Selfie tips from a makeup artist

Makeup artist Luis Casco analyzed 8,000 selfies (of 26 women of different ethnicities and ages) for his book "#beautiful," which offers tips for taking your best selfie. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Dry, flaky lips really show up on selfies, so use an exfoliator before applying any lip product.

• Mix eyeliner shades to trick the viewer. For example, a touch of purple makes brown eyes look clearer; a hint of gold "makes the eyes twinkle," Casco said.

• For the most flattering shot, lift the camera to a 45-degree angle, which helps sharpen the jawline and give the appearance of larger eyes — particularly important if you want to avoid a raccoon effect while wearing dark or smoky eye makeup. Bring the chin down slightly and the camera up.

• With daylight in front of you, the phone softens skin, but it can come off looking pale. Casco suggests products that contour the face without looking caked-on in real life. His favorites are CC creams, which he says are easy to blend and not obviously pigmented.

• Nighttime (flash) selfies can be tricky because what looks like a bit of shimmer in real life can look like oily skin on camera. Go easy on any product with glitter. Casco suggests a translucent powder. And have blotting sheets on hand to absorb extra oil, especially in the T-zone.