Influencers Reveal How They Look In Real Life Vs. On Instagram, Go Viral

It’s no surprise that social media is full of photoshopped and heavily edited photos. However, we tend to forget that when we’re scrolling through Instagram or any other platform and we’re bombarded with pictures of beautiful-looking people with perfect bodies doing amazing things.

But the truth is, a lot of these ‘perfect’ photos are all an illusion: they’re heavily altered to make us think that the models and influencers are living the dream while their real lives might be completely different. A set of photos taken by 2 supposedly Chinese social media stars and posted online showed their fans just how powerful Photoshop is. And just how much it can hoodwink us without us being aware of what’s going on.

The influencers showed how photo editing software can make them look radically different. Both the social media stars made themselves look skinnier and altered their faces.

2 influencers showed their fans what they look like when they don’t edit their photos

Image credits: Ex Treme

Here’s what the 2 influencers look after they edited their photos…

Image credits: coeyyyy

…and here’s what they look like in real life

Image credits: Ex Treme

The difference is striking

Image credits: coeyyyy

Image credits: Ex Treme

Here’s a couple more comparison pics to show you the power of photo editing software

Image credits: coeyyyy

This is how Coeyyyy’s followers are used to seeing her

Image credits: coeyyyy

The photos went viral not just in China but all over the world after Facebook user Jevin Cheng, aka Ex Treme, posted them on his page. His post got more than 5.6k likes and more than 18k shares. But the most important thing is that his post got people talking: there are over 11k comments beneath his repost of the pics.

According to World of Buzz, the caption on the models’ social media post reads: “After being secretly photographed, I haven’t been in the best of moods. That’s why these photos never made it online after I weighed my options.”

The pics shocked a lot of people. Some said that this is the reason you shouldn’t trust any photo that looks too good to be true online. While others pointed out that this is a whole other level of catfishing (for those of you who don’t what it is, it’s when somebody lures you into a relationship using a fake online persona).

Still, there were some people who doubted that the social media stars’ post was real. They think that photos can’t be photoshopped that cleanly and believe that the pics simply feature similar-looking but different women wearing the same clothes.

What do you think about the photos and about the photoshopping culture in the age of social media, Dear Pandas? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Here’s how people reacted when they saw the unedited photos

Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real. At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design. In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle. I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.

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I'm a visual editor at Bored Panda. I kickstart my day with a mug of coffee bigger than my head, ready to tackle Photoshop. I navigate through the digital jungle with finesse, fueled by bamboo breaks and caffeine kicks. When the workday winds down, you might catch me devouring bamboo snacks while binging on the latest TV show, gaming or I could be out in nature, soaking up the tranquility and communing with my inner panda.

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What do you think ?

POST

Martha Meyer 4 years ago

With those photoshopping skills they really have no need to be influencers. Those are some seriously marketable job skills!

94points

similarly 4 years ago

I've heard though that a lot of them don't actually have any skills: there are apparently phone-filters that will do all of that: make you older, make you younger, change your gender, make you a cat ... or give you anime eyes and skin.

24points

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LilicatUK 4 years ago

Indeed, but if they can make money from the edited photos, it's a lot more enjoyable and profitable than to work in an office

7points

Michelle Line 4 years ago

Yes. Most definitely. They have a brick background and there is no warping or distortion of the bricks. Those are some serious Photoshop skills.

4points

Demi Zwaan 4 years ago

As if they do that themselves.

2points

David Fox 4 years ago

The only thing there influencing is the fact that you go places if you make everyone believe your just like everyone expects you to be rail thin and unnaturally perfect.

0points

Thenatural 4 years ago

But if a backhanded compliment no?

0points

Untitled_Goose_Man 4 years ago

I find this sort of sad. Just be the way you are. And they even look miserable in the photos.

75points

N G 4 years ago

Why bother to smile when you can photoshop it

26points

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Kateryna 4 years ago

How is it even possible to edit photos THAT much?

38points

Aria Whitaker 4 years ago

Dont forget we have entire movies now that only have about 30% real people and places...the rest are shopped, edited and CGI'd....we have come a LONNNG way in photo processing tech!

30points

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StrangeBiscuit 4 years ago

You can get a Photoshop trial for free, anybody with a half decent computer could do this after watching some tutorials. Liquify tool baby

3points

spharoe 4 years ago

I do this for a living. I once had a couple who paid me to take 30+ pounds off of both of them in all of their wedding photos. Over 300 images. People are nutty when it comes to the way they want to be seen publicly. That, though. Their wedding? And they looked unhappy. Especially the bride.

1point

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POST

Martha Meyer 4 years ago

With those photoshopping skills they really have no need to be influencers. Those are some seriously marketable job skills!

94points

similarly 4 years ago

24points

Load More Replies...

LilicatUK 4 years ago

Indeed, but if they can make money from the edited photos, it's a lot more enjoyable and profitable than to work in an office

7points

Michelle Line 4 years ago

Yes. Most definitely. They have a brick background and there is no warping or distortion of the bricks. Those are some serious Photoshop skills.

4points

Demi Zwaan 4 years ago

As if they do that themselves.

2points

David Fox 4 years ago

The only thing there influencing is the fact that you go places if you make everyone believe your just like everyone expects you to be rail thin and unnaturally perfect.

0points

Thenatural 4 years ago

But if a backhanded compliment no?

0points

Untitled_Goose_Man 4 years ago

I find this sort of sad. Just be the way you are. And they even look miserable in the photos.

75points

N G 4 years ago

Why bother to smile when you can photoshop it

26points

Load More Replies...

Kateryna 4 years ago

How is it even possible to edit photos THAT much?

38points

Aria Whitaker 4 years ago

Dont forget we have entire movies now that only have about 30% real people and places...the rest are shopped, edited and CGI'd....we have come a LONNNG way in photo processing tech!

30points

Load More Replies...

StrangeBiscuit 4 years ago

You can get a Photoshop trial for free, anybody with a half decent computer could do this after watching some tutorials. Liquify tool baby

3points

spharoe 4 years ago

1point

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Influencers Reveal How They Look In Real Life Vs. On Instagram, Go Viral

2 influencers showed their fans what they look like when they don’t edit their photos

Here’s what the 2 influencers look after they edited their photos…

…and here’s what they look like in real life

The difference is striking

Here’s a couple more comparison pics to show you the power of photo editing software

This is how Coeyyyy’s followers are used to seeing her

Here’s how people reacted when they saw the unedited photos

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Jonas Grinevičius

Jonas Grinevičius

Mindaugas Balčiauskas

Mindaugas Balčiauskas