Over the last few years, I’ve been going through a glow up of sorts. My glow-up has mainly consisted of changing myself from within – gaining more confidence, becoming more sure of who I am, leaving behind my people pleasing ways and embracing my unique self.
I also recently did a MAJOR closet clean out because I felt like my style needed a bit of a refresh. I’m not the same person that I once was, so there is no need to keep around the items that don’t make sense for who I am currently. It’s only natural that with all of these changes I would start to glow up externally. At first, I felt like it happened naturally but now I am purposely putting in the work to become my best self.
Transformation has always been very interesting to me and I feel like we all go through it at various stages of life (probably more than once). If you are on a similar journey or have felt the need to improve or reinvent yourself in some way, you’ve come to the right place. After all, it’s good to change it up once in a while! Today I’m sharing my best glow up tips to increase your confidence, appearance and outlook on life and yourself. Read on to see how to glow up!
******************
How to Glow Up: 13 Simple Tips
What is a glow up?
A glow up is a transformation of oneself. It can be internal, external or both. You can glow up mentally, emotionally, physically and even spiritually. Basically, it’s the act of becoming your best self. Sometimes it’s a natural thing that happens in our lives and other times it’s more intentional. Perhaps we are looking to change up our life in some way or embrace the changes that have come our way.
Today I will be talking about an external glow up. I’ll be going over things like diet, exercise, skincare, fashion, self-care and more. You don’t necessarily have to do all of these things. Feel free to check out the ones that appeal to you and your glow up journey the most!
Change Up Your Appearance
Perhaps the easiest way to glow up is to simply change your appearance. Experiment with your makeup, get a new hair cut or embrace your personal style!
Fashion
Fashion can be a simple way to change up your appearance. If you feel like you’ve outgrown your personal style (or you don’t even know what your personal style is), your due for a glow up. What styles are you the most drawn to? What is your body type? Which colors look best on you? While I firmly believe that there are no rules when it comes to fashion, this is a good place to start if you don’t know what styles work best for you. If you are a feminine dresser, check out my free quiz to help narrow it down. This will also give you some advice on where to shop!
I could honestly go on forever about fashion but let me summarize. In short, how you feel in your clothing strongly dictates how you feel about yourself. It can change your mood, confidence level and appearance drastically. Find items that make you feel happy, confident and beautiful and wear more of those. And don’t be afraid to stand out, even if you’re shy!
Check out this post for 22 ways to look expensive on a budget! For the BEST girly clothing stores, you’ll love this post!
Luxurious Lingerie
This is my secret to feeling good in your clothing and in your own skin. A good bra can make all the difference in how your clothing fits! I also love beautiful lingerie. It makes me feel more confident, beautiful, powerful and puts me in a better mood. For gorgeous and luxurious lingerie, check out my review of Cosabella.
Makeup
Not only can makeup make you feel more confident but the very act of putting it on can be therapeutic. For me, makeup is a tool to make yourself feel more beautiful, authentic and confident. You don’t have to necessarily change up your entire appearance to become an entirely different person. Enhancing your natural beauty is much better, in my opinion.
Experiment with different looks to see what you like best and what flatters your favorite features the most. And you don’t need the most expensive makeup either! If you are unsure of how to apply make up, there are SO many free tutorials out there. I’m actually currently going through a makeup course to learn how to properly apply makeup 🙂 Lastly, remember to always remove your makeup.
Some of my favorite feminine makeup brands are Charlotte Tilbury, Too Faced, Givenchy, etc. My all-time favorite makeup brush is from Michael Todd. I get SO many comments on this one! Check out my Charlotte Tilbury Look of Love review and Pillowtalk Collection review!
Haircare
One of the biggest glow up changes can come from simply changing up your hair. You can experiment with new hairstyles or go all in with a drastic new hair cut. Even more important, in my opinion, is hair health.
Taking care of your hair is a great way to glow up, although it will take a bit of time. Make sure it’s clean and brushed. I also love using hair masks, leave-in conditioners and other hair treatments. I hardly ever use heat unless I’m shooting and when I do, I always use a heat protectant.
If you are looking for ways to grow your hair, I recommend checking my reviews of Vegamour and Tayloani. Both brands are incredible but work in different ways. I’ve had great results from both concerning hair growth, thickness and overall health after a mishap with permanent hair extensions.
Speaking of which… if you are looking for a good extension for length or volume (or aren’t patient enough to wait for your hair to grow), I cannot recommend Hidden Crown enough! I’ve been using them for YEARS and I feel so confident when I wear my halos. They have tons of different hair pieces as well. Shop here and get $25 with my Hidden Crown discount code – LIZZIEINLACE.
Skincare
Skincare is another great way to glow up but it’s definitely more of a long term solution. Following a skincare routine is highly important, in my opinion. It can definitely make you feel more confident and if you are consistent, it can help prevent issues down the line as well. I’m always trying out new brands but two of my faves are Depology and Herbal Face Food!
My Personal Daytime Skincare Routine:
- Cleanse
- Exfoliate
- Tone
- Essence
- Serum
- Eye Cream
- Moisturizer
- SPF (for daytime)
My Personal Nighttime Skincare Routine:
- Cleanse
- Tone
- Essence
- Serum
- Eye Cream
- Spot treatment
- Moisturizer
- Retinol
- Face Oil or Sleeping Mask
For a BASIC skincare routine:
- Cleanse
- Exfoliate
- Serum
- Moisturizer
- SPF (for day)
You can also you use face masks, which I love! I use different ones depending on my skin concern. There are SO many different types out there but these are the main ones I use.
- Clay Mask if my skin is too oily or if I’m having an acne break out.
- Gel Mask if my skin needs hydration (I put this in the fridge for added de-puffing benefits!).
- Peel Off Mask to minimize pores.
- Sleeping Mask for added hydration.
- Sheets Masks for varying skincare concerns (I love putting this one in my skincare fridge as well!).
I also LOVE beauty treatments! There are many different tools available to create that at home spa like environment. I’ve reviewed many beauty tools and skincare devices in this post but here are a few of my faves:
- Facial Steamer
- LED Light Mask
- Skin Toning Devices like NuFace, Silk’n Titan Allways, Refa, etc
- Facial Roller or Gua Sha – I like jade and rose quartz.
Lifestyle Changes
There are many lifestyle changes you can make to glow up. Most of these will not be overnight changes but if you stick with it, I promise that you will start to see results!
Water
I cannot emphasize how important water is! It does wonders for your skin and body as a whole. I’ve always been a water drinker so I have no issue with this but I realize that a lot of people aren’t. To make it more tolerable, skip out on sugary additives and add some fresh fruit! There are many different flavored water combinations out there. Here are some of my faves –
- Cucumber and Mint
- Strawberry and Lime
- Lemon
- Cucumber and Lemon
- Watermelon Mint, and Lemon
- Strawberry and Lemon
- Strawberry, Lemon and Mint
- Watermelon and Strawberry
- Lemon, Ginger and Mint
- Lemon and Ginger
- Raspberry, Lemon and Mint
Seriously, the combinations are endless! Feel free to experiment with this. Also, in order to ensure you are getting the proper amount of water each day, consider a water bottle or large cup. I have a water bottle that notes how many ounces are on it so it’s easy to keep track. However, most often you’ll find me using a thermos like cup to keep my water cold. I notice that I actually drink MORE water when it’s cold.
Diet
Of course, we all know that diet is a huge part of our overall health. I honestly didn’t realize this until I saw it first hand. A few years ago, I developed food allergies out of nowhere. I had to completely eliminate whole food groups and as a result, I was deficient in numerous vitamins. My hair started falling out and I had other issues. After a lot of trial and error, I’ve come to find what works for me.
After I eliminated the foods, I noticed that not only did it help with my allergies but it helped significantly with my skin (dairy, I’m looking at you!). I am, by no means, a health expert so take my experience with a grain of salt. As a result of losing the ability to eat my favorite (unhealthy) foods, I actually started making healthier choices when it came to my diet!
There are so many benefits when it comes to your overall health as well as your energy levels and appearance. The right foods can most definitely make you look “prettier” in terms of skin, hair, etc.
Sleep
Getting enough sleep is key in not only glowing up but being healthier overall! It’s been linked to aging, general health, mood, energy and more. For so long, I struggled with insomnia. I had to work hard to change my sleep patterns but since I have, I’ve seen a huge difference! Now, I try to be in bed by 10pm every night rather than 1am. I wake up feeling more refreshed, energized and my skin seems to have a glow about it.
I’ve even created a nighttime routine to get myself excited about bedtime, as silly as it sounds. Of course, I indulge in my skincare routine but I also love wearing pretty pajamas, using a silk pillowcase and wearing a sleeping mask. I’m sensitive to light so the sleeping mask has made a huge difference in my quality of sleep. And the silk pillowcase has benefitted my hair and skin greatly, plus it just feels so luxurious (I even got my husband one). As for pretty pajamas, it just makes me feel more confident which boosts my mood overall!
Exercise
Let me tell you. Exercise and I have a love/hate relationship LOL! I use to go to the gym all the time and years ago, you would probably catch me at yoga nearly everyday of the week. Of course, life happens and I fell off the wagon. Frustrated with my food allergies and weight gain, I felt absolutely NO energy for the gym whatsoever. Going to the gym also made me feel insecure. After that, I started to discover that I actually did much better outside the gym.
Find what you like to do and do more of that. Personally, I love hiking, yoga, pilates, barre, dancing and going for walks around my neighborhood. I can do all of these from the comfort of my home (although I do miss the social aspect of my prior classes… even as an introvert lol). I also just got an exercise bike (use LIZZIE for 10% off) and it’s been amazing! Upgrading my workout clothing wardrobe has been a game changer as well. I’m very driven by fashion so I guess that it makes sense haha. Wearing a cute outfit makes you feel more confident and excited to workout, even if no one else sees it!
The important thing is just to be active in some way. You don’t necessarily have to do it because you want to lose weight. You can do it for the energy and mood boost, your physical and mental health, as a way to start your day off on the right foot or just to be more healthy. There are so many reasons to be active. Find your reason and let that be your motivation.
Self-Care Routine
Teeth Whitening
This is an easy way to glow up! I always get complimented on my teeth so let me tell you my secret. I have an at home whitening system. It’s the best thing ever!! Seriously. I got it years ago and I still love to use it every now and then when I feel like my teeth need a whitening boost. I know this sounds so vain but having whiter teeth can drastically alter your appearance. You can go the professional route at the dentist, get some whitening strips from the drugstore or get an at home whitening kit.
Signature Scent
I’m a perfume lover and this is evident by my massive fragrance collection. Having a signature scent is always a great way to embrace who you are as it’s incredibly personal! If you are not a perfume wearer, I highly recommend looking for a signature scent that you can’t live without. And if you’re a perfume lover like myself, why not change it up? Check out my top *pink* feminine perfumes in this post!
Mani Pedi
As a detail oriented person, I love a good mani and pedi. However, I think that they can often be over looked. If you want to really pamper yourself, book at appointment at the spa or nail salon for a girly day out. If youre on a budget or prefer to do them yourself, a quick swipe of nail polish will work wonders. You can also get salon worthy nails at home. I’ve recently discovered Powderful Nails, an at home dip powder kit, and I’m obsessed!! if you’re not typically a nail polish wearer, opt for a clear coat and a clean nail (so important))
Hygiene
If you want to glow up, having a good hygiene is an essential. Ensure that your hair and teeth are brushed, skin and clothing are clean and that you smell delightful (or don’t smell at all lol!).
Outfit Details
Pink Confete Tulle Dress c/o | Kate Spade Heart Handbag | Lack of Color Scalloped Hat | Charlotte Tilbury Lipstick | Halo Hair Extension (use LIZZIEINLACE for $25 off!)
There are SO many internal glow up tips that I can share but I will save that for a different post. If you are curious to know some of them, check out my tips on how to be more feminine and ladylike AND how to romanticize your life!
More Glow Up Tips
What age do you glow up?
You can glow up at any age!
Can you glow up in a month?
Yes and no. There are definitely some quick ways to glow up like changing your hairstyle, makeup, fashion style, etc. But for anything else, I think you might see results with a longer period. Even then, I do believe that you will start to see results in a month!
Can you glow up in 3 months?
Absolutely! I think that if you are making any changes to your skincare, haircare, diet, exercise or something similar, it’s important to give it time to see adequate results. Three months seems to be a good amount of time to not only make these changes a habit but to see if it’s working for you! I am pretty sure that you will start to see positive changes around this time.
Do you have any glow up tips to add?
Let me know below! Hope you enjoyed this post! <3
xo
