25 Inexpensive Ways To Glow Up

I don’t think there’s anyone out there who hasn’t wished they felt better about themselves in some aspect of their lives. But sometimes, when we’re confronted with how far away we feel from the ideal version of ourselves, it can feel too daunting to even begin.

And beyond not knowing where to start, making changes in your life can feel really expensive when everywhere you look something is being marketed to you. But luckily, we’ve come up with a plethora of simple changes you can begin to make in your life for a glow-up that will fit your budget. 

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Realize You’re in Control

Maybe the most important first step to your glow-up is realizing you are a free agent. You are free to choose what happens in your life! The decisions you make have a direct impact on how you look and feel, inside and out. Quit buying into the victim mentality and take control. You’ve got this! 

Stop Drinking Alcohol

If you care about your health, stay away from alcohol as much as you can. This is a tip that will save you money and make you look and feel better! Alcohol isn’t cheap, plus it’s addictive, can make people do things they otherwise wouldn’t, and can wreak havoc on your skin and cause inflammation. If cutting it out completely doesn’t seem doable, work on limiting it. There are plenty of cute mocktail recipes to try that are just as much fun to craft and drink! Any efforts we make to better our habits are progress.

Learn To Do Your Own Nails

Having your nails done is a quick way to feel way more put together. But when that means going to the nail salon, it can also cost you a pretty penny. So instead of paying someone else to do your nails, learn to do them yourself. It’s easier than you think!

One of the biggest obstacles to doing your own nails is the time it takes. You can cut that time in half or more with a gel UV light. They aren’t too expensive and will give you that shiny, salon-like finish you want every time. 

Pay Attention to Your Music

What are you listening to? Is it uplifting or does it drag you down? Does it remind you of your toxic ex or make you harp on a memory you'd rather forget? Music can have a big impact on the way you feel, so make sure that what you’re listening to is a positive influence. 

Change the Order of What You Eat

You probably already know what foods are good for you and which ones should be eaten in moderation. But have you ever thought about the order in which you eat the food on your plate?

The book Glucose Revolution will teach you exactly why the order is so important for controlling your blood sugar, which will help you to avoid cravings and stay fuller longer. You can read the book to learn more about the method, but the idea is to eat your greens first, followed by proteins and fats, and save those carbohydrates and starches for last to avoid having such a dramatic blood sugar spike. 

Clean Your Room

Having a clean space to work and live in is so important to your well being. Your mood will be immediately improved by taking care of your space, and you’ll have the energy and motivation to be more productive as a result. So to have a glow up, start by making your bed and cleaning your room. You might be surprised how big of an effect it can have. 

Dye Your Eyebrows

If you have faint eyebrows, an eyebrow tint can make a huge difference in your look. And it’ll save you time in the mornings. No more filling your brows in with a pencil! 

This eyebrow kit is inexpensive and comes in lots of different colors, plus an angled brush to help you apply it. Or, if you’ve got a little more to spend or are too scared to play with tints, try laminating your brows instead. This kit will hold them in place. No more brow gel!

Get Eight Hours of Sleep a Night

They don’t say you need to get your beauty sleep for nothing! This tip is absolutely free as far as money goes, but I won’t say that it isn’t going to require lots of self-discipline. 

If you’re someone who has a hard time falling asleep, try listening to a guided meditation on YouTube, or if that’s not your style, even a podcast to take your mind off of things while you try to get some shut-eye. 

Learn New Hairstyles

Our hairstyle makes a huge difference in how we look. And while getting a new cut or color at the salon will cost you a pretty penny, learning new hairstyles that flatter you and let you change up your look is free. 

Take a day when you have some free time and nowhere important to go, put on some YouTube tutorials, and try out some new styles. Twist Me Pretty, Annies Forget Me Knots, and Amber Fillerup have some of my favorite tutorials. 

Drink More Water

Drinking water has so many benefits! Most people should be drinking at least four to six cups a day. And if you exercise or the weather’s hot outside, you’ll want to up your intake. 

Need extra motivation to drink your water? Get a water bottle with the amount you are drinking easily visible so that you can keep track and have the motivation to keep going. 

YouTube and 28 Wellness Workouts

Getting into shape doesn’t need to be expensive! You could do something as simple as slipping on a pair of shoes and going for a walk or a run, but since that’s not everyone’s favorite form of exercise, YouTube workouts can really come in handy. The best workout is the one you’ll actually do, so find something that you love. A few of my favorites are Megan Roup, Move with Nicole, and Beth Nicely.

And if you’re really looking to improve your wellness you should check out 28 Wellness. It offers free workouts from supermodel trainers that are synced with where you are in your hormonal cycle. Eating and exercising in rhythm with your cycle can have a huge impact on your body as a woman, so it’s only logical that you should take both into account.

Use Hand and Foot Moisturizer

Want to glow up? Start with getting rid of dry skin. Taking care of your hands and feet is a basic act of self-care that is sure to help you feel better.

These hand masks from Aquaphor will get the job done. Be sure to follow up with some gel polish after buying that inexpensive UV light, and you’ll be feeling like you returned from the nail salon after just spending a quick 20 minutes doing them yourself. Saving time and money is something we can definitely get behind. 

Eat Fruits and Veggies

You’ve been hearing the importance of getting your daily intake of fruits and veggies since you were little, but let’s be honest, are you really getting those five servings of veggies and four servings of fruit a day? A simple way to get your veggies in is with a green smoothie. Try out this one from Weelicious, who is pretty much a bonafide pro when it comes to smoothies. 

Explore the Drugstore Makeup Section

Can’t afford Sephora prices? The drugstore has so many great options for makeup these days that you really don’t need to worry about affording high end products. These are just a few examples of some great drugstore products you should pick up the next time you’re at the store. 

Upgrade Your Shower Routine

We all should be exfoliating our skin. For an inexpensive glow up, take just an extra two minutes in the shower (you know you want to anyway) and exfoliate your skin. If that’s not a normal step for you, we promise you’ll notice the difference.

Frank Body Glycolic Body Scrub uses AHAs to exfoliate your skin and has great reviews on Ulta, so take advantage of this budget-friendly glow-up tip and add it to your next order. 

Whitening Toothpaste

Teeth are one of the biggest things people notice about us. And feeling good about how yours look will make you feel like a million bucks every time you smile. Professional whitening might not be reasonable for your budget right now, but whitening strips and toothpaste do a great job of getting rid of those noticeable surface stains, and you’ll be so glad you did it!

Go Thrifting

If you’re in need of a style refresh, let us be the first to suggest the thrift store. Clothing is one of those items that immediately depreciates in value after you purchase it, so take advantage of that and buy secondhand. You might be surprised just how many cute items you can find at secondhand stores! You’ll be able to afford better quality items than you normally would for a fraction of the price, too.

Improve Your Posture

When your mom snapped at you to sit up straight at the table every night, she was onto something. Better posture will help you to instantly look better. But don’t be fooled into buying a posture corrector online. Those won’t actually strengthen your postural muscles and could potentially weaken them if you use it often enough. Instead incorporate exercises that strengthen your back and shoulders, and you’ll naturally find you stand up straighter.

Pick a New Year’s Resolution and Do It

I want you to pull out the list of resolutions you have on your phone or the piece of paper sitting on your desk from January when you set goals for the year. Don’t get discouraged based on where you’re at with those things now; just pick one and start today. Now is as good a time as any! And by beginning to work on those big goals you have for your life, you can make this year the one you really reached your potential. 

Start a Gratitude Journal

It’s no secret that you should count your blessings. It will help you to have a more optimistic view on life, which is bound to help you make all the needed changes for a glow up. But outside the motivation factor, research has shown there are many benefits of gratitude for your well-being. 

And it could be as simple as just taking three minutes before bed each night to write down something that went well that day or someone who you’re grateful for in a gratitude journal. It will be harder to do when you’ve had a bad day, but it will help you to create a positive mindset. 

Learn Your Color Season and Body Type

Half of the battle when it comes to feeling good about how you look is just figuring out what works for you. Luckily there are lots of tools out there that can help make that process easier. Identifying your color season and your body type are great places to start. From there don’t be afraid to do a closet purge. Put on your clothes and be brutally honest with yourself about what you should keep and what should go. You’ll thank us once you see the extra closet space and are left with the clothes that make you feel your best. 

Read More Books

When was the last time you read a book, like the paper and ink kind? If it’s been awhile, don’t leave that New Year’s resolution on the list. Reading a book will help you to expand your mind and get off your phone. Nonfiction and especially self-help books are great for helping you on your glow-up journey, but even fiction will help you grow your vocabulary and practice focus.

Buying the latest and greatest at Barnes & Noble can make reading an expensive hobby, but if you take advantage of your local library or borrow books your friends have just finished reading, this self-bettering hobby is doable on any size budget. Evie has countless book recommendations you can check out here!

Win the Morning, Win the Day

A glow up starts by changing the way you wake up. If you can get your morning off to a good start, you will be much more likely to have a productive day and accomplish your goals. So start by adding one needed habit change in your morning. Whether that’s your breakfast, exercise, journaling, or even just making your bed, change your morning and you can start to change your life. 

Improve Your Art of Conversation

Being a good conversationalist is attractive. No matter if you’re conversing at your workplace, dating, or just making friends, learning how to make good small talk and carry an engaging conversation with someone else is a crucial life skill. And luckily if that isn’t your strong suit there are lots of resources that can help from books to videos online. 

Practice Positive Affirmations

We know this isn’t the catch all fix you were looking for, but changing your mindset from negative self-talk to positive affirmations will help. After all, feeling bad about yourself doesn’t improve things for you. When you look in the mirror, try to replace negative thoughts about yourself with positive ones as much as you possibly can. Be honest with yourself about ways you want to change, but give yourself some grace. We promise it’s worth the effort to make that change. 

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