Here’s what *really* deserves a spot in your basket
Guys and gals – it’s here. Glossier have finally commenced shipping to the U.K and it took me all of about 10 seconds to spot it on Monday and checkout with a basket full of Balm Dot Coms which I needed to repurchase as I annoyingly appear to have lost my old stash down the back of various different sofas. There are three AWESOME points to this launch. Firstly, they appear to be shipping from a U.K-based warehouse which means there are no taxes or customs duties to pay, just £4 standard shipping (which is free if you spend over £25) and £6 express shipping. Secondly, the prices have been converted to GBP without a massive hike – that means you can snap up the Milky Jelly Cleanser for £15 – BARGAIN. Finally, upon checkout you’re given a 10% off link to share with your mates – here’s mine if you fancy snagging a discount.
There’s hype, it’s absolutely everywhere and I’m sure you’ve seen about 26 of these posts on your Twitter feed already this morning, but to go with today’s video (scroll down to the bottom of the post if you want to see everything in action), I thought I’d throw my hat into the ring. I’ve somehow managed to give every single SKU a test, thanks to multiple trips over to NYC this year. So most of the bits I’ve been able to road test for a solid six months and amongst the line-up there are some ‘OMG YOU CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT IT’ products and there are others which don’t wow me as much. So here’s what I’d recommend buying and saying ‘bye’ to…
SKIN
WHAT TO BUY: Skincare is the cornerstone of the range and overall it specialises in glow-inducing formulas that leave your skin feeling so plump, you can dial down the base slightly. Obviously their Milky Jelly Cleanser falls into this category. I don’t use it for makeup removal, but it’s a great gentle formula that leaves my skin feels soft, not squeaky. The Super Pure and Super Bounce serums have become part of my daily routine and I often use both at the same time; applying Pure on my chin and any red areas and Bounce on parts of my face that feel parched. On the website the Balm Dot Coms are part of their skincare category and you need to try the Coconut version (I have already purchased another two to live in different handbags), it hydrates, but has a pretty matte finish on the lips and is great for cuticles too. I’ve already been through a whole tub of the Priming Moisturiser Rich because it makes me feel like I’ve got a real, hardy moisturiser on my skin but it doesn’t feel heavy or greasy. The Mask Duo perform well and I often use them both on a Sunday; firstly using the Mega Greens Galaxy Pack to detox and then the Moisturising Moon Mask to amp up hydration. These are slightly redness-inducing on my sensitive skin however, so I like to use them in the evenings only – something to note.
WHAT TO LEAVE: Personally I’m not crazy about the Priming Moisturiser, the original version, although I feel like greasy complexions will favour this one over it’s thicker consistency sister. The Original Shield is ground-breaking in it’s clear gel-like SPF formula, but I feel that my skin doesn’t agree with it too well and it makes my cheeks flush for a solid 30 minutes after application. The Super Glow serum is so watery that it’s impossible to apply and when I did manage to somehow pat it on I just didn’t feel like it did too much and the same goes for the Soothing Face Mist, which also made my eyes sting.
MAKEUP
WHAT TO BUY: If ‘no makeup, makeup’ is your daily beauty brief then this collection is going to sing to you REALLY, REALLY loudly. The reviews for the Perfecting Skin Tint are a mixed bag, but personally I like the minimal-coverage, maximum-glow formula and find it great for weekends where I can’t be arsed to wear much more than this and some mascara. I use Light in the winter and Medium in the summer. People overlook it all the time, but the Stretch Concealer is one of the highlights from the whole range in my eyes. I use Light and dip into it so much that I’ve almost used up a whole pot. It gives such a gorgeously glowy finish and because of that it never looks dry, whether you’re fading circles or spots. I have the Cloud Paints in Dusk and Beam and although I’m not crazy about blush, I like that these give a subtle finish that can easily be applied with fingers – personally a mix of both shades is the perfect peachy pink for me. The Generation G’s come in a shade range that’s six colours strong, but Cake and Leo are my most used two and I love them for their chapstick feel and matte, but not moisture-sucking finish on the lips. Daily I take the Haloscope in Quartz on my fingers and over my cheekbones because it’s the most natural highlight I’ve found, and do I really need to mention Boy Brow? It’s Glossier’s hero product and for good reason. I’d recommend picking up the Clear for days when your brows just need sticking down, then I use Brown when I need a touch more definition.
WHAT TO LEAVE: These products aren’t necessarily bad, but just don’t really vibe with my makeup preferences. For example their newly released Wowder, does exactly what it says on the tin, but I just prefer a pressed powder for ease of application as I find it difficult to get just the right amount on my brush. The Lipgloss is a thick, high-gloss finish which is just something that I never wear. Finally Haloscope in Moonlight and Topaz, are just a tad glittery for me, but that’s because they don’t work well with my pinky skintone; as a rule of thumb Moonlight will look great on paler skins and Topaz on deeper complexions.
BODY
This is the newest offering in their line-up and although I’m so behind the marketing and imagery on this one (SWIT SWOO LADIES!), I can’t say that I’m crazy about the products. I find both to be quite heavily fragranced and as someone with psoriasis on my body and sensitive skin, I can’t help but feel a tad irritated after using them; so bear in mind that I’m not the ideal candidate here. The Body Hero Daily Oil wash does make a great in-shower shaving product because the razor just flies down your shins when you’ve lathered it up. The Body Hero Daily Perfecting Cream has its plus points too. It moisturises without feeling greasy and there’s a hint of iridescence to it as well which isn’t noticeable on the skin, but makes your limbs catch the light in a movie star kinda way. So they’re not bad, I just feel like there are better items to drop your dollar GBP on…
Photos by Lauren Shipley
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