I had been hearing a lot of great things about the brand Glossier lately. It's a brand started by beauty lovers for beauty lovers. I won't go too much into the background of Glossier because most reviews I've watched and read go into detail about the brand's origins and whatnot. You can read more about it here on their website. In short, Glossier focuses more on skincare and minimal and natural beauty.
This is my first blog post ever! I'm going to do my best to be as helpful and comprehensive in this review, but if you're not up for reading, I'm in the process of filming a video review and demo. Check back soon!
I made my first order from Glossier last week. I had been dealing with sensitive skin and breakouts. The cleansers and skincare products I was using just seemed to be drying out my skin and irritating it more than usual. Possibly because the change in weather, and also because I was on a full-glam makeup kick for a few weeks.
That being said, I ordered Glossier's Milky Jelly Cleanser, Priming Moisturizer, and Coconut Balm dotcom.
My second purchase was the flavored Balm dotcom Trio. Spoiler Alert: I ordered more Balm dotcom's because I like em.
Click here for 20% off and free shipping on your first order!
THE PACKAGING
Something that I had been anticipating after watching several YouTube reviews was Glossier's packaging and aesthetic, which I feel deserves its own section in this review. Their packaging is very clean, minimal, and pastel. With their product names and graphic design, they clearly aim to appeal to 90's kids/millennials. The package my order arrived in was pleasant and well thought out. From the baby pink box interior and pink zip-to-close bubble mailers to the tape that sealed the box shut.
First off, my package arrived quickly, which I appreciate. I am in love with the bubble mailers that my order was packaged in. Not only are they cute, they're actually quite sturdy and durable. I am definitely planning on reusing them for storage and gifts. I even spotted it being used as a clutch on the Glossier site. So far, I've made two orders with Glossier. Both came with a card advertising their newest product, a poster, and best of all: a sheet of stickers!! The minimal design of each product invites you to adorn them with the fun included stickers that give me throwback notebook doodle vibes.
The Milky Jelly Cleanser and Priming Moisturizer came without an additional box, which I appreciate because that just means two less boxes for me to leave in an ever-growing trash pile for two or three weeks (I'm a slob). However, I just want to take a moment to appreciate the boxes that my Balm dotcom's came in.
As a woman of color, it was refreshing to see different WoC represented on Glossier's packaging and website. Being a beauty junkie, I have come across a lot of ads and promotions from my favorite brands. It's exhausting to be whitewashed or even excluded in mainstream media, and I am thrilled to see what efforts an up-and-coming brand is putting into being inclusive. Representation matters!
With all that said, what's on the outside is cool and all, but what's on the inside is what really counts...
(I'm corny. I can't help it.)
The Products
Balm dotcom - $12
First of all, I gotta say, the name of this product speaks to me on many levels. I have 4 of the 5 Balm dotcom's offered on the website. While Glossier's mantra is "Skin first. Makeup second. Smile always," my mantra is, "You can never have too many lip balms." The only one I am missing is the original unscented one, which after trying all the flavored ones, seems kinda boring to me. This product is a universal skin salve that is meant to provide a soothing, conditioning, and protective barrier on any part of your body that needs it. I use this product on my lips, eyelids and undereye, elbows, and cuticles. This product really lives up to its claims. It's nourishing and long lasting.
The first Balm dotcom that I ordered was the coconut flavor. This one is my favorite. I use this everywhere. Having sensitive skin, my eyes often get irritated after cleansing. I use this on my eyelids and under my eye to soothe and heal that delicate skin. It is colorless and scented of sweet coconut that reminds me of pastries rather than an artificial coconut tanning lotion scent. For all my Vietnamese folks out there, the scent of this product is spot on with those chalky pastel coconut cookies that come in a plastic jar.
I also ordered the new Balm dotcom flavored trio. They're $12 individually, but you save $6 buying them all together.
The trio includes Cherry, Rose, and Mint. I think that splitting them up would be a great gift idea if I hadn't already swatched them for this review.
I was most excited about the cherry flavor. I've been needing a balm with a subtle red tint to bring life back to my face on no-makeup days. Cherry Balm dotcom has a fresh red tint that is subtle, but if you use it anywhere besides your lips, and you have a lighter complexion, the red tint will show up. This makes Cherry Balm dotcom the least versatile. This is the Balm dotcom that I'll leave on my vanity. As for the scent, it's described to be a tangy cherry candy scent, which I do agree with. However, it personally reminds me of cough drops which is slightly off-putting for me. If you like the scent of cherry Halls, then this Balm dotcom is for you.
The Rose Balm dotcom has a sweet, subtle rose scent. I'm not a huge fan of florals, especially anywhere near my mouth, but this one is definitely not offensive. It reminds me of the cult-favorite Smith's Rosebud Salve. It is lightly tinted pink, which is pretty much transparent wherever you apply it. This one is a lot more versatile than Cherry. I'll be keeping this one in my purse.
The last one in the trio is Mint. I love this one. It is not tinted and has a delightful fresh peppermint scent, with a bit of menthol. It's cooling and refreshing. I'd put this everywhere, and probably even under my nose to soothe headaches. I'm keeping this one on my nightstand.
Left to Right: Cherry, Rose, Mint
One note I'd like to add is that Balm dotcom is not vegan. It contains beeswax and lanolin. However, Glossier does not test on animals. There are still very few brands that are both vegan and cruelty free. I do plan on blogging on this topic in the future.
Milky Jelly Cleanser - $18
The Milky Jelly Cleanser is a gentle and creamy gel cleanser that claims to condition your skin and remove all makeup that isn't waterproof. It's formulated to be pH-balanced, and gentle on the eyes. I really like this cleanser. It performs just as described. I use it on wet skin in the morning just to give myself a clean canvas to start my day with. I use it on dry skin at night, and it really breaks down my makeup well. The texture is great. Like described on the website, it's a creamy gel. It's refreshing, soothing, and smells very faintly of roses. It glides smoothly across the face and my fingers don't tug at my skin. A little goes a long way. After rinsing, my skin feels clean and conditioned. Overall, I am very satisfied with this product. My makeup-removal routine has gone from 3 to 4 products to just 2-- my Milky Jelly Cleanser and acne treatment. I really don't have anything negative to say about this product!
Priming Moisturizer - $25
Glossier claims that their Priming Moisturizer is a lightweight, buildable moisturizer that preps your skin for makeup...or life. They're not lying. This moisturizer is soothing, light, and makes me skin feel oh, so smooth. I use it in the morning before I apply makeup. It feels really nice and doesn't get greasy if you don't use too much. Which leads me into my biggest gripe about this product. The tube that houses it is a bit flimsy, so it's easy to squeeze a little too much product out, which is ultimately wasteful. Too much product on the face feels sticky and greasy. When they say buildable, I'm sure they mean to let it dry between layers, because putting on a whole bunch all in one go does not feel cute. Another thing is that it irritates my eyes. I have to be careful to avoid my eyelid area and also apply my contact lenses before I handle the Priming Moisturizer.
Bottom Line:
My first impression of Glossier products is very positive. There is not much negative to say about what I've tried so far. I really hope that they start introducing vegan Balm dotcoms, because even though they're already amazing products, I do experience a tinge of cognitive dissonance knowing that there are animal products in my cosmetics. This may not be an issue to other people, but it's important nonetheless.
Another thing is that Glossier offers their products at high-end prices. I'm sure their ingredients and products are high quality, but for products that could potentially become my everyday go-to's, the price is gonna add up. If you're planning on ordering from Glossier, remember to click here to get 20% off and free shipping. After that, everything $30 and over ships free.
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