An overdue Glossier review

I bought the Glossier Phase 2 set in July this year with an intent to try it out and review it here but completely forgot to because—well, because of a lot of things, but mostly laziness. So this is going to be my first beauty-related post since July 8th. Ugh. How embarrassing!

I purchased the Glossier Phase 2 Set for $40 to mainly try out the "Generation G" lipstick and the "Boy Brow" brow mascara. I wasn't so enthusiastic about the "Stretch Concealer" because my under-eye dark circles are far worse than the average person's and it only takes the strongest and most full coverage concealers (Nars) to disguise them.

I received a slight discount (around $12) by buying this set instead of each individual item.

Above swatches: left - Generation G in crush, right - Boy Brow in brown

My first impression of Glossier products is that they are all very lightweight and sheer. So if you want something with more coverage and higher pigmentation, I wouldn't recommend these products. Since the Glossier brand focuses on a fresh-faced, glowy, natural look, their products are used to enhance the everyday face rather than to make a statement. If anything, these products create a great "no-makeup makeup" look.

Generation G: I found the Generation G lipstick to be very sheer on my lips and not very long lasting. Because it's intended to be "tinted lip balm"—and very moisturizing because of that—this product is not meant to be smudge-proof or kiss-proof. It was a little hard for me to get used to this because I'm very used to high-pigment Korean lip tints that last a day on my lips. Because my skin is also very washed out, I tend to go for darker, redder shades. However, I found the color, "Crush," to be absolutely beautiful and refreshing and think that it would be a great shade for spring (or even Valentine's day!). In fact, I think every Glossier product and their shades are better fit for spring/summer rather than autumn/winter.

Boy Brow: Although I had mixed feelings about the Generation G, I was impressed by the Boy Brow. I previously used the brow mascara by Benefit (which was all right, but didn't have a very pleasant smell to it) and one by Innisfree (which was the wrong shade for me). This shade of brown, however, really fit my brows and gave them more definition without making them look too overdone or fleek-y. On lazy days when I don't feel like doing my full brow routine with the Anastasia Brow Wiz, this is the perfect option.

The Stretch Concealer in Light was, as expected, disappointing. It provided very minimal coverage for my under-eyes and didn't do much to conceal the dark circles. Its consistency is quite creamy and blend-able, with a slight brightening effect. I would recommend this to those who don't have a very bad under eye problem, but want to enhance that area with brightening/highlighting. For those like me who have blue-toned, super obvious dark eye circles, I want to recommend a high coverage concealer such as the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer, or a less-pricey K-beauty dupe for the Nars: The SAEM Cover Perfection Tip Concealer.

One thing about Glossier I was impressed with was the cheerful, millennial-pink packaging they provided which was so up my alley. I was also overjoyed that they included some super fun stickers in the package. Their branding is definitely on.point as you can see with their social media marketing. Even though their products aren't super effective and convincing enough to buy again, I can definitely see the hype about purchasing their products to achieve that glowy, effortless, no-makeup look they've made so popular in their ad campaigns.

I also really identify with the quote on the box: "Skin first, makeup second." I haven't tried any of their skincare, but if you have, please let me know how their products worked out for you :)