The new year is a great time to update your habits that can make some big changes in your life! We’ve put together a glow up checklist for the coming year to help you on your glow up journey.
This glow up checklist is just ideas, please consult your physician before making any changes that could impact your health or any medication you’re taking.
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Style
Feeling confident in how you dress and present yourself to the world is a game changer, which is why we included it in our glow up checklist. Knowing what looks good on you and what shapes, styles, and colors you like best on your figure and best represent you as a person makes shopping easier and makes getting dressed in the morning a joy rather than a chore.
Find your Kibbe body type.
Figuring out your body type will help you spot clothes that will suit your shape. We recommend using the Kibbe system due to all of its flexibility and nuance, but go for whatever system you understand and can work with best.
Dress for your color season.
Similarly to your body type, shopping with your coloration in mind will help limit mindless spending and also amplify your natural features. Finding your palette doesn’t mean you are limited to those colors, they are suggestions you can use for days you don’t feel your best or when you want to buy something you know will suit you.
Define your personal style.
This is a big one and could end up taking a month or more. Making your personal style reflect your personality is a huge leap towards developing a signature look. To do this, we recommend stylist Allie Bornstein’s Three Word Method. You can learn more about her method by checking out her account @alliebornstein6 on TikTok.
Get rid of clothes you don’t like, don’t wear, or are damaged.
Remove clothes that don’t fit, have stains, rips, or snaps, or that you just don’t feel good in. If you’re not sure if you want to get rid of something, take it out of your closet for a month and see if you miss it. Donate what you can so someone else can enjoy it.
Prioritize natural fibers in clothing.
Natural fibers like cotton or silk last longer and are better for the environment than synthetic fibers like acrylic or polyester. When possible, target clothes made up of 50% or more natural fibers and try to avoid acrylic and viscose altogether.
Body
This glow up checklist is about feeling good from the inside out and growing your confidence. Moving and taking care of your body is a great way to grow your self confidence and boost your appearance. Set your intentions for your body and shape your routine to make progress this year.
Exercise 3x a week.
Exercising is not only great for your body, but it’s beneficial for your mind and mood as well. Find a type of exercise you enjoy and do it 3x times a week to get your heart rate up and boost your endorphins.
Dry brush every night for 5 minutes.
Dry brushing exfoliates your skin, making it softer, smoother, and less prone to ingrown hairs. Beyond this, it helps your body flush fluid and can reduce the appearance of cellulite.
Get 10,000 steps a day.
Getting your steps in is great for a healthy heart, but also is a perfect way to unwind after a long day. As a bonus, you may also lose some weight just from the increased activity.
Put lotion on after every shower.
Stay moisturized! It not only slows aging, but it gives you a year round glow. This is especially important if you’re exfoliating, like dry brushing.
Keep your nails neat.
You don’t have to get acrylics, or even gel if you don’t want to. Just make sure they’re groomed and neat.
Health
Take care of your body because it takes care of you! This glow up checklist is set up to help you make your health a priority this year so you will feel better and more confident than ever.
Target 8 hours of sleep a night.
Your body doesn’t run as well without sleep. Studies also show that people are more inclined to snack throughout the day when sleep deprived, so prioritize getting to bed on time this year!
Take a multivitamin and a probiotic.
It can be hard to get all your vitamins through your food, a multivitamin can help fill the gaps in your nutrient intake. Probiotics are helpful for replenishing your gut bacteria, which can reduce bloating and improve your bowel regularity. Always consult your doctor before adding these to your regimen to ensure they’re right for you.
Eat protein at breakfast.
Protein is one of the three macronutrients your body relies on to thrive, and many people are lacking on at least one of them. Eating protein at breakfast improves your satiety throughout the day and helps you get a jumpstart on getting enough protein each day.
Drink water.
This one well all know but never take seriously. Target drinking half your weight in ounces. So if you weigh 130 pounds, aim for 65 ounces of water.
Limit fast food to once a week.
Life gets busy and it can be hard to make time to cook, and eating fast food is an easy solution. However, it can take a toll on your body. Cut back fast food to once a week maximum to lose some unwanted weight, increase your energy, and improve your nutrient intake. It can be hard, but it’s worth it.
Beauty
Improving the way you perceive your appearance and how others see you can shift how you move in your day to day life. Use this glow up checklist to amplify everything you love about you and refine the aspects you think could be improved.
Establish a skincare routine.
Skincare is all about the long game. Establishing a skincare routine you can do every day will pay dividends as you start to age. It doesn’t have to be complex, the three basic building blocks are a cleanser, a moisturizer, and a sunscreen. You can add products or shift your selections to target concerns such as signs of aging or acne.
Find a signature fragrance.
A good signature fragrance is like a calling card, the scent will remind people of you even when you aren’t there. Find something that you like and you feel like reflects you and your style, whether that be feminine, sexy, or mysterious.
Find an easy signature makeup look.
Find or create a makeup look that you can do quickly and consistently that emphasizes your favorite features and minimizes anything you don’t feel confident about. This doesn’t have to be a full beat, it just needs to be something you can use to feel your best.
Exfoliate once a week.
Exfoliating once a week on your body keeps your skin smooth and helps prevent ingrown hairs. Exfoliating your face can reduce congestion and improve the brightness of your skin. For facial exfoliation, find a chemical exfoliant that works for you and avoid physical exfoliants like scrubs as they can create micro tears in your skin. Remember to always follow with a moisturizer after exfoliating, whether for your face or your body.
Do your hair every day.
Whether it’s throwing your hair in a claw clip, a pony tail, or just brushing it, don’t overlook your hair. Your outfit and makeup can be on point, but if your hair doesn’t look good it can ruin your look.
Mindset
Improving your mental health, setting goals, and developing your interests are a crucial aspect to any glow up checklist. It not only makes you a more interesting person to hold a conversation with, but it encourages you to develop interests beyond social media and meet new people.
Read 6 books a year.
Reading books expands your world beyond social media, showing you new perspectives, new stories, and giving you more to talk to people about. Start with reading one book every two months, it can be anything from self help to romance to poetry to biographies. Find genres that interest you and expand your literary horizons.
Pursue a hobby.
This can be making art once a week, learning a new language, starting a blog, photography, writing, pottery, anything you’d like to try or are passionate about. Hobbies feed this passion and give you a more depth as a person, you now have projects you’re working on instead of mindlessly scrolling on your phone or watching TV.
Set a personal or professional goal for the year.
Getting a promotion, running a 5k, reading a certain number of books, or hitting a fitness goal are all great options to keep you motivated throughout the year. Find something you are committed to achieving and set up milestones to ensure you complete it.
Journal at least 3 sentences a day.
Journaling is a great way to process your feelings, memories, and just in general get in better touch with yourself. As a start, aim for three sentences a day, focusing on something you’re grateful for, how you felt that day, and something you hope for.
Surround yourself with people that support you.
Take stock of people in your life and how they affect you, your view of yourself, and the things you value. Focus on building your bond with those that support you and limit exposure to those that make you feel bad about yourself or bring negativity into your life.
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