I remember the thrill of unwrapping my very first pink bubble bag from Glossier in 2015. It was years before I got my first job as a beauty writer, and I vividly recall unboxing it on the counter in my East Village apartment and posting my haul of Balm Dotcom and Priming Moisturizer (two OGs that are still wildly popular today) to Instagram. “Glossier revolutionized the beauty landscape by creating a completely new kind of shopping experience with a ‘shop-from-home’ vibe that turned the act of receiving a package into a full-on ritual,” explains aesthetician Kristen May Lee. But beyond packaging, Glossier used the community of beauty lovers they built with Into The Gloss and centered everything they launched around connection and community. “The brand resonated with so many because it didn’t try too hard—it simply was and felt inclusive, natural, and sincere,” explains Lee. “That authenticity, combined with smart, crowd-sourced product development and storytelling, ensured Glossier wasn’t just a brand—it was a movement.”
What started with a curated, minimalist set of skin care and makeup essentials blossomed into a beauty empire complete with even more skin care, makeup, fragrance, body, and merch. To find the best Glossier products, we did it the Glossier way: We reached out to our beauty community of makeup artists, aestheticians, and more who gave us the lowdown on their favorite picks, below.
Why We Love It: At only $16, Glossier’s Balm Dotcom still reigns supreme as a pro and customer favorite. The sleek little tube is a combination of a lip and allover skin salve and the original hero product that broke the internet. “Balm Dotcom is truly unmatched,” says aesthetician Gianna Graham. “There’s nothing like it in terms of occlusion—it’s so healing and never dries out skin or lips.” The balm’s cult-favorite status is due to its incredible formulation, chock-full of nourishing, moisturizing ingredients. “It’s rich in castor seed oil, known for its nourishing and emollient properties, and it’s also infused with antioxidants that protect against environmental stressors,” says Lee.
Who It’s For: Pretty much everyone could benefit from this balm anywhere they need a little moisture bomb, but it’s especially brilliant for anyone suffering from dry, cracked, or chapped lips. “This formula does a fantastic job of preserving moisture on your lips, and I use it on lips, cuticles, elbows—anywhere that needs love,” says Lee, who has a penchant for the coconut flavor. “Regular use helps preserve the delicate skin around the mouth, minimizing the likelihood of premature creasing and fine lines.”
Worth Noting: At one point in 2023, Glossier reformulated their balm—removing lanolin and beeswax to make the formula vegan. After backlash and pleading from their customers, they relaunched their original formula again in May of 2024. It comes in eleven options, some with subtle tints, some with scents, and one clear, unscented option.
Category: Skin | Key Ingredients: Lanolin, beeswax, castor seed oil | Size: 0.5 oz | Shades: 11
Why We Love It: Sheer and buildable, this concealer is a favorite of many makeup pros for personal use as well as for clients, including celebrity makeup artist Kelli Anne Sewell. “It’s the best foolproof skin-like serum concealer,” says Sewell. “It gives the skin the most gorgeous radiance that’s fresh and dewy.” Sewell likes to apply it with her fingers for a quick, natural look or with a fluffy concealer brush and blend it out for more coverage and a full-on glam look. “It’s packed with skin care ingredients so it feels like you’re wearing eye cream and concealer at once,” she says. Graham loved the cult-favorite concealer and bought it on repeat for years because the formula was hydrating and kept her skin fresh. “While a lot of other makeup brands felt heavy and looked very cakey on the skin, this felt so natural and effortless,” she says.
Who It’s For: Dermatologist-tested, ophthalmologist-tested, formulated without fragrance, and non-comedogenic, this concealer works to cover imperfections, dark spots, or blemishes imperceptibly. “It’s perfect for brightening the under eyes and covering any blemishes because the finish is skin-like and undetectable,” says professional makeup artist Dominique Lerma. It also works for all different types of skin. “I love that it works well for all age ranges,” adds Sewell. “I love it and so does my mom who is 65.”
Worth Noting: Another cult favorite that was slightly reformulated, Glossier expanded the Stretch Balm shade range from 12 shades to 32 shades to keep it cohesive with their newly launched Stretch Fluid Foundation. Because of that, it may take a bit of trial and error to find your perfect shade—use their online shade match tool or ask customer service for help.
Category: Makeup | Key Ingredients: Avocado oil, jojoba oil, elastic micro waxes | Size: 0.17 oz | Shades: 32
Why We Love It: With oleic and hyaluronic acid to nourish and hydrate brows, this brow gel-pomade grooms, nourishes, and defines brows in one easy swipe. “Boy Brow is classic, easy to use, and simplifies any makeup routine,” says Sewell. “The tinted formula is my favorite—it’s a foolproof way to shape brows and the hold is flexible but long lasting.” Great for anyone with sparse patches, unruly hairs, or just wants a simple way to define and accentuate their brows, this brow gel grips and coats every individual hair evenly, setting them in place. “I can use this with my eyes closed,” says Sewell. “It’s a staple in my five-minute makeup routine.”
Who It’s For: Anyone who wants that classic, full, fluffy brow will obsess over this brow gel. “I’m known for my brows and this is a product I go back to for myself and my clients over and over again,” says celebrity makeup artist and aesthetician Omayma Ramzy. “Brush your brow hairs up and against the hair’s natural direction really gets them even fluffier and fuller.”
Worth Noting: Sewell prefers the tinted formula but if you opt for clear, you can use the brow gel to tame frizz and flyaways, too.
Category: Makeup | Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, oleic acid, beeswax | Size: 0.13 oz | Shades: 7
Why We Love It: “Priming Moisturizer was the very first product that made me fall in love with the brand,” says Lee. “I was an early adopter, completely hooked on Into The Gloss, which felt like the heartbeat of a beauty revolution, and this tube of magic cream hydrated and primed my skin, leaving it supple and soft.” Made with moisturizing glycerin, a hydrating derivative of hyaluronic acid, and soothing aloe leaf juice, it absorbs into skin, leaving it fresh and plump with moisture.
Who It’s For: If you like to minimize your routine any chance you get or are constantly rushing in the mornings, this two-in-one moisturizer is for you. It’s lightweight and breathable on skin, but still locks in moisture so any makeup that follows looks a million times better. It’s also non-comedogenic and dermatologist-tested so it works for both sensitive and blemish-prone skin types.
Worth Noting: While pros and customers rave about this moisturizer—especially how lightweight and softening it is—the tube is on the smaller side, which means it can be easy to go through relatively quickly.
Category: Skin | Key Ingredients: Glycerin, aloe leaf juice | Size: 1.7 oz
Why We Love It: Because the formula is so creamy and smooth, these blushes are foolproof to apply whether you’re a pro or blush novice. “This formula blends beautifully into the cheeks giving a soft wash of lived-in color,” says Lerma, who notes that Cloud Paint is her personal favorite and most replenished Glossier product. “These can be sheered down or made more impactful by layering.”
Who It’s For: There’s a reason pro makeup artists usually mix a few different tones of blush or lipstick—it creates an individual, customizable shade that’s so flattering. While each Cloud Paint shade is stunning, the blendability makes it a top favorite. “Back in my corporate days, part of my everyday routine was mixing Puff and Beam for the perfect pink flush,” says Sewell. “But I’ve recently been drawn to Whisp and Spark for something a little more vibrant and fearless—especially with a summery tan.”
Worth Noting: Beyond the prettiest blush shades, Glossier also expanded the formula to include five bronzer shades for a total of 16 shades to warm up skin. And because it’s in a tube, it’s easy to make a bit of a mess. Use light pressure to ensure you don’t squeeze out too much at once.
Category: Makeup | Key Ingredients: Collagen, blurring powder pigments | Size: 0.33 oz | Shades: 16
Why We Love It: The brilliance in this serum is that it’s not too fussy. It combines two skin care powerhouses—zinc and niacinamide—to purify and balance skin. “The zinc PCA is particularly great for breakouts because it’s anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and sebum-regulating,” says Graham. “The niacinamide not only helps prevent and reduce PIH, but it also offers anti-redness and barrier benefits, too.” As a bonus, it’s also made with allantoin, an ingredient Graham says is “really soothing” and “promotes healing.”
Who It’s For: Those with oily, acne-prone skin types, cystic acne, or blemishes in general can benefit from this silky serum. “Super Pure is a serum that’s incredible for healing breakouts quickly,” says Graham. “I always keep a bottle on hand and use it when I have a breakout and need to pull out all the stops.” Ramzy, who loves all three of Glossier’s serums, also likes this for sensitive skin types. “The serums are simple and layer beautifully together for plump, radiant skin,” she says.
Worth Noting: Although the formula is powerful against breakouts, it’s also incredibly gentle. “It checks every box for me in terms of necessary ingredients to treat blemishes,” says Graham. “And the ingredients play well with others too, so it’s easy to layer on other serums—like a mandelic acid—with it.”
Category: Skin | Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, zinc | Size: 1 oz | Shades: 1
Why We Love It: Sunscreen is a nonnegotiable for anyone’s morning routine, and this silky gel formula feels weightless and leaves skin dewy, fresh, and most of all, protected. “I love that this sunscreen leaves no white cast and delivers a dewy, hydrated glow—perfect for layering under makeup or letting your skin breathe freely,” says Lee. “I apply it after my serums, cream, and a splash of face oil, and it seals in the routine like a glassy top coat.”
Who It’s For: Anyone with skin should be using sunscreen in general. With SPF 50, this one gets five stars for texture and blendability. “Sunscreen is your best long-term investment in skin health,” says Lee. “And this one lives up to its tagline: ‘for people who hate wearing sunscreen.’”
Worth Noting: Most dermatologists will tell you that the best sunscreen is the one you’ll wear, so it’s important to find a formula you like. It’s important to note that this one protects against UVA/UVB rays with SPF 50, but it is a chemical sunscreen. Those who have super sensitive skin might want to look into a mineral sunscreen option.
Category: Skin | Key Ingredients: Avobenzone, aloe leaf juice | Size: 1.7 oz | Shades: 1
Why We Love It: A runaway success from the day it launched, the magic in Glossier’s foray into fragrance was that it smells slightly different on everyone’s skin. The base notes—Ambroxan and ambrette—give it that creamy, musky, sweet, warm scent, while pink pepper and iris give it a slightly spicy, powdery, earthy note. But spray it on, and your own body’s chemistry makes it really stand out as a fragrance. “Glossier You is so deeply embedded in my nose from years of repurchase that I can sniff it out a mile away,” says Graham. “I love it so much.”
Who It’s For: The ultimate fragrance for people who hate fragrance. You use your own body’s natural chemistry to build a scent profile that adapts to you. “It’s so special because it was really the first perfume to adapt to everyone’s personal pheromones,” says Sewell. “So the smell is unique to you, and everyone thinks it smells a bit different.”
Worth Noting: If you don’t happen to love You, Glossier has other, slightly different versions of the fragrance to choose from: Doux, Rêve, and Fleur. And while the scent naturally adapts to your skin, it does have incredible staying power (we sprayed it on while in our bathroom, and the scent lingered on our clothes and in the bathroom for a full day afterwards).
Category: Perfume | Key Ingredients: Pink pepper, iris, ambrette | Size: 100 mL
Why We Love It: This year is the year of soft focus, matte makeup, but Glossier’s finely milled loose powder has been a staple for years. “I use this as my everyday powder,” says Lerma. “It melts into the skin, leaving it looking supple and skin-like without appearing too powdery.” The formula—made with nourishing vitamin E and oil-fighting kaolin clay—creates an invisible veil over makeup with a soft, natural finish.
Who It’s For: If you’re in the market for a setting powder to blur imperfections, smooth out skin, and mattify shine, or if you feel powder is too drying for you, this option works brilliantly to set makeup or softly buff out harsh edges without leaving skin cakey or settling into fine lines.
Worth Noting: Lerma likes to pair the powder with a natural hair makeup brush for a “barely there finish” that gently sets your makeup without overly mattifying it. And while we love the formula, the shade range is on the minimal side, so we’d love to see a shade expansion in the future.
Category: Makeup | Key Ingredients: Diamond powder, kaolin clay, vitamin E | Size: 0.25 oz | Shades: 5
Why We Love It: For a gorgeous sheer wash of color, this lip oil hydrates, plumps, and leaves lips super soft and nourished. Made with shea butter, apricot oil, and raspberry oil, it bathes your lips in hydration and shine. “Lip Glaze is a beautiful lip oil that can stand on its own or layer with lipsticks or liners for a flattering look,” says Lee. “It enhances my lips and brings a freshness to my whole look that’s effortless, radiant, and a bit fun.”
Who It’s For: If you love lip gloss but hate stickiness, you’ll appreciate this cushiony formula that, according to the brand’s clinical studies, hydrates lips for up to 12 hours of wear. There’s six gorgeous shades to choose from and the soft, plush doe-foot applicator delivers the perfect amount of gloss for a your-lips-but-juicier finish.
Worth Noting: The colors are sheer, but buildable, but if you prefer a matte look, this has a gloss-only finish. Tip: For maximum color payoff, layer the lip oil over lipstick, tinted lip balm, or filled-in lip liner. Lee especially loves the shade Tangy, a shiny, citrusy, coral shade layered with Ultra Lip in Portrait.
Category: Makeup | Key Ingredients: Shea butter, apricot oil, raspberry oil | Size: 0.27 oz | Shades: 6
Your Questions, Answered
When was Glossier founded?
While Glossier was founded back in 2014, it came to fruition from the team behind popular beauty blog Into The Gloss. Created by Emily Weiss in 2010, Into The Gloss pulled back the curtain on the beauty routines of celebrities, founders, beauty pros, and all-around inspiring women, creating the infamous behind-the-scenes peek of their cabinets with The Top Shelf column that launched the #ITGTopShelfie Instagram craze. It solidified a community of beauty junkies that celebrated a unique approach to beauty and real reviews. Glossier became the ultimate love letter to that community, and each product was inspired by real feedback and things fans actually wanted.
Why is Glossier so popular?
One of the first brands to nail the direct-to-consumer commerce model and crowdsource feedback from their customers, Glossier has always been known for marrying skin care and makeup in a way that’s attainable, fresh, and approachable. “From the chic millennial pink packaging to the well-intentioned, user-friendly formulas, Glossier knows how to captivate,” says Lee. “[Its] products are approachable, effective, and designed to delight—bringing beauty into reach for the everyday consumer while still feeling elevated and trend-forward.”
With its skin care first, makeup second mentality, it secured and continues to maintain relevance with its customers and still brings in a younger generation of beauty lovers. “[Glossier was] also ahead of the curve by launching a super minimal ‘clean girl’ brand before it really became a thing,” says Graham. “Ten plus years later, we’re in the thick of this minimal, effortless, Parisian chic, girl-on-the-go aesthetic era that Glossier helped pioneer.” The brand started and continued to emphasize celebrating what makes you unique and having fun with beauty. “[Glossier has] never been shy when it comes to self-expression and it has really good complexion products that mimic real-life skin,” says Sewell. “The whole line is super wearable, and anyone who uses the products can achieve the look.”
What does Glossier You smell like?
A bit warm, a bit fresh, a bit sweet, and a bit musky, Glossier You smells a bit different on everyone; it adapts to your body’s natural scent to customize a totally unique fragrance. Made with energizing pink pepper, slightly earthy and floral iris, and a base of Ambroxan and ambrette, most users report it leaning creamy, warm, and familiar. Spray it on yourself as well as a friend to believe just how different it smells from person to person.
Why Shop With Us
Brianna Peters is a beauty writer and consultant with over a decade of experience in the beauty industry. For this story, she interviewed five professional makeup artists and aestheticians who all love and use Glossier for themselves and their clients.
- Kristen May Lee is a licensed aesthetician and the lead facialist at ONDA Beauty in New York City.
- Kelli Anne Sewell is a celebrity makeup artist, content creator, and founder and CEO of Makeup By Kelli Anne, an online platform for makeup tutorials and advice.
- Omayma Ramzy is a celebrity makeup artist, aesthetician, and founder of indie skin care brand Omayma Skin.
- Gianna Graham is a New York-based aesthetician and founder of the Upper East Side skin care space, Gaia Integrative Aesthetics.
- Dominique Lerma is a professional makeup artist based in Los Angeles.