Updated
Glow-up guide
How to glow up: a realistic guide
To glow up, build small habits in five areas and keep them for a few weeks: a simple skincare routine with daily sunscreen, a haircut that suits your face shape, movement you enjoy, seven to nine hours of sleep, and balanced meals with plenty of water. Beautify’s Glow Up Guide breaks each area into steps next to your scores and face shape.
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The Glow Up Guide
Five areas, six steps each
These are the five sections of the Glow Up Guide in Beautify. Start with one, add the next when it feels easy.
Skincare routine
Build the base for a radiant look
- Figure out your skin type: oily, dry, combination or normal.
- Cleanse morning and night to remove dirt and oil.
- Moisturize every day.
- Wear broad-spectrum sunscreen, SPF 30 or higher.
- Add serums for specific concerns, and patch test first.
- Stay consistent and give products time to work.
Hairstyle makeover
Let your hair do the talking
- Ask a stylist you trust about cuts and color.
- Choose a style that suits your face shape and lifestyle.
- Get regular trims to keep ends healthy.
- Use a heat protectant before straighteners or curlers.
- Experiment with accessories like scrunchies and headbands.
- Deep-condition once a week.
Fitness journey
Move your body, lift your mood
- Aim for about 30 minutes of movement most days.
- Mix cardio, like running or dancing, with strength training.
- Pick activities you enjoy so you stick with them.
- Stay hydrated before, during and after exercise.
- Take rest days to recover.
- Celebrate progress; small wins add up.
Sleep optimization
Recharge with better sleep
- Aim for seven to nine hours a night.
- Keep a consistent bedtime and wake-up time, weekends included.
- Wind down with a relaxing routine, like reading or a warm bath.
- Keep your room cool, dark and quiet.
- Put screens away before bed.
- Avoid caffeine late in the day.
Nutrition goals
Eat well, glow more
- Fill up on fruit, vegetables and whole grains.
- Include protein, like beans, eggs or lean meat.
- Add healthy fats from avocados, nuts and seeds.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Cut back on sugary drinks and heavily processed food.
- Ask a healthcare professional before taking supplements.
What is a glow up?
A glow up is a visible change in how you look and feel that comes from looking after yourself: clearer skin, a haircut that suits you, more energy and more confidence. The lasting kind comes from habits, not one big makeover.
How long does a glow up take?
Expect a few weeks before you notice changes and a couple of months before they feel established. Skincare routines usually need at least four to six weeks of consistent use, sleep and fitness habits take weeks to settle, and a new haircut is the only instant win. Anything promising a glow up in a day is selling a filter, not a habit.
Glow up or looksmaxxing: what is the difference?
Glow up is the broad, everyday idea of looking and feeling your best through skincare, hair, style, sleep and fitness. Looksmaxxing comes from online communities, mainly of men, and focuses on rating and maximizing attractiveness, sometimes with extreme methods. Beautify sticks to healthy, everyday steps.
Where should you start?
Start with the area that will make you feel better fastest. For most people that is skin and sleep: a gentle cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen every day, and a regular bedtime. Add a haircut that suits your face shape next, then movement and nutrition.
Questions
Questions people ask
How can I glow up in a week?
A week is enough to start habits, not finish them. Get a haircut that suits your face shape, start a simple skincare routine, sleep seven to nine hours, drink more water and move every day. You will look more rested by the end of the week, and the bigger changes follow if you keep going.
What is a glow up checklist?
A list of daily and weekly habits across skincare, hair, fitness, sleep, nutrition and style that you tick off as you go. Beautify’s Glow Up Guide works the same way, with steps for each area.
Is there an app that helps you glow up?
Yes. Beautify for iPhone analyzes a selfie, gives you beauty scores, your face shape, eye shape and skin type, and a Glow Up Guide with step-by-step sections for skincare, hairstyle, fitness, sleep and nutrition.
Do I need makeup to glow up?
No. Skin, sleep, hair and health do most of the work. Makeup is optional, and the tutorials are there if you want to try a look.
Start your glow up today
One selfie. Your scores, your face shape and your glow-up guide, on iPhone.
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