What’s a young, magical girl to do when she gets her first period? When should a werewolf start shaving her legs? Whether or not she has magical powers, what’s a girl to do when she--gasp!--has to talk to a boy she likes?

Never fear: The Magical Girl’s Guide to Womanhood answers these and many more questions for preteens and teens. Even grown-up magical women may find helpful reminders in its pages. Your guide on this enchanted quest into the labyrinth of yourself is gifted young witch Violetta Marmalade-Spirit. Violetta starts with the basics of what makes a girl a girl, then progresses to questions of body image, how to stay healthy, and sexuality.

Becoming a young woman is always a magical journey. Join Violetta in uncovering some of the tips, tricks, myths and secrets to making the best journey possible!

Word Count: 30,550

Young Adult, Reference

EXCERPT:

Sweating and Body Odor

Everyone, girls and boys alike, begins to sweat more as we go through puberty. The way we smell begins to change. We start to stink.

At this time, it’s a good idea to make sure you practice good hygiene. Take a bath or a shower every day, washing with both soap and water. In addition, you can help keep your body from carrying around bad smells by using a deodorant or an antiperspirant under your arms. There are many kinds of deodorants and antiperspirants available. The basic difference between them is that deodorants help take away the bad smells that sweating causes, while antiperspirants actually stop you from sweating. Many products contain both a deodorant and an antiperspirant.

Sweating is a natural process. Many of us who’ve been raised in the magical world believe natural processes like sweating have their place, and we shouldn’t necessarily try to stop them. They may even help us tune in to our intuition and the magical forces inside of us. Consider whether you really want to use an antiperspirant to stop your body from doing something that it naturally wants to do.

If you are a very skilled witch, you can eliminate body odor with a simple cleanliness charm. First, find a safe, private place where you can set up an outdoor bathtub. Make sure it’s in a place where the moonlight can reach you. Now fill the tub with red raspberries, fresh raspberry juice or a strong tea brewed from dried raspberries. Soak in the tub under the light of the full moon for at least four hours. You must make sure to cover every part of your body with the juice of the raspberries. You may need to bring a trusted friend to help you reach the really hard-to-reach places. It is not necessary to cover your hair in the juice. The effects of the cleanliness charm last up to six weeks if the charm is performed correctly. It is not recommended you perform this charm in winter if you live in a very cold climate.

Note: Your skin may be stained red for up to two weeks after you perform this charm.

Non-magical girls may want to try a natural deodorant, one that does not contain aluminum or other chemicals, instead. This could be as simple as dusting under your arms with baby powder or cornstarch. There are also a number of natural deodorants available in stores, including some that use crystal-like salts or naturally good-smelling herbs such as lavender and rosemary. Experiment until you find one that you like that works for you.