A 24 Hour Glow Up in Dubai (and at Home)
Life is officially back in motion. With school, work, and social catch-ups, the days are getting busier, and we’re all trying to look and feel our best while keeping up. A reset never hurts, and we’ve put together our ultimate 24-hour glow-up guide in Dubai. Think of it as a mind-and-body recharge that takes you from dull and tired to fresh and radiant with a mix of in-clinic treatments, salon fixes, and at-home rituals. Here is our list of favourite products to use at home and go-to places for treatments and maintenance.
Image by @visualescapismm
At-home rituals
Not every glow-up requires leaving your front door. Enter: the everything shower. If you’re colouring your hair, Kevin Murphy’s Hydrate-Me Wash line is our holy grail, but if not, &honey’s Deep Moist Shampoo & Treatment is a summer-approved swap. For extra shine, L’Oreal Elseve Glycolic Gloss Shine Rinse (just five minutes!) and Virtue’s Restorative Treatment Mask are our secret weapons.
Body care starts with a scrub. First Aid Beauty’s KP Bump Eraser is a saviour for texture. If you’re acne-prone, PanOxyl’s Acne Creamy Wash is clinical-level good, but if not, you’ve probably seen this all over social media, but the hype is real, Dove’s Anti-Stress Beauty Bar. Next, if you like being hairless, this is the perfect time to shave. Your skin is prepped and ready. (Venus Comfortglide Breeze for the body, Intimate Grooming for bikini area).
Post-shower, lock in hydration: we like to start with the acne prone and sensitive areas and use The Ordinary’s Niacinamide 5% Emulsion and Inulin Body Lotion, LUSH Dream Cream everywhere else, and we absolutely love topping it off with Vaseline’s Cocoa Radiant Body Oil (get it all the way down to your heels). For hair care, K18’s Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask deserves all the hype and we also like to go in with Davines OI All in One Milk.
Skincare is a must and more steps isn’t always better. Sometimes your skin just needs a quick reset. Our go-to face wash for the past year has been Kiehl’s Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash then gently exfoliate your skin with The Ordinary’s Glycolic Acid 7% Toner (we like to use this on our underarms before deodorant and heels before the body oil), layer on hyaluronic acid (The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 or Kiehl’s Ultra Pure), and seal it with a hydrating cream or overnight mask (LANEIGE Bouncy & Firm or Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Sleepair (a little goes a long way with both). Don’t forget your lashes: UKLASH Lash Growth Serum is a subtle but satisfying long game.
Dont forget oral hygiene. Whitening strips (Hismile PAP+) and TikTok’s favourite TheraBreath rinse are easy hacks for a brighter smile and fresh breath (don’t forget to floss!).
Outside the house
Now, if you want to treat yourself, here are things you can get done outside of your home.
Oral health is step one. It sounds basic, but a professional clean every six months changes everything. We like to visit Apa Aesthetic Dental Clinic, these regular sessions keep cavities at bay, gums healthy, and your breath fresher than any mint could manage.
Your skin deserves equal attention. After months of sun and humidity, a Hydrafacial at Skin Laundry is a non-invasive fix that leaves your face smooth, clean, and glowing with zero downtime. And if you want to go one step further, the Dermadrop TDA™ treatment at Evolution Aesthetics Clinic is like giving your scalp a tall glass of water (hydrating, soothing, and balancing all at once). Especially after a summer of heat, chlorine, and travel, it’s the kind of reset you didn’t know you needed until you try it.
And while we often think of glow-ups as purely aesthetic, don’t underestimate your nervous system. UCRYO’s “Glow from Within” treatment with InfraBaldan 3.0 boosts circulation, oxygenation, and even mood — perfect for when your brain feels fried from juggling study, work, and a social life.
Finally, nothing gives you that instant “new person” energy like fresh hair and nails. They sound like an obvious shout but the two actually make the biggest difference in both our appearance and confidence. Whether you’re going full nail art or keeping it clean with a simple mani-pedi, The Nail Spa, We Nails Beauty Salon, and Bahia Beauty Bar Salon are our go-tos. For hair, Yamen Alsaman always comes through with trims, colour touch-ups, or a entirely new vibe.
Final touches
Before bed, give your nervous system a reset: curl up with a fiction read (we’re on Open Season by Cassie Werber) and a cup of chamomile, lavender, or peppermint tea. Sleep, after all, is the original glow-up.
Is every step, product and treatment essential? Maybe not. But combine a few of these and you’ll feel like you’ve hit reset on your whole self in just one day.
