However, for many people, glowing-up means associating their self-worth with their physical appearance. Laura Pitcher of the Cut talked with several women who have become borderline obsessed with glowing up, and the general outcome for them was the disillusionment of thinking that being beautiful would solve all their problems.
YouTuber Haley Pham, for example, shared how she decided to go on a "glow-up" reversal journey in March 2024. She posted a video where she took out her piercings, and stopped dyeing her hair or getting hair nails and eyelashes done.
"I feel like my attention was on the wrong things and I could be a more useful person if I weren't so self-focused," she told Pitcher. "The focus for the day should be if I'm being a good friend to people."
So, does the glow-down trend signal that we as a society don't care that much about looks anymore? Perhaps—because we're still focused on how people look, aren't we? Licensed Naturopathic Doctor Heidi Lescanec says that we shouldn't focus on physical appearance to determine a person's worth.
"The most compelling beauty isn't about perfection; it's about authenticity. It's in the laughter lines that hold memories, the scars that tell stories, and the messy hair that shows you've been living life, not posing for it."
What do you think about the glow-down movement, Pandas? Which glow-downs from this list do you think are the most impressive? Share your thought about beauty trends like "natural beauty" with us in the comments! And, in the meantime, check out our previous article about which beauty standards people find the most unattractive.
