Social media apps like Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok have provided users with the most innovative filters to play around with.
Some are fun and allow users to create hilarious posts, while others are designed to “beautify”.
These face-altering beauty filters have over recent years come under the spotlight for the harmful effect it has on the self-image of the specifically younger users by creating a false sense of reality where everyone has flawless skin, bright eyes and rosy cheeks.
These filters can even provide a wide variety of make-up looks.
By simply selecting a specific filter you can go from a dramatic eye look complete with fake lashes and perfect wing liner to a bold lip (any colour of your choice) and a neutral eye.
These filters will give you a full face beat without having to spend a cent on cosmetics or lift a make-up brush.
While we all understand the damaging effects these “beautifying” filters can have, one can understand why people would happily embrace the power of digital make-up.
Imagine a world, which can only exist in digital form, where you never have to remove your make-up before you go to bed. Where you don’t have to spend hours trying to select the perfect foundation shade. Never have to learn how to shape your brows. Never need to know the difference between a blusher or powder brush.
While there are any number of pre-set filters that are readily available, a basic knowledge of photo-editing applications, like Photoshop, can create the most spectacular looks.
In the same way that one is able to create digital art in these applications, you can now use your face as a canvas for extraordinary digital make-up.
A 23-year-old beauty influencer and make-up artist who has over 21k followers on Instagram has already started exploring the realm of digital make-up.
When scrolling through Hotin Andreea Cătălina’s Instagram feed you can immediately see that she is indeed a skilled make-up artist who has a specific passion for Avante grande eye make-up looks.
"Sometimes what you can do digitally in one hour can take up to five hours to paint on your face," Hotin told Byrdie.
"While working digitally, you can zoom in as much as you want on your photo, so you can add an incredible amount of detail.
"What I love about digital make-up is how intuitive it is and how there are endless possibilities," adds the young artist who has in fact already created a filter.
"There is already a huge market for editing apps and filters, and I think people are just really curious to see how they would look wearing different make-up," she says.
In 2020 celebrity make-up artist Raoul Alejandre created a digital beauty series that turned models into avatar-like characters.
He used Photoshop to imagine virtual make-up looks inspired by each of the model’s favourite images, music, colours, and garments.
“All make-up I digitally applied with @photoshop on iPhone selfies. The make-up shades are inspired from shadows/shades in my kit,” he wrote in an Instagram post.
“Technology has provided a platform that has allowed me to express myself and experiment in the industry in such a different way than when I began my career. It has given everyone the opportunity to express, educate, and inspire,” Alejandre told Dazed magazine.