A perfunctory skim of beauty YouTube says it all: a revolution is underway. Amid a gaggle of skincare hauls, make-up tutorials and product reviews emerges a new genre—the glow down. Summed up as a deliberate regression to one’s natural, unenhanced state, its focus lies in subverting the need to constantly upgrade one’s physical appearance.
‘Reversing my glow up transformations‘, one video title reads. ‘No lash extensions, removing my veneers and dissolving my filters’, another states. Then there are the videos that are more pointed in nature, hinting at the insidious nature of of jaw-dropping physical transformations. ‘How glowing up ruined my life’ is the subject of Internet personality Alivia D’Andrea‘s now-viral mini-documentary, garnering 5.3 million views and 23,000 comments since it was posted six months ago.
The apex of the 35-minute chronicle features D’Andrea lying in a foetal position on her rug, head buried in her hands. She details her struggle of maintaining her newfound appearance. “It was easy to be kind to myself when I was at my ideal standard,” she rasps. “But as soon as I wasn’t, it would trigger negative thoughts and I’d start to shame myself.” The next scene is of D’Andrea staring blankly at a mirror, hair pulled back and bare-faced. “Okay”, she says. “Let’s try to say something nice about yourself.” The lengthy silence that follows speaks volumes.
Before and after
It’s safe to say that D’Andrea had been a long-standing victim of the glow-up mindset. This mentality prioritises the pursuit of physical improvement over all else, accompanied by a belief that achieving one’s ideal appearance serves as an answer to all problems. It is an outlook normalised by mass and social media alike, with brands and corporations opting to exploit circumstances by marketing it as necessary for a better, changed life. See typical narratives such as the back-to-school glow-up or the post-breakup glow-up.
“It’s important to note that glowing up can be about both comparison and self-improvement,” elaborates Lisa Tang, a clinical psychologist at Annabelle Psychology. “However, it’s what you choose to focus on that matters. When it’s about bettering yourself, beyond just looks, it becomes a rewarding journey of personal growth.”
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This begs the question: is it possible to strike that fine balance? Tang certainly thinks so, a situation that is aided by how beauty standards as of late have been evolving.
Dr Shauna Tan, an aesthetics doctor with The Covette Clinic, is quick to agree. “I would say that there has definitely been a shift in what is considered beautiful. More patients are coming to me to request to a more augmented aesthetic,” she remarks. “Fortunately or not, I do believe that this has largely to do with the It girls of the moment.”
When Kylie Jenner and Hailey Bieber were at the forefront of everyone’s minds, hourglass figures, lip fillers and butt implants were the most common requests in clinics. The current new wave of cool girls such as Charli XCX and Billie Eilish, on the other hand, endorse the notion of embracing imperfections. Now, we are seeing more patients who accept their natural features and are aiming for healthy-looking skin instead of flawlessness.”
Au naturel
All things considered, it’s logical to assume that the rising wave of individuals advocating for glow downs are simply a reflection of the current zeitgeist. And yet, there’s no denying that its effects are far-reaching and largely positive; a charge led by celebrities in the vein of Ariana Grande and Jenner who have openly addressed their decision to dissolve their fillers.
“I had a ton of lip filler over the years, and Botox. I stopped in 2018 because I felt it was too much,” Grande reveals in an interview with Vogue. “For a long time, beauty was about hiding for me. And now I feel like maybe it’s not.”
Jenner, too, admitted to eradicating half her lip filler recently, a surprising move considering how her beauty like is built upon the foundation of her signature, over-plumped pout. No matter the reason behind it, this decentralising of appearance within self-improvement culture is considered to be a win in Tang’s books.
“Anything that encourages genuine self-acceptance, more inclusivity and compassion along with less social comparison is a wonderful thing,” she declares. “I’m apprehensive about the notion of glowing up or fading completely. We should grab this opportunity to do more work within. Take time to re-evaluate the opportunity the standards you impose on yourself, whether you do so consciously or unconsciously. Identify your triggers and figure out what hurts or worries you. Tell yourself that chasing fleeting trends is unsustainable and that challenging negative self-beliefs will help in the pursuit of a more balanced perspective. And remember: life is more than just the climb.
The October anniversary ‘Community’ issue of Vogue Singapore is available online and in-stores now.
