Beyond the Filter: 7 Big Mistakes Girls are Making with Selfie Apps

Are you guilty of these 7 selfie app tragedies?

These selfie app mistakes give a whole new meaning to, “You look different from your profile pic.”

Courtesy of Pixabay

With a growing number of selfie apps out there, do we really know who we are talking to online?

Perfect365, PixTr, FaceTune and countless other apps allow users to add make-up, erase blemishes and blur backgrounds.

But when users perform virtual plastic surgery, it gets a little scary.

Sure, who doesn’t want a flat stomach and a perfect rack? But when smiles get stretched, legs get lengthened and girls resemble cartoon characters, it’s time to take a step back from the apps.

According to HuffPost, selfie apps are still considered taboo by the very women who use them.

A mere 50,000 Instagram pics have been tagged #Perfect365 yet the app has been downloaded more than 17 million times.

Another popular selfie app, which boasts a suite of 20 different beauty-fix applications, has been downloaded 27 million times.

It makes you stop and think…. Who is that girl you’re talking to?

And ladies…. Will your next blind date walk right by you in the restaurant?

If so, you are likely guilty of one or more of these selfie app mistakes.

#7 How Sharp is Too Sharp?

Courtesy of IFB

It’s one thing to want your pics to be crisp but stop before you sharpen things too much.

Photos that are too sharp can cause a dizzying affect by distorting small details of a photo.

And it makes your hair look like straw.

So, save the sharpening for the final step of selfie editing, then use it with caution.

One or two clicks is the perfect amount.

#6 The Perfect Complexion

Courtesy of Pixabay

Yes, there are some circumstances when it is perfectly alright to use the smoothing tool of a selfie app.

Like a zit the size of Mount Fuji.

Or enormous bags under your eyes that tell the world you had 3 too many cocktails the night before.

But there is a fine line between covering a small imperfection and completely wiping out most of your facial features.

Too much smoothing gives your face a plastic look. And, if your selfie shows more than just your face, it looks as if your head doesn’t belong on your body.

Like the Wizard of Oz head, floating behind the curtain.

So, take it easy smoothing out those fine lines and freckles. You’re erasing the things that give your face character and unique beauty.

#5 Color Me Scary

Courtesy of Fstop

Color enhancing can be a great thing when you’re tweaking the colors of a stunning landscape of the countryside.

But when you’re in the pic, oversaturating or under saturating colors, can have a negative effect on the way you appear.

Sure, you want those baby blue eyes to pop or the colors of that spectacular, new dress to appear brighter.

But too much color will give you the complexion of an Oompa Loompa. Too little color can make your skin appear gray and sickly.

So, when enhancing the colors of your next pic, keep in mind that the grass in the background shouldn’t be neon green.

Natural light makes photos pop. Adjust your position and reshoot that selfie till you get the perfect snap.

#4 Cut Out the Cutesy

Facetime Courtesy of ELB

Animal faces.

Floral headbands.

And kitten whiskers….

…. Oh my!

Selfie and chat apps are so technologically advanced that they can recognize facial features and add all sorts of fun filters.

These whimsical little tweaks are fine for a giggle when you’re chatting with your BFF or your mom.

Or when you’re discussing what to wear to prom with your squad.

But when it comes to representing yourself to the world, it’s best to showcase that gorgeous, unfiltered face.

And save the cutesy for private chats.

#2 Turn Around, Bright Eyes

Courtesy of Pixabay

They say the eyes are a window to the soul.

In this case, the soul of a creepy porcelain doll sitting on a dusty shelf at Great Aunt Ida’s house.

Selfie apps have blessed the world with numerous ways to widen eyes, slap on lashes and add a little glimmer to your baby blues. But how much is too much?

It’s terrific to have the ability to wipe away the tell-tale appearance of insomnia-induced, droopy eyelids.

But go easy on those eye effects.

Widening eyes, adding make-up and too much sparkle can give your selfie a cartoonish quality.

So, pick one or two effects to brighten your eyes.

Then, close the app, put down the phone and walk away.

#1 Body Morphing

Courtesy of ELB

Celebrities are guilty of this selfie offense, so it’s okay to morph your selfies too, right?

Wrong.

Before going under the virtual knife and lengthening your legs, lifting your derriere and adding a few cup sizes, be aware of this.

Everybody knows your dirty little secret.

You see, when applying these body-changing techniques, the background of your photo distorts, causing items to be wavy. (Check the suitcase, above)

You could always blur the background and display your flawless, new body in a fog of nothingness.

Or, you could just be your imperfect, stunning self.

Women Are Beautiful

There isn’t a girl on the planet that doesn’t hate the way she looks sometimes.

Afterall, society and public perception equate beauty with perfection.

But beauty isn’t about being someone else’s idea of perfect.

It’s all about embracing your quirks, owning your version of beauty and being confident in that.

Confidence is sexy.

And there isn’t a selfie app in the world that can add that to your pics.