When Snapchat introduced Lenses to its ephemeral messaging service back in September, the feature instantly became a hit. The Lenses allow users to add special effects and animations to their selfies, such as a mustache or making themselves puke rainbows.
To access the Lenses, users have to simply press and then hold on the screen while in Snapchat's selfie mode. The choices of Lenses will appear at the bottom of the screen, and applying them to the selfie is as simple as choosing the effect that the user wants and then following the onscreen instructions. The user can then tap on the app's capture button to take the Snap with the Lens, or press and hold on the capture button for recording a video.
There are seven Lenses to choose from daily, with every day bringing a new one to the mix to replace the oldest one on the list. Snapchat, however, is now offering users the chance to access their favorite Lenses at all times through the new Lens Store.
The Lens Store will allow users to gain access to a certain Lens without having to wait for it to roll around in the revolving list. Users who would always want to use the rainbow puking Lens in their Snaps, for example, can finally have it as one of their options in the list of Lenses by purchasing it at the Lens Store.
To be able to access the Lens Store, users will have to go through the same process of calling up the list of Lenses on Snapchat's selfie mode. Once the list of Lenses is on the screen, users can keep on swiping past the free ones to see the other Lenses that are not available for the day but can be purchased.
To purchase a Lens, users can tap on the one that they want to always have available. Onscreen instruction will direct the user on the purchase process, and once that is complete, the purchased Lens will always be on the available Lens list for the user.
Snapchat noted that users will not be able to purchase Lenses that are on the free list for that day. The Lens can be purchased once it is dropped from the free list and added to the Lens Store.
