Black Girl Summer: The Ultimate Glow-Up Guide

Written By Ardenia Gould

This summer, the vibe is clear:
Soft. Radiant. Unbothered.
Not just surviving, but glowing—inside and out.

Black Girl Summer isn’t about showing up for anyone else.
It’s about showing up for you. Prioritizing your peace. Protecting your energy. Investing in your rest, your skin, your joy, your body—and doing it all with intention.

Whether you’ve got big travel plans or you’re nesting into your local summer era, here’s your complete glow-up guide to help you move into your next season feeling nourished, grounded, and magnetic.

A Black woman receives a hot stone massage at a spa, lying face down on a white towel with black stones placed along her spine, while a massage therapist works on her shoulders.

1. Book the Massage—But Book the Right One

Not all massages are the same—and not all bodies need the same thing.
If you’re looking to ease into softness, go for something gentle like Swedish or aromatherapy massage. It’s calming, grounding, and perfect for reconnecting to your body after long periods of stress.

But if your neck, shoulders, or hips are locked and you need real tension relief?
Try a Traditional Thai massage. It’s deep, it’s intense, and it’s not always “relaxing” in the moment—but the after-effect is incredible. You’ll feel looser, lighter, and lengthened in all the right ways.

Glow-up tip: Don’t schedule anything immediately after. Give yourself time to integrate the rest. Jumping off the table into traffic and emails? That’s not the vibe.

A Black woman with braided hair relaxes as a clay facial mask is gently applied to her face by a spa therapist using a brush, lying on a soft towel with eyes closed.

2. Upgrade Your Facial—Because Your Skin Deserves More

Your face deserves more than a basic cleanse and steam. If you’ve been feeling dull, congested, or just over it, treat your skin to something that actually works on a deeper level.

Options to explore:

  • Red light therapy for cellular renewal and inflammation

  • Lymphatic massage to depuff, detox, and define

  • Gua Sha sculpting to release tension and lift your natural contours

  • Vampire facials (yes, the one with your own plasma) for serious rejuvenation and glow

This is about more than vanity—it’s healing your skin from the inside out.

Colorful assortment of fresh berries, including raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries, on display at a farmer’s market in turquoise cartons with handwritten price signs.

3. Make Farmers Markets Your Summer Main Character Moment

Summer is the perfect time to reconnect with your food.
Skip the grocery store stress and head to your local farmers market—bonus points if you support Black and Brown growers.

You’ll find fresh fruits and veggies that actually taste like something, along with herbs, homemade jams, and local honey that elevate every meal. Shopping becomes a ritual, not a chore—and you support your community while you nourish your body.

Pro tip: Dress cute, bring your tote bag, and treat it like a soft girl field trip. Because it is.

A group of women, including a Black woman in the foreground, participate in a fitness class doing floor exercises on pink mats in a sunlit studio with exposed brick walls.

4. Try the Workout You Keep Saving on Instagram

How many times have you saved that pilates or boxing class to your "someday" folder? Let this be the sign: book it.

Movement doesn’t have to be punishment. This summer, try something new. Something that makes you feel strong, sexy, and surprised by your own power. Whether it’s a bounce class, aerial yoga, pole fitness, or dance cardio—just show up.

Use ClassPass or a free trial to experiment without pressure.
Find what moves your body and your spirit.

A young woman with her eyes closed enjoys a luxurious scalp massage at a salon, leaning back into a sink while a therapist’s hands gently massage her head.

5. Book the Scalp Spa Appointment—You Deserve It

This is the ultimate glow-up move you didn’t know you needed.
A professional scalp spa treatment is a full-on experience:

✨ Scalp analysis
✨ Dead skin and product buildup removal
✨ Exfoliation and deep cleanse
✨ Aromatherapy steam
✨ Extended scalp massage
✨ Nourishing treatment mask and rinse

Think: the relaxation of a facial plus the root care your hair has been craving. You walk out lighter, clearer, and with a clean crown—literally and energetically.

Glow-up tip: Look for salons that use clean, non-toxic products and specialize in textured hair.

Final Word: Your Glow-Up, Your Rules

Black Girl Summer isn’t a trend.
It’s a return to yourself.

It’s choosing softness in a world that tries to harden you.

It’s honoring your body with movement, your skin with care, your spirit with rest, and your joy with priority.

Whether you do one or all of these, just know: you are already worthy of care.
Not because you earned it.
Because it’s yours to claim.

Ardenia Gould
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