84% of teen girls feel pressured to “glow up” before school starts

Discussing the pressures teens face

As the back-to-school season looms, it’s not just stationery hauls and timetable jitters on teen girls’ minds…

It’s how to walk into school looking like the best version of themselves. 

At least, that’s what social media tells them they should do.

In new insights gained from polling 2,853 teens on the luna app, we can reveal that an astonishing 84% of teen girls say they feel pressured to “glow up” before going back to school.

On TikTok, the search “school glow ups” has racked up millions of views

Endless videos promise a complete transformation over the summer, showing girls overhauling their skincare routines, trying 10-step makeup looks, changing their wardrobes, whitening their teeth, and even hinting at weight loss tips.

Girls are even going so far as to ask for honest feedback on their appearance in the comments – opening the floor to other TikTok users who are in turn offering critiques and advice to help them “glow up”.

And while these clips often position glowing up as empowering or motivational, for many teens it just adds to the pile of unrealistic expectations they already face.

“We’re hearing more and more from girls using the luna app who feel like if they don’t “fix” themselves over the summer, they’ll walk into school in September already behind or lacking,” says Jo Goodall, Co-Founder of luna. 

“But the problem is, there’s no end-point to these standards – no amount of highlighter or serum actually makes you feel “enough” if the pressure is coming from the inside out.”

“I felt like everyone would judge how I looked after the summer”

For 12-year-old “Ellie” (name changed to protect her privacy), the glow-up pressure crept in after her classmates started posting “before” pictures as a part of a “glow up trend” at the start of the holidays.

“I was seeing videos saying things like “you’ve got six weeks to change” and I thought…if I don’t come back skinnier or with better skin, everyone’s going to notice,” she says. “I started trying these new skincare products which were so expensive and doing Chloe Ting workouts every morning, but it just made me feel worse about myself when I didn’t see big changes.”

luna’s research shows she’s far from alone.

Over half of 2,520 teen girls polled (54%) say that wearing a school uniform makes them feel more insecure about their body, and one in five of 2,156 teen girls polled (22%) name body image as their biggest worry going into summer.

And unsurprisingly, social media, which so often promotes the glow-up ideal, leaves nearly half of girls polled on luna (46% of 1,522 votes) feeling drained and unproductive.

Why it matters to talk about this

Adolescence is already a vulnerable time for mental health and self-esteem. 

According to luna, over 70% of girls (of 1,777 votes) say school pressures affect their mental health several times a week, and almost 90% (of 3,032 votes) describe themselves as stressed at least half the time.

But the glow-up ideal rarely focuses on health or self-care. 

Instead, it feeds the idea that girls’ value comes from how “put-together” they look, reinforcing the age-old belief that to succeed socially or in life more generally you must first be beautiful.

As Dr. Katie Malbon, General Paediatric Consultant and luna’s Chief Medical Advisor, puts it: 

‘What concerns us is how early these pressures are being internalised. 

Even in clinic, I’m seeing 11- and 12-year-olds with body image struggles, and in the luna app we see hundreds or questions from teens saying they feel they need to transform themselves. 

That’s a huge emotional load for someone who is still growing into themselves.”

So what can parents and carers do?

While we can’t immediately make social media or playground pressures disappear, experts agree we can help teens reframe what “glowing up” really means.

“The key is to change the meaning of a glow up to something more positive,’ says luna’s Co-Founder, Jo Goodall. 

“Ask what it is they’re really hoping for when they say they want to glow up – is it about confidence? Feeling on top of day-to-day pressures? Fitting in? Feeling healthier? 

That’s a much better place to start than rolling your eyes or telling them it’s silly. 

Validating their goals is the first step to tweaking them to something healthier”

The team at luna recommends helping teens set small, realistic goals for feeling good – and making sure they include emotional wellbeing as much as appearance:

• Prioritising 8-10 hours of good quality sleep
• Drinking 6-8 glasses of water daily
• Trying a gentle skincare routine that works for their skin, rather than chasing influencer trends – a cleanser, moisturiser and SPF is really what’s needed for teens, no expensive serums or masks
• Finding one or two outfits they feel comfortable in
• Implementing strategies to help them make space for their wellbeing – such as homework planners or daily to-do lists
• Generally focusing on how they feel rather than how they look

It can also help to point them toward positive platforms that promote positive living and self-esteem without shaming, like the luna app, which includes guides on confidence and self-care written specifically for teens.

“When teens feel good about themselves on the inside, they’re much less likely to fall for the idea that their worth depends on a six-week glow-up challenge,” adds Jo.

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Because the real glow-up isn’t what teens think it is

Perhaps the most important thing to remind teens of this summer is that confidence isn’t a trending serum you can buy or a before-and-after you can post.

The real glow-up is internal – feeling ready to take on a new school year as yourself, not a social media version of who you think you should be.

Or, as Ellie – luna’s teen “correspondent” – puts it: “When I stopped comparing myself to everyone else and just focused on feeling okay about me, it was like I glowed up anyway.”

Because confidence and self-assurance really is the glow that lasts.