The Ultimate Glow Up Checklist: Unlock the Best Possible You

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Looking back at the new year’s resolution you made? How many were ticked off, and how many were left unaccomplished?

Before the frustration hits you, have you tried to switch that list into a glow up checklist instead?

You don’t always have to wait for the year to give yourself a fresh start. No matter how hard it seems to change, there’s no better time than to begin today!

But what does it take for you to improve your looks overnight?

Quit the annual pressure; improving your physical appearance doesn’t need a deadline. Build it up from within. We’re here to guide you throughout the process!

What Does “Glow Up” Mean?

While some say it’s puberty, others say it’s good fate and karma. But to tell you the truth, glowing up is all about willpower.

“Glow up” is a term used by the mainstream media to transform oneself for the better, whether it’s an emotional, mental, or physical metamorphosis. 

A glow up doesn’t have any time limit, age, and gender restriction, and it has no solid pattern. 

This means the way you glow up won’t be the same as ours, and that’s already one power it gives you. The rest depends on how well you spend time on yourself and how driven you are to achieve the change. 

Setting Up a Glow Up Checklist

Going through so much in life can sometimes make you forget all the goals you have in mind. 

To give you a clear direction and a constant reminder of why and how to improve your appearance, creating a checklist can always help you go back on track. 

Setting up a glow up checklist or tracker can help you with these:

• Get a healthier lifestyle
• Improve your overall well-being
• Sustain your energy and happiness
• Increase your self-awareness and self-esteem
• Make you look and feel confident about yourself
• Achieve your goals and practice good self-discipline
• Develop new habits that let you get to know yourself better

Bring out your pen and paper; this glow up guide is more than just about improving your appearance. We’ll get you through every aspect there is when it comes to self-transformation.

Glow Up Your Face

Update Your Skincare Routine

The face doesn’t glow better than when you have it healthy from within, and starting the checklist by prioritizing the largest organ in the body — aka the skin — is strategic.

But before we break down the essentials, have you heard about the skin barrier? 

The skin barrier is the outermost layer of the skin that serves as a brick wall against pollutants. And this layer can be protected by ensuring your face is well moisturized and by sticking to a simple skincare routine.

Getting to wash your face in the morning and before going to sleep is a good practice, but you can begin your upgraded routine by cleansing, toning, and moisturizing. 

But if you want a more in-depth morning and night routine, the correct sequence of applying skin care will be a huge help! 

It’s applying the rule of thumb of lathering the products from thin to thick, so one product doesn’t block the next product. 

Set an Appointment With Professionals

Nothing beats an expert’s touch. 

Whether you want a deep cleanse, a facial massage, or non-invasive treatments such as facial contouring, setting an appointment with a professional and giving yourself such an indulgent treat can improve your physical and mental well-being.  

Try Face Rolling

Speaking of facial massage, there are trends that we can’t afford not to try. Due to the popular demand for face rollers and gua sha, facial massages have been brought right to our doorsteps.

Using these, you’re relieving tension and improving blood circulation, which can give a noticeable change in your face. 

Keep Facial Hair in Control

Love them or hate them, we got nothing against facial hair. But if you want a neat-looking canvas, you can remove them. 

Tools like epilators can get the job done quickly and easily. 

Brows are also vital in defining the look. Keep the messy growths out of sight through hair removal procedures like waxing, plucking, or threading.

You can also hold them in place and keep them trendy by booking a nanoblading, microblading, or eyebrow tinting appointment.  

Love Your Lashes

And maybe it’s time to get a break from the falsies and lash extensions and embrace your natural lashes by growing them naturally. 

Aside from being the eyes’ shield against dirt and other airborne debris, eyelashes can make the eyes more dramatic and dreamy. Not everyone is gifted with naturally long and curly lashes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have one! 

You can work on those lengths by applying natural oils such as castor oil or other lash growth serum before bed. This establishes the moisture in those lashes and keeps them nourished.

A keratin lash lift can also help you ditch those eyelash curlers and mascara for a look with fewer chemicals involved.

But lash extensions are the way to go if you want immediate results.  

Don’t Skip Lip Care

The lips are just as important as the rest of the face. Lip care may be in a slightly different genre, but the process is almost the same.

Exfoliate and moisturize. These are the two vital needs of the lips.

And how else to do this than to take a good lip scrub and lip balm and religiously include this in your nightly routine? You’ll immediately thank yourself in the morning!

Glow Up Your Hair

Being kinder to your hair can sometimes hurt your pockets; still, you’ll be surprised by how it’s saving you from spending a lot more on damage repair.

Schedule Your Salon Visit

If having long hair means getting visible split ends and constant breakages, we don’t want it.

Cut off a few inches every three months to keep your hair healthy and growing faster. But whether you’re having it trimmed or in it for a major chopping, haircuts will always improve your looks and your hair’s condition.

Spice Up Your Color

It doesn’t matter if you’re reviving your previous color, concealing the grays, or undergoing a drastic shift; hair transformations wouldn’t be complete without color adjustments.

Selecting the appropriate hair color is more than just browsing through Pinterest and scanning the pages of dye catalogs.

There are essential guides to take note of, and these consider relevant factors like your features and natural colors, not just trends.

Take the hair color wheel guide as an example. 

Along with a haircut, hair coloring and hair toning are some of the overnight glow-ups you can achieve to refresh your look and make those manes look healthier and more vibrant.

Go Natural 

From shampoos and conditioners to hair masks, oils, and whatnot — if you think chemically formulated products are powerful, wait ’til you experience all-natural alternatives.

There are products you can buy off the market and others that you can easily make and do at home. This may include applying coconut oil and aloe vera gel to keep the hair moisturized and strengthened. 

Going natural isn’t solely found in tubes and bottles; you can also do it when styling! Limit hot tools and opt for heatless styling instead!

Here’s a sample video on doing heatless curls:

Treat Your Hair and Scalp

Soft, and shiny locks can be deceiving, but you can’t always check your scalp’s condition by looking in the mirror.

You can give your mane the ultimate glow up by targeting it straight to the source: the scalp. 

Here are more steps to add to your hair care routine for that hair glow up you’re dreaming of.

• Value heat protectants as much as you do with sunscreens.
• Use silk pillowcases to aim away from breakage and tangles by reducing friction,
• Wash days are only two to three times a week.
• Use only sulfate-free hair products.
• Throw in a mask or a deep-conditioning treatment to bring back elasticity, moisture, and nourishment.
• Find the right product to watch out for severe hair conditions like dandruff and hair loss.

Glow Up Your Makeup Routine

Declutter

Before diving deep into the beauty routine, run through your stash. You stumbled upon a growing pile of unused products, didn’t you?

Most of us tend to hoard new releases and replenish the empties simultaneously, only to stick to the ones we initially loved. 

Sure, the extensive beauty products market can get us overjoyed, but always remember that expiration dates exist! 

Keep your stash substantial and sustainable; it’ll save you the extra cost and space, and you can also help save the environment too!

Organize Your Makeup Stash

Now that your vanity is decluttered, this is the perfect opportunity for you to sort out go-to’s and all the other products you saved for important occasions. 

To avoid scattering products, put those that you usually use in places where you can easily get them. Or you can organize and group them based on their makeup category. Another way to organize them is by expiry dates.

Investing in sturdy train cases will help you carry and organize your essentials in style whenever there’s a need for traveling.

Find Your Shade

Whether you’re finding the right color match for your base and concealer or you’re bringing the right pop of warmth and color back to your face as per your undertone, it’s about time you step up your game and use the appropriate makeup shades.

Most makeup nowadays is inclusive and innovative, so it’s impossible not to find the right one. 

This is also an excellent opportunity to explore different techniques and makeup looks. 

Learn New Makeup Techniques and Try On Different Looks

How many hours have you spent watching makeup tutorials you know you’ll never try? 

In this glow up journey, you’ll have to step outside the box and explore the things outside your usual routine.

Trying on different looks will give you a better sense of what suits you best and which aspects of the art of makeup you need to practice more. 

Give Your Face Time to Breathe

If doing your makeup and switching your looks daily can be exhausting, think about how the skin underneath it all feels. 

Letting the skin breathe and going on days solely on skin care can be beneficial and can give you the natural glow you never knew you had!

Glow Up Your Body 

Keep Your Hands and Feet Healthy and Looking Good

Even without this list, you know how refreshing mani-pedis can be. But think again if you’re not the type who often indulges in such. 

At least treat yourself to a pamper session that involves nail cleaning and painting. Clean-looking nails can give you a sense of empowerment and being put together.

You can also pop a hand cream into your purse, apply it throughout the day for a silky touch, and smother your feet with cream before you go to bed. 

Take a Relaxing Bath

Glowing up is all about spending quality time with yourself.

Begin with some of the easiest things to do. Imagine dipping into an aromatic, warm bath after a stressful day. Refreshing, isn’t it? 

Adding rewarding baths to your regular self-care routine can improve your mental and emotional well-being. 

It’s the perfect time to bring out the bath bombs and the bubble baths and light those scented candles that your friends and family gave you. 

Enjoy some aromatherapy while submerging yourself in the diffused hydration and moisture in your tub.

Exfoliate and Lock in That Moisture 

If you truly want a glow up, you shouldn’t skimp on this one. 

Moisturizing treatments don’t stop the moment you step out of the shower. You must lock them in using lotion, creams, body butter, and whatnot.

For total absorption and lasting smell, it’s ideal for letting it melt and seep in while your skin is still damp.

And don’t forget about its best partner: exfoliating.

You’ll be surprised by how you can extend the use of your daily essentials, such as coffee or sugar, and use them as DIY scrubs. 

Keep A Healthy Smile

Looking for the perfect combo to a healthier-looking set of teeth? Keep your pearly whites clean and bright! 

Cleaning and flossing are the basics. But for a game changer, invest in teeth-whitening sets.

Some brands and products offer at-home sets, strips, and pens that you can add to your routine for a blinding smile.

Don’t hesitate to consult professionals to know how your teeth are doing and what procedures need to be done.

Glow Up Your Lifestyle

Get Active

To clear things out, you don’t necessarily have to lose extreme weight to glow up. But you need light workouts to sweat out, prevent yourself from bumming, and improve your stamina.

Whether it’s a 30-minute jog or walk first thing in the morning or getting on your feet and training with your favorite YouTube fitness gurus, the joyful movements that keep the heart healthily beating and the endorphins you release will change your outlook and life!

Stay Hydrated

You might have heard of this over and over again, but if we were to make an overnight glow up checklist, this is the first one on the list.

But how does it exactly improve your look? 

Our body is made up of 60% water, so from there, you can see why consuming approximately two gallons of water makes sense. It keeps our body hydrated and drives it to function properly. 

Not drinking enough water can lead to all sorts of physical and mental problems; believe it or not, the effects can be tangible! 

Water transforms you from the inside. Staying hydrated can improve your overall health, fight skin problems, boost your skin’s glow, and flush away toxins.

Get Enough Beauty Sleep

The mere thought of getting enough sleep makes most of us regret not napping as a child. 

Yes, getting the recommended eight hours of sleep seems impossible if you’re a hustling adult. But keep this in your glow up list, and you’ll thank yourself for it!

If you can quickly point out the positive effects of going to bed early and getting ample Zs for one night, think how much of a glow up it’ll give you if you do it as a routine.

Beauty sleeps range from seven to nine hours; if it exceeds this, it’ll become unhealthy. But let’s put that thought aside. Getting the ideal hours can help you achieve a healthy balance and body. 

Not to mention the wonders it can do to your mood, mind, skin, and hair!

Maintain Good Posture

Good posture is the number one silent confidence booster that anyone can have. But not everyone takes note of this. 

Stand tall and do your stretches.

Maintaining a good posture is more than straightening your back, ditching the hunchback figure, and not slouching. It relieves neck and back problems, improves blood circulation, and promotes better digestion.

Spend Time Cooking for Yourself

Are you aware of how much you spend ordering takeouts and eating out? While you’re out there thinking it’s saving prep time, you spend more cash and crash your diet.

By sparing some time cooking for yourself, you get to track your food intake. Incorporate healthy food into your diet, and try to cut the sugar.

One tip for making this easy is to plan and prepare your meal in batches when you have the time. 

Once you’ve prepared everything, pop them in the freezer, and reheating becomes your new BFF.

FAQs

At what age do you glow up naturally?

While glow-ups usually happen during puberty, they can be natural or planned. There’s no age limit, and it definitely has no limitations. 

How long does it take to glow up?

Glowing up or transforming yourself means learning a new routine and unlearning past habits. The long-term and visible effects don’t happen overnight. 

Changes can be slow or fast-paced, and the results may be gradual and permanent, but it’s safe to say that at least three to six months of self-love and reprogramming yourself can result in incredible transformation.

How To Have A Glow Up

As much as we want to give you the secret to having a glow up checklist that works, there’s actually none. 

Mind over matter — that’s one thing to remember. 

You really have to set your mind to it. We understand it won’t be a smooth-sailing journey, but that’s the beauty of it. 

Once you get the glow up of your dreams, you’ll get to look back at everything and appreciate the result and process.

Take the time to connect to your inner self and fill your mind with positive affirmations. It won’t be easy, but it will always be fulfilling and rewarding. 

Grow and glow up! Here are more self-loving tips for you:

• 10 Toxic Skincare Ingredients To Avoid Immediately
• Does Shea Butter Clog Pores? Here’s What You Need To Know!  
• Affordable Skincare Routine: 15 Must-Try Products For Budget Skincare