Are you ready to finally transform your appearance and make a significant improvement? Are you tired of being a background character rather than the main character of your life? Are you ready to become the best version of yourself?
“Glowing up” is a term used to describe the process of a person improving their presentation. Usually, glow-ups occur over a relatively short period, typically a few months.
We’ve all seen that girl who seems to glow up over summer break and shows up looking like a whole different person.
Or that guy you run into on the street after not seeing him for a few years, and your jaw drops when you see how he’s suddenly transformed into Prince Charming.
Anyone can have a glow-up. The truth is, we all have areas where we can improve in life. All it takes is a little bit of dedication and commitment.
If you’re here, we’re guessing you have made the decision that it’s time for your own glow-up journey!
Are you looking for the ultimate glow-up checklist?
You’ve come to the right place. This guide provides all the steps you need to enhance your hair, makeup, skincare, health, fitness, and mindset, enabling you to start improving your appearance and overall well-being right now.
So, if you’re ready, let’s dive in!
Hair
One of the first things people notice about you is your hair. If your hair is healthy, clean, and well-styled, you’ll instantly look better and more put-together.
If you feel like your hair could use a glow-up, here are the things you can start with:
The Right Hair Cut
Whether you were blessed with thick, healthy locks or your hair is naturally thin and flat, one thing remains true for all: a fresh haircut is imperative for your hair to look good.
This means you should trim your ends every few months to keep them looking healthy and smooth.
If you have a lot of split ends and damage, your glow-up is the perfect time to consider cutting it off. It’s better to have short healthy hair than long damaged tangles.
Take a dive into Pinterest for some trendy and flattering haircut ideas to bring to your stylist. Try to find images of people with hair similar to yours.
Don’t hesitate to ask your stylist for advice, as they can help you determine which haircut would look best with your face shape and hair texture. Your hairdresser is also a valuable resource for learning how to style your hair, selecting the right products, and maintaining its health.
Hair Health
The haircut is the first step in getting your glow-up started. The next step is keeping your hair healthy so that it always looks good.
Maintaining healthy hair involves two key steps: cleansing and nourishing. To achieve a successful glow-up, you’ll need to clean your hair regularly—ideally once a day or every few days.
Your hair may even last longer between washes. But as soon as you notice your scalp developing visible grease, you’ll need to wash it.
In addition to keeping it clean, you’ll want to keep it healthy, shiny, and smooth. One way to do that is to invest in products that won’t damage your hair.
Consider sulfate-free shampoos, which can gently clean your hair without stripping or drying it out. Be sure to use a leave-in cream or conditioner on the ends of your hair after showering to replenish some of the lost moisture.
Try to minimize heat damage. Of course, you should still feel free to style your hair, just try not to use the hottest heat settings. And use a heat protector if you do it daily.
Adopt a weekly hair mask ritual. Once a week, take an extra 20 minutes before you wash your hair to soak it in a nourishing hair mask. This can help soften, nurture, and rebuild your hair after the week.
Styling
Those who glow up do so by learning how to take care of themselves, and their hair is no exception.
Styling your hair makes a huge difference in your appearance. When you get your haircut, pay attention to how your hairdresser styles your hair.
Does she use a round brush and a blow dryer? Does she use a curling iron? Does she apply any product?
Feel free to ask questions, too! The more you know, the better equipped you are to style your own hair so that it looks like you just came from the salon.
Leaving your hair to air-dry rarely results in a good look. Some people are blessed with hair that dries perfectly straight and voluminous, or in gorgeous natural spirals, but most people don’t have the kind of texture that looks good when air-dried.
Allow at least 10-15 minutes after getting out of the shower to dry and style your hair. Figure out what looks best for you and style your hair that way.
And, if you’re using heat, be sure to use a good heat protectant to prevent frying your hair.
If your hair needs to be pulled up, don’t just pull it into a messy bun; instead, try a more elegant style. Find one or two tutorials for cute updos that you can learn. A little bit of effort can go a long way when it comes to your hair!
Skincare
One of the most impactful things you can focus on to achieve an incredible glow-up is a consistent skincare routine. When your skin is smooth and clear, you will be glowing.
Unfortunately, there are so many imbalances that can cause issues with your skin.
Skincare is a long game. It may take a few months to a year or more for you to see real results from implementing your new skincare routine, which is why we always recommend consulting a dermatologist.
But trust us, the results of a good skincare routine are so worth it! Once your skin is glowing, you’ll be thankful that you stuck with it!
Not only does clear skin look beautiful, but it also gives you a boost of confidence. You will shine brighter and smile wider when you feel comfortable in your skin.
Here is how you can get started on the journey of skincare:
Basic Routine
The first step is to establish a three-part skincare routine. This is the most basic, minimal routine that everyone should follow if they want to achieve a glow-up.
Skincare doesn’t need to be complex. It can be, but it doesn’t need to be.
Your basic 3-part skincare routine should include the following products:
- Cleanser (morning and evening)
- Moisturizer (morning and evening)
- Sunscreen (morning only)
Cleanser
A cleanser removes sweat, oil, dirt, and leftover products that your skin accumulates throughout the day and night. It can help treat acne and prepare the skin for any active or treatment products you may be using.
Use it every morning after waking up and every evening before your other skincare routine.
Opt for a gentle cleanser. Your skin should not feel “squeaky clean” or tight after you use it. Instead, it should feel clean but soft, and maybe slightly moisturized.
There are many great cleansers on the market. Some work better than others, depending on your skin type. If you’re looking for a good starter cleanser, try this one by CeraVe.
Moisturizer
A good moisturizer, such as this one with skin-protecting ceramides from CeraVe, is essential to keep your skin hydrated and supple.
Even if you have an “oily” skin type, you still need to use a moisturizer. In fact, sometimes not moisturizing enough can cause your skin to produce extra oil.
Your face loses some of its moisture barriers throughout the day from cleansing, wearing makeup, and exposure to the elements.
It’s essential to replenish your skin’s moisture and infuse it with nourishing ingredients by using a moisturizer.
Your moisturizer should come as one of the last steps in your routine. At night, it is the final step in your skincare routine; in the morning, it’s the second-to-last step, followed only by sunscreen.
Sunscreen
Sunscreen is essential to wear on your face during the day. Even if you spend most of the day in an office. Even if it’s dark and cloudy.
Whenever your skin is exposed to sunlight, it can develop signs of aging, such as hyperpigmentation and wrinkles. In fact, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, approximately 90% of skin aging is attributed to sun exposure.
By wearing sunscreen every day on top of your moisturizer, you’re protecting yourself from cancer risk and keeping your youthful glow as long as possible.
There are many great sunscreens available. Choose one that is at least 15 SPF, ideally closer to 30-50 SPF.
Skincare Actives
Your skin will start to look great after following the basic 3-step skincare routine for about 3 months. You might choose to continue the same routine indefinitely because, after all, why fix it if it isn’t broken?
However, if you have specific conditions or concerns, such as chronic acne or fine lines, you may want to consider incorporating additional steps into your skincare routine.
These additional products are called “actives,” and they target specific skin issues that don’t get addressed by your basic routine.
It’s very important to introduce activities one by one and to remain patient while testing them out. You should use actives between your cleanser and moisturizer.
Some actives are not recommended for use during the day because they can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. Therefore, be sure to do your research and plan your skincare routine accordingly.
We recommend giving each active at least 3 months to see how well it’s working. Sometimes, your skin may take a few weeks to adjust to a new product, so it’s best to give it time.
Actives For Scarring
If you have scarring on your face from past acne, consider introducing a product with the following ingredients:
- Glycolic acid
- Azelaic acid
- Retinol
- Niacinamide
- AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids)
Actives For Acne
If you are still experiencing acne after introducing your basic skincare routine, one of these ingredients might be necessary for you:
- BHAs
- AHAs
- Benzoyl peroxide
- Azelaic acid
- Salicylic acid
- Retinol
- Tretinoin
Actives For Dry Skin
If your regular moisturizer isn’t enough to keep your skin hydrated, consider looking for the following ingredients:
- Hyaluronic acid
- Glycerin
- Petrolatum
Actives For Fine Lines
If your skin is showing signs of aging, you might see some success with the following ingredients:
- Collagen
- Tretinoin
- Retinol
- Vitamin C
You can conduct research to discover other ingredients that may be beneficial for your specific skin concerns.
Most importantly, though, remember to do your basic routine every single day, and you’ll likely see an improvement of 90% from that alone.
Grooming
If you’re looking to elevate your appearance, one thing you need to start paying attention to is your hygiene and grooming.
Grooming is simply the things we do on a regular basis to maintain a neat, clean, and healthy-looking appearance. It goes a lot further than makeup and clothes could ever go.
Here are the basics of grooming you need to stay on top of to achieve your glow-up:
Eyebrows
Eyebrows play a crucial role in framing your face. Good eyebrows are nicely shaped and neat.
Some people are born with pretty neat eyebrows, but others aren’t so lucky. If you have any loose hairs around your eyebrows or hairs between your eyebrows, it’s best to remove them weekly by plucking or waxing.
Sometimes, your eyebrow hairs may be too long in certain areas, making your eyebrows look messy. In that case, use cosmetic scissors to trim the hair.
If your eyebrows are not shaped evenly, consider consulting a brow professional who can wax or microblade them to achieve a more cohesive shape.
Stay on top of your eyebrows every week to keep them looking fresh at all times! Here’s a great tutorial from Smitha Deepak on YouTube.
Smile
Your smile is a significant part of your overall appeal. People with straight, bright, and white smiles are irresistible.
If you’ve been feeling self-conscious about your smile, it prevents you from being your true, joyful self. And it prevents you from shining as your most beautiful, glowing self.
So, a glow-up is not complete without you taking care of your smile.
If you’ve been self-conscious about your teeth not being straight, consider consulting a dentist to discuss your options. There are numerous services available these days that can help you straighten your teeth without the need for braces.
If your teeth seem a little too yellow for your liking, consider investing in a home whitening kit. Incorporate it into your weekly “grooming” routine.
Make sure to brush your teeth at least twice a day and address any cavities ASAP.
You’ll feel transformed and beautiful as soon as you are free to smile and laugh with the people around you. And trust us: they will notice, too.
Body
So far, we’ve focused a lot on your face, but let’s not forget the rest of your body. If you’re going to glow up, you need to do it completely.
We will discuss fitness a little bit later, but while we’re talking about grooming, we thought we’d mention some things that are important to do to your body so that it looks its best.
Obviously, you should shower daily, wear deodorant or antiperspirant, shave your body hair (if you prefer), and wear a moisturising lotion.
If you tend to get body acne (also known as backne), consider using a salicylic acid body wash in the shower.
Make sure to use an exfoliating loofah in the shower to help increase skin turnover and achieve smoother skin.
Lastly, if you’re like me and become extremely pale in the winter, you’ll likely benefit from using a self-tanning lotion at least once a week. It’ll give you just a subtle hint of colour, so you don’t look washed out.
Nails
Your glow-up wouldn’t be complete without beautiful nails. You don’t need to get a crazy manicure with acrylics if that’s not your style.
At the very least, make sure you pay attention to your nails (and toenails) on a weekly basis by cleaning off old, chipped nail polish, trimming the nails, pushing back cuticles, and filing them into shape.
Make sure to keep them clean and remove any dirt that has become caught under the nails. If you prefer not to wear colour on your nails, you can use a clear nail-strengthening polish to keep them shiny and healthy.
Of course, if you’d rather visit a nail salon twice a month and let the professionals handle it, that works too. Just make sure to keep your nails looking neat and well-maintained at all times.
You’ve probably noticed that all the techniques we just discussed in the grooming category require weekly upkeep.
We strongly recommend that you pick one day every week, such as Sunday, to complete all your self-care activities in one go. You’ll feel relaxed, pampered, and ready for the upcoming week!
Makeup
If you’ve successfully implemented all the steps we listed above, particularly the skincare routine, you’ll likely have a solid foundation for your makeup.
A real glow-up comes from your natural appearance, not from makeup. So, while good makeup technique is important to a glow-up, it’s definitely not the driving factor.
Treat makeup as a compliment to your naturally beautiful features. Hopefully, after paying a little attention to your skin’s needs and possibly seeing a derm, you’ll have gorgeous, glowing skin, so you won’t need a lot of foundation.
And if you followed that eyebrow tutorial, your brows will also be nicely groomed, so you shouldn’t need to spend so much time on them.
Still, learning how to do makeup well is important to avoid looking overdone or messy. We recommend creating two standout makeup looks: a natural daily look and a going-out look.
For daily makeup, you’ll probably need just a few products:
- Concealer
- Setting powder (for oil control on oily skin) or setting spray (to add dewiness to dry skin)
- Blush
- Mascara
- Liquid eyeliner (if you like a little something extra to make your eyes pop)
- Lip gloss or balm in a neutral shade
- Eyebrow pencil (for lighter colored brows that can use some definition)
Check out a few YouTube videos like the one below from EMAN, to learn the technique for a “natural” daytime look.
You will likely use the concealer to cover up dark circles and a few breakouts, add a glow to your cheekbones using the blush, add a little cat eye to your eyes with the eyeliner (if you want a little more oomph), and finish off with mascara and lip gloss.
Practice this look until you’re happy with it, making adjustments to suit your features. For the evening “going-out” look, you’ll probably need more products, such as foundation, eyeshadow, contouring colours, and lipstick.
Again, try to find one look that you like and learn it well. It will become your signature look every time you’re going out, and you’ll look stunning with it.
If you’re new to makeup, stick to natural and classic colours, such as browns, bronzes, peaches, and neutrals. This will ensure that you look classy and put-together, and these shades are very forgiving for a beginner, as they easily blend with your skin.
Here’s an example tutorial for neutrals from Nikkie Tutorials on YouTube.
Fitness & Health
Lastly, your glow-up is impossible without a focus on fitness and wellness. You might need to make some difficult lifestyle changes, but trust us, it’ll be SO worth it.
Here are the basics of overhauling your fitness and health:
- Eat a whole food diet, cook at home, and avoid processed foods and junk food.
- Drink 8 cups of water daily.
- Work out at least 4 times per week. Doesn’t matter what workout you do, as long as you enjoy it enough to stay consistent.
- Take a multivitamin daily.
- Keep alcohol to a minimum.
- Quit smoking.
- Quit liquid calories – sugary drinks and soda.
- Get at least 8 hours of sleep every night. Go to bed early and try to avoid screens for 30-60 minutes before going to sleep.
Final Thoughts
It may seem daunting and intimidating to transform every facet of your life in pursuit of the ultimate glow-up.
But once you break it down, it’s totally doable. You’ll need to dedicate some time each week to a series of self-care activities that will leave you feeling relaxed and confident.
You’ll need to commit to a wellness routine and a daily skincare routine.
You’ll need to learn a few things. You’ll need to eliminate a few things. But in the end, you’ll feel better in your skin, and you’ll start walking through this world differently. And that’s what glowing up is really all about.
Related Articles
How To Get Bigger Lips Permanently Without Surgery
