After concluding its 8-episode run on June 29, 2022, Hong-Chin Breslin was named the Season 4 winner of the popular reality TV show Glow Up: Britain's Next Top Makeup Star. In an epic final showdown with the equally talented MUA Lisa Street, Hong-Chin emerged victorious thanks to her stunningly detailed artwork that blew judges away during the final full-beat challenge.
Of course, Hong-Chin's most ravishing Glow Ups join some of the show's absolute best, brightest, and most inspired visual aesthetics included throughout the series, many of which went on to earn "Ding Dongs" and win specific in-game challenges.
Eve's Mulan Dragon Look - Season 2
Season 2 of Glow Up has the best overall collection of make-up looks in the entire series, including third-place winner Eve' Jenkins' stunning Dragon look, which is inspired by the movie Mulan. The challenge entailed creating a look based on an artist's personal icon, with Eve stating on the show "the dragon represents strength and power in the Chinese culture, so I really wanted to get that across."
With detailed masking that includes vivid blood-red coloring and scaly lifelike 3D protrusions created using Play-Doh, Eve managed to create something both human and otherworldly that transcends the Earthly realm. However, that half of her model's face is left unadorned leaves something to be desired.
Ellis' Rainbow Mask - Season 1
After winning two challenges en route to the finale, talented MUA Ellis Atlantis saved his best for last by unveiling a gorgeous water-color-like rainbow mask that ended up winning the entire competition in Season 1 of the popular Netflix reality show. The stunning array of colors mixed with the impeccable detail of the contours and line-work bowled the judges over.
With plaudits comparing Ellis' showstopping glow-up to a photograph or digital piece of art by judges Dom and Val, as well as a perfect combination of blue coloring around the eyes, it's easy to see how this look ended up winning. The only criticism the look drew came from Dom, who lamented that Ellis didn't glow up the body as well as the face.
Sophie's Self-Expression Look - Season 3
Although Season 3 winner Sophie Baverstock delivered one jaw-dropping glow-up after another on the acclaimed UK reality show, few were more beautiful and visually arresting than her very first look. Assigned to create a beauty campaign for retailer Superdrug while putting a personal spin on her design, Sophie turned in an appearance that resembles a delicious holiday birthday cake.
The combination of colors and sprinkle-like dotting is so mesmeric that Dom beamed in his judgment that "it is so beautiful, I just want to look at it forever," with Val adding "this is everything I love about makeup." While the look was deemed safe enough for Sophie to move on, it did not win the challenge of the week, and like Ellis' winning look, failed to extend to the neck, shoulders, and torso, which takes it down a peg.
James' Osmosis Look - Season 2
While James Mac Inerny's inspired David Bowie look deserves a mention, the Season 2 runner-up really outdid himself with his Osmosis artwork in the finale. The theme of the challenge was "Evolution", with James brilliantly riffing on an image that resembles the Big Bang Theory and all of its cosmic glory.
The eye-popping clash of the fiery orange and yellow explosions against the earthly and aqueous blue backdrops is a true sight to behold, with James perfectly nailing the theme of the challenge. By extending the glow-up to his artist's neck, shoulders, and torso, James' evolutionary look goes the extra mile many of his competitors lack.
Ryley's Out Of This World Look - Season 3
Earning a double "Ding Dong!" from Val after completion, 19-year-old Ryley Isaac's Out of this World glow-up boldly eschews multicolored designs to feature a beautifully mysterious creation that bridges Earth's natural elements with the starry gaze of the heavenly firmament.
Assigned to create an otherworldly glow-up with glittery eyes and mascara-heavy patterns, the flecks of gold Ryley creates against the infinite darkness of outer space are spine-tinglingly cosmic, giving the piece a timeless quality like few others. The tree branches protruding from her artist's back are particularly inspired as it gives the look an organic yet alien appearance.
Ophelia's Karma Creation - Season 2
All things considered, Season 2 winner Ophelia Liu is probably the most talented MUA in Glow-Up history. She blew the competition away out of the gate with her opening look (stay tuned), and for the Superhero Challenge, delivered a bold, daring, and genuinely captivating piece of artwork by using a black backdrop rather than a wide array of visually appealing color.
Ophelia's hypnotic Karma Creation features an exquisite level of detail that all coalesce to create a majestically regal image, with a full moon illuminating the nocturnal landscape from the middle of her artist's forehead. The final image looks like a priceless professional painting.
Dolli's Unique Expression - Season 3
Season 3 third-place finisher Dolli Okoriko floored the judges out of the gate with her first challenge, which required creating a unique expression to capture her personality. With incredibly precise line-work and a rutilant explosion of gold, blue, and white coloring, Dolli appears like an omnipotent queen from Earth and a galaxy far beyond all mortals should bow to.
Adorned with a perfectly matched large gold necklace, bejeweled eyebrows and glowing stars placed throughout her hair, few glow-ups in the history of the show are as memorably disarming as Dolli's on the binge-worthy Netflix reality show, prompting Val to call the look a technical "masterpiece."
Lisa's Moment Of Rebellion - Season 4
Season 4 runner-up Lisa Street had no shortage of impressive designs on the uplifting Netflix reality show, be it her extensive body painting or Hidden Strength glow-up. However, few combine the full package of inspired artistry like Lisa's "Moment of Rebellion" look, which channeled literary feminist inspirations to tell her own personal story.
Between half of her face shrouded in romantic, calligraphy-based papier-mache and the other festooned in a beauteous combination of blue, red, pink, and green, the staggering result is breathtaking beyond belief. The feather ink quill across the shoulder and coloring down to her chest bone give the look a more complete feel than most.
Ophelia's Identity Look - Season 2
Ophelia Liu set the bar mighty high in the first episode of Season 2 in a challenge that required the MUAs to create a look based on their identity. The sleek, colorful, and extremely intricate feline appearance is not only visually pleasing, but it also manages to capture Ophelia's catlike personality better than her competitors. This look could literally hang on a wall in a museum for generations to admire.
By leaving the lower half of her face exposed in a porcelain white template that almost resembles a china doll mask, Ophelia has created what Dom calls "true makeup artistry," combining both immense strength and vulnerability to perfectly encapsulate her identity.
Yong-Chin's Hidden Strength - Season 4
Self-taught season 4 winner Yong-Chin Breslin also made a lasting first impression during the first episode's Hidden Strength challenge. With a complete look that covers her hair, face, and body, the ambition alone is more impressive than nearly all of her competitors but it's the dazzling execution that takes it over the top.
With gorgeous coloration to illustrate her mind, body, and soul as a blazing supernova roving among the galaxy, the stunning glow-up is married to the spiritual nature of the artist, making it one of the most impressive challenges completions in show history. The entrancing symmetry of the image and focal point of sunbeams emanating from the center of her face transcends makeup application to become true, lasting art.