This New Instagram Filter Is a Selfie Game Changer, but There's a Catch
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Image before and after the Paris filter.
A few months ago, I received a pleasant surprise from Instagram. Sadly, it wasn't that my timeline was back to chronological order, but I did get a new filter. I saw it immediately because it was the first one to pop up as I swiped to the right. It's called Paris, and similar to how Snapchat has the "pretty filter," Paris blurs the skin so it looks immediately FaceTuned. It's like the contrast of the Oslo filter and the brightness of the Cairo filter had a baby.
It should be noted Paris is not a lens like the Kylie lens (which also smooths the skin in addition to adding a lip color and enhancing your lashes) or the sparkle lens (which makes your skin look like a mannequin's). I figured everyone received this filter until I realized most of my friends and colleagues don't have it. I'm unsure why I was blessed with this random gift from the Instagram gods, but my vanity appreciates it. (Sometimes you really don't want to show off a meteor-sized pimple on your face but desperately need to take to Instagram Stories, you know?) This also makes sense to me because, while I can't verify who has the filter and doesn't, I had been noticing that certain celebrities or influencers looked different in their Instagram Stories. Stories is usually a medium in which the public get see a less-filtered version of these public figures, both in content and in overall appearance. Perhaps the Paris filter is helping them out? Or maybe they're just rich enough to have perfect skin. I wouldn't be surprised by either.
That said, the filter isn't perfect — sometimes it makes the skin look so airbrushed that it appears flat; I've noticed it can accentuate my melasma. (Blah.) I find it's better for video than photos. When I reached out to Instagram for more information, and to find out whether we can expect a user-wide roll out, a spokesperson simply said, "We're always testing new ways for you to express your creativity on Instagram," and that there are no plans to share on the launch of the filter at this time.
Keep reading to see the before and after with the Paris filter, plus how it differs from other "pretty filters" on the platform.
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Selfie Before
No filters. This is real, this is me.
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Paris Filter
The filter helps blur things like fine lines and some pigmentation. It also brightens the tone of your skin. Instead of selecting a lens before you take a photo or video, with Paris, you can take your image or record your video and then swipe right to make the changes.
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Kylie Lens
The Kyle Lens is considered the "pretty filter" for Instagram by many, since it smooths and brightens the skin, gets rid of most imperfections, enhances the eyelashes and adds a natural flush to the cheek. You can also choose a shade of lipstick or keep them bare.
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Sparkle Lens
The sparkle lens, which is not the technical term for it, smooths and brightens the skin but deepens the lashes and brows, which can wash out the face.