A computer-implemented method for displaying an avatar comprising: at an electronic device having one or more cameras and a display apparatus: displaying, via the display apparatus, a virtual avatar, wherein the virtual avatar includes a plurality of avatar features that are reactive to changes in one or more physical features of a face within the field of view of the one or more cameras; while displaying the virtual avatar, detecting a change in a plurality of physical features of the face, the plurality of physical features of the face including a first physical feature that corresponds to one or more of the plurality of avatar features and a second physical feature that does not correspond to any of the plurality of avatar features; in response to detecting a change in the first physical feature of the face, within the field of view of the one or more cameras, that corresponds to one or more of the plurality of avatar features, changing an appearance of a respective avatar feature of the plurality of avatar features wherein a magnitude and/or direction of change of the respective avatar feature is based on a magnitude or direction of the detected change in the first physical feature; and in response to detecting a change in the second physical feature, within the field of view of the one or more cameras, that does not correspond to any of the plurality of avatar features, deforming a portion of the virtual avatar that did not include an avatar feature prior to detecting the change in the one or more physical features of the face, wherein deforming the portion of the virtual avatar that did not include an avatar feature includes introducing a new avatar feature, and including introducing one or more protrusions that were not displayed prior to detecting the change in the plurality of physical features of the face, the protrusions extending from an avatar cheek or from an upper portion of an avatar head, wherein a magnitude and/or direction of deforming the portion of the virtual avatar that includes the new avatar feature is based on a magnitude and/or direction of the detected change in the second physical feature. displaying, via the display apparatus, a virtual avatar, wherein the virtual avatar includes a plurality of avatar features that are reactive to changes in one or more physical features of a face within the field of view of the one or more cameras; while displaying the virtual avatar, detecting a change in a plurality of physical features of the face, the plurality of physical features of the face including a first physical feature that corresponds to one or more of the plurality of avatar features and a second physical feature that does not correspond to any of the plurality of avatar features; in response to detecting a change in the first physical feature of the face, within the field of view of the one or more cameras, that corresponds to one or more of the plurality of avatar features, changing an appearance of a respective avatar feature of the plurality of avatar features wherein a magnitude and/or direction of change of the respective avatar feature is based on a magnitude or direction of the detected change in the first physical feature; and in response to detecting a change in the second physical feature, within the field of view of the one or more cameras, that does not correspond to any of the plurality of avatar features, deforming a portion of the virtual avatar that did not include an avatar feature prior to detecting the change in the one or more physical features of the face, wherein deforming the portion of the virtual avatar that did not include an avatar feature includes introducing a new avatar feature, and including introducing one or more protrusions that were not displayed prior to detecting the change in the plurality of physical features of the face, the protrusions extending from an avatar cheek or from an upper portion of an avatar head, wherein a magnitude and/or direction of deforming the portion of the virtual avatar that includes the new avatar feature is based on a magnitude and/or direction of the detected change in the second physical feature.