The selfie—yes, taking an image of yourself and uploading it on social media—has become such a regular part of everyday life that the term has even become, well, an actual word (Thanks, Oxford dictionary!). Kim Kardashian is even releasing a book called Selfish—you guessed it right; a 352-page book full of sultry selfies, which were originally intended for her hubby Kanye West’s viewing pleasure only. We’re pretty sure you’ve taken a few #selfies yourself, and we’re even more sure that you want these snaps to be #wokeuplikethis-worthy. Scroll down for our tips, and get ready for the double taps to start coming.

Find the best lighting


Natural lighting is your best bet to scoring a flattering a photo. Make sure you’re facing the light source instead of standing against it to prevent a shadow overcast that magnifies dark circles. You can also try this nifty fashion photography trick: Place a sheet of white paper underneath the chin to let the light reflect on your face. This illuminates the face and disguises a double-chin.

Check your background


A messy background will always ruin a photo. No one wants to see your dirty clothes, messy bedsheets, or empty mugs. Pick a clean spot or a pretty background before you snap that pic. And oh, look out for possible photobombers.

Define your features


You don’t need to do the entire shebang (contouring, highlighting, putting on fake lashes)—leave that to serial selfie-taker Kim K. Try this überfast makeup routine instead to enhance your natural features.

Smile and be yourself


A natural smile always looks good on camera. A great technique to achieve that real grin is to take a deep breathe, lift your tongue behind your front teeth, and smile.

Strike a number of poses

Capturing the perfect shot will involve a few hits and misses. While you’re snapping until you get the best photo, try tilting your head slightly to one side to make your face look thinner, or try raising the camera 30 degrees above your face for a flattering angle.

Use the right apps and filters



There are numerous beauty apps available for both iPhone and Android that amp up your photos. All it takes is just a few swipes, and voilà, insta-airbrush! Check out beauty apps that have blemish-blurring and digital makeup capabilities, and photo enhancing apps that have dreamy filters that set the mood for the photo. Instagram’s own filter, Valencia, help make great selfies.

(Photos from Instagram.com @angelcandices; @sjay_bbg; @mirandakerr; @giseleofficial; @kimkardashian; @laurenconrad)