Xingtu Tool (醒图工具)

Overview

Xingtu is a powerful mobile photo editing app designed for social media content. It provides professional retouching, filters, text, and design features optimized for creating Xiaohongshu-worthy image content.

When to Use

Use when:

• Editing photos for Xiaohongshu posts
• Creating cover images (thumbnails)
• Retouching product photos or selfies
• Adding text overlays to images
• Creating before-and-after comparisons
• Designing simple promotional graphics

Do NOT use when:

• Need complex graphic design (use Canva)
• Editing RAW photos professionally (use Lightroom)
• Creating vector graphics (use Illustrator)

Core Pattern

Before (raw, unedited photos):

❌ Dull lighting, flat colors
❌ No text or context
❌ Unretouched skin or product flaws
❌ No visual hierarchy

After (professionally edited):

✅ Bright, vibrant, eye-catching
✅ Clear text overlays with key info
✅ Polished skin or product presentation
✅ Strong visual hierarchy

7 Core Editing Features:

1. Retouch - Skin smoothing, blemish removal, body shaping
2. Filters - One-tap color grading and mood
3. Adjustments - Brightness, contrast, saturation, etc.
4. Text - Add titles, subtitles, captions
5. Stickers - Decorative elements and graphics
6. Templates - Pre-designed layouts
7. Beauty - Natural enhancement tools

Quick Reference

Implementation

Step 1: Import Photo

Open Xingtu:

1. Download Xingtu app (App Store or Google Play)
2. Tap "Edit" (编辑) or big "+" button
3. Select photo from camera roll
4. Photo loads into editor

Pro tip: Use highest resolution photo available (at least 1080x1080 pixels for Xiaohongshu).

Step 2: Apply Basic Adjustments

Tap "Adjust" (调节):

Essential adjustments (most photos need):

• Brightness (亮度): +5 to +15 (brighten slightly)
• Contrast (对比度): +10 to +20 (add depth)
• Saturation (饱和度): +5 to +15 (vibrant colors)
• Sharpness (锐化): +10 to +20 (crisp details)

Advanced adjustments (if needed):

• Highlights (高光): -10 to -20 (recover blown-out areas)
• Shadows (阴影): +10 to +20 (brighten dark areas)
• Warmth (色温): -5 to +5 (adjust color temperature)
• Vignette (暗角): -5 to -10 (subtle focus on center)

Pro tip: Adjust slider, then tap original/edited comparison to avoid over-editing.

Step 3: Apply Filters (Optional)

Tap "Filters" (滤镜):

Filter selection strategy:

• Skincare/beauty: "Fresh" (清新), "Bright" (明亮), "Soft" (柔和)
• Fashion: "Contrast" (对比), "Vintage" (复古), "Cool" (冷色调)
• Food: "Warm" (温暖), "Appetite" (食欲), "Sunny" (阳光)
• Lifestyle: "Natural" (自然), "Daily" (日常), "Cozy" (温馨)

Filter intensity:

• Apply filter
• Tap filter again to adjust intensity slider
• Set to 50-70% (subtle, natural)

Pro tip: Less is more. Heavy filters look artificial and hurt credibility.

Step 4: Retouch Portraits (If Applicable)

Tap "Retouch" (修图):

Skin (skin smoothing):

1. Tap "Skin" (磨皮)
2. Choose brush size
3. Paint over skin areas
4. Set intensity 30-50% (natural, not plastic)

Blemish removal:

1. Tap "Remove" (消除)
2. Zoom in on blemish
3. Tap to remove
4. Repeat for each blemish

Body shaping (use caution - ethical concerns):

1. Tap "Body" (美体)
2. Choose tool (slim, tall, smooth)
3. Adjust intensity 10-30% maximum (subtle enhancement)
4. Avoid unrealistic reshaping

Pro tip: Retouch sparingly. Some texture looks more authentic than perfectly smooth skin.

Step 5: Retouch Product Photos (If Applicable)

Tap "Retouch":

Product polishing:

1. Dodge/Burn: Brighten product areas, darken shadows
2. Clarity (清晰度): +10 to +20 (enhance details)
3. Sharpness (锐化): +15 to +25 (crisp edges)
4. Vignette: -5 to -10 (focus on product center)

Color accuracy (important for products):

• Avoid heavy filters that distort colors
• Use "Adjustments" more than "Filters"
• Ensure product color matches reality

Step 6: Add Text Overlays

Tap "Text" (文字):

Add title:

1. Tap "Add Text" (添加文字)
2. Choose font: bold, clean fonts (sans-serif recommended)
3. Type title text
4. Set color: white or black with high contrast
5. Add shadow or outline for readability

Text placement best practices:

• Top third: Title or main message
• Bottom third: Caption, price, or CTA
• Avoid center: Don't cover focal point
• Keep edges: Leave margin (don't put text at very edge)

Text hierarchy:

• Large: Main title (draws attention)
• Medium: Subtitle or key info
• Small: Details or captions

Step 7: Add Stickers (Optional)

Tap "Stickers" (贴纸):

Use stickers for:

• Brand elements (logo, watermark)
• Decorative accents (arrows, shapes)
• Icons (hearts, stars, arrows)
• Labels (sale, new, limited)

Sticker best practices:

• Use 3-5 stickers maximum (don't clutter)
• Place in corners or edges (don't cover content)
• Match brand colors (cohesive look)
• Purposeful only (avoid random decoration)

Step 8: Use Templates (Optional Time-Saver)

Tap "Templates" (模板):

Template advantages:

• Pre-designed layouts
• Xiaohongshu-optimized dimensions
• Professional design elements
• Fast editing (1-2 minutes)

How to use:

1. Browse categories (fashion, beauty, food, lifestyle)
2. Select template matching your content
3. Replace placeholder images with your photos
4. Edit text to match your message
5. Adjust colors to match brand

Pro tip: Templates are great for beginners, but customize to avoid generic look.

Step 9: Save and Export

Final review:

1. Pinch to zoom, check all areas
2. Tap original/edited comparison
3. Ensure text is readable
4. Check colors are accurate (especially for products)

Export settings:

1. Tap "Save" (保存) or download icon
2. Resolution: Maximum (1080p or higher)
3. Quality: High (don't compress)
4. Save to camera roll

Upload to Xiaohongshu:

1. Open Xiaohongshu app
2. Tap "+" → select photo from camera roll
3. Add filter in Xiaohongshu (optional, usually skip)
4. Add title, description, hashtags
5. Post!

Common Mistakes

Real-World Impact

Well-edited photos (real examples):

• Bright skincare product photo → 50K views (professional, trustworthy)
• Natural portrait retouching → 30K likes (authentic, relatable)
• Clean minimalist design → 20K saves (aesthetic, shareable)

Poorly edited photos:

• Heavy filter, unnatural colors → 500 views (low trust)
• Too many stickers, cluttered → 300 views (hard to focus)
• Over-smoothed skin → 200 views (inauthentic, "plastic" look)

Key metric: Professionally edited photos get 3-5x more engagement than unedited ones.

Related Skills:

• REQUIRED: graphic-content-creation (complete image content creation)
• REQUIRED: cover-design (design effective cover images)
• photo-editing (advanced photo editing techniques)
• canva-tool (graphic design for layouts)
• meituxiuxiu-tool (alternative photo editing app)