What is the TikTok Inverted Filter?
The inverted filter on TikTok is a popular camera effect that flips your face horizontally to create a mirrored image. When you take a selfie video with the inverted filter, it shows you a horizontally flipped version of your face. This makes your face look symmetrical, since our faces are actually subtly asymmetrical in reality. The filter goes viral every few months with TikTok users posting reaction videos and commenting on how different they look with the inverted filter effect.
As described by CNET (https://www.cnet.com/culture/internet/why-the-tiktok-inverted-filter-is-turning-some-peoples-self-esteem-upside-down/), the inverted filter “flips your camera, so you see a mirrored version of yourself.” It’s easy to find and try out the filter on TikTok – just open the app, go to the Discover page, and search for “inverted.” Applying the filter will flip your camera view horizontally, showing you a symmetrically inverted version of your face.
How the Filter Works
The inverted filter on TikTok works by flipping the colors in an image to their opposite values. Technically, it inverts the RGB color values, changing each pixel’s color to its inverse on the color spectrum (cite: https://www.wikihow.com/Inverted-Filter). For example, a pixel that was red (255,0,0) would become cyan (0,255,255), while a blue pixel (0,0,255) would become yellow (255,255,0). This color inversion happens across the entire image, flipping it into a negative version of itself.
When you take a selfie with the inverted filter, it finds your face and inverts the colors only within the facial area, leaving the background unchanged. It uses facial recognition technology to identify key facial features and lock onto your face. As you move, the filter tracks your face in real-time, constantly inverting the colors (cite: https://www.dexerto.com/entertainment/how-to-use-tiktoks-inverted-filter-1556163/). This creates a mirrored effect, like looking at a negative photo of yourself.
Does the Inverted Filter Really Show What You Look Like?
The inverted filter on TikTok shows a flipped version of your face, which looks quite different from what you see when looking in a normal mirror. Some claim this inverted image reveals what you “actually” look like to others in real life. But in reality, the inverted face is not an accurate representation of your appearance.
According to psychologists, the inverted filter looks strange because humans are used to seeing a mirror image of their face, not a flipped version. As neuroscientist Daniel G. Amen explains, “Your face is not symmetrical… When you flip the image, small differences become more obvious which may make you focus on flaws” (source).
When you look in an actual mirror, the left and right sides of your face are reversed. But your brain has learned to perceive the mirrored reflection as normal. So when you see the inverted image, which shows the true left-right orientation, it looks jarringly different.
In short, the weird inverted look is actually still distorted compared to real life. It’s simply a new distortion you’re not used to. So the inverted filter does not show your objective appearance or how others see you. It shows an image that is equally as skewed as a regular front-facing photo, just in the opposite direction.
Why It Looks Different
When we invert the colors of an image, we essentially flip the light and dark areas. This disrupts how our visual perception system processes faces. According to research, our brains have specific mechanisms for facial recognition that rely on shading patterns and contrasts. Flipping these patterns confuses the brain and makes it harder to interpret the image as a normal face [1].
Inverting an image also distorts depth perception cues like shadows and lighting. This makes certain facial features appear sunken or protruding in an unnatural way. The distorted shading patterns change our perception of 3D shape from 2D images [2]. As a result, inverted faces can end up looking eerie or unfamiliar.
Our brains also rely on color cues to interpret images. Removing natural color information makes it harder to extract details. Flipping light and dark areas shifts colors in odd ways, creating an alien effect. This explains why inverted faces look so strange compared to the originals.
The Illusion of Symmetry
Research has shown that people tend to perceive symmetrical faces as more attractive. According to a 2011 study published in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, faces that appear symmetrical are rated as more attractive (Little, 2011). This preference for symmetry is believed to have evolutionary origins, as symmetry may indicate health, good genes, and an ability to cope with environmental stressors (Simmons et al., 2004).
However, true facial symmetry is rare. Even faces that appear highly symmetrical have subtle asymmetries. A 2023 study in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery found that perfectly symmetrical faces appear slightly unnatural and unattractive, falling into the “uncanny valley” phenomenon. Slight asymmetry is normal and contributes to individual facial identity (Harun et al., 2023).
Our brains tend to perceive and remember faces in a symmetrical way. We focus on the central features and overview the face holistically, smoothing out minor asymmetries. So even though objectively no face is perfectly symmetrical, certain proportions and arrangements of features allow a face to be perceived as highly symmetrical and attractive.
Individual Variation in Faces
It is normal and common for human faces to have some degree of asymmetry. Studies show that most people’s faces are not perfectly symmetrical and have subtle differences between the two sides. This is known as fluctuating asymmetry and is a result of natural variation in development and genetics (Thiesen et al., 2015; Gateño et al., 2018). These asymmetries are often so minor that they are imperceptible to the naked eye.
However, when a photo is inverted, these subtle asymmetries become more apparent. Flipping the image disrupts our brain’s ability to perceive faces holistically. Tiny differences that we would normally overlook suddenly seem exaggerated and pronounced. This explains why people are often surprised by how “asymmetrical” their faces look with the inverted filter, even though the asymmetries were present all along.
While flipped images may highlight asymmetry, they do not actually alter or distort our faces. The inverted filter simply reveals the normal variation in facial features that makes each of us unique.
The Uncanny Valley Effect
The inverted filter can create an unsettling feeling called the “uncanny valley” effect. This term refers to when an image looks almost like a real human face, but is slightly off in subtle ways, creating a feeling of unease or repulsion (Source).
When we see an inverted version of our own face or someone else’s, it lands in this uncanny valley – it’s recognizably human, but the asymmetries and small flaws become more apparent. Our brains aren’t used to processing these “almost but not quite right” faces, so we have an instinctive negative reaction (Source).
The inverted filter eliminates the symmetry we’re used to seeing in faces, resulting in subtle distortions that seem eerie or unfamiliar. Even tiny deviations from normal facial proportions can make a face move from attractive to creepy. This demonstrates how sensitive our facial recognition abilities are.
Insecurity and Social Media Filters
Social media filters have become extremely popular, with apps like Snapchat and Instagram providing a range of options to alter and enhance your appearance. However, some research suggests these filters may negatively impact self-esteem and body image, especially among young people.
One study published in 2021 in Body Image journal found that social media filters “significantly decreased state appearance self-esteem” in a group of adolescent girls [1]. The authors suggest filters may worsen appearance comparisons and lead teens to develop unrealistic beauty ideals.
Other research shows people already insecure about their looks are more likely to use beauty filters [2]. But relying on filters for validation can further degrade self-confidence and body satisfaction over time. Filters provide an illusion – they don’t change who you really are.
While social media filters seem harmless, experts warn their excessive use can perpetuate negative thought patterns for those with low self-esteem or body image issues. Learning to appreciate your natural appearance and boosting self-confidence in healthier ways is key.
Beyond the Inverted Filter
While the inverted filter has become popular on TikTok recently, it’s far from the only filter or effect that people use to transform their appearance on social media. On both TikTok and Instagram, there are countless filters and editing tools that allow users to alter their selfies and videos.
Some of the most popular Instagram filters include Valencia, Clarendon, Gingham, Juno, Lark, and Ludwig 1. These vintage-style filters boost contrast, shift color balances, and add grain for an artistic, retro look. Instagram also has its own “IG filters” built into the app, with options like Brannan, Brooklyn, and Vesper for chic, moody effects.
Over on TikTok, popular filters include Vintage, Glitch, Edgewater, Island, Fairy Dust, and Candy 2. TikTok filters can completely transform a scene, adding sparkles, lens flares, color shifts, and other playful or trippy effects. There are also more subtle filters like Matte, Subtle, and Skin Smooth to enhance natural beauty.
Beyond just filters, both apps offer ways to retouch and edit images. Tools like smoothing skin, whitening teeth, reshaping facial features, applying virtual makeup, and more allow social media users to enhance their selfies before sharing.
While filters and effects can be fun, it’s important for social media users to reflect on how altering their appearance impacts their self-image and mental health. At the end of the day, embracing your natural beauty is what matters most.
Accepting and Loving Yourself
It’s important to focus on self-acceptance and positivity rather than relying on filters and distortions of our appearance. As one source notes, “Fight back your inner bully and defy negative self-talk in your letter. Read it to yourself while looking in the mirror and tell yourself that you are enough.” (https://www.matherhospital.org/weight-loss-matters/positive-body-image-for-self-acceptance/)
Appreciating your natural beauty and unique features is empowering. Body positivity quotes can provide inspiration: “You are perfect just the way you are. You don’t need to change anything about yourself to be loved.” (https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/wellness/g35182990/body-positivity-quotes/)
Rather than relying on filters or comparisons, focus on self-care, healthy habits, and activities you enjoy. Surround yourself with supportive people who build you up. Define beauty for yourself in ways that make you glow from the inside out. Stay positive on social media and real life. Appreciate all the things your body lets you experience and accomplish each day. You are enough just as you are – believe it!
