SkinneePix is the newest “beauty application” to hit the IOS. What does it do? Some will say it slims your photos down anywhere from 5 to 15 lbs, others argue it is an application that only increases people’s self image issues and promotes unhealthy body images.

The founders of SkinneePix say they created the application to make people, especially women, feel more comfortable and confident when taking “selfies” and uploading photos on social media. Since “the camera adds 10 pounds” they argue that this application is simply taking away that unflattering added weight.

SkineePix can be purchased for just $1 and can shave away weight in just two easy steps. All you need to do is take a “selfie” and then the application analyzes your face. After a brief second your photo pops up with a menu that allows you to preview your picture at different weights. You can choose between 5lbs lighter, 10 lbs lighter, and even 15 lbs lighter. Once you’re “ideal” weight is selected, you click the check mark and BOOM you’re that much lighter.

Sure it feels good to look skinny, but what is SkinneePix really teaching us? After researching this application I’ll admit I bought it because I was curious to see what I’d look like. I took the photo and then messed around with the different weights. At first I thought I looked a little weird  15 lbs lighter, yet the more and more I looked at it and compared it to the original photo I began disliking the original photo more. At 5’8” and 125 lbs most would probably label me on the skinnier side. SkineePix, however, made me feel “bigger” at that weight and for a slight second made me think I would look better at 15 lbs lighter. This feeling only passed me for a second until I snapped out of realizing I was falling prey to exactly what some had warned about.

 

It seems that although SkinneePix’s original intention was to make women feel more confident when uploading pictures, it actually inherently made me feel more self-conscious about my weight. In an age where everything and everyone seems to be Photoshopped, adding SkinneePix to the mix of digital plastic surgery seems to be making the situation worse.