini skirts, or short dresses until you slim down.

The best swimsuit for a full figure is (you guessed it) a full piece, cut low in the hips, and with a skirted bottom.

If you`re a curvy woman (also known as an hour glass figure):

You can wear almost anything you choose to and look good; loose slacks, tight jeans, loose shirts, tight shirts, loose skirts, tight skirts, dresses, bikini`s, full pieces, etc...

So be proud of your figure and choose your clothes with some taste to best show off your unique shape.

Now that you`e armed with these beauty secrets, go out and put them to use. You`ll definitely start to turn heads, and command a respect in people wherever you go.

Because, remember it`s not the shape of your body, or face, or the size of your nose or lips or eyes, that denotes beauty.

It`s the proud way you carry yourself, and the neatness, and good taste with which you pick your clothes and accessories.