Skip to main content

Does the Smashbox’s selfie makeup tutorial mean the death of the instant selfie?

yecup smart mug selfie
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Is the spontaneous selfie no more? While the history of photography has never strongly favored candid shots, the selfie (not the mirror variety, but the actual front-facing camera kind) once seemed to be the most whimsical and impromptu of photo opportunities. But now that Smashbox has released its selfie makeup tutorial, it appears that even this last bastion of impulsivity has gone astray. Of course, the five-minute Smashbox video is meant to leave you selfie-ready for the rest of the day, meaning that your glowing countenance would look wonderful regardless of lighting or Instagram filter. But still, the selfie was once the hacked-together, down-and-dirty, let’s remember this moment really quickly regardless of how we look type of photo, and now those days seem long gone.

Smashbox selfie-ready makeup tutorial, inspired by the HTC Desire 620

From celebrities and socialites to politicians, the ubiquity of the selfie cannot be denied. It is now easier to snap a selfie with a presidential candidate than to shake his or her hand, and if there’s an expert on how to quickly commemorate a meeting, it’s those on the 2016 campaign trail. Hillary Clinton, whose face has appeared in countless self-taken photographs with countless eager supporters, recently found herself in a selfie with the queen of the camera herself — Kim Kardashian West.

Of course, this isn’t the most surprising of developments in the selfie world. The rise of Kardashian West and her gratuitous use of the medium has made it nearly impossible to take a selfie that feels entirely organic. Sales of her aptly titled book Selfish have now topped 125,000, and it is now in its fourth printing. And while the reality television star’s shots are certainly glamorous, spontaneous they most certainly are not.

So like them, hate them, or don’t care one way or the other about them, one thing’s for sure — the selfie is inescapable, and with the Smashbox makeup tutorial, you can be ready for one at any moment.

Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
AT&T just made it a lot easier to upgrade your phone
AT&T Storefront with logo.

Do you want to upgrade your phone more than once a year? What about three times a year? Are you on AT&T? If you answered yes to those questions, then AT&T’s new “Next Up Anytime” early upgrade program is made for you. With this add-on, you’ll be able to upgrade your phone three times a year for just $10 extra every month. It will be available starting July 16.

Currently, AT&T has its “Next Up” add-on, which has been available for the past several years. This program costs $6 extra per month and lets you upgrade by trading in your existing phone after at least half of it is paid off. But the new Next Up Anytime option gives you some more flexibility.

Read more
Motorola is selling unlocked smartphones for just $150 today
Someone holding the Moto G Stylus 5G (2024).

Have you been looking for phone deals but don’t want to spend a ton of money on flagship devices from Apple and Samsung? Have you ever considered investing in an unlocked Motorola? For a limited time, the company is offering a $100 markdown on the Motorola Moto G 5G. It can be yours for just $150, and your days and nights of phone-shopping will finally be over!

Why you should buy the Motorola Moto G 5G
Powered by the Snapdragon 480+ 5G CPU and 4GB of RAM, the Moto G delivers exceptional performance across the board. From UI navigation to apps, games, and camera functions, you can expect fast load times, next to no buffering, and smooth animations. You’ll also get up to 128GB of internal storage that you’ll be able to use for photos, videos, music, and any other mobile content you can store locally. 

Read more
The Nokia 3210 is the worst phone I’ve used in 2024
A person holding the Nokia 3210, showing the screen.

Where do I even start with the Nokia 3210? Not the original, which was one of the coolest phones to own back in a time when Star Wars: Episode 1 -- The Phantom Menace wasn’t even a thing, but the latest 2024 reissue that has come along to save us all from digital overload, the horror of social media, and the endless distraction that is the modern smartphone.

Except behind this facade of marketing-friendly do-goodery hides a weapon of torture, a device so foul that I’d rather sit through multiple showings of Jar Jar Binks and the gang hopelessly trying to bring back the magic of A New Hope than use it.
The Nokia 3210 really is that bad

Read more