Welcome to Polished with Elise Wilson, where Daily Mail’s qualified makeup artist and hair stylist tackles your beauty questions, offers practical advice and tests the latest skincare and beauty trends—so you don’t have to.
I’m not sure what’s happened to my social media algorithm, but lately my feed has been overflowing with remarkably gorgeous, self-assured women—many of them single and firmly in the middle of their glow-up era.
Dramatic before-and-after beauty makeovers have been a fixture of Instagram for years. Now, however, the increasingly calculated process of becoming your most polished self has acquired its own name.
Say hello to the beauty world’s latest self-improvement trend: ‘beauty maxxing’.
It should not be confused with ‘looksmaxxing’, the controversial online movement associated with the Andrew Tate corner of the internet and its fixation on maximising physical attractiveness. Although the names sound similar, the concepts are distinctly different.
Beauty maxxing takes a much broader view, encompassing everything from skincare, haircare and makeup to clothing, exercise, quality sleep and overall wellbeing.
For some people, that may include cosmetic procedures or injectables. At its heart, though, the trend is about identifying what helps you look and feel your best, then making thoughtful choices to bring those qualities forward.
And nobody on my feed seems to be embracing the idea more enthusiastically than Dr Ewoma Ukeleghe—better known as Dr Ewoma to her 398,000 Instagram followers.
Beauty columnist Elise Wilson (pictured) says her social media feed has recently filled with stunning women enjoying their glow-up era. The strategic pursuit of becoming the most polished version of yourself now has a name: ‘beauty maxxing’
The award-winning UK medical and cosmetic doctor has become an online sensation over the past year, thanks to her direct, refreshingly honest views on skincare, aesthetic procedures, beauty products and dating. The dating discussion probably deserves a column of its own, because Dr Ewoma certainly has plenty to say.
Yet it is her own beauty transformation that appears to have fascinated followers most.
Dr Ewoma frequently posts before-and-after images tracing how her appearance has changed over the years. Crucially, she does not pretend the results came from copying J.Lo’s supposed ‘anti-ageing secret’ of covering herself in olive oil.
Instead, she openly credits a combination of skincare, wigs, makeup, cosmetic dentistry, laser treatments and injectables. Her famously glass-like complexion and remarkably smooth, luminous décolletage have become almost as recognisable as the doctor herself.
In a recent video, Dr Ewoma stressed that the aim should be to become ‘the most beautiful version of yourself’—not to recreate the appearance of another woman spotted on Instagram.
She also makes clear that beauty maxxing is not another unrealistic seven-day makeover challenge. Her approach is aimed at women willing to ‘invest the time, the energy, and the coin’ in steadily refining their appearance.
And when it comes to this trend, the word ‘coin’ is doing a lot of work.
Add up all the elements that could fall under the beauty-maxxing banner and the costs can escalate quickly. Fortunately, experts say it is possible to prioritise the changes that matter most without emptying your bank account.
Beauty maxxing involves refining every part of your routine, including skincare, hair, makeup, personal style, fitness and wellbeing. Cosmetic treatments and injectables may also feature for those who choose them. (Pictured: Online beauty sensation Dr Ewoma Ukeleghe)
UK medical and cosmetic doctor Dr Ewoma Ukeleghe is at the forefront of the beauty-maxxing movement, with her dramatic transformation captivating followers. She openly attributes her glow-up to everything from skincare, wigs and makeup to cosmetic dentistry, laser treatments and injectables, making her a leading figure in this fast-growing social media beauty trend
So, what does beauty maxxing really involve?
The appeal is that there isn’t one prescribed formula, nor does it necessarily require an enormous budget.
For some women, it might mean finding a haircut that suits their face, learning which colours flatter their complexion, improving their skincare routine, or working out which makeup enhances their features and ditching the rest.
There’s even a distinction between ‘soft maxxing’ and ‘hard maxxing’. Soft maxxing covers more accessible, non-invasive changes including skincare, makeup, haircare, teeth whitening, styling, sleep and hydration, while hard maxxing moves into cosmetic procedures, orthodontics, injectables and plastic surgery.
On paper, I actually quite like the idea.
I’ve worked in beauty for close to two decades, so I’m hardly going to sit here and tell you there’s anything wrong with wanting to look your best.
I love treatments, makeup and a good laser, and I’ve spent a significant (maybe unhinged) amount of my career investigating the extremes of it all.
But this is also where beauty maxxing starts to make me slightly uncomfortable, because when the entire premise is about constantly becoming a better-looking version of yourself, where exactly are we supposed to stop?
There’s even a distinction between ‘soft maxxing’ and ‘hard maxxing’. Soft maxxing covers more accessible, non-invasive changes including skincare, makeup, haircare, teeth whitening, styling, sleep and hydration, while hard maxxing moves into cosmetic procedures, orthodontics, injectables and plastic surgery
When does ‘your best self’ become never good enough?
One piece of advice from Dr Ewoma particularly stuck with me.
When discussing injectables, she recommended establishing what she calls a ‘ceiling of happiness’ before you begin – essentially deciding what you’re trying to improve and at what point you’re going to be satisfied.
Without that end point, she warns, ‘it’s very easy to get carried away’.
I’ve previously written about looking back at old photographs and realising I had more filler through my cheeks and jawline than I thought I did at the time.
And that’s the thing about continually tweaking your appearance – your baseline starts to move very quickly.
Dr Ewoma has previously described Botox as a ‘gateway drug’ on the Hot Smart Rich podcast, joking that it rarely stops there, and while the wording is provocative, I understand exactly what she means.
Social media has effectively turned our faces and bodies into never-ending renovation projects, with another treatment, device or perceived flaw waiting around every corner.
Dr Ewoma recommends setting a ‘ceiling of happiness’ before having injectables, deciding what you want to improve and when enough is enough, warning it can otherwise be ‘very easy to get carried away’. (Pictured on the Hot Smart Rich podcast with host Maggie Sellers Reum)
Start with the basics
Perhaps the most refreshing part of Dr Ewoma’s approach is that she doesn’t immediately send women running towards a clinic.
She starts with the decidedly unsexy basics of grooming, including moisturising your body, looking after your oral health, finding a fragrance you love and keeping your nails groomed.
From there, she recommends learning which colours suit you. After having an in-depth colour analysis in Korea, Dr Ewoma discovered she was a ‘deep autumn’ and even learned that the stark white clothing she loved wasn’t actually her most flattering shade.
As a ‘warm, pure autumn’ myself, I can absolutely relate, and I’d urge everyone to have their colours professionally analysed at least once in their lifetime.
When it comes to makeup, rather than buying another viral foundation because it looked incredible on someone on TikTok, she recommends learning how to apply makeup to your features and even suggests booking a one-on-one lesson with a makeup artist.
Seriously, knowing where your blush should sit, which foundation works with your skin and how to enhance your eye shape will do far more for you than owning 14 half-used palettes.
Another hack: learning which colours best suit your complexion and how to apply makeup to enhance your individual features. A professional colour analysis and one-on-one makeup lesson are worthwhile beauty investments according to the experts
Don’t overdo the ‘hair maxxing’
Beauty maxxing has inevitably made its way north to our scalps too, with ‘hair maxxing’ videos now packed with rosemary oil, scalp massage, microneedling, supplements and laser devices promising thicker, healthier locks.
But trichologist and AGWÉ Haircare founder Adrian De Brock warned that more certainly doesn’t mean better.
While he believes the trend can be positive when it encourages people to take a proactive approach to their wellbeing, problems arise when optimisation turns into over-treatment.
Hair follicles respond slowly, he explained, and aggressively stimulating the scalp or piling on products can disrupt the scalp barrier, cause inflammation and increase breakage.
For pattern hair loss, Adrian pointed to topical minoxidil as having substantially more clinical evidence behind it than viral oils and gummies, while microneedling has encouraging evidence in certain circumstances but should be approached carefully.
He also warned that burning, itching, redness, tenderness, excessive flaking or pustules aren’t signs that a product is ‘working’.
‘Your scalp is a delicate ecosystem and can easily be thrown off balance and become reactive,’ he said, recommending people slowly introduce treatments rather than trying everything at once.
At-home technology has also become a huge part of the trend, particularly LED masks and red-light devices. Victoria Hiscock, STYLPRO’s Beauty Technology Spokesperson says consumers should look beyond attention-grabbing claims about the number of LEDs in a device, with factors such as wavelength, irradiance and dose also important
What about the skin?
This is where beauty maxxing gets particularly tempting for me because, as anyone who regularly reads this column will know, I will try almost anything in the pursuit of great skin.
Dr Ewoma considers skin the foundation of the entire process but recommends beginning with the basics like a good cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen.
From there, additional products should be chosen according to your actual skin type, concerns and goals rather than whatever bottle is currently going viral.
For those wanting to take things further, there are prescription topicals and professional treatments ranging from facials and microneedling to lasers and energy-based devices, although Dr Ewoma warns that stronger skincare can cause problems when used incorrectly and recommends seeking specialist advice.
At-home technology has also become a huge part of the trend, particularly LED masks and red-light devices.
Victoria Hiscock, STYLPRO’s Beauty Technology Spokesperson, believes beauty maxxing can be positive when it encourages consistency, but warns ‘it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking maximum optimisation is the goal’, which could reinforce unrealistic expectations of perfection.
When it comes to red-light therapy, she said consumers should look beyond attention-grabbing claims about the number of LEDs in a device, with factors such as wavelength, irradiance and dose also important.
One area that’s easy to overlook while we’re obsessing over skin and hair is our teeth, yet a brighter, healthier-looking smile can make an enormous difference to someone’s overall appearance
Don’t forget your smile
One area that’s easy to overlook while we’re obsessing over skin and hair is our teeth, yet a brighter, healthier-looking smile can make an enormous difference to someone’s overall appearance.
According to Georgina Northcott, the founder of Sydney clinic Teeth Whitening Boutique, coffee, tea, red wine, smoking, strongly coloured foods and plaque or tartar build-up can all dull teeth, while ageing naturally allows more yellow-toned dentine to show through as enamel becomes thinner.
Her advice is to start with regular dental checks and cleans, brushing twice daily and flossing before considering cosmetic whitening.
The clinic’s signature 80-minute Boutique Session costs $399, which gives you some indication of how quickly even ‘soft’ beauty maxxing can start adding up, but results do last well.
Dr Ewoma has also spoken openly about having composite bonding on several teeth, which she credits with transforming her smile, although she strongly recommends discussing your options with a qualified dentist rather than chasing the whitest or most dramatic result possible.
Elise recently had her teeth gleamed at Sydney clinic Teeth Whitening Boutique. The clinic’s signature 80-minute Boutique Session costs $399, which gives you some indication of how quickly even ‘soft’ beauty maxxing can start adding up, but results do last
The syringe at the end of the rainbow
Dr Ewoma is remarkably open about having injectables herself and says they transformed her face, but she is equally adamant they should be performed conservatively.
Her overarching philosophy is that less is more, and one of her most interesting pieces of advice is to stop bringing injectors photographs of other women – or AI-generated versions of ourselves – as inspiration.
Instead, she suggests bringing an old photograph of yourself as the reference point for a more realistic outlook of what can be achieved.
Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely my own and do not reflect those of any brands or companies mentioned. This content is not sponsored or endorsed. Information relating to cosmetic treatments, injectables, prescription skincare or other medical treatments is general in nature and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult a suitably qualified healthcare professional before undergoing treatment or using prescription products.
