A $4.5 billion photo app that is huge in China is trending in the US - here's what it does

A popular Chinese photo-editing app has suddenly burst into popularity in the West, covering social feeds in airbrushed photos with huge, sparkling eyes.

Although Meitu has been around since 2008, it has become an overnight success, and was trending on Apple's App Store on Thursday.

Meitu is a lot like other photo-editing apps - it has Bitmoji-style stickers, Instagram-style filters, and Layout-style photo collages.

But the app really shines in its "hand-drawn" mode that is like a Snapchat filter on steroids. The hand-drawn mode slims down jawlines, enlarges eyes, and adds a little bit of sparkle to the whole package. 

Basically, it makes you look like a cartoon - and it's these images that are rapidly spreading on social media.

The company behind the app is set to IPO in Hong Kong with a reported valuation of $735 million - which may increase as investors learn that Western audiences like the app too. 

Here's what using the app is like: