“A smile is the best makeup any girl can wear” says a former society beauty queen, Marilyn Monroe; and honestly she's right, girls don't have to be a size two, perfect or have caked on makeup, but they do have to love themselves and accept who they are, and have a lot of self-confidence. There are many reasons to participate in a beauty pageant. Even though the stereotype is represented by a multitude of girls with big hair, exaggerated makeup, fake personalities and a perfect figure, it is not even close to reality! (Why should you enter? Miss Teen Arizona, 7 Reasons p.2) To truly see the reality of pageants, skeptics must be open-minded and erase all their prior knowledge of how pageantry is portrayed. Yes, pageants portray perfection, but that's not the half of it. Unless skeptics have adequate knowledge and understanding, they are unable to understand the criteria for judging a contest. Self-confidence is the number one reason to enter a beauty pageant. (Building Confidence pg.1) Miss Teen Arizona said, “You would never catch me speaking in front of large crowds, or being social, until my mother entered me in my first pageant out of 213 girls ! Talk about changing lives!” (Building Self-Esteem p.1) She placed fourth and was amazed at how much self-confidence she had gained from participating in the competition. If she can gain so much self-confidence by participating in a pageant, then imagine how many young women could be influenced for the better by deciding to compete in a pageant themselves. It is well known that girls are naturally philanthropic; it is in their nature to want to give. Some girls look for ways to be able to give, and one of the main aspects......middle of paper..."Quote: A smile is the best makeup any girl can wear :)." Wisdom advice. April 24, 2014 http://boardofwisdom.com/togo/Quotes/ShowQuote?msgid=406733#.U1m-D8fUVpFWimberly, Cherie. “Why people who enter pageants compete in beauty pageants.” E-journal articles. .Abee, Holle. “Are beauty pageants good for young children?” HubPages. Np, nd Web. April 25, 2014. .VERYBESTQUOTES. “Beautiful Quotes About Beauty ~ For Attractive Lips.” Much better quotes. Np, nd Web. April 25, 2014. ."7 reasons to enter a beauty pageant...." Lifestyle. Np, nd Web. April 25. 2014. .