Searches for ‘narcissism’ have spiked in recent years, and some speculate that we're in the midst of an epidemic. But while narcissism is often considered a bad thing, does it have to be? Psychologist Dr. Craig Malkin isn’t sure. He sat down with Canvas8 to explain what healthy narcissism looks like.

Meitu started off as a photo-editing app to create the perfect selfie, but has since evolved to let users to make themselves (and others) look wackily, disarmingly adorable. With social media fuelling an obsession for aesthetic perfection, what’s got people altering their appearance to the extreme?

Selfies ruin trips to galleries, interrupt nights out, and feed an unhealthy preoccupation with looks. But they’re also being used to champion the individual and non-mainstream beauty. As brands launch selfie campaigns, can they engage audiences in a way that’s helpful, not harmful?

While other retail sectors suffer, make-up counters are flanked with shoppers looking to make themselves selfie-ready. Social media is driving people to curate and perfect their online branded self, and these lofty expectations of personal image are boosting beauty spending.