Glow Up: Britain’s Next Makeup Star is back for its seventh season, and our By BEAUTY BAY Botanical 42 Colour Palette is in the spotlight. With the show’s focus on creativity, individuality, and pushing the boundaries of beauty, it’s the perfect match for everything we stand for at BEAUTY BAY, and we couldn’t be more excited. In the episode that aired Wednesday 21st May on BBC Three, ten up-and-coming MUAs battled it out using our bestselling palette in a bold creative challenge. The result? Standout artistry, serious colour payoff, and looks that didn’t hold back.
Not yet binged the episode, or want a post-watch deep dive? Keep scrolling for a recap of the challenge, the theme, and – of course – the winning look. Spoilers incoming…
What is Glow Up?
Glow Up is a BBC competition series where ten aspiring makeup artists go head-to-head in a series of high-pressure challenges to earn the title of Britain’s Next Makeup Star. Judged by industry icons Val Garland and Dominic Skinner, the show is all about creativity, technical skill, and standout self-expression. Throughout the series, contestants get the chance to work with some of the biggest names in beauty, from global brands to top-tier makeup artists. And this season, BEAUTY BAY was proud to be one of them.
The Theme: Botanicals in Bloom
For our standout featured episode, Glow Up challenged contestants to create eye looks inspired by the theme “Botanicals in Bloom,” using our nature-inspired By BEAUTY BAY Botanical 42 Colour Palette. Guiding them through this floral journey was guest judge Bradley Rooney, our very own Creative Director and Brand Manager, bringing his industry expertise and eye for blossoming beauty to the judging panel.
The winning look didn’t just earn praise on the show – it was also showcased on The Manchester Screen at Victoria Warehouse. At 306 square metres, it’s the largest advertising screen in Manchester and the second-largest digital billboard in Europe. A serious pinch-me moment for contestants.
The Botanical 42 Colour Palette
After first launching as a limited edition palette (and selling out fast), our much-loved Botanical colour palette made a big comeback due to huge demand, making it the perfect choice for the Glow Up challenge. Packed with 42 nature-inspired shades of energetic greens, earthy browns, molten neutrals, soft apricots, muted greys, and bold purples, this palette has everything you need to go from soft and subtle to full bloom. Whether you’re into smooth mattes or high-impact shimmers, the buildable, blendable, and long-lasting formula delivers serious pigment every time. Since its relaunch, it’s earned over 268 five-star reviews, and with standout shades like Waterfall, a silver shimmer flecked with lilac and gold, it’s easy to see why.
The Winning Look
For this bold Glow Up challenge, MUAs were asked to create a vibrant eye look that captured the essence of BEAUTY BAY’s bestselling Botanical Palette, under the watchful eyes of Nikkie and our very own Bradley Rooney. The winning look by Mia Fisk delivered just that – a lush, layered explosion of greens and metallics that brought the “Botanicals in Bloom” theme to life. They blended rich mattes like Ivy and Holly with shimmering shades Rainforest and Artichoke, added warmth with Canyon, and balanced it all with Lily. A final sweep of Waterfall, our hero silver shimmer, gave it a high-impact, eye-catching finish. Fresh, expressive, and full of life, the look earned its place in our social campaign and lit up one of the biggest digital billboards in the North West.
Head to BBC Iplayer to see our Botanical 42 Colour Palette in action.
