She may be the youngest Miss America crowned in 74 years, but there's nothing novice about 18-year-old Nebraskan Teresa Scanlan.

We caught up with the newly coronated queen at a press event at New York's Lavo lounge, where Scanlan was on hand to promote Artistry, the official beauty sponsor of Miss America.

Having graduated high school a year early and firmly holding her own among a family of seven children, Scanlan is accustomed to assuming responsibility well before her time. But the musical-theater talent thinks it should be the norm, not the exception, for teens her age to tackle more serious issues than just what to wear to Friday night's school dance.

"Too many people use age as an excuse for why they're not responsible for themselves, or why they can't do certain things. They say, 'Oh, I'm too young for that.' I say step up to the plate," Scanlan told StyleList.

And while charitable platforms like Scanlan's work with eating disorders are a requirement of every competitor, nowhere is glamour, gowns and glittering jewels more celebrated than on a national pageant stage like at Miss America.

Beautyholics that we are, we couldn't help but notice how Scanlan's blond tresses went from tousled updo during her piano-playing talent competition to an elegant down look of side-parted layers for the evening gown portion-- without losing so much as a millimeter of that storied pageant volume.

"My trick for instant hair volume is to flip my hair over and spray with Aussie's Volume Hair Spray, and then I finish with Aussie's Instant Freeze Spray so that it stays!" shares Scanlan.

In order to make things more nerve-racking -- and thus, more interesting -- Miss America has increased the amount of live action time on stage during the final night of competition, which has translated into mere seconds for contestants to changes clothes and get back onstage in time with commercial breaks.

All the sweat, tears and anxiety the competitors go through can be a nightmare for the longevity of smoky eyes and contoured cheekbones. Scanlan says the trick is to spend the time putting makeup on beforehand, with special attention paid to skin-care prep, primer and color blending for the longest-lasting results.

However, despite all the best intentions, the one thing that will inevitably wear off is lip color. Scanlan says your best bet is to skip the fuss of reapplying lipstick, and instead only swipe lip gloss on as a touch-up.

"We had lots of Artistry Light Up lip glosses backstage, and I just grabbed those to put on as I was running to get back out in time. I like gloss because it keeps your lips shiny and hydrated," said Scanlan.

The wands come cleverly equipped with a built-in mirror and LED light, so that you can sneak a touch-up in even the dimmest of bathrooms.

Scanlan also spoke of the brand's Intensive Skincare Renewing Peel that will launch in March, which employs a mushroom enzyme to gently break down the protein bonds that hold dead skin cells in place, resulting in a deep exfoliation.

The peel is designed to become inactive when it reaches a pH level of 5.5, since the inner layers of skin are made up of levels of 5, 6 and 7. The outer layer has a pH of just 4.5, thus preventing the product from going any deeper than that outer layer, and irritating or harming skin.

In addition to providing makeup for the high-maintenance needs of 53 competing beauty queens, the brand is also a significant scholarship sponsor, donating upward of $347,000 to the winner and semi-finalists.

And coming from such a large family, Scanlan says the $50,000 scholarship that her glittering crown came with has put a big smile on her parents' faces.

"My dream is to go to Harvard Law School," Scanlan told StyleList.

We have a feeling Scanlan will bring impressive new meaning to the term "legally blonde."

And if you're a pageant buff, you'll want to hear the behind-the-scenes secrets that last year's Miss America, Caressa Cameron, spilled to us.

Want more beauty secrets? Find out style blogger Arielle Nachmani's tips and product picks for silky hair and a clear, glowing complexion.