Good afternoon and welcome to today's webchat with Joanna Taylor who'll be discussing how you can achieve effortless style.

Pippa wants to know:

What is effortless chic?

Joanna Taylor said:

I think that it's much easier to be effortless in the summer because you don't need to wear as much make-up because most people have a slight tan so for me, summertime is much more effortless.

Emily wants to know:

What are your essential toiletries for a quick fix or confidence boost?

Joanna said:

Lip gloss, mascara and some perfume to freshen up.

Red wants to know:

What's your top beauty tip for always looking good? x

Joanna said:

The best way to look good is to feel good about yourself, the more confident you are about yourself the better you look on the outside.

Suzy woo wants to know:

My mum buys me all my period stuff and I want to try tampons but don't want to ask her 'cause she has always bought me pads and I think she thinks I am too young to use them. What can I do?

Joanna said:

I've always used tampons and my mum was always fantastic and supportive. I'm sure yours would be too but you won't know until you try to speak to her. I've always found that Tampax Compak are very easy to use and are really comfortable. They also help you feel confident and fresh.

Louise wants to know:

I'm 12 and everyone else in my class has started their period except me - what is the normal age? I'm worried I am behind.

Joanna said:

There is no normal age; I didn't start until I was thirteen. You could be as old as sixteen before you start your first period. Trust me; don't wish it upon yourself because you've got plenty of years ahead of you of having periods.

Angie wants to know:

What were you like as a teenager? Were you popular, sporty, brainy or shy?

Joanna said:

Sporty is most definitely not a word I'd use to describe myself! I was like any teenager and very insecure and experimented with lots of different styles and my mum has photos as evidence!

Layla wants to know:

How do you feel Hollyoaks affected your teenage years? Did you feel like the whole world was watching you grow up?

Joanna said:

I was actually twenty-one when I joined 'Hollyoaks' so, no, but I still feel that it helped me gain some independence as I moved away from home and had to live in Liverpool on my own.

Amy wants to know:

There are lots of sites giving advice for teenage girls and I have a 13yr old daughter who I think would benefit from being able to look up appropriate content online but I am not sure where to send her? /p>

Joanna said:

I think it's difficult with the Internet and all the horror stories that you hear nowadays but I would definitely recommend the website, www.beinggirl.co.uk as it gives so much helpful and varied advice for teenage girls.

Gaby wants to know:

Did you learn any good beauty lessons when you were a teenager that you still use now?

Joanna said:

I know it's a cliché but honestly, drinking lots of water really does help your skin. I rarely drink anything else. I was really bad as a teenager and would go to bed with my make-up on but now that it's so easy and effortless with make-up wipes I take my make-up off religiously every night.

Debs wants to know:

What one makeup/clothing/beauty item could you just not live without?

Joanna said:

Make-up that I couldn't live without - mascara, I have quite fair eyelashes. What clothing - a really good-fitting pair of jeans which is why I like Tampax Compak because they're so discreet and you feel more secure that no one knows you're on your period.

Kk wants to know:

All my mates have boyfriends except me, I think this is because I don't look cool enough but my mum never lets me shop in the shops I like for clothes. I could do with some advice on how to get her to understand that I am 14 now and a grown up!!!

Joanna said:

How about you and your mum sit down together on the computer and have a look at www.beinggirl.co.uk. It has some great style tips and would make your mum realise that looking grown-up and effortlessly stylish is very normal for somebody of fourteen.

Jane wants to know:

I'm always rushing to get ready before going out to meet my friends...I never leave myself enough time to look as fab as I know I can, if I tried! What's would you do to look good if you only had 10 mins to get ready?

Joanna said:

I know how you feel as I'm always running late! If I only had ten minutes I'd tie my hair back and quickly put a bit of mascara and lipstick on and you'll look ready to go.

Janey wants to know:

How many boyfriends did you have when you were a teenager? Did you ever have boyfriend trouble?

Joanna said:

God yes! I didn't have my first proper boyfriend until I was seventeen and my younger sister is nineteen and has only just got her first boyfriend. I think it's much better to wait for the right one than to force yourself into liking somebody just because your friends have boyfriends.

Sarah wants to know:

Is there such a thing as an effortless boyfriend?/p>

Joanna said:

Unfortunately, not in real life, only on-line. You can get one at www.beinggirl.co.uk/effortlessboyfriend. He'll send you emails fairly regularly which, let's face it, most real boyfriends won't and if it's not working out you can just ditch him and get a new one effortlessly.

Candy908 wants to know:

I like a boy in my class but he's really shy and I don't wanna scare him away by being upfront. How can I show him that I like him without scaring him away?

Joanna said:

Perhaps be his friend first and get him to like you that way and also maybe try speaking to his friends to see if there's anyone he likes at the moment or get your friends to speak to him.

lulu wants to know:

Do you still watch Hollyoaks? I am obsessed with it!!!!!

Joanna said:

Yes, I still watch it when I can and was very sad last week when baby Grace died! It was all so sad as my friend, Sarah Jane Dunn, is leaving.

Fran wants to know:

Have you ever tried cracking the Hollywood scene? Do you want to be a movie star or are you happier doing TV roles?

Joanna said:

No, I haven't and it's not something that really appeals to me, especially now that I'm married and am having a baby as I think that to be a big actress in Hollywood can often mean compromising your family life which I'm not prepared to do.

Rochelle wants to know:

What was it like working with Josie D'Arby? Did you guys get on and hang out on set together?

Joanna said:

Josie D'Arby is a very funny lady and we used to hang out on set all the time. She would always cheer me up if ever I was down and was great fun to work with. I've been very lucky with lots of my co-stars.

Emma wants to know:

"Did you always want to be an actress? What sparked your interest?"

Joanna said:

Yes, I always wanted to be an actress. I don't know what sparked my interest it was just something I always wanted to do but it was hard to get any advice on how to break into the industry and I got into acting via modelling and quite quickly got 'Hollyoaks' so I was really lucky.

Sarah Jane wants to know:

My skin is an absolute nightmare, somehow its greasy and dry at the same time! It's particularly bad when I'm on my period. Do you have any tips for getting great looking skin?

Joanna said:

As I said before, drink lots of water and keep your skin clean and moisturised but I know periods can be a hassle and to make them as effortless as possible I honestly do use Tampax Compak as they help me feel fresh, clean and comfortable.

Tilly wants to know:

I always get really bad period pains for days. Do you have any tips on getting over them as occasionally they have left me bed ridden.

Joanna said:

If they are really bad and leaving you in bed then I'd go to a doctor but for days when they are more bearable, heat definitely helps, like a good old hot water bottle.

Last question for today:

Onya wants to know:

Who would you say are the ultimate quick chic girls?

Joanna said:

I have some friends that I look at and I always wish I could be as effortlessly stylish as them but when it comes to celebrities I always think that Rachel Bilson from 'The O.C.' looks effortlessly beautiful. Go to www.beinggirl.co.uk. for more hints on effortless style.