Glow Up Tips: Your Guide to Looking and Feeling Great This Summer

Summer is here, and now is the best time to reset. But not just any reset — an ultimate glow up. This trending hashtag is not just a social media trend. A glow up is just a new term for self-care that improves every area of your life, from your skin to hair and fitness. Whether you're looking to make significant changes or simply hoping to boost your confidence, here are easy glow up tips that can help you look and feel your best.

What is a glow up?

A glow up is a change or transformation you can make to improve yourself and improve your life in a positive way. Basically, it's all about forming new habits that make you happier, healthier, and more confident. This could be anything from lifestyle changes to skincare, hair care, and wellness. The best part is anyone can achieve a glow up — it's not restricted to any age or gender.

Glow up tips

There are so many ways you can achieve your summer glow up. We've put together glow up tips to help you in your journey.

Skincare tips

Figuring out how to get glowing skin does not have to be expensive or difficult. Making subtle changes to your skincare routine is the secret. Here are ways to glow up with these skincare tips:

1. Wash your face regularly. Cleansing your face is the very first step to getting glowing skin. So make sure you wash twice a day with a gentle cleanser. This will help remove impurities, dirt, and oil, which helps you look fresh and vibrant.
2. Moisturize. Moisturizers help create a barrier to prevent moisture loss. For best results, apply a moisturizer immediately after cleansing your skin in order to seal in moisture. Make sure you use a moisturizer that's best suited for your skin type.
3. Protect your skin with daily sunscreen. Harmful UV rays may cause sunburns, premature skin aging, and sun damage, leading to hyperpigmentation. So, apply a daily, broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or above.
4. Exfoliate regularly. One of the best ways to brighten your skin and boost its glow is by exfoliating. Exfoliating once a week helps to slough away dead skin cells for brighter and smoother skin. You can use a gentle chemical exfoliant for your face and a physical exfoliant for the rest of your body.
5. Avoid long, hot showers. A hot shower may feel great, but it's one of the worst things you can do for your skin. The heat strips your skin's beneficial natural oils, leaving it dry and dehydrated. So, opt for warm showers instead of hot showers.
6. Try a facial massage. A facial massage using a gua sha or a facial roller helps to encourage circulation and lymphatic drainage. This helps your skin stimulate the lymphatic system and blood flow and gives you a more radiant look. A facial massage can also help reduce under-eye puffiness and support facial muscle relaxation.
7. Apply brightening serums. When it comes to choosing the best serum for glowing skin, you can't go wrong with brightening ingredients. Vitamin C is one of the best brightening ingredients you can add to your skincare regimen. Plus, it also comes with the added benefit of helping to stimulate the production of collagen.

Makeup tips

Here are a few simple makeup tips that will get you glowing:

1. Merge makeup and skincare. Look for makeup products with beauty benefits to keep getting glow-boosting ingredients, even from your makeup products. Some great ingredients for glowing skin include hyaluronic acid and vitamin C.
2. Use safe makeup products. It's important to use safe and gentle makeup products to ensure your skin remains healthy and radiant. Also, make sure you check the expiry date of your makeup, as using expired makeup products may damage your skin.
3. Remove your makeup at the end of the day. No matter how tired you are, always remember to remove your makeup. This is good for your skin. It will be able to regenerate while you sleep, and you will wake up looking fresh and healthy. When you sleep with your makeup on, your skin can become dry and irritated.
4. Use makeup with SPF. Finding makeup with SPF is great to make sure you are taking that extra step to keep your skin protected and also keep it as healthy as you can.

Haircare tips

Learning how to get shiny and healthy hair isn't about following an overly complicated hair care routine — it's about a few essential steps that can make all the difference.

1. Wash and condition your hair regularly. Washing your hair regularly can help to remove dirt and build-up. Conditioner moisturizes your hair, smooths out hair strands, and adds luster. But remember, shampooing every day can be harsh on your hair, so do it once or twice a week.
2. Avoid using silicones and sulfates. These ingredients may strip your hair of its natural moisture, which leaves your hair dry. Instead, opt for natural ingredients that nourish and add moisture.
3. Focus on your scalp. Healthy hair always starts with a healthy scalp. A great way to promote a healthy scalp and also give yourself some TLC is through a scalp massage. Plus, studies show that a scalp massage may help increase hair thickness.
4. Protect your hair from the sun. Just like your skin, your hair is susceptible to UV damage. So make sure you protect your hair when you're out in the sun by wearing hats or using hair sunscreen.

Fitness and nutrition tips

Some fitness tips include:

1. Eat a healthy diet. A healthy, balanced diet is essential for a glow up. So, fill your plate with nutrient-dense foods such as lean proteins, whole grains, nuts, fruits, and vegetables. Not only will this give your body all the essential vitamins and minerals for glowing hair and skin, but it will also support your natural energy levels.
2. Exercise. Along with a healthy diet, regular physical activity is essential for getting a glow up. Physical exercise usually boosts blood flow, which can help nourish your skin cells. Plus, it can potentially reduce stress levels, which can manifest on your skin. So, take time to do simple daily exercises. Even just stepping out of the house and going for a 30-minute walk can be good for you.
3. Stay hydrated. Drinking enough water is perhaps the best way to improve hydration and skin function. Hydration can help support organs responsible for the natural detoxification process, which may help enhance your overall skin glow. It's recommended you drink at least 6–8 glasses of water daily. Remember, intake recommendations may vary. Factors like physical activity and climate can all influence how much water you need. Just pay attention to your body's thirst cues.

Lifestyle tips

Some lifestyle tips that can help you glow up include:

1. Get enough sleep. Beauty sleep is not a myth — while you are sleeping, your skin works to repair itself. A good night's sleep will allow your body to recover and feel refreshed. Apart from its health benefits, getting quality sleep stimulates collagen production, a skin protein that can give you plump and youthful skin. So try to sleep 6–8 hours every night.
2. Limit your alcohol intake. Cutting back on drinking can really work wonders for your skin. Alcohol is incredibly dehydrating and robs your skin of essential nutrients and leaves it splotchy and dry.
3. Avoid smoking. Smoking can narrow the blood vessels on the surface layer of the skin, and this, in turn, reduces blood flow to your skin. Blood circulation is important for collagen production. Without it, your skin can look dull, which in vivo studies show may also lead to premature aging.
4. Manage stress. Uncontrolled stress can affect your skin in several ways. It might decrease blood flow to the skin and impact inflammation processes. To encourage healthy skin as well as your mental health, ensure you take steps to manage your stress. You can do this by making time to do the things you enjoy, positive self-talk, removing negative influences in your life, and meditation practices, yoga, or mindfulness.

How to achieve a glow up

Achieving a glow up is not something you can do right away; it takes time. Don't overwhelm yourself trying to overhaul your entire routine overnight. Here's how to incorporate the tips above to achieve a glow up this summer:

• Start small. Remember that you don't have to do everything all at once. Small changes are a lot more sustainable than drastic ones.
• Listen to your body. In your glow up journey, always pay attention to how your body reacts and how your skin feels. If something is not working, you can adjust it to what works better for you.
• Be consistent. Consistency is always the key. The more you stick to your self-care routine, the easier it becomes to make it a habit.

It's essential that you make time for your self-care. Start by making small changes to your everyday routine that help you. Some of the glow up tips are already a part of your lifestyle, while others you can incorporate without much effort. By following the tips above, you can achieve a radiant glow this summer. And if you want to maintain your glow up long term, all you have to do is continue with these habits and be consistent.