TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 1 billion monthly active users worldwide according to one report [1]. The app allows users to create and share short videos, often set to music. In recent years, TikTok has seen a major rise in popularity of beauty filters that alter users’ appearances.
Beauty filters on TikTok can smooth skin, apply makeup looks, change facial features, and more. As these highly realistic filters have grown prominent across the platform, questions have emerged around their potential impacts – on beauty standards, mental health, and TikTok’s youngest users.
What Are TikTok Beauty Filters?
TikTok beauty filters are augmented reality effects within the TikTok app that enhance and alter a user’s appearance in videos. The filters apply visual effects to a user’s face while recording, making subtle or dramatic changes to facial features. Some common effects of TikTok beauty filters include:
- Smoothing skin texture and masking perceived imperfections
- Enlarging and brightening eyes
- Slimming the face shape
- Plumping lips
- Adding makeup looks like eyeshadow, lipstick, and blush
The filters use advanced facial tracking and mapping technology to apply these effects in real-time as the user records themselves. Unlike static photo filters, TikTok’s AR beauty filters can track head movements and facial expressions to alter the video in a very realistic way. The effects aim to enhance beauty standards like clear skin, big eyes, full lips, and a slim jawline. This transforms the look of users, sometimes in a very drastic manner.
Popular TikTok Beauty Filters
Some of the most popular beauty filters on TikTok include names like “Beauty 3000”, “Angel Face”, and “G5 Beauty” [1]. These filters smooth skin, enlarge eyes, thin the face, and add makeup effects.
The Beauty 3000 filter has over 5.5 billion views on TikTok and is one of the most used beauty filters [1]. This filter smooths skin, makes eyes look bigger, and gives an airbrushed look.
Angel Face is another top filter that shapes and slims the face to more “ideal” heart and oval shapes. This filter has over 800 million views.
G5 Beauty brightens the under-eye area, smooths skin, and enlarges eyes. This filter has been used in over 3 billion TikTok videos [1].
How TikTok Beauty Filters Work
TikTok beauty filters use augmented reality (AR) and facial mapping technology to modify users’ appearances in real-time when recording videos. The app maps key points on the user’s face, like their eyes, nose, and mouth, to detect facial features and geometry (BBC). It then applies an algorithm to make subtle or dramatic alterations to the dimensions, size, and proportions of the facial features to achieve a desired “beautified” effect.
Some of the most popular beauty filters on TikTok use AR technology to smoothly animate digital overlays like makeup, jewelry, or accessories onto the user’s face. Others take a more transformative approach by widening eyes, slimming jawlines, or enhancing lips for a doll-like appearance. While filters can exaggerate features to comical extremes, many aim for convincing realism that blurs the line between human and AI alteration.
Under the hood, TikTok relies on advanced computer vision techniques like neural networks to analyze, process, and modify imagery in real-time. The app leverages users’ smartphone cameras and hardware acceleration to run intensive AR and facial mapping algorithms efficiently. While the technology behind beauty filters is complex, the end result aims to let users enhance their look with just a tap.
Impact on Beauty Standards
Critics argue that TikTok’s beauty filters like Bold Glamour promote unrealistic and unattainable beauty standards, especially among young people. As one article explains, “In recent days, TikTok creators have been criticizing the app’s new ‘Bold Glamour’ filter for perpetuating unrealistic beauty standards” (source). The filters smooth skin, enlarge eyes, slim face shapes, and edit features in ways that are impossible to achieve in real life without cosmetic procedures.
Some believe these manipulated images present heavily edited appearances as beauty ideals, which can negatively impact self-esteem and body image, especially for younger audiences. One petition argues that “These filters teach girls that there is an ‘ideal’ way to look — a problematic standard that values certain features like whiteness and thinness and devalues natural beauty and diversity” (source).
However, supporters counter that beauty filters are just for fun and entertainment. They don’t necessarily promote unrealistic standards since people understand the images are digitally altered. One BBC article notes, “Most people who use filters aren’t expecting to look exactly like the end result in real life” (source). Filters offer a chance to experiment with appearance temporarily.
Impact on Mental Health
TikTok’s beauty filters have raised concerns among some mental health experts over their potential negative impact on users’ mental health and self-esteem. While filters can boost confidence in the short-term, some studies suggest they can contribute to anxiety, depression, and body dysmorphia in the long run.
Filters like Bold Glamour provide an unrealistic and often unattainable standard of beauty. Constantly seeing an altered version of oneself through a filter can negatively impact self-image and cause insecurity when viewing one’s natural appearance without a filter. As noted in a 2022 study by Lancaster University, “participant’s social comparisons to their filtered self-image resulted in lower self-esteem and lower self-concept clarity.”
However, some argue these filters can have benefits as well. Applying a filter and seeing an enhanced version of oneself can provide a quick confidence boost for some users. Beauty vloggers often credit filters with helping them feel more comfortable on camera. But experts caution the confidence gained from filters tends to be superficial and temporary.
More research is still needed on the long-term mental health impacts. But many experts recommend using filters in moderation and maintaining a realistic perspective when viewing filtered content online.
Sources:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tiktok-bold-glamour-filter-ai-mental-health/
Beauty filters on TikTok may be damaging to your mental health: study
Impact on Children
There is growing concern over the impact of TikTok’s beauty filters on children and their developing self-image. Social media use is already linked to body image issues, especially in young girls. TikTok’s beauty filters take this to another level by allowing children to completely transform their appearance with just a tap. Seeing a filtered version of themselves that smooths their skin, enlarges their eyes, and thins their face shapes can promote unrealistic beauty standards in children.
Calls are increasing for TikTok to implement age restrictions on certain filters. Parents and child development experts argue that filters promoting unrealistic beauty ideals can be psychologically damaging to kids. They encourage TikTok to limit access to these filters for users under 16 at minimum. There are also requests for TikTok to add warnings about potential negative mental health effects before allowing children to access these filters.
Celebrity Reactions
Many celebrities have spoken out about the impacts of TikTok beauty filters like Bold Glamour. Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet said she finds these filters “disturbing” and wishes social media companies would take more responsibility, saying “Don’t make people look they way they’re not. We’re beautiful as we are” (Source). Supermodel Tyra Banks argued these filters set unrealistic beauty standards, saying “Stop the beauty insanity…You’re perfect just the way you are” (Source).
However, some celebrities have defended filters, arguing they are just for fun and creative expression. Kylie Jenner said “It’s an option, no one is forcing you to use it” in response to backlash over filters (Source). Singer Bebe Rexha argued filters are empowering, saying they allow people to transform themselves however they want. But experts counter that widespread use of unrealistic filters can negatively impact self-esteem.
TikTok’s Response
TikTok has faced criticism over its beauty filters like Bold Glamour for promoting unrealistic beauty standards. In response, TikTok introduced opt-in filters in 2022 that users have to actively choose to apply, moving away from default presets (1). TikTok also responded to the Bold Glamour controversy specifically, with a spokesperson telling Business Insider that “Effects that beautify or reshape a person’s face can set unrealistic beauty standards, and we’re working to introduce safety measures while empowering our community to use effects in a positive way” (2). The spokesperson highlighted that Bold Glamour was released as an opt-in filter only (2).
While opt-in filters do place more choice in users’ hands, some experts argue these filters should come with warnings about potential mental health impacts, especially for younger users (1). Overall, TikTok’s statements indicate an aim to give users more control over filters while recognizing concerns about setting unrealistic expectations. However, critics say more protective measures are still needed around these viral beauty effects.
(1) https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230301-the-problems-with-tiktoks-controversial-beauty-filters
(2) https://www.businessinsider.com/experts-warn-about-tiktoks-creepily-realistic-viral-beauty-filter-2023-3
Conclusion
Reviewing key points, TikTok’s beauty filters utilize advanced AI technology to alter users’ appearances in real-time video, smoothing skin, enhancing facial features, and modifying shape. Though popular, these filters have concerning implications. They promote unrealistic beauty standards, impact mental health and self-esteem, and influence children. While TikTok claims awareness of responsible use, the app itself encourages maximum engagement. Responsible use requires recognizing filters’ artificial nature, focusing on inner qualities, and celebrating real beauty’s diversity. Though challenging, consciously curbing social media’s negative impacts is crucial for individual and societal well-being.
