This app adds sparkles to your Instagram videos — and celebrities are going crazy for it

pulse

October 31, 2017 4:32 PM

Celebrities from Kendall Jenner to Eva Chen are using the kirakira+ app to create beautiful Instagrams.

While scrolling through my Instagram feed over the past few weeks, I've noticed a trend: Celebrities, fashion bloggers, and makeup artists have all started adding real-time, changeable sparkles to their videos.

Often reserved for videos of sequined dresses, glitter eye-shadow, or bedazzled high heels, the effect isn't an Instagram filter, it isn't reserved for Instagram stories, and it's not a feature of any photo editing apps I'm familiar with.

I was left to wonder: what was this magical app, and how could I get it?

Luckily, I didn't have to look far.

The app is called kirakira+, and it's at the top of the App Store's top paid apps chart right now. Kirakira+ costs $0.99 to download and is only available for iOS devices at the moment.

Here's how it works:

The app works by identifying anything glittery, shiny, or metallic in the frame and adding real-time, animated sparkles to that object.

Kirakira+ can take both still images and videos, but the video tool works a bit better in my experience.

Kirakira+ has been around for two years, but it has only recently skyrocketed to the top of the App Store.

I think this might be my fi... @ evachen212

has used it to add some sparkle uses it all the time

With kirakira+, you have the option to take a standard still image, video, or square image.

The app works with the front-facing and rear-facing camera, and you can also activate a flash for capturing things in low light.

There are several different filters in the app, so you can change the look and feel of your sparkles too.

You can change the color and brightness of the sparkles, or add filters to the entire video or image. You can change these settings by swiping toward the left across the screen.

Whatever you capture using the app will automatically save into your camera roll, then you'll need to manually upload it to your social media site of choice.

Kirakira+ costs $0.99 and is available on the App Store.

pulse