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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Pace chapter.

Societal beauty standards have forced women into “glow-ups” – extravagant makeovers that completely transform a woman’s face, personality, and body – for years. Women forcing themselves to become more physically mature and stereotypically “beautiful” alone is unsettling to me. However, what angers me more is how  the concept of a glow-up has become so geared towards the male gaze, and it has been like this for as long as I can remember. Throughout my childhood, glow-ups were accepted as a trope without the bat of an eye. Already beautiful women in 2000s rom-coms taking their glasses off and wearing tight-fitting clothes, suddenly became all the more attractive. It’s degrading and superficial, because to put it plainly, women have a lot more to offer than just their looks. Fortunately, over the past year, I’ve been noticing a warm embrace of femininity in society, and not the type of femininity that men drool over, but the girly aesthetics that I see as delicate and graceful. Over the past month, I have been trying to reclaim what a real glow-up entails. Spoiler alert: it’s not some drastic makeover, it’s simply doing whatever makes you feel more confident in and outside of your house!

1. Declutter

Before you can embark on your glorious glow-up journey, you must ensure that your space is tidy. However, just like some of you, I’m a teenage girl, and I understand that this task can be frightening. Something that helped me clean up my living space is arranging windows of time throughout the week where I can focus on cleaning different areas of my room. This is similar to the “Sunday Reset” trend on TikTok, where content creators designate Sundays as an entire day to clean, do laundry, and organize. In my experience, my largest frustration is with my clothes. I’m a big shopper, and putting away laundry can get overwhelming really easily. That being said, I like to go through my clothes every few weeks and decide what I really need in my wardrobe. This is the easiest and most therapeutic thing I can do when I am feeling like my space is just too cluttered. Tidying Up with Marie Kondo genuinely changed my life. Whether you’re color-coding your closet, restocking your fridge, or just fluffing up a pillow, improving your space is the fastest way to start improving your attitude. 

2. Create an Ambiance 

Now that you have a clean living space, congratulations! Nevertheless, there are still plenty of ways to elevate your room, your dorm, or your apartment to make it not just a habitat, but a cozy home. Now, I’m about to boost the value of Bath and Body Works’ stock when I say this, but start with a candle. Even just a plain old Dollar Tree candle will do the trick. A small flame and some mood lighting can make your asylum-esque space feel like a cottage in upstate New York this fall. 

3. Find Your Signature Scent

Picking a scent that you feel absolutely fabulous in is the next essential step to glowing up for yourself. Simply claim a scent that you love – one that works well with your natural scent – and you’re golden! I decided over the summer that my base scent of choice is vanilla. I’ve always loved vanilla-scented things, but never fully leaned into the scent pool. After deciding that vanilla best suited me, I purchased perfume, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and pretty much anything else I use in my day-to-day in that scent. It brings me a calm like no other and makes me feel luxurious, even after my not-so-glamorous commutes from New York City back to New Jersey. Since August, I have come to develop my signature scent more, and recently purchased Native’s Cherry and Vanilla Macaron Body Wash. While it may be a little more expensive, it’s something that brings me joy in my everyday life and makes me feel just a little more special. 

4. Get Cozy

I’ve always considered myself to be the girl that throws on a random t-shirt and sweatpants to go to sleep. That is until a few weeks ago, when my mother reminded me that as a child I would only sleep in sparkly nightgowns. When she told me this, I thought to myself, did five-year-old Sierra have higher standards for herself than 19-year-old Sierra? So, on my next payday, I drove myself down to the Menlo Park Mall, just as Jersey Girls do, and sprinted to Pink. I’m honestly embarrassed by how long it took me to choose a pajama set, because I’m plagued with indecisiveness, but eventually, I landed on a burgundy, pink, and white striped set. It’s simple and it’s modest, but it has changed my life. I feel so much more put together throwing these pajamas on than I’ve ever felt in any of my thrifted graphic tees. It just goes to show the importance of taking care of yourself even when no one is around to see it.

5. Become the “Girl Next Door”

I got the inspiration for this article from Greta Louise TomĂ© on TikTok. While I first followed Greta for her beautiful wedding related content, I continued to view her videos because of her self-care and fashion tips. Today, she is among my favorite influencers because she is opinionated and confident, while also effortlessly exuding sweetness and femininity. On her 26th birthday, Greta embarked on a journey to feel sexier, and through that, she has discovered that dressing like “the girl next door” has made her feel indescribably beautiful. To Greta, “the girl next door” references many women’s fashion trends dating back to the ‘90s. However, I think dressing like “the girl next door” can mean different styles to different people. That being said, finding a style that works for you and helps you feel like a walking masterpiece is crucial to your glow-up. Personally, I feel best when I’m in my business casual or business formal attire. I don’t know what it is, but something about my pantsuits and heeled boots brings an extra flare to my day. Go on Pinterest and make a mood board of all your favorite outfits and try to recreate them with what you already have! I’m sure you’ll be feeling like the it girl in your world in no time!

These were just a few small tips, but there are a million more things you can do to glow up and help find assurance within. Meditate, journal, and block out nights for yourself, because at the end of the day, self-health is all that matters. When you feel good, others will feel that energy too!

Sierra is a sophomore, Digital Marketing major and a Graphic Design minor at Pace University. She is a second year staff writer for Her Campus at Pace and enjoys writing more humorous pieces about pop culture. In the past, Sierra has written for her high school newsletter known as "The Dawg Print" and taken several journalism classes and she is looking forward to expanding on this background. In addition to Her Campus at Pace, Sierra is also a member of the Pace Advertising Club, the American Marketing Association at Pace, and P.A.C.E. Board. She enjoys brainstorming for both these clubs and especially likes that they expose her to people of all backgrounds and stories. Outside of school and work Sierra spends most of her time listening to music, watching romantic comedies, binging sit-coms, shopping for clothes she probably doesn’t need, going to museums, or exploring new places to eat. She likes a variety of different musical artists and will never turn down the opportunity to go to a concert. Sierra frequently watches the movies A Rainy Day in New York and Breakfast at Tiffany’s but is no stranger to shows such as The Office and New Girl. Sierra is also interested in museum hopping however her favorite exhibits remain at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.