Snapchat’s Time Machine lens is a sombre reminder that I won’t age well

I think I’ve aged reasonably well ever since I’ve been an adult. I’ve maintained a full head of hair, I still have a reasonable weight, and I think I think I look relatively good for my age. But that’s more to do with the fact that I’m actually still a young man, and as I get older, I’m starting to take precautionary steps to prepare myself for the inevitable process of aging (further).

But as much as I try to eat clean and exercise, it’s worth remembering that a lot of what affects your appearance and fitness are genetics. The appearance of older blood-relatives such as your parents is a good way to somewhat guess what you’ll look like in couple of decades’ time, for example.

But with the development of technology, that’s no longer the case. Snapchat has launched a new lens called Time Machine, and as per its name, it lets you change the “appearance of your age”. You drag a slider across the screen, and you seemingly age (or get younger) instantaneously.

According to Snapchat, this uses machine learning technology to change your features, while still maintaining accessories you may have on you, such as hats or glasses.

To use the lens, open your Snapchat app. Open the Lenses Carousel by pressing by tapping on the screen, and look for the Time Machine lens icon (it looks like a baby next to an older man). Once you’ve centred your face in front of the camera, adjust the slider left to go back in years, or right to add on the years.

I tried it myself, and I’d have to say that I don’t really like how Snapchat is predicting that I’ll look like in a couple of years… or decades. Nonetheless, it’s still one of the more interesting lenses that Snapchat has come out with in recent times.