We live in a world where looks are often seen as a twisted currency. With so much fakery fueled by unrealistic standards on social media, it’s becoming hard to see real beauty. And unlike heavily staged and edited allure, natural appeal is always changing, transforming, enriching itself with experiences, ups and downs. In this sense, it’s more about the journey of feeling good in your skin than the actual result.
And what could better illustrate that than photos from real people who fought hard (or did nothing!) to love themselves fully and are proud about it. Thanks to the subreddit “Ugly Duckling,” which has people sharing how they turned into beautiful swans, we now have a bunch of people to cheer for.
After you’re done, be sure to check out more incredibly wholesome transformations in our previous posts here, here, and here. Just remember that glowing up differs for everyone, and that we are all beautiful in our own perfectly imperfect ways.
#1 10 To 20! My Nickname Used To Be Called ‘Uglie’
Image credits: minjewe
#2 17 To 27 - How Did I Do?
Image credits: Lizard_Xing
#3 15 (Lol) - 27
Image credits: laufree93
#4 13 To 25 - Life Is Weird Man
Image credits: Mawldee
#5 14-24. When Puberty Hits You Like A Train
Image credits: Air-Constant
#6 Hi!! Me, 14 -> 21
Image credits: Such_Ad_3122
#7 19 vs. 30
Image credits: MayaMustika
#8 22 vs. 27 Appearance May Have Change But Personality Has Always Stayed The Same
Image credits: Baklau
#9 Left-20yo Right-22yo
Image credits: ZestycloseAd9233
#10 A Slightly Bigger Change Then Your Average Glow Up For Sure, But I'm Still Happy Where I Am Now
Image credits: Maximellow
#11 13 To 26 I Still Do My Own Hair Cuts But I Think They’re A Little Better Now
Image credits: tritrish
#12 Today I Weighed Myself And I've Lost A Total Of 221 Pounds. Sitting At 179. I Don't Have Any Friends So No One To Share It With So I'm Sharing It Here Lol. Have A Wonderful Night
Image credits: CloudyOne420
#13 13 vs. 22
Image credits: Knitcola
#14 Age 15 vs. Age 22. Thank Goodness For Puberty
Image credits: macymadison
#15 15 vs. 30 - Cant Believe How High My Insecurities Were Back Then
Image credits: adamax08
#16 12-23, Thank God For Puberty
Image credits: bigdummythiccums
#17 Age 13 / Age 20 And I Started Doing Makeup 2 Months Ago Lol
Image credits: aidandelacruz
#18 16 vs. 20 Is This A Glow Up?
Image credits: Ninjamanatee20
#19 Still Working On Myself, But Time And Hygiene Can Do Wonders! I Was Wearing Makeup In The First Pic, And Not The Second. [15/2012 - 24/2021]
Image credits: lavendarpaint
#20 16 To 20
Image credits: Noah_Valsted
#21 [19 vs. 25] 85kgs Difference In Weight Between The Two Pictures. Who Knew I Had Some Decent Facial Features Underneath The Fat I Used To Carry. I'm Glad I Worked On Myself And My Physical Appearance
Image credits: throwaway94646
#22 13 To 23! Lost The Weird Frames And Bangs, Gained Some Style And Confidence To Be Fully Myself
Image credits: peachyara
#23 16 - 25 Am I Doing This Right?
Image credits: Mafieusz
#24 12 vs. 24
Image credits: vikingum_kongen
#25 I Struggled With Bipolar Disorder II For The Longest Time. The Meds Made Me Gain So Much Weight But As Of February Last Year, I’ve Been Medication-Free, With The Blessings Of My Doctor
Image credits: mozakiiii
#26 12 > 18 I Was Bullied At School For My Looks, Cried Every Day And Begged World To Give Me Another Face. I Was Kinda Cute Tho
Image credits: tx13bucks
#27 13-24. Did I Age Backwards?
Image credits: ahug1597
#28 Our Styles Changed A Little
Image credits: Raxen92
#29 Ten Years Later. 14>24
Image credits: macero143
#30 19 To 22, People Will Make You Feel Unworthy But You Have So Much Potential. I Promise
Image credits: oveanray
#31 15>18 - I'd Like To Thank My Mother, My Father And Whoever My Mother Had An Affair With 19 Years Ago Cuz I Did Not Get That Jawline From My Dad
Image credits: Gottigottigotti22
#32 19-22, People Really Underestimate How Much The Gym Can Do For Your Face
Image credits: Greenface1998
#33 16 To 22 - My Boyfriend Filled Out A Little
Image credits: AriaLayton
#34 About An Eight Year Difference Here And Just Had My Braces Taken Out
Image credits: FMChainsawTeddy
#35 17 - 22 / Grew Into My Forehead And Started Taking Proper Care Of Myself
Image credits: Meeqohh
#36 14-22 Im Working On It
Image credits: throwaway249161
#37 12-22: Deleted Instagram And Facetune At 20. Stopped Hiding My Flaws Behind Unrealistic Snapchat Filters. Most Importantly, Stopped Adding Quotes To My Pics Jk Stopped Comparing Myself To Others. Proud Of My Growth
Image credits: kaerine
#38 16-19, Lost Around 90 Lbs And Started Being Grateful For Life
Image credits: sebwasnthere
#39 13 vs. 21. Am I Doing This Right??
Image credits: Cla1re23
#40 15 —> 30 Weight Loss, Better Eyebrows… Same Smirk Tho
Image credits: HonorReigns
#41 16 To 23... A Beard And Puberty Makes A World Of Difference
Image credits: RRnn97
#42 Pink Has Always Been A Favorite (13/25)
Image credits: carnpark
#43 19-22 Less Plates More Weights
Image credits: Molliwop_Dat
#44 Being The Youngest As A Teenager (17) I Always Felt Like I Lived In My Older Siblings Shadows, I’m Proud Of The Hard Working Man I’ve Grown To Become Today. (25)
Image credits: ScarletEverdeenHD
#45 17 To 26 - From "Anorexic Nerd With Cringey Hair" To "Healthy Chad" (Jk Im Not A Chad)
Image credits: PrettyBoyMikey
#46 12 To 19 - I Do Not Miss The Bowl Cut
Image credits: kzyang
#47 [18 To 20] Realized I Wanted More For Myself, Took Up Running, Started Journaling, And Have Been Working On My Mental Health Ever Since Starting College
Image credits: pdxphotographerawar
#48 15 To 19. Same Shirt, Same Bed, Same Dude Haha. I’m Happy That My Nose Sorted Itself Out Somehow After My Brother Broke It
Image credits: Asleep_Ad_1824
#49 18 To 21, Same Orange Colored T-Shirt, Different Person :) Lost A Few Pounds, Started Taking Care Of My Hair And Cleared Most Of The Acne Scars
Image credits: letranquillita
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