FFXIV – How to Change Appearance

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Appearances mean everything in FFXIV. To have an immersive experience, making your character a reflection of yourself in some way means a lot to players.

If you don’t know how to change your character’s appearance in the game, read along for all the different ways to do so.

Recommended Read: Best Squadron Recruits in Final Fantasy XIV

To change your appearance in FFXIV, use the Crystal Bell in an inn room. You can pay 2,000 gil to change your hair. To change your clothing, open the Glamour Dresser at any inn room.


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Changing Your Appearance in Final Fantasy XIV

There are a few ways to change your appearance in FFXIV. Some are easy to do every 15 minutes if you wish, while others are more “permanent.”

There isn’t anything about your appearance that you can’t change in FFXIV. So, as long as you’re willing to pay, don’t worry about your first choices.

How to Change Hair

To change your hair in FFXIV, you must visit the Aesthetician. He is the single cosmetologist in the game.

Not only does he change your hair, but he can also add face paint, adjust eyebrows, and apply tattoos. All are changeable at any time.

Once you unlock the Aesthetician, use the Crystal Bell at the inn room to access him. Each haircut costs 2,000 gil.

How to Unlock the Aesthetician

To unlock the Aesthetician, head to Limsa Lominsa with a level 15 or higher. Speak to S’dhodjbi, who is on the Upper Decks at 11-11.

You must complete the level 15 MSQ Call of the Sea to see the quest. The quest is easy but does require an emote, one of the first quests that does. So, make sure you read the prompts.

How to Unlock More Hair

  • Marketboard
  • Modern Aesthetics Saleswoman
  • Gold Saucer Attendant
  • Enie in The Firmament 
  • Mark Quartermaster
  • Horrendous Hoarder
  • Palace of the Dead
  • Heaven-on-High
  • Eureka
  • Bozja
  • MogStation (alone and in sets)
  • Select Dungeons and other content (like The Tower at Paradigm’s Breach)

There are plenty of ways to unlock new hairstyles in FFXIV. In total, there are over 30 hairstyles you can unlock, not including the default hair options.

Not all hairstyles are usable by all genders and races. So before you unlock one, make sure you are able to equip it.

How to Change Clothing (Glamour)

Glamour is one of the needlessly complicated features in FFXIV. Most people struggle with changing it for quite some time.

How to Unlock Glamour

Part of the reason glamour stumps new players is because it’s locked behind a questline. Head to Western Thanalan to get started.

This may be confusing, but there are two quests you may do to unlock glamour. Once you do one, the other disappears.

If I Had a Glamour starts around 12-14 in eastern Thanalan. A Self-improving Man starts around 22-7 in Mor Dhona. They both do the same thing – unlock basic glamouring.

The next quest in the line isn’t necessary. It unlocks the ability to craft Glamour Prisms if you buy Master Recipe books.

How to Dye Glamour

To dye gear, either right-click the gear piece in your inventory and dye it or dye the glamour piece in your Glamour Chest.

But to do either, you must complete the quest Color Your World in Western Thanalan. Talk to Swyrgeim, and he will unlock Dye for you.

How to Use Glamour

Now comes the tricky part. There are two ways to glamour in FFXIV. You can cast glamour on your gear from almost anywhere, piece by piece.

This is not recommended, but it works in a pinch. To do so, right-click a piece of gear, then click “Cast Glamour.”

The other way is much better because you get to make glamour sets. A glamour set is a set of glamour that you attach to a plate, allowing you to create outfits.

To get started, head to an inn room (a bed on the map in cities). Then, find the Glamour Dresser.

The Glamour Dresser

Head over and choose the armor pieces in your inventory that you want to turn into glamour. These would be called skins in other games.

Once you put a piece of gear in the dresser, you can’t use it as armor anymore, but you can take it back out at any time.

The only downfall is it loses its spiritbond. Other than that, there are no consequences. 

So add anything you want, then go to Glamour Plates. From there, you can make outfits that you can “cast” on your gear.

Make sure you hover over each piece to make sure it’s all for the same class. You can’t cast glamours for different classes for one outfit.

While inside the dresser, you can dye the glamour plates too. You must have the dye in your inventory to do so.

Once you finish making an outfit, click save. You can also cast the glamour plate from inside the dresser, but it’s possible to do so outside the dresser too.

When outside the dresser, open the character screen, then go to glamour plates. This lets you choose a glamour plate to cast.

The Glamour Dresser can hold up to 800 items. You can also make up to 20 Glamour Plates, which you may edit at any inn room.

Glamour Prisms

You need Glamour Prisms to make glamour, no matter the method. You can get these from the Marketboard, make them, or buy them from vendors.

Crafting is the cheapest, but if you have the gil, buying from the marketboard is not a bad bet. Just check prices before you click.

How to Change Skin/Gender/Race

Changing your gender, race, or “permanent” details in FFXIV is different. You must have a Fantasia to do so.

How to Get Fantasia

  • Buy one on the MogStation
  • Complete the The Ultimate Weapon MSQ (level 50)
  • Purchase the newest expansion (usually)

There are three main ways to get Fantasia in FFXIV. You can always get an unlimited amount from the MogStation.

Otherwise, you wait for an expansion that has a new race or gender of a race. You also get a single Fantasia from completing a Realm Reborn.

How to Use Fantasia

To use a Fantasia in FFXIV, select and use the item in your inventory. Then, log out.

From there, select edit character in the character selection menu. You can either use a preset loadout or start from the beginning.

Doing so does not affect anything other than your appearance. So you won’t lose any progress. However, you won’t be able to wear all of the same glamour if you change race or gender.

It’s recommended to take your gear off before you use the Fantasia, but it’s not necessary. It just makes it easier to transition and has fewer bugs if you take it off.


Now you know how to change your appearance in FFXIV.

What is your favorite glam piece? Let me know in the comments!

Emily Medlock

Emily has eight years of writing experience that she uses to connect with fellow gamers. She is a lifelong gamer and addict of FFXIV - a Miqo'te at heart; always ready for a glam contest. For her, gaming is more than a fun activity, it's therapy.

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