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.

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.^[5]

Glossier raised $2 million in seed funding from Forerunner Ventures and later raised an additional $150 million in 2018 and 2019,^[6] valuing the company at $1.2 billion.^[7][8][9] In 2018, Glossier opened its first permanent in-person retail location in New York.^[10] In 2019, Glossier introduced a clothing and accessories line called GlossiWEAR, with limited edition items.^[11] A more colorful line of cosmetics called Glossier Play launched in 2019,^[12] but was discontinued a year later.^[13]

Emily Weiss stepped down as CEO in May 2022^[14] but remained on the board as executive chairwoman. Kyle Leahy, the former chief commercial officer, became CEO,^[15] and as of October 2025, Colin Walsh serves as CEO.^[16]

In February 2026, Glossier laid off approximately 54 employees, representing about one-third of its workforce, as part of a strategic reset under new leadership to improve profitability. These cuts aimed to streamline operations and refocus the brand on its core business, following previous major restructuring efforts in 2022 and 2020. The company, once valued at over $1 billion, has transitioned from a direct-to-consumer-only model to a more hybrid, wholesale-friendly approach.

In March 2026, it was announced that over the next two years and half years, nine of Glossier's twelve retail stores will be closing, leaving the New York, Los Angeles and London locations.^[17]

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.^[18]

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. While the company has introduced some initiatives aimed at reducing environmental impact, such as select recyclable materials and refill experiments, these efforts have not yet translated into a strong overall sustainability score. This gap highlights an opportunity for Glossier to better align its operational practices with growing consumer expectations for environmentally responsible beauty brands.

Glossier's products are popular among Millennials and Gen Z, who value the natural products and the aesthetic stores.^[19][20] Several Glossier products, including the "Boy Brow" eyebrow gel and the "Balm DotCom" lip balm have a "cult-like following".^[21]

Glossier faced criticism for the unsustainable packaging of its Play line.^[22] The line shut down a year later.^[20]

Glossier has established partnerships with the WNBA in 2020 and USA Basketball in 2024.^[23]

Individual products have received beauty awards from fashion magazines, including a number from Allure.^[5][7]