I am back today with another low-maintenance approach to witchcraft.
Am I lazy? It’s in the realm of possibilities, but I prefer to think of it as having finite energy. My energy is cyclical. Consequently, learning to align myself with my energy levels has become integral to my practice. Rather than being careless, I am intentional with my energy and actively choosing when and where to direct it.
Further, I am not a glamorous person. I am painstakingly low-maintenance. If this sounds like you, welcome. Please do not let the term “glamour” dissuade you.
This practice is entirely available to you as well.
What is Glamour Magic?
Glamour magic is a form of magic that focuses on improving a person’s appearance, charisma, or overall well-being. It is also often associated with the use of personal care and beauty products like makeup and skincare. However, while these are indeed used, this is not the full scope of Glamour Magic.
In addition to being used to increase attraction, glamour magic is about developing a deeper understanding of one’s own energy and, subsequently, how to project it. Another essential aspect of glamour magic is cultivating confidence and the journey of self-acceptance. Through the practice of glamour magic, we can learn to appreciate our own particular brand of beauty as we tap into our personal magnetism.
Ultimately, glamour magic can be used to improve our daily lives. Glamour magic can assist us in embracing our most authentic selves by boosting our self-confidence and strengthening our trust in our own abilities. As such, glamour magic is accessible to everyone and is not reserved for the glamorous.
Low-Key Glamour Tips
As mentioned, I am not exactly glitzy. More often than not, I don’t match the witch aesthetic. I’ve made my peace with this.
Interestingly, when I started my occult shop and corresponding Instagram, I initially attempted to ensure my hands were well-manicured with long, black stiletto nails for photos and tutorials. As time progressed, while they were stunning, the aesthetic felt inauthentic. These days, my nails are back to being short and bare, as they have been for decades. Maintaining my garden and other daily tasks is more manageable when I’m not concerned about popping an acrylic.
While I may not follow beauty trends, glamour magic has found its way into my practice. This is because glamour magic has several facets. Naturally, I am a fan of more low-key approaches. However, the methods below can serve you well in either case.
Skincare
I must admit that I used to boast that Dial soap was the only thing in my skincare regimen. I cringe at the thought of a former version of myself thinking that was adequate. That said, I was drastically short on time. Looking back, I can recognize the space I was in. As such, I don’t judge if this is the only thing you can bring yourself to do. If bar soap is all that your repertoire fits, enchant your soap with protection or self-love so you can make the most of your time. My suggestion is to purchase something less abrasive than Dial, though.
If you have more time, you can also enchant your moisturizer and SPFs. For instance, SPF is great for protection, and your moisturizer could be layered on for attraction or self-confidence. Lotions, such as moisturizers and sun protection, can also be used to draw sigils on your body before you rub it in.
One part of my current skincare practice is exfoliating during the waning moon as a banishing ritual. I observe this time to shed my skin and let go of residual debris—literally.
Color Magic
Color magic is easy to incorporate into your daily life. There are multiple small ways to introduce color magic, such as wearing a specific colored outfit, nail polish, eyeshadow, or accessory. These require minimal effort, which allows you to expend more energy on your intention before going about your day.
I have included a small list of common color associations below. It’s important to note that these associations are not set in stone. These are common correspondences, but I encourage you to adapt these as needed. Assigning your own meanings has more personal significance than a universal one and places you in the driver’s seat of crafting your own practice.
- Gold: Generosity, Prosperity
- Silver: Elegance, Intuition
- Red: Boldness, Passion
- Orange: Creativity, Happiness
- Yellow: Communication, Joy
- Green: Abundance, Healing
- Blue: Protection, Peace
- Pink: Friendship, Attraction
- Purple: Intuition, Wisdom
- White: Wisdom, Spirituality
- Black: Protection, Releasing
Clothing
As mentioned in the Color Magic section above, selecting a specific color to wear is an easy way to assist you in embodying your intention for the day. For instance, if you want to evoke boldness and action, you might select a red accessory or clothing item for the day. Likewise, if you wanted to express creativity, you might choose to wear orange.
Aside from the color of our clothing, another key component is what we decide to wear. This is where our own personal style and affinity come in. What we choose to wear tends to say a lot about us—which is unfortunate for me and my sweats—but I digress.
When I mentioned the witch aesthetic above, I offered no shade. That’s because stylizing ourselves to project who we are allows us to align with our most authentic selves. We are embodying it physically. We can start by imbuing an item, but in my experience, it can also occur by happenstance.
To illustrate, Doc Martens are a staple in my closet. When I wear them, I feel capable and empowered. Over time, my own correspondence for these shoes has made them more than ordinary boots. They’ve been infused with my energy. Also, they’re comfortable, to boot.
Pun intended.
Hair Care
Hair care is another necessity. As expected, it depends on the hair type and style as to what the exact regimen will be. However, some things are relatively universal, like haircuts, dyes, and styling.
In my practice, I often use haircuts as a method of releasing. Alternatively, some witches choose to grow their hair as an act of devotion. In addition to haircuts, styles are another way to incorporate glamour magic into our practice. In my case, I often like to wear my hair in french braids as a ritual for protection.
When we dye our hair, we can also use color magic. While I usually stay in some shade of brunette, I regularly like to dye a few strips in fun colors. Most recently, I dyed two strips of vibrant purple on the underside of my hair. For me, this aligned with my spirituality and symbolized my connection to my intuition.
Affirmations
Affirmations are statements you repeat to yourself to enhance your appearance, confidence, and overall life. These statements are meant to affirm your desired outcome and are generally short in length, which is great news for when we are in short supply of motivation. Affirmations can be written or spoken, and typically, the present tense is used. Some examples of affirmations include “I trust my inner wisdom to guide me,” “I am capable of achieving great things,” or “I attract abundance and success.” These statements can help us realize our strengths and assist us in harnessing our power.
Setting and reciting an affirmation takes minimal time and effort, but the impacts can be substantial. These statements work by shifting our mindset and allowing us to exude positivity and are an excellent way to set your intention.
Visualizations
Visualization is a vital part of most practices. Visualizations can be part of spellwork and rituals but can also be used independently. Much like affirmations, visualizations are used to focus our intentions, connect to our personal power, and manifest our desires. That said, the ways in which visualization manifests vary from person to person.
If you struggle with visualizations or simply prefer a visual cue, vision boards are an excellent addition to enhancing our visualizations. These can be cork boards or poster boards with various images, but they can also be created digitally in collage apps or even on Pinterest.
Authors Note
That’s right. Not only am I a slacker witch, but I’m also an adaptable one. There is no shame in moving into this era. Witches have used the tools at their disposal for eons—and I am no exception. So what if that handy tool in my arsenal is Pinterest?
While the tips above are hardly an exhaustive list, they are intended to provide inspiration and ideas. Rather than being an end-all-be-all, this is but one stop on the journey to developing and implementing your own glamour magic practice.
If you’re interested in hearing more on the topic, I have an episode available on the podcast I cohost, Cosmic Cauldron. You can tune into S1E42: Glamour Magick.
Blessed be.
—Charlotte Wilde