Glossier (Update For) You

plus a giveaway, derms vs. estis & a sunscreen scandal

Happy Wednesday! How are your eyes feeling? Lots to discuss today.

Photo: Screenshot from EasyDrawingTips.com on how to draw different eye expressions. Even normal eyes seem to have bags, unfortunately.

Thank you to everyone who replied to last week’s issue with their comments and thoughts on Glossier. I was able to chat with someone on their team who offered some insight on last week’s announcement and Glossier’s product development thought process. 

In addition to my general proclivity for internet drama I am not part of, the response to Full Orbit piqued my interest for a few reasons. First, up until last week, I had no idea that Bubblewrap had such devotees. I was curious what the hype was all about. And second, if that’s the case, why did it seem like Glossier, a brand that has always promoted itself as community-driven, hadn’t been listening?

Here’s a summary of what I learned, through dozens of you, about the hype: it helped hydrate, brighten and reduce puffiness. The cream formula was super hydrating without being rich, making it great for the milia-prone. It sat beautifully under makeup. The packaging, a small pump, was perfect at dispensing. One DM in particular provided excellent clarity, “Bdubs was nothing special, but that’s what made her so great.” And what I think, at least partially, contributed to her downfall.

Bubblewrap, described as a moisturizing, cushiony cream for eyes and lips, was discontinued in 2021 after 2 years. The decision was ultimately made for a variety of reasons, but driven by the numbers. It just wasn’t a top seller and they knew they could do better. According to my source, the brand is committed to always giving you the best possible product, which sometimes means pulling something that doesn’t have traction and trying to bring a better version of it to life. In a sense, it seems like Bubblewrap was beloved for the exact reasons it needed an upgrade – it delivered on basic promises, but didn’t do much more than that.

Unfortunately, a basic, no-frills product doesn’t encourage a lot of fanfare, even from the fans. As I told my source, who agreed, I feel like people are so quick to let a brand know when they don’t like a product, but they don’t have the same impulse to tell them when they love something, especially when their reasons for loving it aren’t particularly exciting. 

Sales are obviously the clearest way to demonstrate love for a product, but I asked my source what else their team takes into consideration, since it appears the low sales of Bubblewrap didn’t accurately represent public opinion. Posting, commenting, sharing with friends and writing reviews are great options. It can be hard to gauge, they explained, when there’s a small, very vocal group in the comments, but tens of thousands of people who aren’t in the comments. Letting a brand know that you love their product, even for its simplicity, can be meaningful, especially at Glossier.

Glossier has a uniquely outsized Customer Experience Team who read every comment and DM, which can both set the brand up for success and invite a barrage of negativity. Examples of such successes were making Glossier You bigger and launching a candle that smells like Body Hero. Listening to the negatives can also have its downsides, such as in the case of Balm Dotcom, which was largely reformulated due to cries to make the formula vegan and free of Petrolatum. (Heads up: the almost sold-out limited edition holiday scents are the original, non-vegan formula.)

But enough about an eye cream that doesn’t exist anymore. Glossier spent 2 years developing their new eye product, designed to do more for the eye area than just hydrate and could be used around the entire orbital bone aka Full Orbit. The ingredients are more suited to the eye area, including Polyglutamic Acid and Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate and minimize moisture loss, White Hawthorne and Jasmine for brightening and Niacinamide and Arctic Microalgae to minimize puffiness and reduce the appearance of fine lines. It’s packaged in a tube with a clear tip that dispenses a tiny amount of product at a time. The formula is a lightweight gel-cream, which the brand mentions on their site, is less likely to cause milia. The clinical testing results have not been published yet, but consumer trials and preseeded reviews all trend positive. I’ve only used it twice, but I can confirm it left my eyes feeling nice and hydrated. They’re also offering it in a duo with their concealer, implying it’s designed to work well with makeup.

Even if Glossier wasn’t aware of the reasons people loved Bubblewrap, they knew what people would be looking for in Full Orbit. That’s impressive. Then again, maybe that’s just Glossier.

Curious to try it? Glossier has graciously offered to send Full Orbit to 5 of you! To enter the giveaway, just like this post. I’ll randomly select and email the winners on Sunday.

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If I’m ready to really start taking care of my skin, should I go to a dermatologist or esthetician first?

Of course I’m biased, but if it’s your first time seeking professional skincare help, I vote esthetician. Don’t get me wrong, I love dermatologists and you’re not doing anything wrong by going to one first. Dermatologists are experts at diagnosing, prescribing and performing advanced procedures and treatments. They also have 49 other patients to diagnose, prescribe and perform procedures on that day. Again, absolutely no shade to dermatologists. They’re not all rushing you out with a Tretinoin prescription and no instructions, but they’re also not spending quality time with your skin like during a facial. There’s a reason both professions exist!

As an esthetician, I’m spending about an hour with you and your bare skin. I’m touching it with my hands and watching how it reacts. I’m asking questions about your lifestyle and preferences in order to build a routine you’ll enjoy using and a long term plan to reach your goals. I’m likely more familiar with all the brands you see at Sephora and on Instagram and won’t necessarily stray you away from them. I consider it part of my job to be aware of the latest brands and viral trends. My goal as an esthetician (outside of making you look and feel ~fabulous~) is to help you understand and build a relationship with your skin. I want to make taking care of your skin an enjoyable daily practice, whatever that means for you. 

The key to good skin, any professional will agree, is your home care. In office results only go as far as the products you use to maintain them. So if you don’t have that foundation in place or you want to tweak your current one, go to an esthetician who can help get you on the right track. (As a bonus, we’ll also probably be a lot easier to get directly in touch with if you have questions.)

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From the DMs…

quick questions & comments you may have too

• Do you have a favorite reusable face cloth to use to micellar water for makeup removal? I like Makeup Erasers! Particularly the 7-Day Sets. But most often I use Clean Skin Club for any towel-related face needs.

• Approximately 1 million people asked if I’ve seen ads for the Jolie Shower Filter on Instagram. Yes, yes I have. In fact, when they soft-launched last year, I sent them a DM informing them of their obligation to send one to an esthetician named Jolie. And they did! Unfortunately, I didn’t realize that my apartment has some highfalutin shower head that we can’t swap out. But we’re moving when our lease is up, so hopefully I’ll be able to try it soon. However, I do think water makes a difference so if your shower is compatible, check it out. 

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Three Other Things

1. Ställe Studios (where I work!) was featured on Refinery29’s YouTube channel, talking about our new peel offering, the BioRePeel (aka Glass Skin Peel). The innovative 35% TCA peel is all over social media and not just because of its fun neon-green color. The patented dual-phase biostimulation technology has been clinically tested and proven to significantly decrease damage from UV rays, pigmentation, acne and acne scarring with zero to minimal shedding. I’ve done it to myself twice so far and have yet to find anyone who hasn’t loved the results. It was also created in Italy 🤌🏻

2. I love this recent article from Allure explaining how to spot fake “after” photos. The piece focuses on cosmetic procedures, but the tips are widely applicable.

3. On the topic of fakes…Dr. Julian Sass, a cosmetic scientist, SPF expert and my friend (the trifecta!) recently posted the results of his wild investigation into a sunscreen with questionable claims. I highly encourage you to watch part one and part two for both the scandal but also some insight into how sunscreen is tested and regulated.

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Office Hours Reminder

Join us for Office Hours on Sunday! This exclusive weekly opportunity is available to paying subscribers.

Every Sunday at 5pm EST, I’ll begin a new thread for the week in Substack Chat, where you can ask me anything. Every Monday from 5-6pm EST, I’ll be in that chat live, answering questions for the hour. That way, if you can’t make it, you can submit any time after 5pm Sunday and still get an answer. If you can make it live, join in! You can ask questions in real time and (hopefully) interact with others in class ;)

Discount Codes

• Ställe Studios: HOTLINESKIN for 15% off

Have a great week!

xx,

Jolie