You don’t have to be an Instagram influencer to be able to take an amazing selfie every now and then, right? Here are 11 tips to help you achieve one without a hassle.
- Bring in the light. If you take your pics in unflattering lighting, you’re going to get shadows or look drab. Head out into the natural sunshine or at least take selfies somewhere indoors where there’s a lot of light. Consider this beauty blogger’s tip to give you more luminance: hold a sheet of white paper underneath your chin to reflect the light and make you glow.
- Look to the side. If you’re always taking photos of yourself looking straight at the camera, this could be why you’re not happy with the results. Honestly, most people look more flattering when they’re looking to the side a little, so experiment with this to find your best shot.
- Accentuate your best features. If you want to focus on your amazing lips, make sure you hold your cell phone at a lower angle so that they’ll be on show. If you want to highlight your heart-shaped chin, take a picture from the side or below your face. If you have a nice forehead and stunning eyes, you should aim your cell phone from higher up. Don’t be quick to write off what you consider to be your flaws, though. Remember, your flaws could be your cutest features.
- Take it first thing in the morning. Although bed selfies have been a thing in the past and everyone wants to nail that fresh-faced, glowing look they have after beauty rest, we’re talking about taking a selfie when you get ready to leave the house. When your hair’s just been washed and styled, and your makeup’s fresh, that’s the best time to get selfie happy!
- Use a filter sparingly. Look, we all want to edit our pics from time to time. Playing around with brightness and contrast is okay and can help us get a perfect selfie, but that’s where we need to stop. If we’re going OTT with filters and photo editing software, the result is less than fabulous and people can usually see it from a mile away.
- Do something fun. It’s easier to get a great selfie when the pic looks natural and you’re having fun. If you’re always trying (and failing) to take a decent selfie in the car or bathroom, you need to try something else! Let your friend take a selfie when you’re busy with an activity you love. It’ll look so much better.
- Stand in front of the sun. If you’re taking a selfie outdoors, make sure you stand in front of the sun. If you face the sun, you’ll get shadows all over your face. Standing with the sun behind you will make you glow.
- Throw your head back. Here’s a quick tip to make your neck look longer and accentuate your jawline: move your head a bit back, away from your neck. For an extra-flattering boost, try to hold this pose while you look up to the camera. Make sure your neck and face look relaxed though, so you don’t look like you’re holding your breath and trying too hard.
- Don’t laugh, but smile. Right, laughing selfies have their place — they’re great when you want to show how much fun you’re having. But laughing can hide other features of your face, like your amazing eyes. Try to show that you’re having a good time by smiling like you mean it and letting your smile reach your eyes.
- That said, smiling might not be for you. Everyone has a different facial expression that makes them look the most attractive. For actor Ben Stiller, it’s when he looks serious and mischievous, yet for Channing Tatum, it’s when his face breaks into a smile. You need to experiment with different facial expressions to find what works best for you and makes you look and feel most attractive.
- If it’s not working, create a collage. If you have lots of cool selfies instead of one perfect one, put them together in a collage. That said, make them amazing instead of average by choosing pics that express your personality. For example, maybe you’re smiling in one photo and making a funny face in another. On their own, the pics might not be too awesome but when put together they could tell an interesting story about you. And that’s, ultimately, what every selfie should do.
