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Beauty Tips from Beauty Queens

How do you look your best when you don't have Tyra Banks to turn to?

By Marcella Raymond, Pam Grimes, Nelson Howard, Reporter/ Producer/ Photographer

November 14, 2007

Popular shows like "America's Next Top Model" offer lots of supermodel drama. But what if you don't have Tyra Banks by your side to help you look your best? Tonight, WGN's Marcella Raymond gets a crash beauty course from a couple of local beauties... the women who strut their stuff in little more than their underwear.

Pageant video: Courtesy: "Miss Illinois 2006-Nicole Kaapke"

Nicole Kaapke: "It's competitive. If you've ever been in a sport it gives you that same feel... the rush of energy."

Marcella Raymond: Nicole Kaapke has been competing in beauty pageants for the past 8 years. She's won several titles.

Nicole: "I just turned 28 so in pageant years, I'm a dinosaur."

Pageant video: Miss Chicago 2007 "Good evening everyone. I'm Christine Boll... Miss Chicago."

Christine Boll/Miss Chicago 2007 "You're not just a stereotype pretty girl that doesn't have a brain. I have a college degree I'm paying for."

Nicole: "People don't see that you're a real girl, you put yourself through school, you have a job, you have a family, community service, volunteer work and you have emotions. You're not just in rhinestones all day."

Marcella: But let's face it. Most of us aren't walking around on stage in high heels and a bikini. Although we do face some of the same challenges.

Nats-hairspray

Marcella: And there are little tricks of the trade you can do to look picture perfect.

Christine: Fashion tape which has become my best friend nowadays. Even when you're getting ready for work and you have a blouse that say pops open. Right now you can't tell but I have fashion tape on between the two seams."

Nicole & Marcella: "It doesn't burn, it doesn't tingle, it doesn't do anything."

Marcella: Preparation H, yep...the miracle treatment for hemmoroids, can actually also help your butt look better. Rub it all over areas that you want to shrink cellulite and tighten skin. Then wrap yourself in saran wrap overnight, cover up, and sweat it smooth. Preparation H also works to de-puff the undereye area. "Visine" works to get the red out of pimples and other blemishes. Nikki found that out when she was putting drops in her eyes and some fell on her face.

Nicole: "I actually did have a mark on my face, and 5 minutes later you couldn't even see the scratch that I had next to my cheek."

Marcella on camera: Butt glue is another favorite of beauty queens. Ya, you heard me right. They call it butt glue, but it's official name is "It Stays" and it's a roll on body adhesive that you use to keep your clothes in place. So, just a little bit on your skin, press your blouse down, keeps it there all day.

Christine: "Right before you're on stage, your bathing suit bottom is held up and it's getting applied to your butt all this glue, and you've got women fanning your butt and slapping your butt and off you go on stage."

Marcella: Sounds glamorous huh? So now you know what to about your zits your cellulite and your rising bottoms. So there you have it.. Tricks to help you be as beautiful as you can be. You know what though? That crown definitely helps out in a pinch.

Nicole: "Nice thing is you get to keep them so if you're ever in you moment of like, oh I feel really fat and my face is breaking out and my hair is not looking good-just put your crown on..."

Marcella Raymond, WGN News.

Steve & Allison: You'd never know it... but Nikki... the brunette in our story... actually has very thin hair. She clips in a couple of natural hair extentions and voila!.... more hair than she ever dreamed of.