The beauty and skincare industry in North Korea is small, but endlessly fascinating. Leader Kim Jong-un visited a cosmetics factory in Pyongyang late last year. According to recent reports, there’s a growing interest in beauty encouraged by the (illegal) interest in South Korean TV programmes.

Now, a local IT company has developed a smartphone app in which users can experiment with makeup techniques in the virtual world. Titled Bomhyanggi 1.0 (or Spring Scene), the app details that “You will get to see yourself becoming more beautiful”. Huh. 

It’s pretty similar to face manipulating and editing apps like VSCO and Facetune, though it’s the first of its kind in the hermetic North Korea.

As the BBC reports, North Korea only has two official phone networks, but using the worldwide internet or contacting people outside the country isn’t possible. There are 3.5 million phone users in the country.

Phone applications that reflect interests in sport, news and entertainment are growing across the country. A popular one is Hunting Yankee, where users can shoot at American soldiers.