Spring is here, which means, you guessed it, summer is right around the corner. While it’s easy to want to break out your flirty floral dresses and sandals, spring weather is unpredictable, so there’s no need to jump the gun and pack up those layering pieces like scarves and denim jackets just yet.
But luck favors the prepared, and chances are good that you’ve already started making summer plans for which you want to be prepared.
Part of summer fun is snapping selfies with friends, whether at the beach, at bonfires, or just strolling local parks. From fashion, skincare, and beyond, get yourself summer-selfie ready with these easy tips, and when warm weather finally arrives, you can truly enjoy the lazy, carefree days of summer.
Visit Your Dentist
While you’re supposed to visit the dentist at least every six months for routine cleanings and checkups, if you’re like 40% of Americans, you don’t prioritize those appointments and don’t go at all.
One of the most important parts of your summer selfies is your beautiful smile, so schedule an appointment with your dentist to ensure your smile is in tip-top shape. Splurge on a teeth whitening service if you need to; your smile is worth it.
Spring Clean Your Skin Routine
Since we’re in the throes of springtime, use this time to upgrade and spring clean your skincare routine to give yourself the glowing complexion you want to walk into summer with.
Treating problems with targeted products like pimple patches, retinol for fine lines, or topicals for reducing acne scars, use the transition period of spring to glow up.
Your skin is an organ; it’s the body’s largest organ, so taking care of it is just as important as taking care of any other part of your body. And, if you haven’t already curated and perfected a day and nighttime skincare routine, you’re officially on notice to do so.
Save Your Skin with SPF
Do you know what SPF stands for? That’s okay, we had to look it up, too. SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor, which lets you know how much exposure to UV radiation from the sun you’d need to get a sunburn wearing the sunscreen that you’re wearing. The higher the SPF, the better your protection from sunburn.
It’s pretty much recommended to wear some kind of SPF protection year-round, but you should especially be wearing sunscreen during the summer. But what about your face–when you’re wearing makeup?
Never fear! Simply layer your makeup with SPF using something like this SPF setting spray from COOLA. All you do is apply your makeup and then spritz on the product afterwards. You don’t have to apply beach volleyball-level sunscreen on your face unless you’re actually going to be getting that much sun.
Upgrade Your Wardrobe
Spring is all about deep cleaning and refreshment, so out with the old and in with the new when it comes to your wardrobe. Declutter any items that don’t fit and flatter your body type because if you don’t feel confident in your clothes, you won’t feel confident in your selfies.
Check out the latest trends in summer fashion and decide which ones you want to have fun with and incorporate into your wardrobe – consider any vacation plans and events you may need to dress for.
Love Yourself
Loving yourself may sound like it wouldn’t affect the outcome of photos that you may end up cherishing for a lifetime, but showing yourself some love and living authentic life comes across in person and photos.
The best selfies taken alone or with loved ones are where you share a real moment, so don’t be self-conscious. Enjoy yourself at your summer dance parties while you’re out clubbing or trying a new outdoor beer garden – those will make the best pictures and be beautiful memories you’ll always have on record.
Get to Know Your Camera
Selfies are typically taken using the camera on our smartphone, so getting to know your phone and how to take great pictures with its camera is essential to getting the shots you want to end up on your socials or printed and framed.
Play with the front-facing camera option, portrait mode, timers, and angles. With summer and the shining sun, you have plenty of natural lighting, so always go for photos without shadows and in natural lighting.
Take the Scenic Route
Think about the best advertisements, your favorite influencers, or even the movie and television sets you’re drawn to – what do they have in common? Thoughtful scenes. So, consider the background when you’re snapping selfies this summer.
It doesn’t matter if you’re taking photos for yourself, texting to Grandma, or posting to your social media followers; the backgrounds of your selfies matter. You can even go the extra mile of selecting backgrounds that match your and your friend’s outfit or the vibe of what you’re doing.
Selfies are a trend that we thought wouldn’t last forever when they first popped up. There was a time when selfie sticks were mocked, and we all thought they’d fizzle out, but today we see influencers in the wild using all the props to capture that perfect moment. And, while you may not be a paid influencer, why not be just as selfie-ready as they are this summer?
