Visiting the Glossier Showroom
MODA has been documenting the rise of Glossier's digitally-borne beauty empire since the brand's early days. And while ordering online and choosing products purely based off of customer ratings and appealing packaging can be fun, I was intrigued by Glossier's relatively new showroom space in NYC.
The showroom itself is located in the penthouse of the brand's official New York headquarters. Guests enter the building from the street and take the elevator up to an airy, brightly-lit space filled with cheeky Glossier posters, take-away post cards and artfully arranged magazines. Friendly employees dressed in cute, pastel pink work suits offer help or advice when needed.
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The displays change according to season and product launches. When I visited this past weekend, the brand was celebrating the debut of the birthday cake flavored Balm Dotcalm–a glittery collaboration with Milk Bar, a popular ice cream and dessert spot with multiple locations in the city. Confetti and colorful balloons adorned the space to accompany the product's birthday party-themed launch.
Podiums dedicated to each item display all of the brand's products, free for curious visitors and shoppers alike to test out and purchase in store. The space can get busy depending on the day, but testing out all the products doesn't take much time given Glossier's curated and fairly limited collection of so-called beauty essentials. Any in-store purchase is accompanied by the brand's signature pink pouch, a slew of stickers and other trademark swag.
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I tried the new Invisible Shield SPF 35 sunscreen first, a recent launch for the brand that's part of a larger "Have Safe Sun" marketing campaign in coordination with Glossier's beauty blogging counterparts at Into The Gloss. The sunscreen really is transparent (and has a nice citrusy scent), with a consistency more in line with a light moisturizer or jelly cleanser than the thick, gloppy sunscreen you're used to slathering on.
I've heard mixed reviews about Glossier's skincare products and their effect on people with more sensitive skin, so I didn't spend much time experimenting with their face masks, moisturizers, cleansers or serums. I can attest to how effective their balms are, however. Balm Dotcalm comes in six different flavors, but they all accomplish the same thing. The salve is incredibly moisturizing–whether I am incorporating the balm into my daily makeup routine or swiping some on before bed, the product lasts and leaves my lips feeling smooth and hydrated. In my opinion, the Rose and Mint flavors smell the best, and I ended up purchasing the Mint to join the Cherry balm I already own.
I'd already purchased a Generation G in Crush, but I was curious to see how the other shades compare. As I mentioned in my previous review of the product, I am somewhat disappointed by how little pigment the product boasts. Even after multiple swipes on my hand, most of the colors barely registered, and the application appeared pretty uneven.
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The Perfecting Skin Tint and Stretch Concealer definitely perform as advertised and the coverage is minimal at best. I was pretty disappointed by the Cloud Paint blushes. The product didn't blend as easily as I would have liked, perhaps because the consistency of the blush is very liquid-based, making it harder to control your application. Since the blush is very pigmented and builds fast, it can be hard to salvage your look if you decide you've put too much on.
I also wasn't a fan of the Haloscope highlighters–one of the products I initially intended on buying before my visit. Considering the price of the highlighter ($22 a pop), the application was messy and uneven when I swiped a couple swatches on my hand. I own similar products (a shimmery eye pencil from Sephora and a creamy gold eyeshadow from CVS) that get the job done better and cost half the price.
I also purchased a Boy Brow (in color Brown) at the showroom. I've heard people gushing about this brow gel since Glossier first launched and I'm happy to say this product doesn't disappoint. I had my first trial run with the product when I borrowed my friend's Boy Brow a couple weeks ago and was impressed by how nicely the gel shapes and fills in your brows without altering their natural shape too drastically. If you're interested in trying out the product, I would recommend going a shade lighter than your natural brow color or even opting for the clear version.
Overall, the Glossier showroom was a fun and easy way to finally acquaint myself with all of the products I've seen floating around social media and the Internet at some point or another. While the collection was pretty hit or miss in my opinion, it all comes down to what you're looking for in a product. For lighter coverage and barely there makeup–a look, mind you, that is very on-message with Glossier's whole brand ethos–these products might do the trick for you. I generally prefer more bang for my buck, however, and would prefer either more product or better results to accompany Glossier's price tag.
Still a little unsure about trying out a Glossier product? Use this code for 10% off your first order! Happy shopping :)
