New research from Lenstore reveals the vainest cities in the UK by seeing how long they take to capture and edit their selfies.
Our increasingly digital world has resulted in us focusing more on how we look, leading us to turn to quick-fix solutions to hide our so-called imperfections from the rest of the world online.
To see how self-obsessed we really are, Lenstore has surveyed Brits to find out more about our selfie-taking habits, why we turn to editing apps, and why we alter our appearance online.
People in Sheffield dedicate almost 15 minutes to taking and editing a single snap
The research found that people in Sheffield come in as the second vainest in the nation after Southampton where people spend the most time taking and editing a snap of themselves, at 16 minutes and 5 seconds on average per photo.
To put that into perspective, if the average person in the city took two selfies a week, they would be spending 2 hours and 8 minutes every month taking and editing their pictures. That works out at just over 1 day every year.
Over half (54%) of those living in Southampton have also admitted that they can’t post a selfie online without editing first.
The UK cities spending the longest taking and editing selfies
Sheffield is the second vainest location in the UK, taking 14 minutes and 53 seconds on average to perfect a single selfie, followed by Birmingham (13 minutes and 50 seconds) and Manchester (13 minutes and 49 seconds).
Those in Cardiff spend the least amount of time taking and editing selfies, at 10 minutes and 8 seconds on average per photo.
The Selfie Effect: Why do Brits really edit photos of themselves?
From giving ourselves a confidence boost to making others jealous, there are several reasons why people edit their selfies before posting on social media.
The top reasons why Brits edit their selfies
The top reason for editing our selfies is to feel less self-conscious, which nearly half of respondents (48%) associate with. This is followed by ‘to feel better about ourselves’ at 48% and ‘to enhance our best features’ at 48% overall.
Just over 44% of people edit their selfies to hide imperfections from others, including freckles and birthmarks, while 1 in 3 (33.6%) edit their selfies to make others jealous.
More than half of men say they can’t post a selfie without applying a filter, compared to 43% of women
It is a common misconception that women are more appearance-focused than men, however, the findings show that 52% of men surveyed can’t post a selfie without editing whereas only 43% of women say the same.
Additionally, 60% of men say they can’t post a photo without altering the shape of their face, compared to 43% of women.
Both men and women go further than editing apps to alter their appearance, from minor changes to the more extreme. In terms of vision, one in 10 people wear contact lenses instead of their glasses for vanity reasons rather than practicality.
Many turn to cosmetics to enhance their features, with 18% of respondents admitting to having non-surgical treatments (including Botox and dermal fillers) to provide lasting changes to their appearance.
Overall, it’s clear the increased availability of selfie editing apps has contributed to a more self-obsessed society, with us (some more than others) becoming more reliant on digital effects before posting an image of ourselves online.
The full report of findings from the research conducted by Lenstore can be found here.
