#SELFIE

Image: Instagram

Kim Kardashian, Doutzen, Nikkie Plessen, Yolanthe Cabau, Chiara Ferragni, they are all really good at it. Taking selfies and especially posting them. You have to be brave to do it. Every now and then one is nice, but posting too many selfies I find a bit self-indulgent. Yesss Doutzen and Kim, we now know that you also look incredibly beautiful without makeup.

I have caught myself doing it too. Definitely that there are at least twenty of the same photos in a row on my phone. It's quite tricky to take a good one, actually. I always get a bit flustered when I want to take a photo of something and the camera is still on selfie mode. Or when you unexpectedly get a FaceTime call. Somehow I always look unflattering. Looking down so nicely. Hello chin! Thanks for the Instagram filters, they can cover up a lot and make you look better, but how should you look and what is the best distance from your camera? Duckface is a popular pose, but I really refuse to do that. Well okay, maybe not if I've had one too many drinks. Then I might pucker my lips a bit.

I went on a quest, because it takes me at least half an hour before I have taken a reasonably decent selfie.

A few tips, because let's be honest, we all do this sometimes, right?

• Use the X-Pro II filter on Instagram. This trick gives a nice candlelight effect. Imperfections are slightly blurred and your eyes, jawline, or lips are accentuated.
• No arms! Try to avoid seeing your own arms in the photo. It really has something unflattering and it’s then also obvious that it’s a selfie. Download a self-timer app, place your phone somewhere at the right height and just shoot.
• If you really want to put #nofilter under your photo, because then you show that you are also very beautiful without a filter, you can best apply a bit of matte bronzer over your foundation and twenty-five layers of mascara on your eyelashes, of course.
• With natural light, you take the most beautiful photos. But not in full sun either, then the photo gets overexposed and you squint your eyes. According to Scott Schuman, the skyscrapers in New York work really well due to the reflection on your cheek.
• Selfie queen Kim K. recently explained to us in a video that you should always take photos from above. Make your neck long, stick your chin forward, tilt your head slightly and do the duckface.
• Last but not least. Check the background. Nothing is worse than seeing a dirty pair of underwear lying around in the background.

If you still find it a bit creepy to show yourself like this, we have come up with something new. An ‘ussie’. Very simple. A selfie but then with two people. That's a lot easier and actually much more fun. There are definitely some rules here too. Use your good side, not too much light, you shouldn't see an arm, not too posed. Sigh... why is all this so incredibly important anyway? #Duhuh