Glossier: Worth the Hype? | Dresser Diaries: Volume II
Thank you to everyone who read my Glossier showroom tour post from last week! Today I'm onto the second part of my Glossier series sorta thing... if I can even call two posts a series?
This post is a long time coming! I placed my first Glossier order at the end of last summer despite the fact that I've known about the brand pretty much since its birth. To be honest, I kind of wrote it off as an Internet brand akin to Sigma or Morphe, a brand that was popular mostly based on hype rather than quality. But then I read a random interview that Emily Weiss did and something about that interview inspired me and revived my interest in Into the Glossier and Glossier. Throw in the 20% off discount for first time customers and I was a goner.
The first two I items I bought from Glossier were their coconut balm dotcom and their soothing face mist, and as you'll read down below-- I'm not that crazy about either of them.
Before I can get to reviewing Glossier's product, I do think I need to discuss their marketing techniques a bit. I touched upon it in my Glossier showroom tour post-- how their showroom was made for the digital age and perfectly curated for hip millennials (side note: is it hip to use the word hip?) It's marketing genius and I give them props for being good at what they do.
But like I said, Glossier is originally an online brand so before they opened their showroom, they built up their empire online. If you've read about glossier on youtube, instagram, another blog-- chances are you've come across a 20% off discount code. Anyone who has an account on Glossier's website is able to create their own unique code which they can share with their friends, family, and strangers they meet on the internet. If someone uses your 20% off code to make a purchase, you in turn receive a $10 credit to use on the Glossier site.
Alternatively, Glossier also a representative program. From my understanding, being a Glossier rep is akin to being a part of an affiliate marketing network. If someone shops through your link, you receive a commision from their purchase. Blogging has progressed in such a way that the word "affiliate link" and "sponsored" have earned a dirty reputation. Personally I am a-okay with both of them as long as they are disclosed! I use affiliate links on my blog-- hell this post has affiliate links!
Over the past few months I've gotten a lot of messages not only asking about Glossier products, but also asking about their discount codes. Are they sponsored? Are they getting paid to post about Glossier? The answer to all those questions is nope!
If you're interested in becoming a Glossier rep, you can email the address they shared on their twitter here. If you're interested in reading more about Glossier's marketing techniques, check out this article on Quartz that includes an interview with Emily herself!
Boy Brow in Black
If you're only buying on Glossier product, let it be the boy brow. This is hands down my favorite Glossier product of all and the only one that I will say is 100% worth all the fanfare and hype!
Before boy brow I didn't regularly do my brow. Maybe once or twice a week I would scrounge up the energy to fill them in and apply some brow gel, but it wasn't part of my everyday routine. After boy brow I do my brows everyday! Most days all I do is swipe boy brow through them.
For me boy brow seriously is an all-in-one kinda product. It darkens my brows, fills them in, fluffs them up, and holds them up allll day long. The biggest difference that I've noticed between boy brow and ABH's brow gel is that boy brow is able to push my brow hairs into a vertical direction and hold them there. The result is a fluffy as fuck brow.
Lip Gloss
This guy is the newest permanent addition to the Glossier family and also the newest addition to my personal Glossier collection. I've only had it for 3 days so I can't say much about it. It's a clear lip gloss that isn't overly sticky. The packaging gives me 90s vibes which I'm digging 😎
Cloud Paint in Haze
If you follow Glossier on Instagram or Twitter, than you may know that their Cloud Paints made a literal red carpet debut-- they were worn by stars like Chrissy Teigen and Taraji P. Henon to the Oscars before being available to the general public.
My feelings are so split on this blush. Because of all the hype around it, I want to like it more than I do.
Let's start off with the good. The shade haze is gorgeous and brightly pigmented! I've never used a liquid blush before and was impressed at how easy it was to blend. I've seen liquid blushes before but I think Glossier's has an unique formulation. There's no stickiness or tackiness which is an issue I've faced when testing out other liquid blushes. It applies smoothly and there isn't any patchiness or streakiness. I've blended it with a brush and my fingers, although I prefer the latter. It doesn't emphasize my pores which is an issue for some cream products. The color I picked, haze, is flattering and natural looking on my complexion. I've worn it over concealer, foundation, and bare skin and it layers perfectly over all three. The only time I had a bit of a problem blending it is when I applied it after I brushed some powder on my face.
The reason why I'm not 100% sold on the blush is because while I find it easy to blend out, it's also a bit too easy to completely blend away. Perhaps this isn't a problem for people with fairer skin but for me there comes a point that if I keep blending, it disappears into my skin. I've never had such an issue with powder blush. It also doesn't last all day on my face. I look nice and flushed when I apply it but within 4 or 5 hours it looks like I haven't applied any blush at all! My last gripe with the blush is the lack of color range. I've got a medium-tan skin tone and haze is the only shade that I feel is dark enough for my skintone. Glossier's site has clips of 3 different models applying each blush (which btw I think is awesome) buuuuut I'm not convinced the other shades would show up well in person.
Coconut Balm Dotcom
Lip balm isn't exactly the most exciting of products. My only real requirement for a lip balm is that it moisturizes my lips. This one does... sorta. My lips feel plump when I first apply it. The lip balm sinks in and actually moisturizes my lips unlike some other lip balms that seem to chill out at the surface. Buuuuut those moisturizing effects don't last very long. Within an hour or so I have to reapply.
The one thing that pushed this product from one that was just okay to one that I wouldn't repurchase is the fact that it started separating in the tube after 2 months. I can temporarily fix the issue by squishing it around in the tube, but if I forget I squeeze out a stream of thick liquid with chunky bits in it. Sounds appetizing, right?
On the plus side the coconut scent is fantastic. Every time I apply this balm I'm reminded of the smell of sandies cookies.
Basically this is scented vaseline with a few extra ingredients that don't really seem to do much. In fact, I would say that vaseline's own scented versions work better than balm dotcom. They also come in cute packaging and are a hell of a lot cheaper.
It's not terrible but also isn't something I will repurchase for $12.
Priming Moisturizer Rich
Ahhh priming moisturizer rich, how badly I wanted to love you. When this guy first made his debut, I was on a no buy and broke it to try him out. Unfortunately he wasn't really worth it.
Part of the marketing for this moisturizer kinda sorta annoyed me a teensy bit. I remember seeing posts where they touted it as an unique affordable option in a sea of $200+ face creams. Well if you're looking for an affordable option to a $200 face cream, you've got a shitton of options. The PMR isn't exactly filling some gap in the market.
First off this cream has a heavy lavender scent. Personally I love it but many people aren't a fan.
Second thing is the jar packaging. I've said it before but I'll say it again-- I don't mind jar packaging as long as it doesn't compromise the integrity of the product. In this case, I don't mind the jar. It's convenient to use and like all of Glossier's packaging-- is cute and photogenic. For a blogger like yours truly, it's Instagram fodder.
Third thing is the performance and that's where things start to go downhill. When I first used this cream I was afraid it would be too heavy and greasy for my skin. Even though my skin is dehydrated, it's also acne prone and greasy moisturizer = breakout city. Despite the fact that the texture of this cream is very much rich, it isn't heavy or greasy. It melts onto the skin and feels very comfortable. My skin feels plump which is my ideal state. Unfortunately like with the balm dotcom, the moisturizing effects don't last very long. If I wear this cream for more than 4 or 5 hours, my skin starts drying out. When I wear this cream overnight I inevitably wake up with dry skin and the occasional flakey patch.
Now that the weather is getting warmer and more humid, I'll be giving it a second chance since my skin doesn't need as much moisture.
If you're interested in an ingredient analysis of this cream I recommend reading Vanity.rex's fantastic review on this moisturizer-- she goes ahead and breaks it down ingredient by ingredient.
Milky Jelly Cleanser
I think milky jelly cleanser is one of Glossier's OG products and it's quickly gained a cult following. Out of all their skincare bits that I tried, this one is the only one I liked.
They couldn't have come up with a more perfect name for this cleanser because it really does have a jelly consistency. It has a thick consistency that doesn't run down your face. If you hate watery cleansers than this is one you should check out because it is not watery. At all. Even though it's thick, it's dispensed easily through a pump. The pump is a nice portion controller as I only need about one pump for my entire face.
According to other bloggers, it has a pH between 5-6 so it's gentle and shouldn't be damaging your skin's moisture barrier.
My skin is dehydrated and is prone to getting flakey after washing/ exfoliating and the milky jelly cleanser holds the potential to dry out my skin. If I wait more than 7-10 minutes after using it, my face is starts feeling tight and dry. But if I follow up with the rest of my skincare routine immediately after washing my face with it then I don't have any issues.
At first I was a bit annoyed that they marketed this as a makeup remover, but then I remember most brands market their cleansers as suitable for removing makeup. Even my ride or die Fresh soy face cleanser is marketed as a makeup remover. So I don't hold this against them. They do say that it won't remove waterproof makeup, but I find it doesn't remove every speck of non-waterproof makeup either. Personally that's not a big deal because I use an oil cleanser most days anyways.
Overall I like this cleanser. It's the most affordable cleanser I have in my stash and one I can see myself repurchasing whenever I finish it up.
Soothing Face Mist
I am a lover of mists. My skincare wardrobe is pretty indulgent but if there's one item I'm basically a hoarder of-- it's mists. Unfortunately this is one of the few mists that's basically unuseable for me.
There's something in this mist that irritates the fuck out of my eyes (possibly the honeysuckle extract?) Even if I close my eyes and spray it, my eyes still become irritated and red. The only way for me to safely use this is by covering my eyes with an eye mask and then spritzing it all over my face.
Ingredient wise-- it's pretty nice. Water, rose water, aloe extract, and glycerin are the first four ingredients. The mister is pretty average-- not super fine but also not heavy/ chunky. The packaging is cute and on brand for Glossier. It provides a reasonable amount of hydration. If it didn't bring me to tears, I would probably enjoy this mist. Not to the point that I would run out and repurchase it as soon as I used it up, but to the point that I would regularly use it and happily finish it up. At the moment I've been using it as a body mist which is about as pointless as it sounds.
And there you have it! Those are my thoughts on all the Glossier products I've tried so far. The next product that's on my to try list is the boy brow clear. I'm also tempted by the haloscopes but I really don't need anymore highlighters 🙈
Have you tried any Glossier products? What's your favorite? If you haven't shopped from them before you can get 20% off with my referral link here 😎 (I'll get a $10 credit if you use it!)
P.s if you didn't know, Glossier is offering U.K. shipping soon!
This post is a long time coming! I placed my first Glossier order at the end of last summer despite the fact that I've known about the brand pretty much since its birth. To be honest, I kind of wrote it off as an Internet brand akin to Sigma or Morphe, a brand that was popular mostly based on hype rather than quality. But then I read a random interview that Emily Weiss did and something about that interview inspired me and revived my interest in Into the Glossier and Glossier. Throw in the 20% off discount for first time customers and I was a goner.
The first two I items I bought from Glossier were their coconut balm dotcom and their soothing face mist, and as you'll read down below-- I'm not that crazy about either of them.
Before I can get to reviewing Glossier's product, I do think I need to discuss their marketing techniques a bit. I touched upon it in my Glossier showroom tour post-- how their showroom was made for the digital age and perfectly curated for hip millennials (side note: is it hip to use the word hip?) It's marketing genius and I give them props for being good at what they do.
But like I said, Glossier is originally an online brand so before they opened their showroom, they built up their empire online. If you've read about glossier on youtube, instagram, another blog-- chances are you've come across a 20% off discount code. Anyone who has an account on Glossier's website is able to create their own unique code which they can share with their friends, family, and strangers they meet on the internet. If someone uses your 20% off code to make a purchase, you in turn receive a $10 credit to use on the Glossier site.
Alternatively, Glossier also a representative program. From my understanding, being a Glossier rep is akin to being a part of an affiliate marketing network. If someone shops through your link, you receive a commision from their purchase. Blogging has progressed in such a way that the word "affiliate link" and "sponsored" have earned a dirty reputation. Personally I am a-okay with both of them as long as they are disclosed! I use affiliate links on my blog-- hell this post has affiliate links!
Over the past few months I've gotten a lot of messages not only asking about Glossier products, but also asking about their discount codes. Are they sponsored? Are they getting paid to post about Glossier? The answer to all those questions is nope!
If you're interested in becoming a Glossier rep, you can email the address they shared on their twitter here. If you're interested in reading more about Glossier's marketing techniques, check out this article on Quartz that includes an interview with Emily herself!
Boy Brow in Black
If you're only buying on Glossier product, let it be the boy brow. This is hands down my favorite Glossier product of all and the only one that I will say is 100% worth all the fanfare and hype!
Before boy brow I didn't regularly do my brow. Maybe once or twice a week I would scrounge up the energy to fill them in and apply some brow gel, but it wasn't part of my everyday routine. After boy brow I do my brows everyday! Most days all I do is swipe boy brow through them.
For me boy brow seriously is an all-in-one kinda product. It darkens my brows, fills them in, fluffs them up, and holds them up allll day long. The biggest difference that I've noticed between boy brow and ABH's brow gel is that boy brow is able to push my brow hairs into a vertical direction and hold them there. The result is a fluffy as fuck brow.
Lip Gloss
This guy is the newest permanent addition to the Glossier family and also the newest addition to my personal Glossier collection. I've only had it for 3 days so I can't say much about it. It's a clear lip gloss that isn't overly sticky. The packaging gives me 90s vibes which I'm digging 😎
Cloud Paint in Haze
If you follow Glossier on Instagram or Twitter, than you may know that their Cloud Paints made a literal red carpet debut-- they were worn by stars like Chrissy Teigen and Taraji P. Henon to the Oscars before being available to the general public.
My feelings are so split on this blush. Because of all the hype around it, I want to like it more than I do.
Let's start off with the good. The shade haze is gorgeous and brightly pigmented! I've never used a liquid blush before and was impressed at how easy it was to blend. I've seen liquid blushes before but I think Glossier's has an unique formulation. There's no stickiness or tackiness which is an issue I've faced when testing out other liquid blushes. It applies smoothly and there isn't any patchiness or streakiness. I've blended it with a brush and my fingers, although I prefer the latter. It doesn't emphasize my pores which is an issue for some cream products. The color I picked, haze, is flattering and natural looking on my complexion. I've worn it over concealer, foundation, and bare skin and it layers perfectly over all three. The only time I had a bit of a problem blending it is when I applied it after I brushed some powder on my face.
The reason why I'm not 100% sold on the blush is because while I find it easy to blend out, it's also a bit too easy to completely blend away. Perhaps this isn't a problem for people with fairer skin but for me there comes a point that if I keep blending, it disappears into my skin. I've never had such an issue with powder blush. It also doesn't last all day on my face. I look nice and flushed when I apply it but within 4 or 5 hours it looks like I haven't applied any blush at all! My last gripe with the blush is the lack of color range. I've got a medium-tan skin tone and haze is the only shade that I feel is dark enough for my skintone. Glossier's site has clips of 3 different models applying each blush (which btw I think is awesome) buuuuut I'm not convinced the other shades would show up well in person.
Coconut Balm Dotcom
Lip balm isn't exactly the most exciting of products. My only real requirement for a lip balm is that it moisturizes my lips. This one does... sorta. My lips feel plump when I first apply it. The lip balm sinks in and actually moisturizes my lips unlike some other lip balms that seem to chill out at the surface. Buuuuut those moisturizing effects don't last very long. Within an hour or so I have to reapply.
The one thing that pushed this product from one that was just okay to one that I wouldn't repurchase is the fact that it started separating in the tube after 2 months. I can temporarily fix the issue by squishing it around in the tube, but if I forget I squeeze out a stream of thick liquid with chunky bits in it. Sounds appetizing, right?
On the plus side the coconut scent is fantastic. Every time I apply this balm I'm reminded of the smell of sandies cookies.
Basically this is scented vaseline with a few extra ingredients that don't really seem to do much. In fact, I would say that vaseline's own scented versions work better than balm dotcom. They also come in cute packaging and are a hell of a lot cheaper.
It's not terrible but also isn't something I will repurchase for $12.
Priming Moisturizer Rich
Ahhh priming moisturizer rich, how badly I wanted to love you. When this guy first made his debut, I was on a no buy and broke it to try him out. Unfortunately he wasn't really worth it.
Part of the marketing for this moisturizer kinda sorta annoyed me a teensy bit. I remember seeing posts where they touted it as an unique affordable option in a sea of $200+ face creams. Well if you're looking for an affordable option to a $200 face cream, you've got a shitton of options. The PMR isn't exactly filling some gap in the market.
First off this cream has a heavy lavender scent. Personally I love it but many people aren't a fan.
Second thing is the jar packaging. I've said it before but I'll say it again-- I don't mind jar packaging as long as it doesn't compromise the integrity of the product. In this case, I don't mind the jar. It's convenient to use and like all of Glossier's packaging-- is cute and photogenic. For a blogger like yours truly, it's Instagram fodder.
Third thing is the performance and that's where things start to go downhill. When I first used this cream I was afraid it would be too heavy and greasy for my skin. Even though my skin is dehydrated, it's also acne prone and greasy moisturizer = breakout city. Despite the fact that the texture of this cream is very much rich, it isn't heavy or greasy. It melts onto the skin and feels very comfortable. My skin feels plump which is my ideal state. Unfortunately like with the balm dotcom, the moisturizing effects don't last very long. If I wear this cream for more than 4 or 5 hours, my skin starts drying out. When I wear this cream overnight I inevitably wake up with dry skin and the occasional flakey patch.
Now that the weather is getting warmer and more humid, I'll be giving it a second chance since my skin doesn't need as much moisture.
If you're interested in an ingredient analysis of this cream I recommend reading Vanity.rex's fantastic review on this moisturizer-- she goes ahead and breaks it down ingredient by ingredient.
Milky Jelly Cleanser
I think milky jelly cleanser is one of Glossier's OG products and it's quickly gained a cult following. Out of all their skincare bits that I tried, this one is the only one I liked.
They couldn't have come up with a more perfect name for this cleanser because it really does have a jelly consistency. It has a thick consistency that doesn't run down your face. If you hate watery cleansers than this is one you should check out because it is not watery. At all. Even though it's thick, it's dispensed easily through a pump. The pump is a nice portion controller as I only need about one pump for my entire face.
According to other bloggers, it has a pH between 5-6 so it's gentle and shouldn't be damaging your skin's moisture barrier.
My skin is dehydrated and is prone to getting flakey after washing/ exfoliating and the milky jelly cleanser holds the potential to dry out my skin. If I wait more than 7-10 minutes after using it, my face is starts feeling tight and dry. But if I follow up with the rest of my skincare routine immediately after washing my face with it then I don't have any issues.
At first I was a bit annoyed that they marketed this as a makeup remover, but then I remember most brands market their cleansers as suitable for removing makeup. Even my ride or die Fresh soy face cleanser is marketed as a makeup remover. So I don't hold this against them. They do say that it won't remove waterproof makeup, but I find it doesn't remove every speck of non-waterproof makeup either. Personally that's not a big deal because I use an oil cleanser most days anyways.
Overall I like this cleanser. It's the most affordable cleanser I have in my stash and one I can see myself repurchasing whenever I finish it up.
Soothing Face Mist
I am a lover of mists. My skincare wardrobe is pretty indulgent but if there's one item I'm basically a hoarder of-- it's mists. Unfortunately this is one of the few mists that's basically unuseable for me.
There's something in this mist that irritates the fuck out of my eyes (possibly the honeysuckle extract?) Even if I close my eyes and spray it, my eyes still become irritated and red. The only way for me to safely use this is by covering my eyes with an eye mask and then spritzing it all over my face.
Ingredient wise-- it's pretty nice. Water, rose water, aloe extract, and glycerin are the first four ingredients. The mister is pretty average-- not super fine but also not heavy/ chunky. The packaging is cute and on brand for Glossier. It provides a reasonable amount of hydration. If it didn't bring me to tears, I would probably enjoy this mist. Not to the point that I would run out and repurchase it as soon as I used it up, but to the point that I would regularly use it and happily finish it up. At the moment I've been using it as a body mist which is about as pointless as it sounds.
And there you have it! Those are my thoughts on all the Glossier products I've tried so far. The next product that's on my to try list is the boy brow clear. I'm also tempted by the haloscopes but I really don't need anymore highlighters 🙈
Have you tried any Glossier products? What's your favorite? If you haven't shopped from them before you can get 20% off with my referral link here 😎 (I'll get a $10 credit if you use it!)
P.s if you didn't know, Glossier is offering U.K. shipping soon!
