2,000+ Women Shared Their Most Unhinged Glow Up Tips

The habits, routines, and shifts behind a real glow up

Apr 07, 2026

I’m determined to look and feel better in my thirties than I ever did in my twenties. Naturally, I ended up knee-deep in the comments of a TikTok full of women sharing their most unhinged glow up tips.

I expected the usual. Drink more water. Get better sleep. Maybe a few skincare recommendations.

Instead, I found thousands of women sharing exactly what they’ve done to completely change how they look and feel. Not just general advice, but specific habits, routines, and products. The kind of details you only share when something has actually worked for you.

I love knowing the nitty gritty specifics.

When I realized there were over 2,000 comments, I stopped skimming and started paying attention to what was actually being repeated. Not what sounded the most impressive, but what kept coming up over and over again.

So I started collecting the most repeated tips and patterns.

Here’s what kept coming up.

1. Water is the baseline, not the bonus

Drinking water wasn’t framed as a tip. It was treated like a starting point. The thing you fix before anything else starts working.

People were specific about it. Drinking a full glass right when you wake up. Drinking water before coffee instead of after. Adding electrolytes so you actually retain it. Carrying a water bottle everywhere so you don’t have to think about it. Some people were aiming for a gallon a day, others were just trying to be more consistent. The intention was the same.

It also showed up indirectly in a lot of other habits. Higher protein intake, more fiber, fasting, supplements. All of it works better when you’re actually hydrated.

The reasoning wasn’t complicated. Skin looks clearer. Bloating goes down. Energy levels feel more stable. You snack less because you’re not constantly mistaking thirst for hunger.

What stood out wasn’t just how often it was mentioned, but how confidently people said it. Not as something that might help, but as something that noticeably changed how they looked and felt when they actually stuck to it.

If you’re slacking on your water intake, this is your sign to start chugging!

2. Sleep is treated like part of your routine, not something that happens at the end of the day

People weren’t just saying “get more sleep.” They were talking about fixing their entire nighttime routine. Going to bed earlier even if they didn’t feel tired yet. Waking up at the same time every day instead of sleeping in and throwing off their rhythm. Getting off their phone at night because they realized how much it was affecting their ability to actually fall asleep.

Many women are aiming for eight to nine hours consistently. Drinking tea before bed as a way to wind down. Turning off screens earlier than they wanted to. Even small things like adding a humidifier to their room to improve sleep quality.

They also connected this directly to how they look. Less puffiness in their face. Brighter eyes. Skin looking more even. But also things you don’t immediately see, like more stable moods, fewer cravings, and better energy throughout the day.

Good sleep is foundational. You can try to fix everything else, but if your sleep is inconsistent, it shows everywhere.

3. Walking is the one thing almost everyone agrees on

10,000 steps a day came up over and over again. Walking after meals. Walking outside when they could. Using a walking pad during the day to make it easier to stay consistent. Taking longer routes on purpose just to get more steps in.

Walking wasn’t framed as intense or impressive. It was framed as something that actually fits into your life. Something you can do every day without needing motivation or a perfect schedule.

People connected it to more than just movement. Better digestion. Better sleep. Feeling less stressed. Some even tied it directly to weight loss, not because it’s extreme, but because it’s consistent.

One woman said, “10k steps a day changed my body more than any workout plan ever did.”

It wasn’t just about burning calories. It was about having something you can rely on. Something that keeps you moving even on the days you don’t feel like doing anything else.

4. Strength training is less about weight loss and more about shape

It wasn’t about losing as much weight as possible. It was about changing how your body actually looks. Building muscle. Looking more toned. Feeling stronger.

People were specific about frequency. Three to five times a week was mentioned a lot. Not every day, not extreme, just consistent. And not just lifting, but lifting heavy.

There was also a strong connection to how people were eating. Higher protein intake to actually support the muscle they were building.

What came up repeatedly was how different this feels compared to only doing cardio. Less chasing a lower number on the scale and more focusing on how your body holds itself. How your clothes fit. How you carry yourself.

Several people mentioned seeing changes relatively quickly. Not just weight loss, but feeling more defined, more solid, more confident in their body.

One comment that stuck with me was, “I stopped trying to be smaller and started trying to be stronger and everything changed.”

5. Fasting and eating patterns are less about restriction and more about structure

The most common version mentioned was 16:8 intermittent fasting. Eating within an eight-hour window, usually starting later in the day, and then not eating again at night. Alongside that, a lot of women talked about simply cutting off food after a certain time, usually around 7 or 8pm, or delaying their first meal instead of eating right when they wake up.

Some people described this more loosely as just pushing their meals later. If they used to eat breakfast at 8, they’d move it to 10. Lunch gets pushed back too. Dinner stays earlier or lighter, sometimes something simple like a protein shake.

There were also mentions of longer fasts, like 24-hour fasts occasionally or even 36-hour fasts, but those were less common than the more structured, daily approaches.

What stood out wasn’t just the fasting itself, but what it replaced. Late-night snacking. Constant grazing. Eating out of boredom instead of hunger.

Alongside this, there were consistent patterns around food quality. High protein meals came up frequently, sometimes as specific as eating your body weight in protein. Increasing fiber intake was another big one, with people tracking fiber or focusing on foods like oats and fruit. Cutting back on sugar, paying attention to processed foods, and reducing or eliminating alcohol entirely came up repeatedly.

Even though there were many different approaches, they agreed on the idea of creating some kind of structure. Eating with more intention instead of all day without thinking about it.

One comment summed it up in a way that came up in different forms over and over again: “I didn’t change everything I ate, I just stopped eating all the time.”

I’m a huge fan of fasting. I personally do a 36 hour fast 1 time per week!

6. Skincare is about consistency, not constantly trying something new

People weren’t just saying “take care of your skin.” They were naming exact ingredients and routines. Retinol and tretinoin came up over and over again. Vitamin C in the morning. Niacinamide and hyaluronic acid for hydration. Sunscreen every single day, no exceptions, often tinted SPF so it doubles as light coverage.

A few specific products and brands came up repeatedly. CeraVe was mentioned a lot, especially their SA lotion for smoothing texture and treating dry or bumpy skin. Korean skincare brands were also a common thread, with people talking about layering hydrating products rather than relying on one harsh active. Products like Anua (especially their toner and PDRN line) came up in that context.

For actives, people referenced everything from over-the-counter retinol to prescription tretinoin (Retin-A), often described as something they worked up to over time rather than jumping into immediately. Vitamin C serums were usually paired with SPF in the morning as a baseline routine.

There was also a strong emphasis on how you use products, not just what you use. Double cleansing at night. Actually removing makeup properly instead of rushing through it. Sticking to a routine long enough to see results instead of constantly switching products.

One comment captured the tone really well: “SPF every single day. I don’t care if it’s cloudy, I don’t care if I’m inside. Every day.”

What stood out most was the shift from trying everything to sticking with something.

7. Beauty treatments are the “if you want faster results” layer

Beyond daily routines, a lot of women mentioned adding in treatments that accelerate results.

These weren’t usually the first step. They showed up after people already had a consistent baseline with things like skincare, sleep, and movement. More like the next layer once everything else is in place.

Microneedling came up frequently, both in-office and at-home, usually described as something people do regularly rather than just once. Laser hair removal was another one that people framed as a long-term upgrade. Less daily maintenance, fewer things to think about.

Red light therapy showed up as well, often tied to improving skin quality over time rather than quick results.

Devices like NuFACE were mentioned for facial toning, alongside lymphatic drainage, either through massage or tools, to reduce puffiness and make your face look more defined.

There were also more routine treatments like facials, hydrafacials, and chemical peels. Not necessarily as occasional splurges, but as part of a maintenance routine for people who prioritize it.

If your baseline is already in place, these are the things people turn to when they want to speed things up or maintain results with less daily effort.

8. A tan, or at least the appearance of one, changes how everything else looks

This was one of the most repeated themes, and honestly, not surprising.

Spray tans, self-tanner, and even tanning beds were all mentioned, usually not as a full transformation, but as something that makes everything else look better without changing anything else. Clothes look better. Skin looks more even. You look more awake and put together with less effort.

Some people talked about this as something they do regularly, but more often it came up as something you add in before an event, a trip, or when you want that extra boost. Face tanning sprays and drops were mentioned too, especially as a low-effort way to keep that look going.

Alongside that, there were a handful of comments that took a slightly different approach to the same idea. Instead of tanning, some women talked about creating that “glow” through what they eat or supplement.

Eating carrots daily came up more than once, usually tied to the idea that it subtly warms your skin tone over time. Astaxanthin was also mentioned, a supplement people associate with giving skin a more bronzed or even appearance from the inside out.

These weren’t the most common suggestions, but they showed up enough to feel like part of the same category. Different ways of chasing the same result. Skin that looks a little more even, a little more vibrant, a little more alive.

One comment put it simply: “A tan fixes everything,” and based on how often this came up, it’s clearly a belief a lot of people are acting on.

9. Teeth whitening is one of the fastest, most visible shifts

Teeth whitening is one of the fastest visible changes

Crest Whitestrips were mentioned the most, often as something people come back to again and again because they know it works. Opalescence trays and gels also came up for people who wanted something stronger or more consistent over time. Colgate Optic White products, like the toothpaste and whitening pens, were mentioned as an easy way to maintain results between treatments.

There were also general mentions of LED whitening kits, usually framed as a step up from strips but still something you can do at home.

What stood out was how often this was described as a quick win. Not something you need to wait months for, but something that noticeably changes your smile within a week or two. A lot of people talked about doing it before trips, events, or anytime they wanted to feel a little more put together.

One comment put it simply: “Whiten your teeth and you instantly look more put together.”

It’s a small shift, but one people notice quickly.

10. Hair, lashes, and nails are less about doing more and more about staying consistent

Hair, lashes, nails, and grooming are about maintenance, not transformation

Keeping up with hair instead of letting it go and then trying to fix everything at once. Regular trims, color, or glossing treatments so your hair always looks intentional. Some people mentioned styling their hair more consistently, even if it’s simple, just so it doesn’t feel like an afterthought.

There were also smaller routines that came up repeatedly. Hair masks, scalp massages, focusing on keeping hair healthy and glossy instead of just styled.

Lashes came up a lot, both extensions and lifts or tints. Not necessarily as something everyone does, but as something that changes how put together you look without needing to do much else.

Brows were part of this too. Clean, shaped, maintained.

Nails followed the same pattern. Not overly complicated, just done. Something that makes you feel a little more put together in a subtle way.

The pattern here wasn’t “add more.” It was “stop letting things fall off and then restarting.”

11. Supplements and gut health are part of the routine for a lot of people

Magnesium, probiotics, vitamin D, omega-3s, and even prenatal vitamins (even if you’re not pregnant) were mentioned as things people take consistently. Fiber came up a lot too, sometimes as specific as tracking fiber intake or focusing on foods like oats and fruit to support digestion.

There was also a noticeable emphasis on actually checking what your body needs. A few people mentioned getting blood work done and supplementing based on deficiencies. Iron came up multiple times, including people saying that correcting low iron or getting iron infusions made a dramatic difference in how they looked and felt.

A lot of this was tied back to gut health. Less bloating, more stable energy, clearer skin, better digestion. Not as a quick fix, but as something that improves everything over time.

There were also smaller daily habits that showed up alongside this. Lemon water in the morning, apple cider vinegar, and “beauty teas” made with things like hibiscus or butterfly pea flower.

12. Botox and peptides are a very real part of how people are approaching glow ups

Botox was mentioned frequently, often in the same tone as getting your hair or nails done. Not framed as extreme, just something people maintain. Lip filler came up in a similar way, grouped in with other routine beauty choices rather than something dramatic.

Peptides also showed up and people were specific about them. GHK-Cu, BPC-157, collagen peptides, and GLP-1 medications like tirzepatide were all mentioned in different contexts. Some were tied to skin and anti-aging, others to recovery, inflammation, or weight loss.

One comment put it very plainly: “Botox, good skincare, and staying consistent. That’s it.”

For me personally, these aren’t things I’m interested in trying, but leaving them out would ignore how often they came up. They’re clearly part of how a lot of women are thinking about glow ups right now.

13. Leaving what’s draining you is one of the most repeated “non-beauty” tips

This was one of the categories that didn’t fit at first, but ended up being one of the most consistent.

Leaving relationships. Setting boundaries. Stopping communication with people who create stress or anxiety. But also choosing to stay single, protecting your time, and being more intentional about who you let into your life.

It showed up in simple comments that didn’t need much explanation. “Leave him.” “Stop talking to them.” “Protect your peace.”

One woman wrote, “Leaving my relationship was the biggest glow up I’ve ever had,” and that sentiment showed up in different forms again and again.

There was also another version of this. Spending more time doing things that actually feel like you. Starting a hobby. Being outside more. Creating a life that feels better instead of just trying to look better.

Because if you’re constantly stressed, it shows up everywhere. In your sleep, your energy, your skin, your mood.

A lot of women weren’t just trying to improve how they look. They were trying to remove what was making them feel worse.

What I took from all of this

After reading 2,000+ comments, I didn’t walk away with a strict plan. If anything, I felt the opposite. A little overwhelmed by how many things you could try to change at once. Drink more water. Fix your sleep. Walk more. Lift weights. Change how you eat. Fix your skin. Fix your routine. Fix your life.

It’s easy to turn a glow up into a complete overhaul, where everything suddenly feels like it needs to change all at once.

But the things that came up the most weren’t the most extreme. They were the most consistent. Water. Sleep. Movement. Being more intentional with how you spend your time and what you give your energy to.

And maybe that’s what a glow up actually is. Not a complete transformation, but a series of small shifts that start to compound over time. The kind you can actually stick with. The kind that make you feel a little better in your own life without needing to change everything at once.

What’s your most unhinged glow up tip? Let me know in the comments!

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