Glossier

Glossier is an American beauty company founded by Emily Weiss in 2014. It originated as an online-only business, building on Weiss's beauty blog, Into the Gloss Later, it expanded into pop-up shops and retail locations.[1] The company distributes its products through its website, select retail locations, and stores such as Sephora, SpaceNK, and Mecca.[2] Glossier's products include skincare, makeup, body care, fragrance, and branded merchandise.

History

Emily Weiss began her career in the fashion industry and gained recognition through her blog Into the Gloss while working at Vogue. She founded Glossier in 2014 and initially launched four products: an all-purpose balm, a facial mist, a sheer skin tint, and a moisturizer.[3][4] The company later expanded its product line to include serums, masks, shower gels, body lotions, fragrances, lip balms, and lipsticks.

Glossier raised $2 million in seed funding from Forerunner Ventures and later raised an additional $150 million in 2018 and 2019,[5] valuing the company at $1.2 billion.[6][7] In 2018, Glossier opened its first permanent in-person retail location in New York.[8]

Financial data

Glossier's valuation rose to approximately $1.2 billion following a series of successful funding rounds completed between 2018 and 2019, marking its transition into unicorn status and underscoring strong investor confidence in the brand's long-term potential. During this period, the company experienced significant momentum in customer acquisition. In 2018 alone, Glossier reported that it had added more than one million new customers to its growing community, reflecting the effectiveness of its direct-to-consumer model, digital-first marketing strategy, and strong engagement across social media platforms. While Glossier has not publicly disclosed detailed revenue figures for the years following this period, the sustained growth in its customer base and continued expansion into new markets suggest ongoing commercial strength and resilience.

In terms of brand perception, Glossier has continued to perform strongly in consumer sentiment metrics. According to a 2024 SurveyMonkey study, the brand achieved a Net Perceived Score of 8.2, indicating a high level of positive consumer perception relative to competitors. This score reflects customers’ favorable views of Glossier's authenticity, minimalist aesthetic, and community-driven approach. The strong perception metric highlights Glossier's ability to maintain trust and emotional connection with its audience, even amid increased competition in the beauty and skincare sector. In 2018, the company reported an increase in its customer base, adding over 1 million new customers. Revenue figures have not been publicly detailed for subsequent years.[16]

Despite its strong brand equity and consumer perception, Glossier has faced criticism regarding its sustainability performance. According to Good On You (2024), the brand received a sustainability rating of 2 out of 5, indicating limited progress across key environmental and ethical criteria. Packaging practices remain a particular area of concern, with approximately 40% of Glossier's packaging reported as non-recyclable, contributing to ongoing waste challenges.

Reception

Glossier's products are popular among Millennials and Gen Z, who value the natural products and the aesthetic stores.[17][18] Several Glossier products, including the "Boy Brow" eyebrow gel and the "Balm DotCom" lip balm have a "cult-like following".[19]

Glossier faced criticism for the unsustainable packaging of its Play line.[20] The line shut down a year later.[18]

Glossier has established partnerships with the WNBA in 2020 and USA Basketball in 2024.[21]