Facetune

Facetune is a photo and video editing application[1] used to edit, enhance, and retouch photos on a user's iOS or Android device created by Lightricks.[2][3][4] The app is often used for portrait and selfie editing.

Facetune
Developer(s)Lightricks
Initial releaseFacetune: March 2013; Facetune2: November 2016; Facetune: August 2022
Stable release
2.1.3 / February 19, 2014
Operating systemiOS 6.0 or later
Size42.3 MB
TypePhoto Editor; Video Editor
LicenseProprietary
Websitewww.facetuneapp.com

The app implements a number of beauty filters allowing users apply edits such as teeth whitening, removal of blemishes, smoothing out skin, correcting bad lighting, contouring and adding makeup. Users can choose from a variety of filters, lighting, textures, contrast, and frame options.[5][6]

Facetune2 was launched in November 2016.[7] Editing tools include realistic facial editing (changing facial expressions, for instance) and the ability to re-light a subject after the photo has been taken. It also has the ability to change the background of the photo, live selfie editing, more makeup options and also add glitter.[8][9][10] Users can share the images created with this app on a variety of social networking services.[11][12] Since 2022, Facetune2 and Facetune Video, were merged into one app and reverted back to the name Facetune.[13]

History

Facetune was first released in March 2013. Before the launch of Facetune 2, it was sold as an app, cost $3.99 per download.[14] It shifted to a subscription based model in 2016. Facetune2[15] is a free download but offers a subscription option that provides unlimited access to all features and content.

Facetune enables users to remove blemishes, improve complexions and perform other manipulations on their photos which could previously only be performed by Photoshop on a desktop computer.[16]

The Facetune app is being used as a Facebook case study on user acquisition.[17] It was also named Apple's #4 best-selling paid app in 2016[18] In May 2019, Facetune 2 launched on Android.[19]

Within a year of its release, the app ranked #1 in the photo & video category in 120 countries and reached the #1 paid app in over 150 countries (as of June 2019).[20][21] It was named one of App Store's Best of 2013.[22] and was Apple's most downloaded paid app in 2017.[23] It has been downloaded over 60 million times.[24] It was awarded Google Play's best app of 2014.[25] The Facetune App was recognized by publications such as The New York Times, USA Today,[26] the NY Daily News,[27] The Huffington Post[28] and Mashable.[29] Celebrities like Khloé Kardashian have discussed their enthusiasm for using Facetune to fine-tune their selfies.[30] It has become popular among the lifestyle and influencer community on YouTube, with figures such as James Charles,[31] Nikita Dragun,[32] Tana Mongeau[33] as well as the LGBTQ community.[34] The app developers participated[35] in a special panel in DragCon LA 2018[36] and also sponsored one of the episodes[37] in Season 11 of RuPaul's Drag Race. Sarah Hyland admitted to using Facetune on her Instagram pictures.[38]

Editing features

Facetune

The app was released in 2013, and was unique on the marketplace.[39]

  • Retouching: users can smooth their skin to make it appear airbrushed, whiten their teeth, reshape their face, and sharpen the images around the eyes[40]
  • Artistic: adjust the backgrounds and add novelty filters.

Facetune2

Released in 2016, Facetune2 included sliders for modification of the intensity of the portrait editing feature, as well as a one tap fix, which was not available in the original Facetune.

  • Retouching: tools include the ability to smooth skin, swipe over blemishes and wrinkles, fix redeye, whiten teeth, add a glow, conceal dark circles, matte shiny skin, and refine facial features in terms of both size and proportion.
  • Artistic: tools include adjusting, blending and replacing photo backgrounds behind the subject, and adding from a menu of dramatic to subtle mood filters. Special effects include the chromatic Prism and other effects via the LightFX tool, Glitter, and Paint to add makeup, contouring or adding Neon lighting. One can also change the background of the picture.[41]
  • Photography: a darkroom feature includes adjustment tools like Structure and Saturation. Users can also remove shadows or glare and Relight to mimic studio lighting

Facetune Video

Released in 2020, Lightricks offered an app called Facetune Video allowing users to create the same know Facetune effects for Videos.[42]

Facetune

In 2022, Lightricks combined Facetune2 and Facetune video, and renamed the app back to Facetune, and added new features in addition to already popular tools:

  • Makeup tool, allowing users to create full makeup looks[43]
  • AI based Enhance tool, for automatically retouching photos [44]
  • Remove object tool, allowing users to remove objects and unwanted elements from photos [45]

Development

Facetune was created by Lightricks, an Israel-based startup company established by five entrepreneurs.[46] Lightricks builds photo and video editing applications for smartphones, which are focused on content creation.[47] The company is based in the Hebrew University Tech Village in Givat Ram,[48] Jerusalem, with offices in New York and London.[49] Lightricks is the developer of LTEngine, an image processing engine designed for mobile platforms, which was used in Facetune.[50]

Criticism

Selfie-enhancing and other photo editing apps have been criticized for encouraging users to catfish or pretend to be someone else on the internet, especially on social networking platforms. This motivation to seek "perfection" is also seen as undermining self and body confidence, particularly in younger users.[51] The increased use of body and facial reshaping applications such as Snapchat and Facetune has been identified as a potential cause of body dysmorphia. Recently, a phenomenon referred to as "Snapchat dysmorphia" has been used to describe people who request surgery to look like the edited version of themselves as they appear through Snapchat Filters.[52]

See also

References
  1. Perez, Sarah (2020-07-28). "Facetune maker Lightricks brings its popular selfie retouching features to video". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
  2. Yamshon, Leah. "Expo Notes: Spruce up your selfies with Facetune". Macworld. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  3. Press Release, Nokia. "roid developers; expands global developer footprint with momentum across Lumia and Asha". Archived from the original on 2019-06-02. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  4. "Calcalist's Top 50 Startups 2019: #11-#17". Calcalist. 8 May 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  5. Furghott, Roy (8 October 2013). "An App to Create your Movie-Star Photo". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  6. Maxcer, Chris. "Hey Buddy, Fix Your Face - Oh Wait, I Can Do It for You with Facetune". Archived from the original on 3 June 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  7. "Facetune 2 puts a powerful photo editor in your pocket". TechCrunch. 28 November 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  8. Kamps, Haje Jan. "Facetune 2 puts a powerful photo editor in your pocket". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
  9. CNET. "Facetune review: Complicated tools, but makes portraits better". Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  10. "Best Beauty Apps KiraKira+ Facetune BeGlammed". Us Weekly. 2017-10-28. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
  11. "How to edit photos for Instagram using the Facetune and VSCO apps". New Kid on The Blog. Retrieved 2017-11-09.
  12. "Facetune". Facebook. Retrieved 2017-11-09.
  13. "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
  14. Facetune maker's newest app, Enlight Photofox, is a powerful image editor
  15. "Facetune 2 puts a powerful photo editor in your pocket". TechCrunch. 28 November 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  16. Jerusalem of tech: How the capital has given Tel Aviv a run for its start-up money, The Jerusalem Post
  17. Israel's hot startup scene is fostering several unicorns
  18. "These Are the Most Popular iPhone Apps of 2016". Time. 7 December 2016. Retrieved 2017-11-30.
  19. "Facetune 2: Best Portrait-Retouching App". Toms Guide. 22 May 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  20. "Available Countries and Regions". iTunes. Archived from the original on 15 September 2019. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  21. "These Apps and Games Have Spent the Most Time at No. 1 on the App Store". Sensor Tower. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  22. Viticci, Frederico (17 December 2013). "Apple Posts "Best of 2013" iTunes Lists". MacStories. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  23. "Apple's most downloaded apps of 2017". Mashable. 7 December 2017. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  24. "Lightricks proves the Start Up Nation is not just about Tel Aviv". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  25. "Google Unveils 'Best Apps of 2014' Section on Play Store". Gadgets 360. December 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  26. Graham, Jefferson. "Facetune app solves need for facial retouching". USA Today. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  27. Taylor, Victoria (11 June 2013). "Facetune app makes retouching photos a snap". Daily News. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  28. Fuld, Hillel (26 June 2013). "Facetune Is an iOS Photo-Editing App That Can Truly Be Called Magical". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  29. Fitzgerald, Sean (13 June 2013). "iPhone Users Can Expertly Retouch Portraits With Facetune". Mashable. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  30. "Khloé Kardashian on Editing Her Instagram Photos: Facetune Is the Only Way to Live". people.com. 2016-02-24. Retrieved 2017-11-09.
  31. "How to take your selfies from drab to fab! Facetune tutorial". YouTube. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  32. "@NikitaDragun". Twitter. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  33. "Dolan Twins Tea, Virginities, and Facetune with Emma Chamberlain". YouTube. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  34. "For Trans Women Like Me, Facetune Is a Way to See Our Real Selves". Vice. 13 July 2018. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  35. "From Jerusalem to RuPaul's DragCon, Israeli app rocks the selfie world". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  36. "Facetune: RuPaul's DragCon LA 2018". World of Wonder. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  37. "RuPaul's Drag Race Recap: Which Four Queens Are Headed to the Finale?". TV Line. 17 May 2019. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  38. "Sarah Hyland Shares 'Facetuned' Bikini Photo And No-Makeup Selfie On Instagram". Women's Health. 12 June 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
  39. "Facetune Is an iOS Photo-Editing App That Can Truly Be Called Magical". Huffington Post. 26 June 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  40. "I copied a beauty blogger and subtly changed one thing about my selfies — can you spot it?". Business Insider. 29 September 2015. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  41. "Facetune — Everything you need to know!". iMore. 27 April 2017. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  42. Perez, Sarah (2020-07-28). "Facetune maker Lightricks brings its popular selfie retouching features to video". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  43. Spanik, Andrea. "Facetune Digital Makeup, Mix & Match For More Online Clout | Facetune". www.facetuneapp.com. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  44. "AI Photo Enhancer | Image Enhancer | Facetune". www.facetuneapp.com. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  45. "Remove Objects, People, Text From Photo | Facetune". www.facetuneapp.com. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  46. "Lightricks Releases Facetune for iPad: Chosen #1 Best New App by Apple". Archived from the original on 13 April 2014. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  47. "How the makers of Facetune raked in ~ $18 million in 2 years and caught Facebook's eye". Business Insider. Retrieved 2017-11-30.
  48. "Jerusalem Start Up unveils next generation of iOS photo editing app". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  49. "Israeli image editing app co Lightricks raises $60m". Globes. 19 November 2018. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  50. Shu, Catherine. "Lightricks, The Creator Of Facetune, Lands $10M To Develop New Photo-Editing Apps". TechCrunch. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  51. Team, Family Zone. "Cyber Insecurity: The harmful impact of 'vanity apps' on child self esteem". Retrieved 2017-11-08.
  52. MEDICAL CENTER, BOSTON. "A new reality for beauty standards: How selfies and filters affect body image". eurekalert. the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Retrieved 4 February 2019.
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