Glossier is one of my favorite brands. There I said it. I know there are those who either love Glossier or those who think the brand is the over-hyped, perfect culmination of the minimalist trend that has overwhelmed the market in the last five or so years. Look, I get it. The Glossier models of whom we see ads and daily routine videos are beyond perfect. They exemplify the cool-girl who most of us aren't. You know the ones: they have perfect, poreless skin, only make ethical, sustainable purchases, have a job earning a ton of money but never talk about it, and they always have the perfect lighting for iPhone photos (seriously how can unedited snapshots look so aesthetic??).
But in spite of all of this, I love the brand. Their ads online seriously intrigued me in 2017 and since then, I've been hooked. I had never seen a brand like this before. Glossier felt aspirational to me. I wanted to improve my skin so I could be as effortlessly beautiful as the people who promoted Glossier. And I totally understand that is all intentional marketing designed to make me feel that way. Nevertheless, I made my first purchase in spite of that knowledge. Then I made more....and more.
And the products were everything I wanted them to be. They were simple, buildable, and focused on enhancing natural beauty. I had never worn less product but, at the same time, I'd never felt prettier. Not everything was a total home-run for me but I'll get into that.
Now, time to talk about everything I've purchased from Glossier over the years and what I think about them!
1) Generation G Lipstick in Zip, Cake, Jam, and Crush: These lipsticks are a lovely matte flush of color that you can easily build to be bold. I definitely recommend these if you want something that will last and offer you more control of color pay-off if you want a more diffused pop of color. Just make sure you moisturize your lips beforehand because this formula is pretty matte and can skip on dry lips.
2) Balm Dot Calm in Cherry and Rose: The Cherry Balm Dot Calm is literally perfect for repairing dry lips while offering a little bit of color so you can have it as your daily lip! It smells amazing and the formula is thick, not sticky, nor is it incredibly wet or shiny. You can even massage the excess into your cuticles for a quick salve treatment. In terms of daily lip balm, Balm Dot Calm reigns supreme for me.
3) Moon Mask and Detoxifying Greens Mask: These masks are lovely. I love to use them back to back. First, the greens to clean my pores out then I use the moon mask to calm and deeply moisturize my skin. Whenever I want to truly treat myself and have a luxurious self-care session, these are the masks I use.
4) Skin Tint in Light: This purchase was made before Glossier expanded their range and, I believe, adjusted their formula. I love the idea of this. Super lightweight coverage that leaves you dewy? I'm here for it. But, in practice, this is not my favorite foundation-type product in the world. It offers seriously no coverage, though you can tell when you're wearing it. It's super confusing but honestly, my skin has never truly been clear enough where I felt I could pull this off. It feels a little greasy on the skin and if you have an oilier complexion, this is definitely not the product for you. I might cave and purchase the newer formula since my skin has been clearing up, but I've found other lightweight products I love so we'll have to see.
5) Stretch Concealer in Light: Again, I love the idea of a natural coverage skin product that you can easily and quickly blend with fingers. The concealer I bought is from their old range before they expanded their shades so I'm not sure of the current formula. But the original formula was definitely a wetter consistency. It would need setting powder under the eyes unless you're cool with shiny under-eyes (I honestly can't be bothered so I always left it as it was). It was good for covering up minor spots and adding some glow to the skin but it is not a ride-or-die concealer for me.
6) Boy Brow in Blonde: I love this product so much. Luckily, I have overall nicely shaped brows and they're pretty full. I don't need to do too much to them so I never invested in brow pomades or pencils. When I tried this product for the first time, it was like a eureka moment. This was the exact thing I needed for my brows. It groomed them, darkened my blonde hairs slightly so I could have stronger brows, and it filled in any sparse spots. There are plenty of cheaper dupes out there that are great. But I never would have found those, if I hadn't tried this product first. I never need to worry about what to use for my brows ever again.
7) Lid Star in Cub: I was super intrigued when these came out. I loved the packaging and the promo images were just so dreamy. I bought this warm pinkish shade with a ton of sparkle and I was pleasantly surprised with its wearability. It's not too vibrantly pink and it isn't too glittery either. You can apply with the doe-foot applicator and blend with a brush or your finger. The formula does crease over time but because it isn't powder, you can just blend it out with your finger. Not to mention, it's super portable so you can even throw it in your bag and reapply!
8) Haloscope in Moonstone: This shade is a white base with shimmer that applies almost clear on fair skin like mine. I truly loved the sheen this gave my skin because I looked hydrated and dewy rather than metallic or "blinding." The formula is a little sticky, though, so I found myself pulling strands of hair from my face constantly. It isn't a dealbreaker in the slightest, just one downside to this overall solid dewy highlight.
9) Lash Slick: This. Is. My. Favorite. Mascara. As someone who has worked hard to embrace my natural beauty, I can say I love everything about myself. Save for one thing: my blonde eyelashes. Without mascara, it looks like I don't have any lashes at all or like I'm tired or sick. I had lash extensions for a little over a year but then Covid-19 happened and they fell out. It's been a struggle getting used to my natural lashes again. But this mascara has helped me find a nice middle ground. Don't get me wrong, I love the way undone lashes look, I would rock them if I had dark lashes. But I am still so self-conscious so I've rekindled my love for Lash Slick. This mascara lengthens and defines my lashes without the spider effect and it's not clumpy at all. You can build up the volume or leave a light wispy coat and either way it looks amazing.
10) Cloud Paint in Every Shade: Yeah, I have every shade of cloud paint lol. This is the BEST blush. The packaging looks tiny but you need just a DROP to get an intense color payoff. Each color is unique and perfect for different looks and you can mix them together to create your own custom shade! This is an MVP product and I cannot recommend it enough.
11) Lip Gloss in Clear: This is the best clear gloss, hands down. It goes on like water, it's not sticky and it's super hydrating! I love layering this on top of my Generation G lipsticks or just on its own. I've never found a lip gloss as juicy as this one without any grit or stickiness. I wish it came in a bigger tube!
12) Solution: This was the first chemical exfoliant I'd ever tried and my first impression was scary tbh. But that's because I didn't understand the purging process that typically happens with the initial stages of chemical exfoliation. I came back to it later and found it to be gentle but feel invigorating on the skin. And I think this is great for a beginner getting into chemical exfoliation because it is pretty gentle, even with AHAs and BHAs to both penetrate the skin and clear out the surface. I would recommend trying this if you're interested in incorporating more active ingredients into your routines!
13) Invisible Shield: This is my sunscreen staple. I apply this every day and love it. The Invisible Shield is a chemical sunscreen so it gets down into your skin to absorb the sun's rays, converts them to heat, and then releases them from the body. We wrote a blog post about chemical and physical sunscreens so definitely give it a read here as you get ready to enjoy the summer! Back to Glossier, so this sunscreen feels like a serum and absorbs incredibly quickly, which is perfect if you want to apply makeup. It leaves no white cast and it's super lightweight. Just note this product is not water-resistant so be mindful to reapply throughout the day!
14) Milky Jelly Cleanser: I love this cleanser. It's so gentle with a light fragrance derived entirely from the rosewater (so no perfumes, bless). The consistency is a lightweight gel that you just massage into damp skin. This formula does not foam up and I love that. Foaming cleansers sometimes leave my skin feeling stripped and dry while the gel formula of this cleanser leaves me feeling bouncy, hydrated, and fresh!
15) Zit Stick: This product is a decent spot treatment. The application is entirely mess-free. You just twist the bottom and the product dispenses at the top around a silver rollerball. The rollerball stays nice and cold on your skin and you just use the stick to rub in the treatment. It's incredibly easy to use and I did notice bumps become less swollen and red the next morning. If you're looking for a spot treatment, give this a try!
16) Futuredew: So my first impression of this product wasn't the best. I'd heard it affected some people pretty badly so when I bought it, I was scared tbh. The consistency is hard to nail down, it's runny and thick at the same time? It also feels kind of greasy and sticky on the face. But it does leave you glowing and dewy so I guess it does its job? I probably won't repurchase though because I can just use hydrating products or a cream highlight to get a similar look.
17) You Perfume Solid: So this product is discontinued but I wanted to include it anyway because I did buy it. After receiving samples of the You perfume in previous orders, I knew I needed this scent. But the price tag on the perfume is pretty steep for me. So I compromised and got the solid and I LOVED it. The scent is the perfect balance of high and low notes. It's floral without smelling like a grandma and it has this deep musk to it that isn't overwhelming. The solid is a great idea, in my opinion. I could keep it in my purse and reapply, as needed. Which, honestly, wasn't much. The scent stayed on my skin all day. Though after a few months, the scent completely dissipated from the component and there was an odd blue ring around the balm pan. I think one of these days, I'll have to treat myself and get the regular perfume.
18) Hand Cream: I was ecstatic when I saw this product launch. It didn't occur to me that they were missing this in their line until I saw the announcement. It fits right into their product line and definitely belongs with the rest of their skincare. The packaging is so cute and easy to travel with. You just flip the lid and squeeze the pod for the hand cream to come out. It's clean and super easy to use. The product itself also absorbs into the skin so quickly, which is what I'm looking for because I hate that feeling after I apply hand cream where I can't touch anything for what feels like an eternity while my hands dry. The scent is their You fragrance so I immediately fell in love. My only critique is that it feels like there isn't that much product inside compared to how large the packaging actually is. But, other than that, it's one of my favorite hand creams I've tried.
19) Body Hero Daily Oil Wash: Okay so let me be fully transparent here. The biggest reason I bought this and the Body Hero Daily Perfecting Cream is because my family had one of our bathrooms redone with a new shower and I knew these products would look super luxe in it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ But the purchases were sound. This wash is super lightweight and hydrating. I never realized how dry my skin felt after using bar soap or traditional body wash until I started using this. It lightly foams and I just massage it into my skin in the shower and it rinses right off without leaving a greasy residue. The scent is lovely and it has this cute red clip to put under the pump so it doesn't accidentally pump. Though I would probably prefer a cap to cover the nozzle or an actual twist to lock so it's more secure. But that's my only gripe. I'm afraid I won't be able to go back to another body wash after this!
20) Body Hero Daily Perfecting Cream: There is a reason they've always marketed these as a duo. They're the perfect pair. This cream goes right on after I towel my body down and my skin has never felt smoother. It's rich and creamy and I feel so luxurious every time I apply it. It takes a little while to dry but afterward my skin is incredibly soft.
So I had no idea how many Glossier products I'd actually tried until I made this list. I don't think I've ever bought so many different products from one brand before. That's how much I love Glossier products. Their makeup and skincare have, for the most part, integrated into my life so seamlessly that I really don't see myself in another brand as much as I see my overall aesthetic and vibe in Glossier. The products are simple, minimal, and get the job done quickly. I think Glossier is definitely worth the hype, personally. While not everything is perfect, most of the things I've tried have been hits for me.
If you love Glossier as much as I do, let us know! Which products are your picks and which would you skip?