Show Your Gorgeous Self: 5 Tips For A Perfect Selfie

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Social media has seen a revolving door of new trends and challenges, especially during COVID-19. But there is one trend that has remained a staple through it all: the selfie. We love a good selfie (who doesn’t?!), but for us at Iles Formula, good isn’t enough. We aim for perfection in our products, and we want the same for our selfies, regardless of whether we’ll eventually post our selfies online or share directly with family and friends.

Taking the perfect selfie can be harder than it seems. The good news: we have aggregated some tips and tricks that will help you create beautiful selfies every single time, and ensure that you feel your most happy, confident, and gorgeous self, always.

Image sourced from Pexels

Tip #1: Lighting Is Everything

Light is the number one ingredient to a perfect selfie – and natural lighting is our all-time favorite. When you’re taking your selfie, instead of facing your computer screen or television, turn toward a window with natural light. Or better yet, go outside and bask in the sun's glow. You’ll notice a big difference in your selfie! Good natural lighting can even act as a free beauty product, making under-eye circles and shadows disappear – it’s almost like magic!

The amount of light you need to take a gorgeous selfie depends on the time of day you decide to take your photo. The golden hour to shoot a photo is during sunrise or sunset, since the sun is not too high but is still bright enough to create a soft, natural glow. If you’re taking advantage of this trick, be aware of shadows created by your smartphone, especially in the middle of the day and when the sun is high – no one wants a random black rectangle ruining their photo.

To compliment that perfect lighting, the Iles Formula Finishing Serum has a base of raw silk and when captured on film, it delivers the most luxurious shine. Do you know what happens when you put light on silk? It shines! The Iles Finishing Serum is unbeatable on camera and that’s why celebrities and royals from all over the world use our Finishing Serum. They see the difference and so do their hairdressers! Not only does it deliver shine, but also protection against heated tools, UV, and humidity.

If you are planning on taking a selfie when there is no natural lighting available – for example, on your next night out – find a place that has even lighting and use the flash feature on your phone. Though the white flash of the camera might blind you for a second, it’s definitely worth the perfect shot.

 Image sourced from Pexels

Tip #2: Create Hair Movement

An age-old trick in photoshoots is to use a fan to create movement and take the photo to the next level. Get your fan and position it about two feet away to give your hair a “wind-swept” feeling. This way, you can look like your favorite Hollywood star with just your phone and a fan.

If you don’t have a fan, no problem – use your hair to create movement! You can give your hair a good blow-out before taking your selfie so that your hair has volume and bounce. Use our Iles Formula Finishing Serum to add volume and shine, or use our Iles Formula Curl Revive to better shape your curls or to add nourished texture to your straight hair.

Image sourced from Pexels

Tip #3: Find Your Angles

Ever heard someone say to catch their “good side” on camera? While we believe all sides of you are great sides, angles make a difference when it comes to selfies. If you know what angles are more flattering than others, you can more easily accentuate your key features in your next photo session, creating a perfect selfie.

One tip that works for most people is to take the shot from a slightly higher angle – this means you’d want your phone to be slightly above your eye-line. This way, you reduce the chances of catching under-eye shadows from direct sunlight, while capturing your gorgeous features in all their glory.

If you’re looking to try something new, consider playing with the camera position and the way you interact with it. For example, try not to look straight-on into the camera lens – this allows your eyes to shine more, and can even achieve a “smizing” effect (smiling with your eyes, as popularized by Tyra Banks). Selfies that are slightly off-center also look amazing. Don’t be afraid to experiment and work different angles!

Image sourced from Pexels

Tip #4: Pick The Right Background

While it might seem like a secondary priority, your background can sometimes make or break a perfect selfie. The space you choose for your photo should be clutter-free – you don’t want a messy bedroom or desk distracting from your gorgeous self. While sometimes a really loud background can lead to amazing photographs, most of the time you will be better served by a clean, simple background. This way, the focus stays on you.

Look for solid colored backdrops or unique textures to really make your photos pop. A lighter background like a white wall with just a pop of color is also a good idea. This will accent your features and your luscious hair. And when in doubt, consider a mirror selfie!

Tip #5: Make Your Hair Your Perfect Accessory

And last, but certainly not least, use your hair as an accessory. We love hair, and think there is no better accessory.

Want to make sure your hair is at its best for your next photo session? Use our Iles Formula Signature Collection that we promise will transform hair that looks like straw to sumptuous silk from the very first use! Our signature Iles Formula Shampoo was created by selecting the most exclusive, high performing antioxidant-rich ingredients to work for all ages and hair types. Our Iles Formula Conditioner works phenomenally on hair with a paraben-free formula that instantly transforms damaged, straw-like hair into spun silk perfection.  You have to read the reviews.

Then there is our famous serum - the Iles Formula Finishing Serum, which is all over social media. It's often the last product used by hairdressers and they tag it daily. This is the product we spoke about earlier under the lighting tip! It has a base of raw silk and when captured on film it delivers the most luxury shine.  Remember, it also delivers protection against heated tools + UV and humidity!

These products are all you need to nourish your hair and enhance its natural volume and luxury shine for a perfect selfie, showcasing your most gorgeous self.

Ready to take the ultimate selfie? Remember our tips and tricks, but most importantly, have fun! And don’t forget to share your favorite selfies with us by tagging us on social media @ilesformula_hair and #IlesFormula. We can’t wait to see your posts!

Article written by Guest writer Ashley Lipman