How to glow up: A one-week challenge to have a glow up mentally and physically!
You know what, it’s time. It’s high time to leave everything and focus on yourself for once. To treat yourself a lil better and to get work on yourself after caring for everybody in this world and putting you last all this while.
It’s time to glow up like a goddess! Ooooh, that sounds exciting!!!
I remember how I used to start this glow up routine a month or week before any wedding/event, going back to school/college, before and after a vacation, and every possible time when I really wanted to focus on myself inside out.
If you are on this side of the fence, lemme show you how to calm your nerves and get a glow up so that you legit surprise people around you with the newer you!
This glow up challenge takes just a week of your busy schedule, it’s easy and puts every part of your body in the spotlight, so you can work on it. Plus, you can do this challenge anytime in your life. The important part is to treat and pamper yourself.
Also, remember that you can always stretch it to more than just a week because the primary purpose will always be to get stronger, healthier, and prettier in the long term. So if it takes a little extra effort and days, do it for you!
This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see myDisclosure Policy.
Define what a glow up means to you
Some of you might be wondering what the heck this glow up really is? And how can you do it? Benefits, please??
So basically, Glow ups are those glorious times of transformation when we naturally or intentionally challenge ourselves to hit the reset button and come out a better version.
Whether it’s puberty or investing in healthier habits, glow-ups occur whenever we consciously strive for improvement – both inside & out. And isn’t that what life is all about? Embracing each moment as an opportunity to be our very best selves.
Now they can be gradual or fast, permanent or temporary. It all depends upon what glow up is to you.
Are you glowing up after a breakup? Or do you just want to focus on yourself for a while? No matter what your reason is, just sit and define what it means to you. Because when you add a purpose to an action, it always turns out to be much better!
Identify the areas of your life that need the most improvement
I can help you in all areas if that’s what you are looking for. But the point of having a glow up is an improvement. So what is it that you’d like to enhance? Physical beauty? Mental energy? Poor habits? Your aura?
How Long Does It Take To Glow Up?
I mean, it depends! Your glow up might take less than a week if you are aiming to improve your physical looks or even a month if your goal is long-term like losing weight or spirituality.
If you want to glow up mentally, a week is enough to get started, but if you have gone through some significant changes in life and want to stabilize your mental health and emotions, it could take months as well.
How long it will take you to glow up will really depend on your end goal. And for that, it is crucial that you define what glow up means to you! Follow the steps, babe!
What is a glow up challenge?
It’s nothing but my way of making things happen faster! Basically, it is a 7-day routine you can perform to glow up in a week from the inside out. This actually focuses on scheduling a week for yourself out of your hectic, stressful lifestyle and trying every bit to improve your health, body, mind, skin, hair, and nails.
In short, this is a challenge to help transform you into a better person, balance your emotions, and be a tad bit prettier than you already are.
And before y’all start hitting me up, I agree that a week can be less for major transformations, but it is a step in the right direction. And little by little, this will help you practice self-care regularly, which will make you contribute by motivating you to prioritize self-care.
But I promise, at the end of this week, you’ll still see an incredible transformation in yourself!
so, How to glow up in a week?
Remember, you don’t have to do everything in one or two days. The aim is to relax, be stress-free and care for yourself. So start with one thing at a time, and you can glow up fast.
step 1: How to glow up mentally
1. indulge in self-care, obviously!
Self-care first, baby self-care first. Glow up is never complete without you putting all the effort into loving and caring for yourself. It should be your primary motive here.
Embrace yourself by saying ‘no’ more, start listening to what you like to do, add some self-care activities to your everyday routine, and make resting a priority to help you slow down and catch calm.
Start doing more of what you like. Whether it’s just sleeping and eating or partying around, it’s you who need to be happy!
2. Get rid of toxic people & thoughts
If you really really really trust this process, I suggest you get rid of toxic people, even if it’s just for a week. You’ll find so much peace that you’ll not even want to get in that zone again. Block those people on social media, or even better, disable your social media accounts for a week. Get some distance from negativity.
And schedule this week only for positive thoughts and positive people. Practice daily glow up affirmations – they are game-changer! Compliment yourself often. Radiate positivity by being positive. Love yourself like crazy and accept who you are. Dance to your favorite songs. Eat whatever you like. Go on a shopping spree. Spoil yourself. Encourage yourself for good. Trust God and let him handle the stress.
This is your glow up week, and don’t let negative people or thoughts take it away from you.
3. Go on a social media detox
My favorite way to treat myself and get rid of toxic people and self-destructing inferior thoughts is to say bye-bye to social media once in a while. According to me, try it at least once a month or every Sunday. However, you feel like. But you’ll see the difference for yourself!
You’ll see exactly how many people are with you for you and not just to show-off.
4. Introspect yourself and set new goals
If you want your inner soul to glow up in a week, you really should introspect about your life and goals once in a while. See if you need to refocus on some areas. Set goals that’ll motivate your ass to work harder for yourself.
Make a list of short-term and long-term goals. Keep it somewhere you can see it daily. A refrigerator will be a good place.
5. practice gratitude
Take a diary or paper and list down every single thing you are grateful for. There’s just so much you have that others are struggling for; seriously, you have to be grateful for what you have to attract what you want. It’s the universe’s first rule!
Another way of practicing gratitude is by roaming around your house and seeing and finding things you are grateful for. Add this ritual to your everyday routine and automatically see the happiness flowing into your life. Trust me; it’s like magic!
Maybe even start journaling!
4 months ago, if you had come and said to start journaling or you’ll stab me to death, I may have because it’s death after all, lol, but you get the point. I am the worse person to stick to things.
But if there’s one thing, after being grateful, that I want you to start for better clarity of life, it’s writing down your thoughts and feelings in a journal. It is just as simple as it sounds. But the caveat is that you have to do it regularly.
Any how I cannot tell you how much my life has changed. How less angry and more happy I have become. IDK, what the science about this is but you’ve got to try it, at least for this week!
6. Read your favorite authors
This week, try and read at least one life-changing book from either your favorite author or a new one that your friend recommended. It’s not a biggie when you are on a social media detox and are finding things to be productive. It’ll be better than finding out what’s happening in people’s lives!
It may seem like I’m not fond of social media very much, lol, but I have my own ways of loving it. Memes!!
Connect with friends and family members regularly
Remember those people who genuinely bring you happiness? Yep, call your mom, plan a lunch date with your gals, and go see your siblings. Turn to your friends and family for real support and refreshment.
Girl, you don’t have to go through this alone!
Spend time outside in nature
If you’ve already said no to this in your mind, it means you have absolutely no idea of connecting with nature, watching the sky and birds, and deep breathing in the fresh oxygen really feels.
I know this sounds more like a self-care activity but what is having a glow up if not taking care of yourself?
7. Create healthy habits
If you want to look pretty and happy every single day, the easiest way to start is to create a base of positive habits like an organized morning, a relaxing hot shower, or even a good skincare routine.
Start off small by tackling one easy task at a time. Then, habit stack until these habits develop into daily morning and evening routines. A fixed routine filled with good habits makes it much easier to go through things than a complicated one.
This is how to glow up mentally. Meditation can also be another way to calm down and detox your body. People have seen crazy results with it, but I cannot mediate for the life of me, so I cannot really suggest it. 😉 I have started practicing Yoga now, and meditating is a part of it. Yes, now I am among all those people who have seen those crazy results!
Step 2: how to glow up your face
Your physical appearance seriously tells a lot about your health and mental conditions. So let this glow up challenge focus on small but essential beauty rituals you can do that will count toward getting glowing skin a week and will clearly show the world that you are radiating and ready.
1. Start with oil cleansing
I haven’t heard enough people doing or saying it, but oil cleansing is a great way to pull out all the, and I mean ALL, the dirt and toxins out of your face, which your best, most expensive face wash may or may not be able to do.
I’m not talking about oil cleansing to remove makeup but to get rid of dust and dirt and make skin squeaky clean. So it’s kinda different.
The way I like to do it is to take any oil you like (preferably non-comedogenic) onto your palms and massage that into the skin for at least 15-20 minutes. And then wash it off with a cleanser nicely. You will literally be able to see grime coming out of your face.
The oils I suggest and love to use for glow up are Jojoba oil, Avocado oil, Coconut oil, and Olive oil. Even though Olive and coconut oils are not my first preference, I have used them quite a few times now, and not even a single acne was triggered afterward. So they work for me.
This is a great video to take reference from. In fact, I saw her doing it for the first time and was obsessed!
2. Treat yourself to a facial
If you really want to know how to physically glow up in a week, a facial is the best way to get there. You’ll literally glow up! Now you can either book a salon appointment, buy a facial kit yourself, or can DIY it at home, your choice.
A salon facial might be more relaxing and effective for an instant glow, but it can be a bit pricey if scheduled on a regular basis (at least for me). So instead, I like to give myself an easy face clean-up at home.
All you need to do is,
- Start by cleansing your skin thoroughly.
- Steam your face with warm water to help open your pores, loosen any dirt build-up, and soften blackheads, eventually making them easier to remove.
- Now exfoliate with a gentle exfoliator. Exfoliating off your dead skin once or twice a month will help polish your skin and keep clogged pores and acne at bay.
- Apply any face/sheet/DIY mask you love. Extra points if it is made up of natural ingredients.
- Tone the skin to soothe, heal any breakages and balance the ph level. Don’t use an exfoliating toner here.
- End with a moisturizer to lock in all the goodness from your facial.
[ How to do a face clean-up that actually brings the instant glow. ]
3. Start a simple skincare routine
If you don’t have a skincare routine in place already, what are you even doing with your life or skin???!!!
Try a skincare routine religiously this week and see the benefits for yourself. Your skincare regime doesn’t have to be ten steps complex. Just a good cleanser, moisturizer, serum (not necessary, but nice to have), and sunscreen are all you need. A good face mask once a week will work wonders! You may also want to prioritize any skincare concerns like acne or fine lines with this routine.
Here’s the most straightforward, easiest skincare routine for clear skin for you.
It is one step in light to know how to glow up in a week.
4. SPF SPF SPF!
Even though you love a good tan, skipping sunscreen is one of the most dangerous things you can do to your skin and body’s health. So if you are missing out on it, it’s time to get habitual by adding it to your routine for this week. Look out for broad-spectrum sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 30. My favorite one is this one which is greatttttt for sensitive and acne-prone skin as well.
5. Shape your eyebrows
Little things always add up to the bigger picture. So always take care of small but important glow up prerequisites.
And the first one can be to check if your eyebrows are even or need any cleaning up. Do they need plucking or shaping? Are they too thin, and maybe you want them to look fuller? Of course, you can always pluck and shape your eyebrows anytime, but it may take more than just a week for them to grow.
If you need just a little growth, you can try using castor oil for a week. It is indeed a great way to increase hair growth quickly. Tried and tested, trust me! I also have 3 DIYs that actually work for eyelash and eyebrow growth.
But if they need more than a week, keep your eyebrow pencil dearly and check if the color is really made for you. You should always choose one to two shades lighter than your original brow color for them to look natural and not fake or overpowering.
6. Do not forget your lips
Soft and luscious lips really make a difference in overall appearance, especially when you want to go commando on makeup. And you really don’t need to put much effort into it. Exfoliate your lips gently every morning (if you tend to accumulate dead skin over them quickly, just like mine.) And then use a lip balm at least twice a day.
Even though a lip scrub would be better, my lazy ass loves exfoliating them by gently rubbing toothbrushes after brushing. It does the work and leaves my lips soft and kissable! So remember to give this a priority in your glow-up challenge for the week.
7. teeth cleansing
A smile is the prettiest thing the human body can have. And it all depends on your mood, of course, and pearly teeth.
Facts say that healthy, shiny teeth make you look more attractive, wealthy, educated, and even younger! Although I don’t really believe all this, I do feel that good teeth are a sign of good health. And good health always attracts the right people.
So snag thosewhitening stripsormouthwashes(for a stronger effect) and go for it. A DIY I love is rubbing salt+lemon for barely 10-20 seconds after brushing. It makes your teeth squeaky clean and helps whiten them naturally in a week.
But wait, don’t aim for sparkling white teeth (like Ross). A pale yellow color is what healthy teeth look like.
8. Organize & inspect skincare products
A major part of how to glow up in a week is to make big decisions for your life and skincare stocks 😉
Getting rid of products with harsh skincare ingredients (like sulfates, mineral oil, fragrances, etc.) and close expiry dates is probably the best idea. And organization always feels calming and relaxing, right?
Well, this is exactly how to glow up in a week, appearance-wise! Let’s move on to other aspects.
step 3: How to glow up your hair
Even some minor changes to your hair can make a massive difference to your appearance. So here’s how to glow up with that.
1. Get a new haircut
If he liked your hair long, cut it short, lol, just kidding.
Try a new haircut you always were so scared to death for. Trust the process and go with the flow. It will be fun. But always choose a good stylist unless you wanna risk your hair and emotional health.
2. Or just trim slipt ends
If you are like me, who loves her long lengths and fears even trimming them sometimes, getting rid of just the split ends and telling the stylist to be careful about the lengths is not that daunting. It indeed makes your hair look healthier without sacrificing much.
3. Try a new hair color
You can either go for a full-on hair color transformation if you want some massive physical changes. Or you can just dye the hair naturally so that they start to look healthier, shinier, and better.
Any option will help you glow up like a goddess!
4. A new hairstyle or partition can work too!
Did you know people will recognize your hair partition or hairstyle change just like you? Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself! After all, it’s been a while since you broke the old you rules, and it’s high time.
Explore new hairstyles and partitions that look the best on your face type. You can even ask your trustworthy hairstylist to recommend you some.
5. Invest in healthy hair products
Don’t tell me your hair is not damaged after all the summer sun, hair dyes, blow drys, and chemical treatments. If that sounds right, it’s time to heal your hair with some good hair products and know-how to glow up your hair like never before.
Try a good hair mask once a week for healthier hair and better quality. Some damage-reversing treatments will also be a good idea.
Some of my favorite recommendations of all time are Olaplex Hair Perfector and this Collagen coating hair treatment. They are well worth the money and a try.
[Check out these 6 Olaplex Dupes That Will Actually Treat Your Hair if you cannot afford the price tag for olaplex treatment. Some are even better!]
And that’s how to glow up in a week in terms of your hair.
step 4: How to glow up your body
1. drink enough water
If you have read any of my skincare blogs, you, for a fact, know that if there’s one thing I swear by for my skin and body, it’s plenty of water. So upping your water intake will help give you clear flawless skin, get rid of bloatedness, increase energy levels, and surprisingly can also help lose weight. And yes, increasing it just for a week will have a huge impact!
A few cheat ways to stay hydrated all day are,
- to go for fruit-infused water if you find plain water boring
- keep a water bottle available to you 24*7 and in every room and workplace
- eat water-rich fruits and veggies
- adding a goal to it for motivation
I promise you, adding just 2 liters of water a day for a week to your glow up challenge will surprise you with clearer skin and better health.
2. add more fruits & veggies to the diet
Do you really want to know how to glow up in a week? I’m not kidding here.
Ditch the junk food and get on a 3-day fruit and veggie diet. You just have to eat fruits, and salads and drink fresh juices ONLY. Out of 7 days, do this for three and include fruits, veggies, and juices naturally in your diet for the rest. A glass of juice in the morning, a bowl of salad as a snack, or raw fruits as the day goes on.
This doesn’t mean you have to starve; it means that you’ll have a nice big bowl of fruits and veggies in three meals, and whenever you feel like having a snack, you’ll have a fruit or smoothie instead. A healthy diet will not only detox your body but will also make your skin glow!
You’ll literally thank me for this!
Adding this 3-day fruit diet once a month is the best way to detox your body for better health, skin, and digestion too.
3. get some guilt-free sleep
It sounds like a dream to me!
Try to stay in bed one day. Don’t worry about the pending work or things to do; just lay down and have a rest. Let your body get charged. Get some guilt-free sleep.
Sometimes we get indulged in our work so much that we almost forget how crucial sleeping and getting our body energized for the next day is.
A good night’s sleep may be precisely what you need to be the best version of yourself.
4. add a new detox tea to your diet
A detoxed body is a sign of good health and gives naturally glowing skin. Regular consumption of detox tea for a week is one of the crucial steps to glow up. You can choose a tea per your needs. Like,
- For clear skin: Choose Hibiscus tea
- For slimming and dieting: Go for a Blueberry slim tea
- For a good night’s sleep: Try this Passionflower & Camomile tea
- For relieving stress: Pick honey lavender tea
- For overall good health: This honey turmeric chai is good
- If you want to go for a detox challenge, you need to try this cleansing herbal tea.
You can serve different purposes with it, you see.
5. sweat it out!
I’m not a workout person. There it is. I said it. I just can’t leave my beloved bed and sweat myself for no reason. But if you need to lose weight, that’s exactly the opposite of what you need to do, no matter how tough it is. A few days of hard work does not compare to a lifetime of happy, disease-free life.
But wait, small steps are way more important than bigger ones, like buying gym subscriptions. So here’s what I have started doing for myself just recently that doesn’t involve me getting tired or leaving home.
A 10-minute dance workout! Oh god, it’s so easy and helps you get out of bed and makes you exercise for good.
Also, I try to get my mother along, too, as she wants to lose weight, and this will help get her body ready for bigger workouts which she doesn’t have the energy to commit to right now.
I love Pamela Reif for her dance workouts. They are easy and just enough for me to get started.
6. scrub your body
After all the beauty rituals you are doing to glow up your face and hair, don’t forget the rest of your body. Exfoliate your underarms, buttocks, and whole body in general twice a week and moisturize it every single day. It doesn’t require much time, but it makes a huge difference.
7. Know your body posture
The posture of your body tells a lot about your well-being. A straight, confident posture will always positively impact the people around you. So if you think stress and work have had a poor effect, try some back exercises to better your body posture. A good posture is the best thing to look pretty.
step 5: How to glow up your nails
1. give yourself a manicure
Schedule a day to pamper your nails in a week. You can either DIY it or book a relaxing appointment at a salon. Care for your cuticles, strengthen your nails, and get them painted with cute nail colors and designs. Clean, tidy nails speak a lot about a person’s personality, so keep that in mind.
step 6: How to glow up your wardrobe
Wondering how your wardrobe is related to glow up in a week? Well, it will all make sense in a minute.
The clothes, colors, and styles you wear define who you are. So before you do a major glow up, you should definitely keep a few things in mind.
1. Find what looks best on you
First, inspect your wardrobe and look for styles that highlight your best features and body shape (for that, first determine your body shape). What makes you feel comfortable and look stylish? What screams YOU?
For instance, when you look for dresses, does fit and flare suit you or bodycon dresses? Or maybe you look stunning in an A-line dress.
Always keep clothes that accentuate you as a whole. And that doesn’t mean picking clothes that only show more or less skin. In fact, it means finding your personal style and maintaining it!
2. Find what colors make you glow
Now, this is an important one. Idk if you know this or not, there are specific colors that just won’t look good on you at all. And that depends on the undertone of your skin color.
If you are a cool undertone, you’ll glow in cool colors like blue, pink, purple, green, and their shades. But if you are a warm undertone, red, orange, yellow, and peach colors will look beautiful on you. Just in case you are neutral undertone, lucky you, all kinds of shades and colors are your jam.
That being said, this will make your future shopping infinite times easier, and now you can organize your wardrobe only with colors (and styles) that will actually help you glow up!
Know how to find your skin undertone and what colors suit you here!
3. wear what fits you today
I believe you when you say you’ll lose weight to fit in your smaller jeans and tops soon. But that doesn’t justify you not shopping for your shape and size today. Clothes that fit well can make all the difference in going from drab to fab!Because firstly, dressing too tight or too big will ruin your confidence. And secondly, people will notice.
So always dress for today if you really wanna know how to glow up!
partying thoughts on How to have a glow up
In short, the whole process of how to glow up in a week starts with loving yourself, taking care of yourself, your health, and your mind, and being extremely confident in whatever you own and whoever you are. Then comes the external factors of your skin, body, hair, and nails.
Until and unless you start to glow up mentally, there’s no way makeup, clothes, and outer appearance can help you glow up. So try and live your life in the best way possible this week and future, babe.
And this is how to glow up in a week and feel your best for yourselves! You can try this glow up challenge any day, anytime, anywhere.
related articles to How to glow up in a week
- 23 Skincare Secrets to Clear Skin (That actually works!)
- How to Get Glowing Skin Overnight!
- The best Acne Skincare Routine to completely change your skin
- How to look Better: 25 Ways to look good in a minute or less
- How to get rid of Pimples OVERNIGHT: 6 DIYs that work!