The old age Snapchat lens is a popular augmented reality filter on Snapchat that ages a user’s face to make them look much older than they really are. It has become one of the most iconic and viral lenses on Snapchat since its release. In this article, we’ll take a look at the origins of the old age lens, how it went viral, and the impact it has had.
The Creation of the Old Age Lens
The old age lens was created by Snapchat in December of 2017. Snapchat frequently rolls out new augmented reality lenses, or “filters”, that users can overlay on their faces or surroundings while taking snaps or using the front-facing camera in the app. These lenses use advanced image recognition technology to apply effects and transformations to a person’s face.
When Snapchat introduced the old age lens, it quickly became a hit among users. Some of the key effects applied by the lens include:
- Adding wrinkles, age spots, and fine lines to a user’s face
- Whitening and thinning hair
- Drooping or sagging skin
- A slight hunching of the shoulders
These effects gave people using the lens an instant ~60 year aging transformation. The lens allowed users to see what they might look like decades older in just a few seconds.
The Viral Spread of the Old Age Lens
Shortly after its release, the old age lens went massively viral on social media and was one of Snapchat’s most popular lenses. There are a few key reasons it spread so quickly:
- The shock factor – People were amazed to see their faces transformed instantly into a much older version.
- Humor – Friends found it hilarious to see each other as senior citizens.
- Curiosity – Many people wondered what they would look like when much older.
- Vanity – Some used the lens to admire how they aged gracefully.
Videos and reaction selfies showcasing the old age lens flooded Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and other social networks. Even celebrities like Paul McCartney, Jessica Alba, and James Corden shared photos using the lens. Some examples of old age lens social shares included:
- Friends posting split-screen images comparing their actual face and their lens aged face
- Couples using the lens together to laugh at their transformation
- Videos of incredulous reactions to people’s first time seeing their aged face
- Compilations of celebrities trying out the lens
This viral spread enabled the old age lens to reach tens of millions of Snapchat users within weeks of launching. It became one of the app’s most iconic lenses. Even years after release, it remains one of the most popular lenses to use.
Pop Culture Appearances
Given its meteoric rise, the old age Snapchat lens quickly started appearing in pop culture as well. Some notable examples include:
- In January 2018, Jimmy Kimmel Live featured a spoof commercial for “Oldspice” – a fictional seasoning brand – using the Snapchat lens to age guest Jamie Foxx.
- In April 2018, the lens was used for a Saturday Night Live skit in which Anderson Cooper (played by Alex Moffat) and CNN reporter Jim Acosta (played by Mikey Day) interview White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders (played by Aidy Bryant) while all wearing the aging lens.
- In May 2018, Rihanna famously used the lens during a video interview with Vogue at the Met Gala red carpet.
- The old age lens has become a regularly used tool for publications like Buzzfeed and Elle to photograph celebrities for photo galleries imagining them decades older.
As these examples show, the lens provided fun viral content opportunities mainstream media outlets and celebrities wanted to capitalize on as well. The filter had broken through as a cultural phenomenon.
Lasting Impact and Legacy
While countless Snapchat lenses have come and gone, the old age lens has cemented itself as a iconic staple within the app and social media culture at large. Some key lasting impacts include:
- Remaining one of Snapchat’s top 5 most-used lenses more than 5 years after launching.
- Permanently influencing how people perceive aging faces.
- Providing a playful way for people to satisfy their curiosity about looking older.
- Letting friends and family bond over seeing each other humorously aged up.
- Inspiring countless memes, jokes, and videos about the aging process.
The lens has also opened the door for Snapchat to continue making lenses focused on aging looks, such as ones turning users into senior citizens or babies.
While silly on the surface, the old age lens has tapped into a deeper human fascination with visualizing the aging process. It remains one of the most creative uses of augmented reality technology for mass entertainment and viral meme creation.
Conclusion
In summary, the old age Snapchat lens has become nothing short of a pop culture sensation. Its instantaneous aging transformation struck a chord with Snapchat’s millions of users and spread like wildfire across social media. Both ordinary people and celebrities alike have embraced the lens to showcase silly senior citizen versions of themselves.
It emerged as one of Snapchat’s most iconic lenses thanks to the viral shock value and human curiosity around visualized aging. While originally intended as just one of many wacky AR effects, the old age lens ended up leaving a permanent mark on social media culture and influencing how aging faces are perceived. Over 5 years later, people still can’t get enough of seeing themselves and their friends humorously transformed into seniors.