Those who love to share selfies on social media are probably no stranger to the popular photo editing app PicsArt. The free app is like an easy-to-use version of Photoshop that allows users to crop, add filters, make collages, add texts and stickers, image overlays and hundreds more editing tools.
While it helps enhance users' natural beauty, makes artistic works or art and is even perfect to use for adding fun texts and stickers for holidays, special occasions and baby milestones, PicsArt has features made specifically with makeup and beauty lovers in mind.
The app allows users to to "try things on for size," such as getting a suntan effect as well as more current bold beauty trends like mermaid makeup, galaxy or glitter freckles and pastel hair.
The best part is that users can play around with these various looks in order to create the most fashion-forward Instagram selfie without having to go to extremes or spend too much time in front of the mirror hand-painting on stars for an out-of-this-world look.
"Our community is full of trendsetters and we want to give them fun hacks for them to be able to use to express themselves," Megan Harmon, PicsArt director of content, told Tech Times. "The mermaid clip art — what we've deemed #mermaidlife — actually came from a user behavior we noticed first trending in Japan. Mermaid inspired makeup has been huge this summer, and people started using our 'Add Photo' feature to realistically apply shimmering mermaid scales to their photos of themselves and sharing them to their social channels, and since we understand that we're the only app that does that, the practice kept growing and people began publishing their own tutorials on how to do it. We decided to create a clip art package with scales in all different colors so people could get the look quickly and easily."
To add mermaid scales to a summer selfie, the user just needs to open their best bathing suit photo along with the Add Photo icon to select an image of fish scales. Next, tap on Overlay at the bottom of the screen to adjust and blend the scales. Tapping on the eraser allows the user to make the scales more realistic by getting rid of the edges. Repeat these steps until fully transformed into a mermaid.
Along with the ability to embrace the user's inner Ariel, PicsArt has also released strobe, shimmer and glitter freckles clip art packages over the past few weeks. Glitter freckles can be added in a few taps by going to Clipart > "Glitter" > and selecting the option to add the user's face.
The company recently released its second creative trends report, which allows them identify and then report which beauty effects are being used the most to see the emerging trends happening in photo-sharing. Of course, #mermaidlife was featured in the report, along with photos with reflection and grime art.
"Our goal with PicsArt is to give people as many rich tools and inspiration as possible so that they can make amazing images. We have the opportunity as a digital app to let people try things on for size and get as playful as they want. We want the sky to be the limit," Harmon said. "It's about fun and reinvention, and trying out new beauty and makeup trends is a part of that."
PicsArt is available to download for free for iOS and Android with in-app purchases.
