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Out of all the cultural moments to come out of the early 2000s, one of the lasting effects would be our fixation with taking the perfect selfie. While selfies have existed for centuries, the first known selfie was believed to have been taken in 1839, the version of the selfie as we know it has been around for less than two decades.
Thankfully, most of us have moved past cringe-worthy selfie styles like over-exaggerated duck face or the overuse of the doggy or flower-crown filters. If you want to start taking selfies or want to up your selfie game, we tapped some top-notch experts for their best tips and tricks.
Selfie Tips from MUAs
If there is anyone who is qualified to give guidance on the steps for taking the perfect selfie, it would be an individual who is constantly looking at faces all day long and figuring out how to ensure a person’s best appearance for a variety of lightings and settings, a.k.a. a makeup artist.
One expert in the field of both selfies and the beauty industry we reached out to is Kim Roxie, the founder and CEO of LAMIK Beauty, a vegan makeup line made with natural and organic ingredients for multicultural women.
Roxie says that there are two key tips that one should follow when taking a selfie:
- “Hold your phone up at an angle with the bottom of your phone aligning at nose level.”
- “Always use a time of at least 2 seconds to get the right posture.”
In doing so, you will a) ensure your face is getting captured at a more flattering angle, and b) give yourself enough time to play around and set yourself up for the best photo possible.
We also reached out to Tasha Renee, a Texas-based makeup artist and founder of MUA Assist, to hear about her best tips for taking a selfie.
Here are the 6 key tips that Renee suggested to keep in mind:
- “Lighing, lighting lighting! Natural light is usually best. And make sure the light is in front of you and not behind you to avoid unflattering shadows. Even better is if you can be in a slightly shaded area with the light in front of you! “
- “Angles: Find which angles flatter your features. I would suggest you arm out in front of you, elevated above eye level, and head slightly angled to your best side!”
- “Solid or interesting background: Clear your background of clutter and too many distractions if possible. This will put the focus directly on you.”
- “Snap away! Don’t be afraid to move around and play with different angles and lighting.”
- “Hold the camera steady: use both hands to keep the camera steady or purchase a stabilizer/tripod online. Most phones you can tap the screen to focus.”
- “Record! Record a video of you moving around and switching your angles and finding your light! When you look back over it you can screenshot the perfect selfie!”
A Content Creator’s Guide for the Perfect Selfie
If there is anyone, aside from an MUA, who is more than qualified to give a lesson on taking the perfect selfie, it would be a bonafide content creator/influencer.
We reached out to content creator and fitness maven Angelica Wilson on her best tips for landing a perfect selfie.
Wilson said, “when it comes to taking the perfect selfie, there are a few factors at play. The lifting of where you are, the angle of your head, the angle of the camera, and the distance between you and the camera. Before you get started make sure you have ample storage left on your phone, you’re going to need it.”
Wilson’s Selfies Tips & Tricks
- To take the perfect selfie for you, first make sure that there is no shadow covering your face. Then, you get to choose which side of the camera you want to use.”
- For a quick selfie, you can use the front camera with no flash. But, for the best selfie, use the rear camera. And, if you want the highest definition, turn the flash on when you use the rear camera.
- Once you have the lighting and camera settings down, you can experiment with angles and distance…As you play with those [various] elements, take a picture after every change you make until you arrive at your perfect selfie. Yes, it might seem like a lot of photos to take, but that’s why you made room in your phone.”
One major tip Wilson pointed out: “A lot of times we think we already know what our perfect selfie looks like but it isn’t until you play around that you find the selfie that makes you the happiest.”
At the end of the day, the main purpose of taking a selfie is to capture an important or enjoyable time in your life. Play around with angles, lighting, camera settings and remember that you’re not limited to sticking to a certain style when you find one you find flattering.
Remember that you are free to play around, be a bit experimentive, and, most importantly, just enjoy the moment.
MEET THE EXPERT
Angelica Wilson is a professional yoga instructor, writer/editor, and content creator with a focus on areas like lifestyle, beauty, fitness, and K-Pop.
Kim Roxie is the founder and CEO of LAMIK Beauty, a vegan makeup line made with natural and organic ingredients for multicultural women. “LAMIK” stands for “Love and Makeup in Kindness”, a philosophy that Roxie carries out in both her professional career and personal endeavors.
Tasha Renee is a Texas-based makeup artist and founder of MUA Assist, a makeup tool and lashes brand catering to the everyday and professional makeup artist.
