content warning: gore

Glow Up is a British reality show for makeup artists streaming on Netflix in the US. 10 contestants compete in a variety of challenges to test their skills as professional makeup artists. First, they compete in an actual professional environment, like doing makeup for an ad campaign or recreating makeup charts for live theatre. From there, the two worst performing contestants are given a 15 minute disadvantage going into the main challenge. The main challenge is an editorial makeup connected to a theme, like superheroes, fear, or masks. The two worst performing contestants (who may not be the bottom two from the first challenge) go into a face to face elimination challenge based on a technical makeup skill, like graphic eyeliner or a glitter lip. The last MUA standing gets a contract to work professionally in the industry.

Glow Up’s biggest problem in its first season was a lack of focus. This is true of a lot of reality shows. Look at the first season of Project Runway, Top Chef, or even American Idol. Season one is the experiment; season two is the actual format.

Season 2 of Glow Up is a marked improvement in every way. Judges Val Garland and Dominic Skinner are now as confident in front of the camera as host Stacey Dooley. They are better able to articulate their critiques to contestants in ways that make sense to a more casual audience.

The Professional Assignments are much more focused on actual professional scenarios. The runway makeup and theatrical makeup challenges return. Everything else is vastly different. Most of these challenges are doing makeup for print ads or campaigns with clear creative briefs. Maybe they have to do natural skin with a hint of gold or blue one week, but the next they have to do an editorial look in a tank of water about the future of makeup.

Generous prizes are awarded each week for these professional assignments, including working on makeup for television shows, having editorial spreads and covers in magazines, and joining the makeup team for the night at The Lion King. If the ultimate prize of the show is a contract to work under experts in the industry, the smaller prizes should be real world training activities that improves their skills in the contest.

The Creative Briefs (main challenges) are better across the board. The prompts are clear, but far more open than the first season. Telling contestants to bring their greatest fear to life on a model is a whole lot more open to interpretation than telling them to do a gender-swap drag look on a model. It also allows contestants who landed in the “Face Off Chairs” the freedom to showcase what they’re great at. It feels like a fairer contest.

The casting is also much better. They clearly picked contestants with a wider range of skills in makeup this time around. The first season had talented contestants who were good at one skill; the second season has talented contestants who all have many tricks up their sleeves. I only correctly picked one of the finalists in the first episode because so many of the contestants, even ones who struggled early, clearly had the skills to win.

Perhaps the biggest misfire on Season 2 is the same problem I had with Season 1. I think Glow Up would improve if they announced who won the Creative Brief each week. Sometimes, it’s quite obvious. The first episode features one of the judges saying they want one MUA’s photograph printed to hang in their apartment. Other times, it’s not clear. Reality TV story producing 101 is building character arcs in the moment. Announcing an additional challenge win each week boosts the confidence of the winner and adds the drama of contestants clearly able to see who is thriving or struggling on the show.

Glow Up is an excellent reality show. The constant changes in assignments and techniques make this an easy show to watch straight through. You’re going to be treated to everything from beauty to gore to special effects to avant-garde. The whole series is worth watching, but Season 2 finds its rhythm.

Glow Up is currently streaming on Netflix.