How to Take Instagrams Like a Professional Beauty Blogger

Misty Spinney
Mar 17, 2016

Attention, all you artsy beauties out there! With apps like Instagram and other photo editing tools within fingers’ reach, we’re all able to feel like professional photographers, artists and creators at any minute — it’s one of the beautiful elements of tech that we’re so happy to be a part of. If you’ve browsed any beauty blogger Insta feeds, you’ve probably noticed those majorly artistic layouts of beauty products that look like they fell perfectly into place. Well, guess what? They didn’t. In fact, those layouts are called “flat lays” (a little insider terminology for ya), and they actually take some expertise to master. We love seeing you all create and share your versions of all things artistic so much, we decided to go ahead and share some behind-the-scenes pro tips for how you can take these types of images to a whole new level. Watch out, Instagram — here comes a whole new wave of talented beauty babes!

1. Work in a square. Obviously if you’re working with another crop, then go with that layout instead. The idea here is that you at least keep your work space in alignment with the crop your image will be.

2. Pick a color palette.There really are no specific rules as to what color scheme is best. The important thing is to be intentional with your color choices. Be mindful of how your colors play off each other and where they are throughout your layout — if you have a bright colored item on the lower right quadrant of the layout, try balancing it with another pop of color near the upper left.

3. Angles are your friend.If you can, conceptualize this image without any angles — SUPER boring, right?! Angles are a great way to get creative and utilize your space in an artistic, visually pleasing way.

4. Choose balance over symmetry.You can’t expect to have a symmetrical space when you’re dealing with multiple shapes and sizes of products. Rather than fight a losing battle, embrace it and aim to create balance. The best advice I have to achieve this is to pay attention to the negative (background) space. Keep that space fairly consistent between each product. Also, when you have a group of large products on one side, be mindful of what you place on the other quadrants of space. If you want to have a balanced sense of “weight,” you can counter-balance larger products by strategically structuring the negative space between smaller products.

5. Group similar products.This may not always apply, depending on the type of layout you’re working on, but if you have more than a few of the same type of product, the visual will translate best if you keep them grouped together.

6. Create squiggles + shapes.Use the products themselves to fill in spaces that aren’t looking quite right. For example, in the layout above, I couldn’t get the lower half to feel balanced, so I opened up the eyeliner and drew on some dots and squiggles to take up more space, which also looks super cute in the image!

When you first start off, you’ll end up moving things around quite a bit. Remember, though — there are so many different possibilities for how you can lay out the same items, and everyone will have their own interpretation of how it should look. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to do it the “right” way. Just get creative, and go with the flow. Chances are, what you and the next person create will be completely different. After all, that’s the beauty of these types of creative projects!

Beautiful + Balanced

Now that you’ve got a solid handful of insider tips for how to create Insta-worthy product images, let’s put it into practice. When you want to share a favorite makeup look, or your must-have products that all your friends need to know about, this “get the look” or “what’s in my bag” approach is fun and effective. The layout here gets a little more three-dimensional and playful. Notice the lipstick and mascara designs: INSTA-ntly pretty!

Get the “What’s in My Bag?” Look

Another pro tip: When you’re working with soft goods like a makeup bag or purse, you’ll probably want to add something to make it look fuller, which will in turn make the image look next-level. You can use cardboard, tissue paper, bubble wrap or whatever else you have lying around.

See how much cleaner the one with stuffing looks?

10 "Outdated" Relationship Rules You Should Ditch (But You're Probably Still Doing)

Like anything superoutdated, some relationship rules totally give us the ick — times 10! You'd think the progression of society would have led to their extinction, but they're still being touted as law among singles and couples alike. From pretending you're not excited to talk to someone to believing "happy" relationships are free from disagreements, we have 10 relationship rules that make us roll our eyes every time we hear them.

Stop letting these outdated relationship rules dictate your partnership:

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1. Being Afraid To Make The First Move

Have you ever been out with friends and saw someone who caught your eye? What about if they noticed you looking and smiled? It's the perfect scenario for a meet-cute, but only if one of you makes a move. In our honest opinion, this is your cue to be the first one to break the ice because you never know what could happen. Based on personal experience, your courage could lead you to your future spouse!

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2. Waiting A Certain Amount Of Time To Call Or Text

Remember when we were told that you couldn't show how interested you were in someone? Ugh, we wish we could erase all traces of this "outdated" rule because there's no reason to pretend you're not. The whole "aloof" behavior is so early 2000s so just talk to the person you like. Chances are they're worried about the same thing and may be waiting for you to reach out anyway.

Vlada Karpovich

3. Assuming Date Nights Only Include Dinner & A Movie

Please free yourself from the idea that date nights only count if dinner and a movie are involved. There are so many activities you and partner can do that won't feel repetitive if you're willing to switch it up. From picnics in the park or bike rides to letting your inner kid run free at an arcade, there's other ways to spend time with your partner.

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4. Avoiding Kissing (Or Sex) On The First Date Because You Think It's "Bad"

Want to know a big secret? Someone on our team turned an online meet-cute into a first-date that led to sex and they've currently been with their partner for 10 years! Even if your goal isn't to enter a long-term relationship, it doesn't mean you're a terrible person if you feel compelled to share an intimate or sexual moment with someone.

As long as both parties are openly communicating their desires in a respectful way, we don't think anything bad has to come from acting on what you want.

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5. Sweeping Emotions Under The Rug To Avoid Conflict

We're letting out a huge sigh here because this is a huge lie we're also guilty of believing before. Emotions are temporary and shouldn't outweigh logic, but pretending no one has them is odd. We're hardwired to be expressive, but have come to believe that it's better to swallow them instead of being honest about how we're feeling.

It can be obvious when you or partner are upset about something, so don't let those emotions linger as the elephant in the room. The more you try to push your feelings aside, the easier it becomes to lash out later.

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6. Feeling Pressured To Get Engaged Or Married

Isn't it exciting when people announcement their engagement or get married? That could stem from an ingrained societal feeling or maybe our internal love radars get triggered by public displays of affection. Still, we don't believe you and your partner have to feel like it's time for the next step if you're not ready.

The reality is marriage isn't just about cute photo opportunities so you shouldn't rush into something just because someone else thinks you should. As long as you and your partner know what works for your relationship, that's all that matters!

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7. Feeling Pressured To Have Children (Even If You Don't Want Them)

This is a hot take, but we don't think you should be worried about having children if you don't want them. I know it's the topic of conversation for a lot of reasons, but being responsible for another human isn't something to be taken lightly. Kids aren't toys you can pick up and put down when you don't feel like being bothered. They require a lot of love, attention, and direction even when you're sick.

If you and your partner are sure you don't want to become parents, it's your right to remain child-free.

Mikhail Nilov

8. Believing Only One Person Is Responsible For Bills

In a society where the price of groceries and healthcare have skyrocketed, it's bizarre that people believe only one should should be responsible for bills in 2025. If your situation allows for it then that's great, but there are more two-income households than ever. According to one study, around 52 to 58 percent of couples worked between 1998 and 2017.

Realistically, it's a privilege to be in a situation where one partner can cover the bills by themselves. To make it a requirement for all relationships is not only "outdated," but it's also tone deaf since everyone's socioeconomic status isn't the same.

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9. Skipping Conversations About Money In General

According to money expert Tori Dunlap, it's easy to make common financial mistakes whether you're single or in a relationship. But that's no reason to avoid talking about finances with your partner. Maybe you're afraid of triggering your partner if you've noticed red flags tied to sneaky expenses, or you've been taught that it's not your place to talk about money.

Regardless of what makes you think you can't talk about something that affects both of you, there's no getting around having honest conversations in 2025. Both parties need to be aware of what's going on in case of unexpected emergencies or if you're planning for a huge trip, starting your homeowner journey, and more.

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10. Thinking You Shouldn't Get Into Arguments Because You're "Happy"

It doesn't matter how much you love your partner, disagreements and arguments are bound to happen because you're two different people. The only thing we don't condone is allowing them to become violent because domestic disputes aren't healthy.

If that's not an issue and you're only arguing about your partner leaving the kitchen cabinets open, we're not worried you're going to break up. Truthfully, neither should you!

Which "outdated" relationship rules are annoying to you?

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Travis Kelce Finally Just Answered Those Retirement Rumors

The Kansas City Chiefs suffered a Super Bowl tough loss on February 9, 2025, and there's one major thing on everyone's mind now — is Travis Kelce retiring? The subject's come up multiple times throughout the 2024-2025 NFL season, but much like his brother Jason the previous year, Travis hasn't given a definitive answer on the matter. Amid everything from Taylor Swift wedding rumors to starring TV roles (anyone else watch Grotequerie?!), the Chiefs tight end definitely has a lot going on right now. Could all this — plus an overall great football season, sans the Super Bowl loss — add up to the end of his NFL career? Here's what we know so far.

Scroll to find out everything we know about if Travis Kelce's retiring.

Travis Kelce wants to "get back to the mountaintop."

Travis Kelce finally just gave us a final answer on those retirement rumors (for now, at least): he's not retiring!

“I’m coming back, for sure,” Travis said in a text to Pat McAfee. The Chiefs might have lost the 2025 Super Bowl, but Travis isn't ready to give up.

“Gonna try and get to the best shape I’ve been this offseason and get back to the mountaintop," he continues. "Got a real bad taste in my mouth with how I played in that last game and how I got the guys ready for battle. I can’t go out like that!!!!”

Travis isn't doing anything halfway.

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

On February 12, 2025, Travis Kelce opened up about his potential retirement on the New Heights podcast. "I know everybody wants to know whether or not I'm playing next year, and right now, I'm just kicking everything down the road," he said. "I'm not making any crazy decisions."

Travis shared that the Super Bowl loss a "tough pill to swallow" and a "tough reality," but also noted that the Chiefs team is focused on "being there" for each other in the aftermath.

"I'm gonna take some time to figure it out," he continued at the time. "And, I think I owe it to my teammates that if I do come back, it's a wholehearted decision," he said. "I'm not half-a—ing it, and I'm fully here for them."

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- YouTube

During the 2025 Super Bowl, Travis only made four catches, resulting in a gain of 39 yards — his "lowest postseason output since 2019" according to The Athletic. Still, USA Todayreported that he broke Jerry Rice's record of 35 career Super Bowl catches. However, it was pretty clear that even a record-breaking performance wasn't enough to bolster Travis's mood.

The football star didn't hold a larger post-game conference, but he noted that they "haven't played that bad all year" and said that the Chiefs "couldn’t get it going offensively" to a few reporters. He acknowledged, "You don't lose like that without everything going bad," before leaving for the night.

And Patrick Mahomes says Travis Kelce is "a joy."

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Still, Chiefs quarterback, Patrick Mahomes was asked about what comes next for Travis's career. "I'll let Travis make that decision on his own," Patrick said. "He's given so much to this team and to the NFL, and he's been such a joy, not only for me to work with, but for people to watch."

Mahomes notes Travis "still has a lot of football left in him" and that he "always makes plays in the biggest moments." He said, "But I know he still has a love for the game, and he’ll get to spend some time with his family and make that decision on his own."

Patrick reassured everyone, "He knows he’ll come back here with open arms. We love that guy not only for the football player, but for who he is every single day."

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Travis made his way to the suite with Taylor and his family after the tough Chiefs loss. It was a stark contrast from his "fight for your right to party" vibes of last year, so we hope we was able to find some comfort among his loved ones. And as for if Travis is actually retiring, we'll definitely keep an eye out for what he says and does next. 👀

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This post has been updated.

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Hulu Takes On "Highly Controversial" Ruby Franke Case With New Docuseries

Motherhood has been the topic of several conversations in recent years, but no one expected to see the rise of the popular "mom-fluencer" — or the stark decline of them á la Ruby Franke.

The mom-fluencer is sometimes been portrayed as the mom who's always smiling with her kids in pictures or as the mom who doesn't have it all together. Nonetheless, you can count of seeing BTS moments of her family's "hectic" lives, DIY activities, and fun vacations. We don't think anything is wrong with creating genuine family content, but portraying yourself as a wholesome mom who loves her kids when you're abusive is devilish.

Ruby Franke detailed a beautiful family life on YouTube, but it became clear something was amiss and once the disgraced counselor Jodi Hildebrandt entered the Frankes' lives, things took a terrifying turn for the worse which led to Ruby being arrested for child abuse in 2023.

For the first time, Ruby Franke's ex-husband Kevin Franke and their two oldest children are ready to tell their side of the story in a new Hulu documentary and it's as chilling as you'd expect.

Everything to know about the upcoming documentary on Ruby Franke's highly controversial story:

Hulu

Ruby Franke

Hulu's no stranger to covering true crime and other documentaries,y so it's no surprise they're willing to explore Ruby Franke's case. Appropriately titled Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke, this documentary's primary goal is to understand what happened to the Frankes.

The world's introduction to the family was via their Eight Passengers YouTube channel (second page dedicated to them) which was spearheaded by family matriarch Ruby Franke. Featuring short vlogs about life with "six active kids," it was meant to be a space so they could "find true joy in the journey." Despite the fact Kevin Franke revealed their main channel was bringing in over $100,000, there didn't seem to be a ton of job behind the scenes given the crime-ridden fallout (via Vanity Fair).

But, don't expect to look at Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke from a true crime angle.

Disney/Kai Pfaffenbach

Kevin Franke

"I know everyone expects this to be true crime, but I’ve watched true-crime documentaries, and this isn't it," Kevin Franke said in an interview with Vanity Fair. Even the documentary's director Olly Lambert said he's "never made, and would never make just a true-crime thing," although the media outlet pointed out he directed Abused: The Untold Story which details Jimmy Savile's salacious crimes.

Viewers will be able to see snippets from prior vlogs that include Ruby Franke's double personalities and also seems to explain how Kevin Franke was duped into allowing Jodi Hildebrandt to live with the couple in 2021. According to Lambert, he believes this is one of the ways she was able to manipulate the family. "We’ve met quite a lot of people who worked with Jodi, and it was a very common theme that Jodi really was gifted at seeing through people—reading them with such accuracy. But she used it to such bad ends, because she very quickly…what she would see is a way to exploit people. A way to manipulate them," (via Vanity Fair).

Kevin Franke also said, "One of the things that’s been so frustrating for me has been feeling silenced or muzzled—not being able to speak and having people make assumptions that just aren’t accurate." From his POV, this gives him the chance to "take control" of the narrative that's been spun about him.

Disney/Kai Pfaffenbach

Shari Franke

This may stem from the book he and Ruby Franke's daughter, Shari Franke, released last month. Titled The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom, it sheds light on how controlling her mother was. Not only that, but Shari points out the religious fanaticism her mother succumbed to and the daunting reality of Jodi Hildebrandt's coaching program "ConneXions."

From her perspective, she felt her father wasn't actively present which gave her mom freedom to impose her strong will onto the Franke children.

Disney/Kai Pfaffenbach

Chad Franke

In Chad Franke's case, he never seemed like he wanted to be a part of the YouTube channel. There are moments in Devil in the Family where he doesn't seem enthusiastic about being on camera which prompted his sister Shari to say things like "pretend like you're happy" or "act like you're happy" (via Vanity Fair).

He also revealed the stark difference between how his mom acted when she was filmed and when she wasn't. "...there was a large difference between her just telling me to be myself, and then, you know, when we were doing a brand deal or working with a company — then I was to say exactly what the company would ask me to say."

It makes sense he celebrated the anniversary of his mom's arrest last year by writing "Happy Prisonversary" over her picture on social media (via PEOPLE).

Hulu

Ruby Franke

Throughout the documentary, it feels that Kevin Franke took a passive approach to being in his children's lives which led to Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt taking advantage of them. Vanity Fair recounted how Ruby even resorted to saying she believed her children were under demonic possession and needed to save her kids.

Whatever the case, the Franke children will have to heal from the trauma inflicted on them by someone who should've been protecting and loving them. It's a sad situation that should've never resulted in Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke being filmed, but we're glad someone decided to allow siblings Shari and Chad Franke a chance to share their side of the story.

You can watch all episodes of Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke on Hulu starting today!

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