Gettin’ Glossier

Skincare first, makeup second is a motto you do not normally get from a beauty product line, unless it is Glossier, of course.

Founded in 2014 in New York City by CEO and Founder Emily Weiss, Glossier is a health and beauty product line ranging from cleanser and serum to mascara and lip gloss. The brand is mostly cruelty-free and emphasizes the importance of natural beauty.

Glossier is mainly online only with the exception of its New York and Los Angeles locations. Pop-up stores have also opened in large urban cities such as Chicago, Seattle and Austin.

What is and is not a go-to Glossier item? What are the best and worst products for this up-and-coming skincare and makeup brand?

#10 – Boy Brow

Considering that Boy Brow is one of the most popular and top-rated Glossier products, I really wanted to love Boy Brow. I decided to purchase the product in brown, the color I typically use to fill in my brows. Overall, the gel did a great job of setting my brows up for success by lifting and accentuating the brow hairs

However, for me, having rounder brows did not benefit from Boy Brow as much as I had hoped. Personally, I aim for full coverage when it comes to filling in my brows, but the Boy Brow did not offer that.

For those that do have bushier brows, this will be a staple in your makeup routine. Unfortunately, Boy Brow was just not made to be a part of mine.

Rating: 5/10

#9 – Body Hero Duo: Oil Wash and Body Cream

The idea of a frothy oil wash sounded so appealing for the sake of providing a healthier glow and hydration to my skin. Of course, I could not pass up this 2-in-1 deal since I was looking for an ideal moisturizer in and out of the shower.

I did enjoy the oil wash and the added moisture I felt before I got to my body cream. But the Body Cream and Oil Wash do have an “old lady” smell to them, which reminds of a classy powder perfume scent. I didn’t know that this was a make-or-break for some people in the reviews online. While it is a nicer alternative to my scented body washes and moisturizer, it is not the holy grail in my book.

Rating: 6/10

#8 – Skin Tint and Stretch Concealer Duo

The idea of sheer makeup seemed like a nice change from my typical full-coverage. Still, I would like to warn everybody that the skin tint was extremely light. It almost felt and looked like water when I applied it to my skin.

Since Glossier is all about skin first, makeup second, I did appreciate the idea of a more natural look that matched my skin tone nicely. I think that getting used to less coverage is what pushes this product, and it’s matching concealer, on the lower end of the rankings for me.

Also, the skin tint bottle was pretty small. I saw myself getting about one or two months of use out of this product, unlike my typical foundation which gets me through at least six months.

Rating: 6/10

#7 – Bubblewrap Lip Plumping and Eye Cream

As someone who is prone to dark circles and small bags under my eyes, the idea of an eye cream was exciting.

I applied this twice a day, morning and night, for about a week and saw some reduction of the dark circles under one eye. It tended to leave my eyes looking a bit puffier once I woke up, though, which wasn’t appealing.

I have seen improvement, but only time will tell for this product.

Rating: 6.5/10

 

#6 – Cloud Paint

I blush and tend to have redness on the daily, so I wanted Cloud Paint to give me a natural flush of color after applying my foundation. There are a variety of Cloud Paint colors to choose from, but I ended up going with Beam. I’ve also tried samples of Dusk and Puff within some of my shipments and each provided a different, flattering shade.

Less is more, so I would recommend squeezing out no more than a dime-sized amount of Cloud Paint to start. I do like that Cloud Paint, regardless of the shade you choose, blends itself very easily after you apply it to your cheek area.

Again, learning that a little goes a long way allowed Cloud Paint to work its way up on my list.

Rating: 6.5/10

 #5 – Invisible Shield Sunscreen  

Typically, I choose lotion-based sunscreens to apply and reapply throughout the day and have always despised the sliminess I feel after application.

When I saw Invisible Shield was water-based and cruelty-free, I was excited to give it a try.

I really enjoyed that Invisible Shield gave me the protection I needed, since I do have sensitive skin, on top of not leaving an oily residue.

The only thing I disliked is that the bottle is super small, so I genuinely do not think that $25 is worth the limited amount of sunscreen I was getting.

Rating: 7/10

#4 – Lip Gloss

With a name like Glossier, I figured the lip gloss would be what drew people in more than the other top-rated makeup products such as Boy Brow, Balm Dotcom or Cloud Paint. I decided to purchase the lip gloss in clear for that sheer and shiny gloss look (think Britney Spears’ “Oops! I Did It Again” music video).

The sample video and how smooth and shiny the gloss applied was impressive. Fortunately, I felt that I was delivered what I was promised. While I did have to reapply the gloss after an hour or so, it gave me that shiny look I was going for.

My only word of caution for anybody with long hair is to avoid using the lip gloss on a windy day.

Rating: 7.5/10

#3 – Balm Dotcom

Like Cloud Paint and the Lip Gloss, Balm Dotcom offers a wide variety of simple or sweet scents to leave your lips hydrated and tinted. I could not resist purchasing the Birthday and Berry flavors first, since I had read glowing reviews of each. As Chicago winter weather starts to roll in, the Balm will be essential for dry skin.

So far, I love both because they smell great, they are long-lasting and give my lips a nice tint and shine. Birthday has a bit of sparkle, while Berry has a slight purple tint.

I have also read that Balm Dotcom is great for any small patches of dry skin. This multipurpose tube is going to be a necessity throughout any season.

Rating: 8.5/10

#2 – Glossier You Fragrance

I’m a sucker for a good perfume, so when I found out Glossier had one, I had to splurge. It is a bit pricey for the size of the bottle, but the perfume scent is phenomenal. It’s a subtle scent that can be used for any function.

I really like that, unlike my normal fruity fragrances, this one is more mature. Glossier You has ingredients like iris root and pink pepper to give off a sophisticated, yet addicting scent.

The pink pepper was immediately apparent when I sprayed the perfume for the first time, giving off a warm and spicy scent. It reminded me of what someone would wear to holiday cocktail party. Additionally, I would not classify the scent as overtly feminine either —  it is a more vibrant cologne scent.

Rating: 9/10

#1 – Super Bounce Serum

Look no further for the holy grail of serums because Super Bounce was exactly that for me. Glossier has three serums, Super Glow, a Vitamin C serum, Super Pure, a niacinamide serum and Super Bounce, which is a hyaluronic acid serum.

I chose Super Bounce not only because it was the top-rated of the three, but specifically because my dermatologist recommended hyaluronic acid as one of the many ingredients to add to my skincare routine. I was actually surprised that the serum was under $30. Most serums of this kind are pricier than that. After using it for a little less than a week, I noticed improvement on the texture of my skin.

My face felt silky smooth after waking up. Some of my redness toned down and my face was not nearly as oily as it normally is after a full day out and about. Of course, I did take into account that there were other non-Glossier skincare products that were in my routine, such as my cleanser and toner. However, the serum exceeded its expectations that were stated under the description, which include softening hydrating and soothing the skin.

Rating: 10/10

Next time you are looking into some new makeup and skincare products, Glossier should be your next go-to stop. It definitely lives up to its motto since the skincare products have really cleared up the mild acne and redness I have been dealing with recently.

The products also work for almost any skin type and shade, which makes it inclusive to its consumers. The products that have a scent or fragrance to them smell very clean and sophisticated. They seem to really enhance your skin. Even the makeup products are all designed to enhance your natural features, not hide them.

Glossier is a great alternative to heavy coverage products, while also being harmless to my skin and the environment.