The Rise and Fall of Glossier
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From ColourPop to KKW Beauty to Kylie Cosmetics, these direct-to-consumer female-run beauty brands continue to reinvent the retail experience of the beauty industry. One of the greatest success stories is that of Emily Weiss’ beauty brand, Glossier. Founded in 2014, Glossier has developed into one of the nation’s premier and most prosperous beauty brands. In October of 2014, Weiss released Glossier’s first four products on the Into the Gloss website: the Soothing Face Mist, Priming Moisturizer, Balm Dotcom lip gloss, and Perfecting Skin Tint foundation. The first Glossier launch also introduced their renowned motto of “skin first, makeup second.”
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But what everyone wants to know is how Glossier went from a mere makeup blog to a billion-dollar industry-changing DTC beauty brand. In an article on Glossier, Weiss wrote that “Glossier is about living in—and embracing—the now, not the past, and not the future. It’s about fun and freedom and being OK with yourself today. It’s about being nice to people and knowing that a smile begets a smile.” This is a powerful message because it reflects how Weiss wants the Glossier brand to be perceived. It’s not just another brand, it’s a beauty phenomenon because it has built its brand around understanding its customers through personal and authentic connections. Glossier was unique in that it wasn’t just about the products; it was about the people that make it all possible.
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Glossier started out as nothing more than an online blog. Now, the company has hundreds of ambassadors, and with the help of these influencers, the New York-based company has become an even greater success in creating products for your every need. Eventually, Glossier became one of the most popular beauty brands in eight years. This startup is especially extraordinary because the creator, Emily Weiss, made a name for herself in the beauty industry. Before her, the beauty industry was known for dictating what is on-trend, fashionable, and desirable for women, but Weiss wanted to give women a platform to take control of the discourse. Ultimately, Glossier has been defined as a beauty brand comprised of customer-focused content.
Conversely, up until just recently, things started going south for the online beauty startup. Behind the scenes, the company started to struggle with its strategic initiatives and other complications because of the pandemic. What’s more, from a financial standpoint they had to reframe their company structure after going public. Earlier this year, Glossier was rumored to be laying off more than a third of its corporate workforce, specifically those who worked on the technology team. The layoffs were later confirmed by a representative of the company. The brand, famous for being valued at over $1 billion, is currently suffering from being the subject of negative press as a result.
Image Courtesy: Glossier
All in all, of the many beauty brands that currently exist, Glossier is one of a kind and has outdone itself in multiple aspects of the industry. Is Glossier set to make a comeback and flourish once again?
Strike Out,
Writer: Samantha Petters
Editor: Noelle Knowlton
Graphic Designer: Alison MacCloud
Tallahassee