Non-toxic Makeovers on Film

Because who doesn’t dream of floating down the stairs into the arms of their crush like Laney in She’s All That, after she finally took off those nerdy, ugly glasses? Or of walking into school leaving everyone speechless, like Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries, after she basically just straightened her hair. Because curls are ugly? Wait.

Makeover scenes in 2000s movies are iconic. We used to be obsessed with them. Watching them over and over again. Watching movies like Clueless and Miss Congeniality, and even playing online makeover games where you had to pluck someone’s eyebrows and wash their hair. I’m sure you remember them too. But the longer you think about them, the more you realise how toxic they actually are. Why is Mia only considered beautiful with straight hair? Why can’t she keep her natural curls? Why is Laney seen as an ugly duckling just because she’s wearing glasses? Scenes like these may be fun to watch, but in reality, they teach harmful beauty standards and create surreal expectations of people in general are supposed to look in order to be popular and attractive.

But makeovers can also be about self-improvement, about emancipation, and self-expression. About being confident in your own body, accepting yourself and fighting to be yourself. A non-toxic glow-up, you could say. So, in honour of makeover month, we’ve selected the ten best movie transformations about character development and endurance, from Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla to Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme, from Memoirs of a Geisha to My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Without giving too much away: these glow-ups are here to inspire you this month, to motivate you, and to help cut toxic beauty standards out of our minds.

Wes Anderson’s movies are always a bit weird and beautiful to watch. The Phoenician Scheme is no exception. The story follows Zsa-Zsa, a successful industrialist and criminal, who appoints his only daughter Lisl as the sole heir to his empire. The problem: Lisl is a cold, strict nun who has no interest in reviving her strained relationship with her egotistical father. But together, they team up to fight against scheming tycoons, terrorists, and for the preservation and improvement of Zsa-Zsa’s empire. 

During their journey, Lisl transforms into a badass, savage gangster daughter who loves luxury and beautiful things like a tobacco pipe adorned with gemstones. I know, that doesn’t sound much healthier than being a responsible nun. But the point is: Lisl accepts who she is. She embraces the family bond without losing her connection to religion, and she stands up for the things that matter to her. Even when she ends up working as a waitress in a stinky restaurant next to her father — in that moment, she honestly seems more like herself than ever.

If we’re talking about how fashion can reflect inner development, we obviously can’t leave out Sofia Coppola, the American filmmaker known for Marie Antoinette, Lost in Translation, and The Bling Ring. One of her later works, Priscilla (2023), tells the true story of Priscilla Presley and her emancipation from her husband, the so-called King of rock ’n’ roll, Elvis Presley. 

Her story begins as that of a young, naïve fourteen-year-old girl who meets Elvis in Wiesbaden and falls in love with him. They move in together, and he starts dressing her the way he imagines the perfect woman: dyed black hair with lots of volume, heavy eyeliner, high heels, elegant dresses. Basically, the female version of him. But in the third part of the film, the real makeover begins: Priscilla starts wearing clothes she chose herself. Bold prints. Lighter fabrics. Simpler cuts. Her hair loses volume, her makeup softens. By the end, she looks like a confident, self-determined woman of the ’70s — no longer the easily influenced girl from the beginning. A true non-toxic glow-up, if you ask me.

Janet and Brad. The two main characters of the musical The Rocky Horror Picture Show are the epitome of boring. They’re responsible, picture-perfect, and would never – neveeer – put a foot wrong. Until they do, of course. 

In this iconic story, the couple’s car breaks down in the middle of a stormy night, and they end up seeking help at Dr. Frank N. Furter’s mansion — home to a crowd of colourful, eclectic party guests, a man dressed in gold, a creepy butler, and a whole lot of loud songs. As the story unfolds, Janet and Brad – the oh-so-perfect couple – get seduced, one by one. And before you know it, both of them are dancing on Dr. Frank N. Furter’s stage, dressed in black garters, corsets, high heels, feather boas, and bright lipstick. It’s not exactly a classic makeover, but let’s be honest: Janet and Brad had to learn how to let loose somehow. Counts for me.

This feminist take on Frankenstein tells the story of Bella Baxter: a woman with the brain of an infant who is brought back to life by the brilliant Dr. Godwin Baxter. At first, Bella can barely speak, walk, or care for herself, yet the men around her adore her. As she begins exploring her body and her sexuality, she grows more confident and independent-minded.

She chooses to travel with Duncan, a misogynist who fell for her naïve, easily influenced, childlike persona, on a journey from Lisbon to Alexandria and Paris. Along the way, Bella matures, educates herself, finds like-minded people, and even works as a prostitute. Her transformation from infantile mind to fully grown woman proves too much for the men in her life, who keep trying to control her. 

But in the end, Bella reunites with Godwin, marries, and lives happily in London with her friends, studying medicine. Her character development is reflected in her clothing: from nightgowns and unfinished looks in the beginning to elegant dresses with dramatic puff sleeves by the end. Bella is a unique, fascinating, deeply relatable woman who fights for her self-determination. And wins.

Back to the early 2000s, this movie proves that powerful character development and a glow-up don’t have to be toxic, even at the height of the classic rom-com era. It’s Howl’s Moving Castle, the Studio Ghibli film written and directed by none other than Hayao Miyazaki. This animated fantasy film follows Sophie, a young milliner, and the wizard Howl, and the transformation they both go through together. 

Early in the film, Sophie is cursed by the Witch of the Waste and turns into a ninety-year-old woman. But as she begins to feel safer and more confident, she gradually becomes younger again. Meanwhile, Howl is used to bleaching his hair blond to appear more attractive. After Sophie accidentally ruins his products, he’s forced to stop, and his hair shifts from blond to orange, and finally, from orange to his natural colour: black. The change symbolises Howl’s emotional growth and inner healing, showing that he no longer needs to hide his true self to be loved. In the end, a dark-haired Howl and a young, white-haired Sophie share a kiss — happily ever after. Both glowed up.

Emma Watson. Florence Pugh. Saoirse Ronan. Timothée Chalamet. This coming-of-age movie, set in 19th-century New York and directed by Greta Gerwig, shines thanks to its outstanding cast. What also shines: the main characters’ individual glow-ups. The story follows the March sisters and how each of them matures over time, finding their own path — both inside and out. They go through important personal changes and self-reflection, learning about their strengths, desires, and weaknesses, ultimately growing into confident, authentic women. 

Jo, for example, evolves from a rebellious wild teenager into a thoughtful, talented writer. Amy, spoiled and shallow at first, becomes ambitious, mature, and artistic; an elegant and successful woman. Meg discovers that true happiness doesn’t depend on beauty or wealth, but on self-chosen love and contentment. Meanwhile, shy Beth transforms into a brave figure who inspires others. To cut it short: character development dripping everywhere.

This might sound confusing, I know. The Devil Wears Prada is literally about the toxicity of the fashion industry. But just hear me out. For anyone who doesn’t know the story: aspiring journalist Andy Sachs starts working at the fashion magazine Runway, against all odds. She never cared about clothes or luxury, but over time, she transforms into the most stylish, confident, and successful assistant editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly has ever had. But that’s not the non-toxic glow-up I’m talking about. During that transformation, Andy starts neglecting her friends and relationship, and seems to forget why she wanted to be a journalist in the first place. 

No, the real glow-up happens in the final scene, when she sees her former boss across the street. In that moment, Andy wears a black turtleneck, jeans, and a brown leather jacket – an outfit that combines her slightly off, unfashionable nature from the beginning with the confidence and strength she gained at Runway. It’s not an obvious makeover. But if you look closely, you’ll see: the way she evolved while staying true to herself is just perfect. A choice she made entirely on her own.

This two-hour-and-a-half cinematic masterpiece from 2005 tells the story of Nitta Sayuri, who is sold into the world of geishas in Kyoto during the early 20th century. At the okiya she’s sent to, resident geisha Hatsumomo, jealous of Sayuri’s natural beauty and hypnotic blue eyes, pressures her into ruining a valuable kimono belonging to their rival, Mameha. To repay the damage, as well as cover medical costs after a failed escape attempt, Sayuri is forced into servitude at the okiya — seemingly doomed to remain a maid forever. But years later, the unexpected happens: Sayuri is taken under the wing of Mameha.

With her guidance, she rises to become one of the most adored, desired, and successful geishas in Kyoto. She pays off her debts, is chosen as the okiya’s heir, and ultimately finds true love. Of course, a lot happens in between — including a world war, but that’s beside the point. What matters is Sayuri’s glow-up: from poor, unlucky, and unloved child to strong, self-determined, and respected woman of the arts. Of course, I have to mention that one of her main motivations was to be with the (much older) man she loves, but I guess there’s nothing wrong with wishing for love in a cruel world.

If we’re talking about glow-ups, we simply have to talk about Walter Mitty. I mean, the entire movie, from start to finish, is basically one adrenaline-filled journey toward self-acceptance and confidence. In case you haven’t seen the 2013 version starring Ben Stiller: Walter, a negative asset manager at a magazine, is stuck in a monotonous life full of daydreams and bullies. But as the magazine prepares for its final print edition, he’s forced to embark on an adventurous hunt for a missing photo negative, taking him to Greenland, Iceland, and the Himalayas. He jumps out of a helicopter, escapes an erupting volcano, witnesses the beauty of a snow leopard and, believe me or not, even fights against a shark. 

Through this unexpected journey, Walter transforms from a grey, timid man into a confident, mature guy with a beard, bright eyes, a chunky knit sweater, and enough self-assurance to stand up to his bullies and go after the woman he loves. And no, you don’t need to be a negative asset manager in a dark basement, or even a man, to find this makeover incredibly inspiring and relatable.

To round off this list, here comes one last movie makeover gem from the early 2000s: My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the romantic comedy that tells the story of Toula, a thirty-year-old Greek woman living in Chicago who falls in love with Ian, a non-Greek man. It all starts with Toula living a pretty dull life, working day in, day out at the family’s restaurant, dressed in unflattering clothes and clearly not feeling her best. Her dad constantly pressures her to marry a “nice Greek boy”, but Toula starts to push back. She secretly enrolls in college classes and eventually takes charge of the family’s travel agency. 

With that new independence comes new confidence, and Toula transforms from an ‘ugly duckling’ into a full-blown swan. And the best part? She does it all on her own: not to impress a man, not because someone told her to, but because she took control of her life. Sure, there is a man in the end, but the glow-up came first. So, if you haven’t seen this movie yet, do yourself a favour and watch it (bonus: it’s also hilarious).