TAB 2: Body Image, Beauty Standards & The “UK Black Girl” Aesthetic

Welcome back to OPN TABS! In this episode, we open the tab on glow up culture and the beauty standards shaping the way we see ourselves. We reflect on our first experiences of a “glow up” in secondary school, when it happened, how it felt, and how those moments shaped our relationships with beauty, confidence, and our bodies. We talk about aesthetics and self-image, the rise of the UK Black Girl aesthetic, and the pressure to balance being both “pretty” and “smart.” Along the way, we open up about insecurities we’ve experienced around our appearance and how we’ve navigated those feelings over time. From beauty trends we love to the standards we’re questioning, this conversation explores how beauty culture influences our identities, and what it means to redefine confidence on our own terms. As always, we’re opening another tab: questioning, reflecting, and learning in real time. Let us know your thoughts in the comments! Love, Anna & Sophie x