Inside the Holiday Glow-Up Phenomenon - A Personal Beauty Reset
- Christianne Klein
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
Every year, as the holiday season approaches, there’s a renewed energy in the air - festive parties, long-awaited reunions, packed social calendars, and the desire to look and feel our absolute best. And in 2024 and 2025, this feeling has turned into a full-blown cultural moment: the "Holiday Glow-Up".
More and more people are booking aesthetic treatments in the weeks leading up to the New Year because it’s the one time of year when many of us see friends, coworkers, and extended family we might not cross paths with except once a year. Add in photo-heavy gatherings, holiday cards, winter weddings, and the stress of the season, and the idea of taking care of yourself (and looking refreshed while doing it) has never been more appealing.
This year, I decided to jump in and do my own holiday glow-up and document every part of the process, from downtime to results. No filter. No makeup. And I chose to do it with one of the most respected experts in the field: celebrity injector Melanie Speed, APRN, NP-C CANS, owner of Flawless MedSpa in Las Vegas and Flawless Aesthetics in Beverly Hills. Melanie is known for her ultra-natural aesthetic and meticulous attention to detail - exactly the kind of professional you want when needles are involved.
For my glow-up, Melanie and I created a plan focused on subtle enhancement and refreshed volume. We used:
1 syringe of Juvéderm Ultra XC in the lips
1 syringe of Voluma in the cheeks
1 syringe of Voluma in the temples
The goal wasn’t to dramatically change my face - it was to restore the structure and softness that naturally diminishes over time.
Immediately after the injections, Melanie placed me under red light therapy, and let me just say: miraculous is not an exaggeration. Between the expert technique and the targeted healing benefits of red light, my bruising was extremely minimal - shockingly minimal, actually (see unfiltered photos below). By the next day, I could easily go about my schedule with just a bit of concealer here and there.
Of course, everyone’s experience will vary depending on their body, their sensitivity, and most importantly, the skill of their injector. But if you’re considering injectables, I can’t recommend red light therapy enough. It was fabulous for healing. Melanie also sent me home with her incredible arnica healing balm for my lips, and I applied arnica gel several times a day over the next few days on the areas that were injected.
For most people, downtime from injectables can range from a few days to 1–2 weeks, depending on swelling and bruising. After my healing period, it was time for the next phase of my holiday glow-up with Flawless MedSpa- the part that truly puts the “glow” in glow-up.
I booked the viral, wildly talked-about Salmon Sperm Facial - technically the Salmon DNA Facial with Microneedling - with Licensed Advanced Aesthetician Alyssa Ryndak, and it was every bit as incredible as promised.
This treatment uses Polynucleotide (PDRN) from salmon DNA to boost collagen, accelerate healing, brighten the skin, support tissue repair, calm inflammation, and deliver deep hydration. Combined with microneedling, the results were almost instantaneous: my skin looked brighter, smoother, plumper, and genuinely lit-from-within.
Even better? There was no real downtime. Alyssa recommends waiting at least one day before wearing makeup to allow the micro-channels from microneedling to close, but otherwise, I could walk out the door glowing. Flawless left me feeling flawless- a one-stop holiday glow-up stop!
I adored the results so much that I immediately bought several skincare products containing salmon DNA to maintain the radiance between facials.
This holiday season, the biggest beauty trend isn’t about dramatic transformations - it’s about self-care, confidence, and showing up as the best version of yourself. Whether you’re prepping for holiday photos, seeing loved ones you haven’t hugged since last December, or simply gifting yourself a little extra glow, the holiday glow-up movement is all about feeling good in your own skin.
And after experiencing it firsthand, I can confirm: the glow is real.
Disclosure: Cosmetic treatments were provided by Flawless Med Spa and administered by licensed professionals. All opinions are our own.
Christianne Klein is an Emmy® and Edward R. Murrow Award-winning TV Host, journalist, travel and lifestyle expert, and founder of FoodFamilyTravel.com.
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