The selfie as a cultural trend has made its mark on modern society. Some people go to excessive lengths to take the best selfie, with competitions like the selfie olympics trending on twitter on a yearly basis as people take ridiculous and sometimes dangerous shots from their smart phones.
For someone hoping to take selfies that are a little less daredevil and a little more vogue, Luis Casco has assembled a list of tips on the best makeup and skincare tips for taking a selfie. Casco did this by analyzing 8,000 selfies of 26 different women of different ages and ethnicities for his book #beautiful.
According to Casco, a big part of taking a decent selfie is lips. Dry and flaky lips stand out in a selfie. Using an exfoliator before applying lip product can do wonders for dry lips.
Next on the list is lighting. taking a selfie in the daylight can make the skin appear much paler. Using easily blended creams can help to better contour the face without making someone look pale or as if they have a layer of heavily caked on foundation.
Nighttime selfies also need a unique makeup treatment. A slight shine really stands out, making the skin look oily. Avoiding products with glitter or excessive sheen and using products that absorb or blot out oil can make the difference.
For day or night, the right shade of eyeliner can really make the eyes, which dominate a selfie according Casco, stand out. Casco recommends mixing shades of eyeliners to find a middle ground rather than buying one shade. A hint of purple or gold alongside a regular shade can make the eyes twinkle says Casco.
Finally, the camera angle can have a huge impact on how a selfie turns out. If someone has a significant amount of dark or smoky eye makeup, selfies taken at a 45 degree angle above the head can prevent a deep eyed raccoon effect as well as sharpening the jawline.