Glow up culture: Is it toxic or transformational?

Wellness used to be about balance – a bit of movement, a touch of mindfulness. Now? It’s an aesthetic sprint in Lululemons, juggling a Stanley Cup in one hand, and an acai smoothie bowl in the other.

Scroll through Tiktok and Instagram, and you’ll find a carousel of glow-up trends, each with its own aesthetic code and ritual. For example, born out of colder climates, Winter Arc spins the quiet of winter into a time for curated self-reinvention – early gym sessions,5am alarms, and a brand of solitude that markets itself as healing. Meanwhile, Pink Pilates Princess has emerged as the poster child of soft, performative wellness, clad in pastel activewear, sipping matcha, and perfecting her reformer flow in a sunlit studio.

Both trends look different, but the pressure to evolve is the same: Be better, look better, post better. I’ll admit: I’ve ended up in the thick of it too. Somewhere between my third “hot girl walk” of the week (a 10K-step spin on self-care with a podcast in my ears and performance in my stride) and a cart full of supplements I’m not even sure that I need (a spoonful of sea moss gel a day, anyone?), it hit me. Is all this effort worth it?

Glow-up culture insists we become better – shinier, leaner, more “aligned”. But behind the transformation reels is a quiet panic. If you’re not evolving fast enough, are you even trying? First, it means starting your day with chlorophyll drops and adaptogen lattes. Next, we’re talking NAD+ IV drips and ice baths. Is this personal growth or a full-time rebrand?

When self-love feels like a full-time job

Across the globe, a 2024 study by personal care brand Dove revealed that more than half of teenage girls experience lower self-esteem after consuming beauty advice on social media. Closer to home, a report by CNA highlighted findings from Singapore’s Institute of Mental Health, which revealed that women aged 15 to 35 who spend excessive time online are nearly five times more likely to experience severe psychological distress and body image issues.

“It becomes a cycle of constantly striving for perfection,” says clinical psychologist Annabelle Chow, principal clinical psychologist and founder of Annabelle Psychology. “And when worth is tied to physical change, the pressure can lead to anxiety, burnout and body dissatisfaction.”

“The “glow up” journey often begins when someone starts to feel like who they are, or how they look, isn’t enough,” she remarks. “This sense of inadequacy is often followed by a desire to regain control over their appearance or self-worth, prompting them to seek change in visible, measurable ways”.

She also commented that may start as a hopeful effort to feel better by adopting a certain look, lifestyle, or aesthetic, can quickly spiral into a relentless pursuit of external validation. “This is especially so in a culture where beauty ideals are constantly shifting, making it feel like you’re never quite ‘there’,” she notes. 

Eugena Bey, founder of boutique Pilates studio BE.Studios, has seen this impact on one’s self-worth first-hand. “Some clients come in burnt out from chasing aesthetics. They follow routines they saw online, but still feel like crap. They forget why they started,” she says. It’s a cycle she’s personally familiar with, too. “I’ve definitely fallen into the trap of comparison on social media, wondering why I don’t look a certain way or why I’m not tall enough,” she admits. “It plays on insecurities and creates this feeling that you need to follow certain diets or routines to be enough. I’ve tried those things myself, but they were never sustainable.”

She adds that social media often glorifies fast results and rigid discipline, which distorts what movement is really about. “Discipline is less about extremes and more about consistency, awareness, and understanding your body.” That’s why, even as a content creator, she’s intentional about not coaching online. “With Pilates, so much of the learning happens through in-person connection and feedback. Social media can be inspiring, but it can also quietly chip away at your sense of self-worth if you’re not careful.”

Stillness for sale

Glow-up culture thrives on the idea that you’re never quite done. Because if you were, who’d be purchasing the $300 per month wellness subscriptions?

In Singapore, the glow-up economy is booming – spa rituals, cold plunges, and boutique wellness studios are becoming lifestyle staples. Cold Plunge SG offers unlimited access to cryotherapy, sound baths and magnesium soaks for nearly $200 a month. At Trapeze Rec Club, day passes include access to fitness classes, recovery lounges and curated experiences that blur the line between self-care and self-optimisation. For many, these spaces offer a genuine sense of reset and community – a chance to carve out stillness, structure and care in lifestyles that rarely allow it.

The luxury spa sector is surging too. According to a 2024 Grand View Research report, the luxury spa services market earned US$499.7 million ($642 million) in 2024, with projected growth to US$813.3 million by 2030, while the spa products sector pulled in US$375 million in the same year, with an expected rise to US$575.7 million by 2030. The Global Wellness Institute has also placed Singapore among the 10 fastest-growing wellness markets globally.

Wellness, once rooted in balance and restoration, is increasingly a status symbol – one that hinges on aesthetics, discipline and social currency. And when self-worth is tangled up in how well you perform it, you’re always one step (or subscription) away from being “enough”.

The gentle path forward

Here’s a thought: Not every life needs a dramatic before- and-after. Sometimes, the most meaningful glow-ups are the quietest ones.

“You’re not falling behind [if you’re not into today’s glow-up culture],” says Annabelle. “You’re choosing to step away from a cycle that was never designed to be sustainable. Real growth isn’t always visible. It’s found in how you treat yourself, how you show up for others, and how you live by your values.”

As a psychologist, she often guides clients to reframe what “glowing up” truly means. “Instead of reducing it to physical transformation, we’d shift the focus to internal growth – developing resilience, clarity in values, emotional maturity, and self-acceptance,” she explains. “I’d remind them that their worth lies in their complexities, not in their ability to conform to ever-changing cultural standards. Gentle reminders that they are enough can go a long way.”

“To me, the real glow-up is when you stop chasing someone else’s version of ‘better’, and start living in a way that feels good, strong and honest for you,” adds Eugena. She suggests starting small – logging out of social media for an hour, going for a walk, moving in ways that feel nourishing rather than punishing. “Every starting line is a starting line,” she says. “And even if you lose the momentum, it’s okay. You can always begin again.”

To be clear, investing in your health and wellness isn’t inherently problematic. Better sleep, stronger bodies and mindful routines have real, tangible benefits. But when the glow-up becomes a benchmark for self-worth, even the healthiest habits can start to feel like pressure.