50 Times “Ugly Ducklings” Underwent Incredible Transformations And Stole The Show At Reunions (New Pics)

However, the glow-up trend is not criticism-proof. Some argue that it can reinforce unflattering beauty ideals or force people into conformity with beauty ideals based on weight loss, Eurocentric facial features, or expensive beauty routines. The focus on looks, especially in "glow-up" montages, has the side effect of suggesting that the value is tied up with how traditionally attractive one appears. There is also concern that highly edited or posed content sets out unrealistic expectations, which causes viewers to compare themselves with filtered or selectively presented versions of other individuals' lives.

In the midst of all this angst, though, glow-up culture endures in large part because it touches on something exceedingly human: the desire to change and be seen as our best selves. In an era of social media, where identity and image are curated and shared online, a glow-up can symbolize more than a makeover, it's a seal of survival, of growth, and of potential rebirth. Both authentic and performative, the glow-up phenomenon speaks to our collective interest in change, and the faith that, through effort and passage of time, anyone can become better.