The Dark Side of the Glow-Up Trend

The glow-up trend is sweeping the internet. From Tiktok's glow-up transformations to Youtube videos about costly glow-ups: it's safe to say that this trend has everyone's attention.  

But what is a glow-up?

Generally speaking, a glow-up refers to a notable transformation in a person's appearance, style, or physique. 

Many believe the process of glowing up is a form of self-care, and that the trend just motivates people to become better versions of themselves.However, when you look beyond the effects glowing up has on physical beauty, it turns out glowing up isn't as self-care oriented as it seems.

Miss Congeniality is the movie to watch if you want to witness the most iconic glow-up sequence in film history. In case you haven’t seen the movie, there is a scene in which the main character, Gracie Hart, transforms from a living female abomination (as if) to a runway angel, all in a matter of a few hours.  

The makeover sequence follows Gracie Hart's transformation, but the film preserves the audience's anticipation by not showing what she looks like until the very end.

Believe me when I say I choked on the inhale when Gracie Hart finally entered the scene in her light purple dress: I mean, talk about body goals, hair goals, dress goals, and strut goals. 

It was at that moment that I realized…

I could not wait for my makeover moment. 

And though I want to say it was simply eight-year-old me being in awe of a pretty dress: I know it was a lot more than that. The idea of being able to change the world's perception of you in a matter of hours, walking with your head held high, and not shying away from anything with a reflective surface was something I wanted to experience for myself.

I probably wasn’t the only one who felt that way. 

Let's say you haven't watched Miss. Congeniality, there are plenty of other ways you may have come across a makeover moment. The book-turned-movie The Princess Diaries has a makeover scene: when the main character Mina transforms from an ugly duckling dork (again, as if ) to Princess of Genovia. If you are a K-drama connoisseur, you've most definitely witnessed a makeover moment, which usually involves someone simply removing their glasses and washing their face, but I digress. 

If you squint, even the best-selling children's book The Hungry Little Caterpillar has a makeover moment. A green crawly caterpillar turned into a magnificent butterfly: the winged insect took up two darn pages ( I understand the caterpillar didn't transform for aesthetic purposes, but still).  

Nonetheless, The Hungry Little Caterpillar's preconceived notion of eating 100 times your body weight and becoming a beautiful winged creature has to be the most unrealistic standard of beauty to date. Considering I eat half as much and still look like a combination of Jabba the Hutt and The Pillsbury doughboy. 

My point is whether you call it a glow-up, makeover, or your Miss. Congeniality moment: you know what a makeover is. Even though glow-up is a new term, the concept itself is a sought-after idea that has been around for a long time, but why?

So what is it now bad to admire our reflection, to believe a compliment, rather than shrug it off as some form of sympathy?   

Of course not.

Even so, that does not change the fact that glow-ups cannot buy confidence: you can exchange money for a new hairstyle, new nails, new clothes, and a better smile, but deep-seated confidence isn't something one can purchase. True confidence does not rest on a foundation as fragile and brief as physical beauty. Although taking pride in your appearance is fine, you should also educate yourself, understand your beliefs, and figure out what role you want to play to make the world a better place.

Some may argue that glow-ups are not just about how good someone looks. 

That is true. When looking at the glow-up trend, some talk about building healthy habits covering fitness, studying, and overall wellness. 

But are these glow-up habits continued once someone has completed their transformation? Are these healthy habits continued after the desired effect? Is it about self-improvement, or is it about praise and recognition? Glowing up may appear as leveling yourself up, but that depends on individual intention. An example of this would be someone who has lost a significant amount of weight. Their face is now more defined, they are no longer wearing clothes they disappear in, and they now have more confidence: people would consider this a glow-up. But what if the person was starving themselves and surviving on a banana a day? What if the individual was belittling themselves in the mirror until their self-loathing drowned out the sounds of unrelenting hunger? 

Does it matter?  

People only see the lost weight. They only see the physical after-effects. All they can see is the Glow-Up: it's not like they can see a withering mind and pulverized spirit. 

Additionally, many glow-up transformations are children merely growing up: it is not a case of ugly turned pretty. A child serving as the before picture in a transformation leads to a skewed way of thinking, especially for younger and more impressionable minds. It makes it seem like being a child and not looking like an adult is something to feel inferior over. 

Defining or assessing whether or not a child is attractive in comparison to the beauty standards of an adult is weird and unnecessary. Children should not be cut down to their appearance, especially when their references are not just full-grown adults but full-grown adults who alter their looks online. Forget about looking like an influencer: influencers don’t even look like themselves in real life.  

Despite Gracie Hart's transformation, and despite all of the praise she received once she cleaned herself up, her intelligence and intuition are what enabled her to save a life and resolve the conflict of the movie. The pretty hair and lipgloss just made sure that she looked good while doing so. 

Is your self-conviction solely reliant on your physical appearance? What are you once you pull back the curtain? I hope you already know the answer or are actively seeking one. I hope you value yourself outside of your appearance. And yes, I understand the first thing you do when meeting a stranger is see, but friendship, love, or admiration in its purest form goes far beyond what you see. You will pass through thousands of strangers throughout your life, and sure, some may note your beauty, but those who matter will stay for who you are rather than how you present yourself. 

You're wasting your time if you're trying to glow up into this perfect image of yourself. Glowing up should be about self-improvement while also appreciating who you are now. Present you is more than just the before picture in a transformation post; it's the version of you who understood you deserved more and loved yourself enough to make it happen.