I Put Everything From Glossier On My Face So You Don’t Have To

Ah, Glossier! The beauty brand founded by Emily Weiss of beauty blog Into The Gloss (they’ve just gone through a $52 million investment round, to which I say: we’re in the wrong business), the pastel pink products launched in the UK last year with much fanfare and excitement from beauty lovers.

And I was one of them.

I think they’ve done incredible things with their marketing and product offering; with a small (read: not overwhelming) range of make-up and skincare they offer products that are squarely aimed at the no-makeup makeup face, think welll-primed, clear and dewey skin, well-groomed brows, and a slick of subtle lip colour. Plus I challenge anyone to not waste a morning with a cup of tea and a packet of biscuits watching their YouTube channel’s morning routines… I’m totally addicted.

By and large I love the range. It’s clearly made for millennials – I find their moisturisers just don’t cut the mustard with my early-thirties combination skin – and you won’t find a great deal of coverage if you have problems like acne, large pores or rosacea. But the simplicity and effectiveness of the skincare is fab and gives a great base for make-up: I love the fact the fuss-free products work well and smell delicious.

See below for the products I’ve tried (so you don’t have to).

Milky Jelly Cleanser

Milky Jelly Cleanser, £15
This is a great no-nonsense product. A cleanser that goes on like a thin gel, I use this as a first cleanse to remove makeup before I go in for a massage with a heavier oil-based cleanser. It’s pink, smells sweet and does the job well. Containing five skin conditioners it doesn’t leave skin tight and is pH-balanced.

Solution, £19
I REALLY like this stuff. A bit like Pixi Glow Tonic (but more effective, in my opinion), it’s an Exfoliating Skin Perfector that uses a mix of three acids -Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA), Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA), and Polyhydroxy Acid (PHA) – to slough away dead skin cells, therefore improving imperfections and brightness. This is one of the best chemical exfoliators on the market at this price point, in my opinion.

Priming Moisturiser

Priming Moisturiser, £18
Meh, this one doesn’t even touch the sides when it comes to my slightly-aging combination skin. It’s a lovely smooth moisturiser: goes on well and rubs in beautifully, but even though I applied twice (the product info calls it ‘buildable’) it still wasn’t a moisturising-enough base for me. I imagine it’d work well on either younger or less-dry skin types.

Balm dotcom, £10
Balm dotcom is a family favourite over here. It’s used a little like Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream (i.e. lips, chapped and annoyed skin) but doesn’t have the godawful scent of EA. In fact, the scents are one of the best things about this balm: I like the original but Elfie and Hux go mad for the Birthday variant (plus this one is glittery!)

Boy Brow

Boy Brow, £14
Another new favourite, Boy Brow is now the ONLY thing I use on my eyebrows. It’s a little like BeneFit’s Gimme Brow but with slightly more ‘oomph’ and that works beautifully for me – it’s a creamy wax formula that grooms without looking too false. Recommended!

Haloscope, £18
I haven’t quite got on with this product (a creamy stick highlighter) yet, but I’m wondering if that’s because it’s a cream formulation and I’m used to powder-based highlighters. I’m looking forward to giving it another go in the summer when I’m wearing less base (and am a bit more sun-kissed!).

Super Pure Serum

Super Pure Serum, £24
I absolutely adore this serum for the times I have problem/break-out skin: the niacinamide and zinc in it soothes redness and calms the odd post-indulgent or pre-period zit. It’s strong enough to be effective yet gentle enough to not completely dry me out. Another new skincare drawer stalwart!

Body Hero Daily Oil Wash, £15
I really struggle with dry skin in the winter but hate spending time moisturising because it’s too cold! This Oil Body Wash is the best compromise: it moisturises as it cleanses, meaning no awkward hopping around while moisturising your elbows on a cold winter evening.

Stretch Concealer

Stretch Concealer, £15
This concealer isn’t full-coverage but on the days you need to even out patches of uneven skin or lighten up those dark circles it’s perfect. According to the website the product is made of ‘elastic micro waxes’ that move with your face instead of caking on top of it… all I can say is that it works for me.

Generation G, £14
You know when beauty editors describe a lip colour as ‘just been kissed’? That’s what I imagine Generation G to be. My favourite colours are Jam (which is more like ‘just been drinking red wine’) and Zip: they are the perfect no lipstick lipsticks.

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A note on Glossier’s Customer Service, something I’m finding increasingly important as I get older. So far this has been fantastic: I’ve had a couple of issues with 2 orders from them – not arriving on time or wrong products – and these problems have always been resolved really quickly. On both occasions I’ve received extra product AND a £5 store credit by way of apology, which I think is fantastic (and unexpected).

If you fancy trying any of the below you can use my link here to get 10% off (disclosure: I get a kickback if you shop via me :).