My 6-step (Realistic) Glow Up Checklist

A glow up checklist that works in real life it’s hard to find… I get it! There are tons of ideas all over Pinterest and TikTok, but most of them are not *ahem* realistic.

That’s why in this article, I will share with you six steps of a glow up routine that works and brings results to real life, busy, awesome multitasking people, like you and me. I will also share a little secret that completely changed my skin in less than a week!

This one is a biggie, so grab yourself a cup of tea and get cozy. If you need to pin this baby for later, I recommend doing that now!

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How to have a glow up checklist that works

Before we start, I want you to make a deal with yourself.

The deal is: you will implement those steps into your life and routine for the next 21 days.

If you are feeling a little sassy, make it 30. But our goal here is to strive for 21, at least.

I’m asking this because you are not going to see the full results of this glow up if you try for one week and then forget about it.

Only when we are consistent with a set of attitudes and behaviors we can see the lasting results shining through.

So, give yourself the challenge of implementing and staying consistent with the steps for the next 21 days. I am doing it myself and will soon post a full article with before and after pictures and my own experiences during the journey. So, stay tuned!

Now… What about that 6-step glow up checklist I told you about?

STEP #1 Drink. More. Water.

Ok, ok… this seems like the official staple of glow ups.

But hear me out: when you do it properly, it works. Like… It REALLY works.

According to Harvard research, the four to six cup a day rule works for most people. If you want to know precisely the right amount for you, use this online water intake calculator.

The beautiful thing about drinking enough water is that you have holistic results, not only for your health but also for tangible results you can see. I’m talking about leveling up your beauty game, mama!

Besides glowing healthy skin, drinking (enough) water also helps you fight tons of skin problems like acne, eczema, and psoriasis. It does so by helping your system flush the toxins out of your body. But it’s important to know that, if you have any of those issues, the water must supplement a treatment plan prescribed by a professional, ok?

Getting your liquids in also undertakes dehydration. And although it seems obvious, the side effects of this are plenty! Like reducing puffiness and smoothing your skin while slowing aging. Talk about a magic potion!

So, calculate the right amount of water for you and then add a little extra, just for the sake of this glow up the challenge.

One little fun trick that is helping me to stay on top of that is this cute motivational water bottle. It’s almost like I’m in this competition with myself and the bottle throughout the day.

STEP #2 Stay consistent with your skincare + my little secret for mind-blowing results

Let me start by saying this: keep it simple.

I know that in a world with endless skincare routines flowing around TikTok, we can be tempted to try out a new product every week.

But remember that our goal here is to stay consistent for at least 21 days. Simplicity is best friends with steadiness!

Every skin is different, and the routines should reflect that. But, just for inspiration, let me share with you my minimalist skincare routine that has been working wonders for my prone acne oily skin:

In the morning

Step one: Wash the face with my Curology cleanser

Step two: Apply my Curology moisturizer all over my face, neck, and chest.

Step three: Apply sunscreen (I love this one because it’s tinted and gives a light covering like a BBCream. Also, it has Zinc, which works wonders to fight acne!)

Step four: Go about life!

At night

Step one: Wash the face with my Curology cleanser

Step two: Apply custom Curology cream

Step three: Moisturizer (UPDATE: on my current routine I am using this one, my skin never looked so healthy and glowy, AND the smell is fantastic. Oh, it’s also toxic and cruelty-free)!

Simple, isn’t it? But can you believe that for months I was using those same products and not having ANY significant results?

This was making me super frustrated. Looking for answers, I started binge-watching Hyram videos on Youtube (since I think he is one of the most precious people on the interwebs!). I came across this one.

In the video, he explains that when he was a teenager and had awful acne, he got the advice to change his pillowcase every night. Weird, right?

The little secret that changed my skin

Actually, it makes a lot of sense. When we sleep, the pillowcase gets in contact with our skin and absorbs dirt and all kinds of oil. If we keep using the same pillowcase day after day, we are continually putting our face in contact with grease, oils, and dirt. Which undo all the work we are putting into our skincare and makes our skin produce more acne!

In the comments session of that video, I also read time after time, explaining how drying your face with the same towel cloth every day produces the same effect.

So I decided to start and experiment. From now on, I would change my pillowcase every night and my face towel every day.

I bought this cheap pack of 6 pillowcases and a box of baby washcloths on Amazon. And I kid you not when I say… OH.MY.GOD. That completely changed my skin!

Acne that has been persistent for months finally cleared up. I still have some way to go to my skin goals, but now I know that I’m on the right path!

I learned that I had all the right products, but I was undoing their good work without even knowing.

With fresh face towels and pillowcases, you are helping the products to do their thing!

Also, one last piece of advice that I learned with Hyram: wash your face for at least 45 seconds. Don’t rush it. This will give the product time to work its magic, and you will be sure that all the dirt and oil are really gone.

Those are my little secrets for mind-blowing glow up for your skin! Give it a try, at least during the challenge.

STEP #3 Move your booty

I will shout the benefits of working out for the whole world to hear, and you can’t stop me!

I have been saying over and over how movement can dramatically change your life. Things like improving your mood, making you feel happier, increasing your energy levels, and even helping skin health!

But for our glow up challenge, all those benefits can be taken to ANOTHER level.

But relax. You won’t need to be stuck in a gym for three hours a day to ripe the fruits of moving your booty. To stay consistent, we need to keep simple, remember?

So, commit yourself to move your body for 20 minutes a day, every day.

You can go for a walk with your dog, a little jog while listening to your favorite podcast, or even going to the gym. You just need to give yourself 20 minutes a day of joyful movement—something you really enjoy doing.

My advice for consistency and results you can actually see is: pick a workout program. Thanks to Youtube, you can be coached by a professional trainer, at zero cost from the comfort of your home.

Some of the most famous workout programs out there are the ones by Chloe Ting. There are sooooo many options, and most of them fit our 20-minute agreement. So come over here, pick your poison and have fun!

STEP #4 Meditation

Didn’t you think I would only focus on outside glow up around here, did ya?

Before you roll your eyes, thinking meditation is sitting under a tree for hours with your eyes closed, not thinking about anything (how is it even possible?!)… I want you to give meditation a chance.

Yes, suppose you are an experienced meditator (does this word even exist? Ok, let’s make it up for the sake of this article). In that case, you might be able to stay meditating for hours, in a complete and beautiful zen state. But, for most of us, things are way more straightforward.

I added meditation to this glow up checklist because it’s one of the most underrated yet powerful tools for personal development and mental health.

Studies have shown, repeatedly, the fantastic benefits of daily meditation practice.

From reducing stress to controlling anxiety while promoting emotional health, it can also do wonders for your skin! Can you believe it?

According to recent studies, meditation can inhibit the response of inflammatory genes. This means that you will have less inflamed skin (bye-bye acne!) and fewer wrinkles as you age.

Isn’t that amazing?

To start feeling those incredible benefits, you can start with as little as two minutes of meditation a day. The important thing is to stay consistent.

If you don’t know where to start, I encourage you to look for Headspace and Calm apps. The latter has tons of guided meditation videos on Youtube, and even a 31-day challenge that will help you start out your journey with simple breathing techniques.

STEP #5 Read, at least 10 minutes every day

There are many wonders to reading and some precise reasons I include it on our realistic glow up checklist.

It reduces stress, fights depression symptoms, and gives you tools to empathize more with other people. Also, it helps you live longer. So, why not?

Start with at least ten minutes a day. One pro-tip to stick with is to associate with another habit that you already have.

For example, reading while you sip your morning coffee or after you shower for bedtime.

You can even create a whole new small routine, just for reading, like sipping tea every day at 5 pm, as you go over your daily pages.

For this glow up to be effective, pick something that you will enjoy reading. It can be personal development-based, or inspiring fiction (I just finished this one, and it made me rethink my whole life view. It’s just incredible!).

STEP #6 Journal every day

I used to think I would never be the person who journals every day. It was a significant commitment to ask!

But, slowly, this practice started becoming one of the most effective ones in my personal development toolbox.

If you want to talk about science, journaling has already proved itself over and over. Researchers have found that is one of the best ways to cope with overwhelming emotions while expressing yourself.

It also helps you gain clarity and a new perspective on your daily life and challenges since it’s proved to be one of the best ways to manage anxiety.

If you are just starting out, I have a few journal prompts to inspire you:

17 Daily Self Reflection Journal Prompts

23 Eye Opening Finding Yourself Journal Prompts

The Ultimate 21 Day Self-Discovery Challenge

Aim to answer at least one question a day. And remember to WRITE IT DOWN, on paper. Not on your phone.

My alternative to journal prompts

What I have been doing for my daily journaling is called morning pages. I’m so impressed with the positive impact on my mental health that I will probably write a full post about it!

The premise is simple: as soon as you wake up, before going about your day, sit down and write three pages of longhand, a stream of consciousness writing for three whole pages.

Translation: note what is in your head. It can be about the dream you just had or something that you can’t stop thinking about. It doesn’t matter. Just write it down.

This will help your subconscious dump on paper anything that might have bothered you in the background and give yourself a fresh slate to start the day.

Sometimes I have major breakthroughs during my practice. Other times I write things as, “I just really want ice cream right now, maybe hazelnut. It sounds fancy”. True story. My brain apparently craves ice cream in secret.

Glowing up goes way beyond becoming prettier.

It has to do with elevation yourself to a new level: mind, body, and soul.

So, pay as attention to the inside practices as you pay the outside ones. When you change the inside, your whole attitude outside changes too. You will build more motivation, confidence, and a new perspective of yourself and the world.

Are you ready for this 21 day Glow up challenge? I know you can do it!

Now, I want to hear from you! What did you think of my 6-step realistic glow up checklist? Are you up to the challenge?

Leave a comment below and tell me about it.

If those ideas were helpful, be sure to pin it for later!