This Alarm Clock Only Turns Off When You Snap a Selfie

Nowadays, selfies are everywhere — from Apple’s latest ad campaign to profile photos to the full “selfies” folder on your iPhone, close-up photos of our faces reign supreme. A recent study published in JAMA Facial Plastic Surgerydisclosed that even a few years ago, back in 2014, people were snapping 93 billion pictures of themselves on Android phones each day; it’s mindboggling to guess how many selfies we’ve taken over the last half-decade. While selfies can be glamorous, funny, memorable, and even used as your password, researchers have also proven that they can cause unhealthy dysmorphia.

Do you like your facial features when you look in the mirror but feel like they look a little funky or not as attractive to you on your phone screen? If so, you might be observing something the researchers coined the “Selfie Effect,” which primarily causes noticeable distortion to the nose. The effect can be so dramatic that it can make your nose look 30 percent bigger than it actually is. Dr. Anthony Youn, a leading holistic plastic surgeon, explains this modern phenomenon in more detail. “Selfie dysmorphia is a term that describes an unrealistic obsession that many people have with taking selfies, getting rid of their perceived flaws with filters, and then having plastic surgery to try to look like their filtered selfies,” he schools us. “Patients actually bring their filtered and edited selfies to plastic surgeons’ offices and ask them to change their appearance to look like their altered photos.” Boris Pashkover, an assistant professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School’s Department of Otolaryngology and co-author of the study, cites patients coming in with selfies and asking specifically to make their noses smaller. Find this to be sad and unfortunate? Dr. Youn agrees and expresses his concern. “This is unsettling for me (as a board-certified plastic surgeon) because most millennials don’t really ‘need’ anything done.”

“People, especially millennials, need to understand that selfies are not accurate representations of how they look,” he continues. “To be honest, selfies are more like a carnival funhouse version of yourself than an accurate representation — and it all has to do with the distance between your face and the camera.” According to Dr. Youn and the study, the closer you position your face to the camera, the more you might perceive your appearance as altered. “Portrait photos are typically taken from a distance, unlike selfies, which can be captured as little as 12 inches from your face. Portrait photographers have known this for years and take their photos accordingly,” he says. “Selfies aren’t a totally accurate depiction of what a person’s face looks like, and they shouldn’t influence the decision to undergo plastic surgery,” he reiterates.

Good news, though: If you’re not thrilled with how your face or nose look in close-up pictures, moving the camera farther away will definitely help — whether you set it up somewhere and use a timer, or get yourself a selfie stick. And there’s always the option of having someone take a photo for you; the extra distance will give you a better picture that accurately depicts how flawless you really are.

What do you think about the “selfie effect”? Sound off on Twitter @BritandCo.

Stassi Schroeder may look picture-perfect when appearing on her reality series Vanderpump Rules, but beneath that seemingly flawless complexion, she wants us to know that she’s every bit as human as the rest of us.

The Straight Up With Stassi podcast host took to Instagram stories over the weekend sans cosmetics to let fans in on a little secret: She actually suffers from psoriasis. “The psoriasis situation is not on fleek,” she said in the accompanying post video. “If anybody else suffers from this and gets it on their face, I’m with you.”

She reiterated her statements with her caption, saying, “If you suffer from Psoriaris, you ain’t alone. Sh*t sucks.”

It’s not the first time she’s opened up about the topic: Back in 2015, she shared a similar selfie while letting fans in on her big beauty secret: Ultra HD Make Up Forever Foundation ($43).

“So many of you ask what makeup I use because It “looks” like I have flawless skin,” she wrote at the time. “I don’t. And these patches are an f-ing b*tch to cover up and make me feel ugly all the time… Feel beautiful today, girls. We all have our issues.”

View this post on Instagram

Having one of those days where Psoriasis is taking over my life. So many of you ask what makeup I use because it "looks" like I have flawless skin. I don't. And these patches are an effing bitch to cover up and make me feel ugly all the time. So here ya go, a no make up selfie. Feel beautiful today, girls. We all have our issues. PS. I use HD make up forever foundation ;)

A post shared by Stassi Schroeder (@stassischroeder) on Nov 5, 2015 at 11:11am PST

As she told Bravo in a subsequent interview, it’s important for her to be open with her viewers about her looks. “Because I know if I go on another girl’s blog or if I’m looking at her Instagram — I stalk tons of female celebrities too — I don’t like feeling bad about myself,” she shared. “I don’t like when people pretend everything’s perfect, it’s not… And I don’t like when women feel insecure, and I don’t want them to ever look at me and feel that way so that’s why if I need to talk about my psoriasis or the fact that I’m wearing pairs of Spanx, fine.”

Her sentiments echo that of Lorde’s, who shared her own struggles with acne just last week. Kudos to both ladies for showing us all that even with our perceived “flaws,” we’re still beautiful in every way!

What do you think of Stassi’s makeup-free selfie? Share over @BritandCo.

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(Photo via @stassischroeder + Dia Dipasupil/Getty)

If you're a loyal fan of Yellowstone and its gripping mix of drama, family dynamics, and Western grit, then you're probably familiar with the genius behind the show: Taylor Sheridan.

As both a writer and director with a ranching background, he's perfected a unique style that blends heart-pounding action with complex characters.

But while Yellowstone has undoubtedly made its mark on television, Taylor's talents extend beyond the small screen. If you can't get enough of his storytelling, here are six Taylor Sheridan films you need to check out.

Scroll to see which Taylor Sheridan movies you should watch if you love YellowstoneASAP!

Lionsgate

1. Sicario (2015)

Sicario is one of Taylor Sheridand's standout works. This crime thriller features FBI agent Kate Macer, played by Emily Blunt, as she's selected for a top-secret task force to win the war on drugs. She goes to the United States-Mexico border to tackle the cartel, working alongside a team of shadowy operatives.

Much like Yellowstone, Sicario, directed by Denis Villeneuve, thrives on suspense, intense violence, and morally complex characters.

CBS Films

2. Hell or High Water (2016)

If you're looking for a Sheridan film that most closely mirrors the world of Yellowstone, this movie might be the answer.

Hell or High Water is a neo-Western that follows Toby, a father struggling to save his family's ranch from foreclosure, who teams up with his ex-convict brother to rob banks in a desperate attempt to keep their land.

It blends classic Western themes with modern drama and explores deep family bonds amidst the harsh realities of financial hardship.

Acacia Filmed Entertainment

3. Wind River (2017)

Taylor Sheridan both wrote and directed Wind River, which features Cory Lamber (Jeremy Renner), a wildlife officer, and FBI agent Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen) as they investigate the murder of a young woman on a Native American reservation.

This film marked his directorial debut and showed off his skill in blending suspense with themes of prejudice, Native American struggles, and the violence of the American West.

Lionsgate

4. Sicario: Day Of The Soldado (2018)

In this follow-up to the original Sicario, agents Matt Graver and Alejandro Gillick return to the United States-Mexico border when the cartel starts smuggling terrorists into the U.S. The situation escalates when the agents kidnap the kingpin's daughter as leverage.

This sequel definitely didn't receive the same love as its predecessor, but Sicario: Day Of The Soldado is still a strong Saturday night movie pick for people who love storylines and character types like those in Yellowstone.

New Line Cinema

5. Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021)

Those Who Wish Me Dead follows Connor, a boy who's on the run from two hitmen during a wildfire. He teams up with a female smokejumper, trying to contain the flames as the killers pursue them.

This action-packed thriller has some of the same rural charm that fans love about Yellowstone, but presents a totally different narrative. It's tense, rated R, and stars Finn Little, Angelina Jolie, and Jake Weber, just to name a few.

Paramount+

6. Finestkind (2023)

Last but not least, Finestkind is based on two brothers from opposite sides of the tracks who reunite during adulthood in Boston. As they grapple with personal struggles, they turn to an organized crime syndicate for help and end up in a risky situation.

Given its urban setting and different character types, this movie might not seem anything like Yellowstone. Nonetheless, it shares key themes of family and moral conflict. Oh, and did we mention Jenna Ortega's (Wednesday, You) in it?!

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