26 Ways To Have A Glow Up (Physically And Mentally)
Looking for ways to feel and look better? Here’s exactly how you can have a glow up – both physically and mentally.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Learn more: Affiliate Disclaimer.
If you’ve ever seen someone go from dull and uninspired to bright and happy, you’ve witnessed a glow up. How to glow up boils down to one factor—happiness. When you’re glowing, you’re happy and confident.
While glowing up is easier to see on the outside, glowing up is a transformation from the inside out. You’ll find that once you’ve transformed your mind into a safe space, you’ll become more confident and outwardly radiant.
What Is A Glow Up?
If there’s one thing a glow up centers around, it’s change. A glow up can simply mean working on yourself, whether it be spiritually, mentally, emotionally, or physically.
It can also mean changing your physical appearance to become more healthy-looking and attractive.
The definition of a glow up will look different from person to person. In general, it’s a transformation of your current self into a happier, more confident version of yourself who looks good and feels good.
On the physical side of things, a glow up means making your face, hair, and body look as good and healthy as possible.
That could look like wearing makeup that brings out your best natural facial features, getting a haircut that frames your face perfectly, or wearing an outfit that compliments your figure.
On the mental and spiritual side of things, a glow up means being happy with yourself and confident.
To glow up is to work on your internal qualities just as much as your outward appearance. A mental and spiritual glow up often involves journaling, practicing gratitude, and setting time aside to focus on yourself.
As you can see, a complete glow up is a lot more than becoming more attractive on the outside.
Why Is It Called A Glow Up?
Have you ever noticed that when someone gains confidence in themselves, they seem to radiate that confidence? In fact, they seem to glow with it.
According to the Pop Culture Dictionary, that’s exactly why we call this transformation a “glow up.” This positive transformation allows the person to “shine” in a way they didn’t when they weren’t as happy with themselves.
What Age Do You Normally Glow Up?
Anyone can learn how to glow up. Age truly doesn’t matter. However, the general glow up trend seems to be for people in their mid-twenties to early thirties.
This is the age after the awkward teen years when you’re transitioning into adulthood. As you get through those hormonal, uncomfortable years of high school and even college, you have a bunch of opportunities to grow mentally and physically.
Basically, the average age to glow up is as an emerging adult, but it depends on the person. Some people glow up during high school or in their early twenties, others glow up in their forties. It’s never too early or too late to have a glow up.
How To Have A Glow Up Physically
1. Eat A Balanced Diet
Being healthy is critical in how to have a glow up. If you physically don’t feel well, you won’t be able to get that glow.
That’s why you’ll need a balanced diet of fruits, veggies, source of protein, and the least amount of sugar possible.
[RELATED: 22 Microwave Mug Meals You Can Make In Your Dorm ]
2. Fix Your Posture
Your posture says everything about how you feel about yourself. In order to radiate confidence, you need to fix your posture.
When you carry yourself well, you project security and a strong sense of self, which is key to how to have a glow up.
3. Drink Plenty Of Water
Hydration is key to every glow up! Making sure you get enough water will help stabilize your moods, make your skin look more hydrated, boost your brain, balance your sleep cycle, and overall promote good health.
Keep a water bottle on you at all times, and this will be an easy step in your glow up journey.
4. Get More Movement Throughout The Day
When you’re thinking about someone who has had a “glow up”, you probably aren’t picturing someone lounging on the couch all day.
That’s because movement gives you more energy, makes you more alert, and helps you maintain a positive outlook on life. Incorporate movement into your everyday routine to kick off your glow up.
Fitness trackers are a great way to ensure that you are getting enough movement throughout the day. Wear a Fitbit watch or other tracker and try to get 10,000 steps per day.
5. Have Your Eyebrows Shaped
Any beauty guru will tell you that your eyebrow game will make or break your whole look.
Eyebrows frame the rest of your face, so make sure you have your eyebrows shaped to best compliment your features. When your eyebrows look great, everything else will fall into place.
This kit will help you figure out the right eyebrow shape for your face and fill them in.
6. Solidify Your Skincare Routine
Every single day, your skin gets clogged with dirt, makeup, and contaminants in the air, not to mention the acne that crops up due to stress and hormones.
Make sure to create and stick to a skincare routine to lock in your glow up. Clear skin will do wonders for that outward glow up.
If you don’t know where to start, this skincare kit is perfect for beginners. It has everything you need to cleanse, treat, and moisturize your skin.
7. Do A Facial
Facials leave your skin looking hydrated, smooth, and fresh. When your skin is happy, you are happy.
An at-home facial is a great way to quickly freshen your skin and make it look better. Exfoliate your skin, use a sheet mask, and then follow up with a hydrating serum for a quick glow.
8. Apply Some Self Tanner
When it comes to how to have a glow up, the more glow, the better. Applying a bit of self tanner will give you that sun-kissed glow that just makes you look and feel beautiful and positive.
9. Get A New Outfit That You Feel Confident In
You haven’t experienced a glow up if you haven’t bought that outfit. You know, the one that you put on and immediately feel like a model. Treat yourself.
[RELATED: What to Wear to a College Class: Tips & Outfit Ideas]
10. Wear Makeup That Enhances Your Features
Let’s be honest—some makeup trends just don’t work on certain facial features. Instead of focusing on what doesn’t work, find out what makeup does work for you.
Enhance those beautiful natural facial features, and you’ll find yourself glowing in no time.
11. Smile More
Did you know that the act of smiling actually boosts your mood? When you’re smiling more, you’re genuinely happy more often.
And we all know that happiness is the most important part of a glow up.
12. Fix Your Sleeping Schedule
One of the lesser known facts about how to glow up is that you absolutely need a consistent sleep schedule.
Maintaining a sleep schedule that leaves you well rested will help you work more efficiently, stay healthy, and have a more positive outlook on your life.
13. Whiten Your Teeth
There’s nothing quite like getting a compliment on how dazzling your smile is. A brighter smile will also help you look healthier and more hygenic.
Invest in some teeth whitening strips so that you can show off that amazing smile as often as possible.
14. Do A Hair Mask
You can’t have a true glow up if you don’t feel good about how you look. Treat yourself to a hair mask to give your hair that extra umph.
Feel free to flip your glossy, healthy hair over your shoulder when you’re done with it.
15. Learn How To Style Your Hair For Your Face Shape
Your hair stylist is more than happy to suggest the right style for your face shape. Or look online for inspiration until you find the perfect hairstyle for you.
Once you feel great about how you look, your “glow” will really kick in.
16. Use A Silk Pillowcase
Don’t let all the work you’ve put into your hair and skin go to waste!
Invest in a silk pillowcase to keep your hair from frizzing and breaking while you sleep. A silk or satin pillowcase will also help prevent wrinkles and will keep your skin smooth.
You’ll wake up in the morning feeling way more glamorous.
How To Have A Glow Up Mentally
17. Make More Time For Yourself
Like we said before, a glow up is all about transforming yourself for the better. That means giving yourself the space to reflect, relax, and connect with yourself.
Whether you make time for yourself at the beginning of your day or at the end, setting aside time just for you is critical to glowing up from the inside out.
18. Be More Open Minded
You won’t figure out how to glow up if you don’t challenge your current views on the world.
True growth comes from overcoming difficulties, so you should always be open to new ideas, beliefs, and activities to establish your best sense of self.
19. Put Together An Uplifting Playlist
Believe it or not, the music you listen to has a huge impact on your mood.
Help yourself glow by playing uplifting music rather than a playlist that puts you in a bad head space.
20. Be More Optimistic
If you learn anything about how to have a glow up, remember that it’s all about optimism. The research shows that by acknowledging and writing down what you’re grateful for, you’ll be able to grow your optimism in a matter of weeks.
Being able to see the bright side of life is a sure sign that you’re glowing up.
21. Clean Your Room
How clean or dirty your room is often reflects your mental state, including how you feel about yourself.
When you clean your room, you feel more organized, calm, and like you deserve to feel good.
22. Grow Your Confidence
You can’t have a successful glow up without growing your confidence. Take baby steps by growing your confidence in little ways every day, whether it’s wearing something you usually wouldn’t or trying a new exercise at the gym.
When you accomplish these small things, you’ll soon gain enough confidence to tackle the big things, too.
23. Pick Up A New Hobby
Hobbies are a great way to express yourself, create balance in your life, and set time aside just for you at the end of the day.
To help build self love, find a hobby you truly enjoy and make time for it every week.
24. Keep A Journal
Journals are a great tool for reflecting and processing your emotions, not to mention tracking your personal growth.
Learning how to have a glow up means learning how to get in touch with you, focusing on your thoughts and emotions in a healthy way that will make you the best version of yourself.
25. Practice Gratitude
Like we mentioned before, practicing gratitude is scientifically proven to change your brain.
If you take just one minute a day to write down what you’re grateful for, you’ll find that it’s easier to see a silver lining rather than dark clouds.
26. Remove Negative People From Your Life
Some people spread negativity like secondhand smoke. If you’re trying to glow up, you need to remove those negative influences and focus on making yourself as happy and balanced as possible.
How To Glow Up Overnight
Everyone loves a night of self-care. Now, imagine using that night to have a complete glow up! With just a few easy tips, you can do just that.
Here’s exactly what to do at night if you want to have a glow up by the morning:
- Pick out a new outfit – either go to the store and buy some new clothes or just dig deep in your wardrobe to find something you haven’t worn in awhile. Make sure that it is an outfit that makes you feel beautiful and confident.
- Give yourself a facial – use a hydrating face mask to perk up your skin and give it a little bit of glow. Follow up with a good serum or face lotion to lock in that moisture.
- Whiten your teeth – you’re not going to transform yellow teeth into pearly whites in one session, but you can get them looking a bit brighter!
- Apply some self-tanner – a healthy-looking glow will make anyone look better. If you don’t feel confident applying it yourself, head to a spray tan place and get a light tan. Make sure you don’t go too dark if this is your first time!
- Drink lots of water – being well-hydrated can have a huge impact on your appearance! Make sure you drink plenty of water so you can de-bloat and look healthier.
- Do a hair mask – if your hair is looking a bit dry or damaged, you can do a hydrating hair mask to make it look instantly better.
To start off with, go ahead and put on the hair mask. These tend to take longer, so you can have the hair mask in while doing the rest of the steps.
After a few minutes of just the hair mask, apply the face mask and teeth whitening strips. Your hair, face, and teeth are essential parts of the glow up process!
Make sure to follow the directions of each product closely, taking off the whitening strips when you’re supposed to.
When you’re done with these elements, it’s time for the self-tanner. If your hair is still wet, make sure to put it up so that it doesn’t leave streaks on your skin.
Then, follow the directions carefully to give yourself a natural-looking, even tan. The results will look even better the next day!
Speaking of the next day, it’s time to sleep. Get comfortable and get a good night’s sleep so you look well-rested.
When you wake up in the morning, you’ll have glossy hair, hydrated skin, and a brighter smile!
To tie it all together, apply some makeup, making sure to emphasize your best facial features. With your hair, makeup, and smile taken care of, it’s finally time to put on that cute outfit.
And just like that—voila! You’re ready to share your overnight glow up with the world!
How To Glow Up Before School
Wouldn’t it be great if you went back to school after summer break and everyone said, “Wow, you really had a glow up this summer!” Well, you can make that happen!
In order to have a glow up before school, you need to set aside a little time every day to take care of yourself physically and mentally.
Create a summer routine where you get some movement (like walks or jogs), drink a lot of water, find the perfect haircut, start a new hobby, journal, and anything else that will make you feel more confident and beautiful.
You don’t have to add all of these glow up activities to your routine at once. Actually, don’t even try! To make sure you will stay consistent all summer and finally have that glow up, try introducing one new glow up habit at a time.
For example, in the first week of summer break, you can focus on eating a healthy breakfast every day and taking a thirty-minute walk in the morning.
During the second week, you can focus on drinking more water by having a bottle or more than usual every day. By the end of the second week, you’ll be eating healthier, drinking more water, and moving more than you were just a few days ago!
If you build this routine during the summer, by the time you get back to school, you’ll have the best glow up around! Since you’ve been making baby steps in your glow up routine all summer, you’re more likely to keep it up and reach that full-blown glow up.
So make sure to stay consistent with those self-care habits, and you’ll return to school as a happy, confident version of yourself.
Final Thoughts
By now, you know that glowing up is all about changing yourself for the better.
To glow up on the outside, you can do physical activity, have a healthy diet, get your eyebrows done, pick makeup that enhances your features, and anything else that makes you feel good about how you look.
But a glow up also means working on yourself mentally. To mentally glow up, build a schedule where you can engage with hobbies you enjoy, journal, practice gratitude, and grow your confidence.
If you use all these tools, you’ll have a glow up in no time!
You may also like:
