BeReal, a French photo-sharing app launched in 2020, is now reported to be valued at over $600 million. It’s currently the most downloaded free app in the UK, US and Australia, with New Zealand quickly catching up. The app has now had more than 10 million installs and grown 315 percent year to date, according to Apptopia. The beauty industry is cottoning on to its rapid rise, looking for ways to tap into the lucrative Gen Z market.

While still in its infancy in New Zealand, BeReal is already fast becoming an avenue to showcase beauty looks, share a behind-the-scenes glimpse into getting ready, tease new product launches, and issue exclusive discount codes.

The success of the app can be attributed to its refreshing premise, which has been dubbed an ‘anti-Instagram’ stance. There’s no filters, no carefully curated feed, and no influencers (yet).

How it works

Once a day, at a random time, every user is sent a notification to post a photo of their surroundings within a two-minute timeframe. You don’t get to wait for the fun bit of your day or find a flattering photo on your camera roll. Two photos are captured simultaneously on the front and back camera. The clincher? The angle necessary to take a coherent shot of what is in front of you results in a less than flattering selfie, by Instagram standards.

What’s more, on BeReal, you only get to see others’ photos once you’ve posted your own. Also, while it builds on the authenticity of TikTok, it prioritises real connections, instead scanning your contacts to invite friends you already know in real life.

Like Wordle, part of the appeal of BeReal is that it is a short daily ritual rather than getting sucked into a vortex for hours.

From RealMojis to tongue-in-cheek pokes at influencers—cue the taglines ‘we don’t care if you have millions of followers’ and ‘we won’t make you famous’—it’s refreshingly real in every way.

A number of early adopter beauty brands have already cemented their place on the platform, including e.l.f cosmetics, K18 Hair, and Inn Beauty.