Glowwashed

Glowwashed is a neologism used in design, marketing, and cultural criticism to describe the practice of using luminous aesthetics to create positive associations—such as innovation, safety, or environmental friendliness—without substantive evidence. The term combines glow with greenwashing or whitewashing and is applied to branding, packaging, or communications that rely on glow-like imagery, neon colors, soft gradients, or radiant lighting cues to shape perception, rather than to confirm actual outcomes.

Usage and scope: Glowwashing is not a formal industry standard and is primarily found in online discourse, design criticism, and sustainability debates. It can refer to cosmetic or skincare branding that emphasizes “glow” ingredients or effects while providing routine claims, as well as tech, fashion, or architecture campaigns that project illumination, energy efficiency, or wellness through visuals that may outpace real performance.

Examples: A beauty product launches a “glow” line with glossy visuals and influencer messaging while standard formulations dominate; a company markets solar lighting with shimmering campaigns that emphasize aesthetics over verified energy savings; an architecture project highlights a luminous façade to convey sustainability, without transparent energy-use data.

Criticism and reception: Critics argue that glowwashing exploits visual rhetoric to influence consumer perception, potentially obscuring lack of substantiated claims about safety, efficacy, or environmental impact. Proponents suggest that glow-focused design can inspire interest and conversation about light, wellness, or sustainability, provided claims are supported by evidence.

See also: greenwashing, whitewashing, branding ethics, marketing claims, luminescence. Note: there is no universally accepted formal definition, and usage varies across contexts.