Photo editing has come a long way from the days of obvious filters, overly smoothed skin, and edits that leave you looking like an entirely different person. While there are certainly tools that can dramatically transform a photo, that isn’t really how I like to use them.
For me, editing a photo is less about changing how I look and more about making small adjustments that help me feel a little more polished for my brand shoots while still looking like me.
Maybe the lighting washed out my makeup. Maybe my hair wasn’t cooperating that day. Or maybe I love the photo but want to see what I’d look like with a different hairstyle before actually sitting down in my stylist’s chair. That’s where an app like FaceApp can be surprisingly useful.
How to Edit Your Photos and Still Look Like Yourself
The biggest rule I follow when editing my photos is pretty simple: I still want people to recognize me.
I don’t want to completely change the shape of my face or create a version of myself that doesn’t exist in real life. Instead, I like to focus on small adjustments that enhance what is already there.
I like FaceApp because it has a variety of tools that make it possible to experiment with a photo, and you can decide just how much, or how little, you want to enhance the photo.
The goal isn’t perfection. It’s creating a photo that I love while still feeling authentic to the person in it.
Start With a Photo You Already Like
One of the best ways to keep your edits looking natural is to start with a photo you already feel good about.
Instead of choosing an image you dislike and trying to completely transform it, choose one where you like your expression, pose, or overall look. Then think about what small adjustments might make the photo even better.
Refresh Your Makeup Without Overdoing It
Have you ever taken a photo after spending time on your makeup only to realize that your camera barely picked it up? It has happened to me so many times. I will be super pleased with a light glowy look but when I take the photo, I look washed out.
Lighting can completely change how makeup appears in photos. Blush can disappear, lips can look less defined, and eye makeup that looked beautiful in person can suddenly seem almost nonexistent.
This is one of the ways I like using FaceApp.
You can experiment with different makeup looks or add a little more definition to your existing look. The key, at least for me, is choosing something that still resembles makeup I would actually wear.
I want the final photo to look like I had a really good makeup day, not like someone digitally painted an entirely different face over mine.
Don’t Edit Away the Features That Make You You
This is where I think photo editing can become tricky.
It’s incredibly easy to make one edit, then another, then another. Before you know it, you’re looking at someone who technically resembles you but doesn’t really look like you anymore.
That’s why I try to remember that the little things we sometimes want to edit away are often the same things that make our faces unique. Skin has texture. Faces aren’t perfectly symmetrical. Hair moves. Makeup isn’t flawless.
And that’s okay.
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to look your best in a photo, but I think there’s a big difference between enhancing a picture and feeling like you need to digitally rebuild yourself.
If I look at an edited photo and think, I wish I actually looked like her, I’ve probably gone too far. If I look at it and think, That’s a really good photo of me, that’s usually the sweet spot.
It’s really that simple. I start with a photo I like, brighten up my makeup when needed, and always use discretion. Easy! That being said, since I do have FaceApp, I use the editing software for several other projects.
FaceApp Beauty Projects
Use FaceApp as a Virtual Hair Salon
This may actually be one of my favorite ways to use the app. Admittedly, I don’t use this feature when editing my photos because I like a very light edit, but I do use it before hitting up the salon!
Changing your hair can feel like a huge commitment, especially when you’re considering a dramatic cut or a completely different color. We’ve probably all saved a photo of someone’s haircut and wondered, Would that actually look good on me?
Instead of relying entirely on your imagination, you can use FaceApp to experiment first. Check out some of the styles I considered
Try shorter hair. See yourself with longer hair. Play with different hairstyles or colors and pay attention to how they work with your face shape, complexion, and overall style.
Of course, an app can’t perfectly predict how a particular haircut or color will translate in real life. Your hair texture, thickness, stylist, and actual color all play a role. But it can give you a much better visual starting point.
You can even save the looks you like and use them as inspiration when talking with your hairstylist.
Experiment With Beauty Trends Before Trying Them in Real Life
Hair isn’t the only thing you can experiment with. Photo-editing apps can essentially become a virtual beauty fitting room.
If you’re curious about a bolder lip color, different makeup style, new hair shade, or beauty look that’s outside your comfort zone, you can try it digitally before buying products or making a more permanent change.
I especially love using FaceApp when the seasons change. Sometimes seeing yourself with a warmer hair color or a slightly different makeup palette is all it takes to inspire a new fall or spring look.
And sometimes trying something virtually makes you realize that you don’t want to do it, which can be equally helpful!
A Few Tips for Keeping Photo Edits Natural
If your goal is to create polished photos that still look authentic, there are a few things I recommend keeping in mind:
- Make one adjustment at a time. It’s much easier to notice when you’ve gone too far.
- Toggle between the original and edited photo. Seeing them side by side can help you spot changes that have become unrealistic.
- Choose makeup you would actually wear. This helps the final result feel believable.
- Be careful with facial reshaping. Small changes can have a surprisingly big impact on your overall appearance.
- Keep some skin texture. Completely blurred skin is often what makes a photo immediately look filtered.
- Use hair tools for inspiration. They can be a great starting point before a salon appointment.
- Ask yourself whether you still look like yourself. If the answer isn’t an immediate yes, dial the edits back.
Photo Editing Can Be About Creativity, Not Perfection
I think it’s important that we change the conversation around photo editing a little.
Using an editing app doesn’t automatically mean you’re trying to hide who you are. Sometimes you’re simply playing with your personal style. Sometimes you’re fixing something the camera didn’t capture the way it looked in person. Sometimes you’re curious about bangs but aren’t quite brave enough to cut them yet! And sometimes you simply have a favorite picture that you’d like to polish before posting or saving.
I’ve found FaceApp particularly fun because I can use it both ways, as an editing tool for photos I already love and as a way to experiment with beauty choices before trying them in real life.
The important part is remembering that the person in the original photo doesn’t need to be “fixed.”
The Best Edit Should Still Look Like You
At the end of the day, my favorite edited photos aren’t the ones where I look flawless. They’re the ones where I look like the best version of myself that day.
Maybe my makeup looks a little fresher. Maybe my hair looks exactly how I wish it had behaved when I took the picture.
Photo-editing tools like FaceApp give us countless ways to experiment, but we don’t have to use every tool simply because it’s there. Make the little changes you love. Try the hairstyle you’ve been curious about. Experiment with a makeup look you might never have considered.
Then look at the finished photo and ask yourself one question: Does this still feel like me?
If it does, I think you’ve found exactly the right edit.
Visit the blog for more posts:
- The Best Way to Create Viral Short Videos Without Any Editing Experience
- How to Edit iPhone Photos to Look Professional
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