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If there’s one beauty brand that defined the 2010s, it’s Glossier. The brand that made no-makeup makeup mainstream. The one that convinced a whole generation that looking like themselves was enough.
But the beauty world has changed a lot since Glossier launched. Kosas, Tower 28, and Summer Fridays, and a few others, have all moved into the space Glossier created.
So the question in 2026 isn’t whether Glossier was great. It’s whether it still is today.
Here’s where I land after years of testing most of this lineup: some of the makeup still holds up, the skincare hasn’t kept up with the market, and the body lineup has a couple of wins buried in a category that’s largely easy to skip.
If you’re wondering whether Glossier still deserves a spot in your routine, here’s everything you need to know.
About Glossier
Glossier is a popular beauty brand that was founded in 2014 by Emily Weiss, a former fashion assistant and blogger. The company quickly gained a massive following for its minimalist and effortless approach to beauty, which aims to enhance natural beauty rather than cover it up.
Glossier Makeup Reviews
This is where Glossier has always delivered, and it’s still where they still shine.
Cloud Paint
Cloud Paint was one of the first Glossier products I loved, and it’s still one of the best things they make.
The formula gives a sheer, skin-from-within flush that most liquid blushes can’t replicate. Rare Beauty’s blush is beautiful, but it’s more pigmented, which makes a barely-there look harder to achieve. Milk Makeup makes a sheer blush I also like, but Cloud Paint has a wider color range.
At this price point, nothing else comes close.
On the Glossier website, they have bronzer shades in the Cloud Paint formula, which I can only hope is an improvement over the Solarpaint. I haven’t tried these bronzers, so I can’t say if they are worth trying.
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Stretch Concealer
This may be one of the best concealers I’ve ever tried. Not only do I use it as a concealer, but I also use it as a light foundation, which tells you everything you need to know about the formula.
It’s sheer enough to look like skin, but buildable enough to actually cover what needs covering. The finish is part of what makes it work as a foundation stand-in, something the actual Stretch Fluid Foundation couldn’t pull off. The only formula I’ve found that comes close is the RMS concealer, but the shade range is limited, and it skews yellow.
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Boy Brow
Boy Brow is one of those products that just works. It’s easy to use, gives real hold without making your brows feel stiff, and the tint is believable rather than overdone
If your brows are already full, a tinted brow product can read as too heavy. Thankfully, Glossier offers a clear version, something not all brands do.
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Lidstar
Lidstar is a fun liquid eyeshadow that doesn’t fit the typical Glossier no-makeup-makeup aesthetic at all, and honestly, that’s what makes it stand out. Every shade has shimmer, but it reads as wearable rather than overdone.
My main complaint is that the color range is limited. I’d love to see more options. At this price point, it holds its own. The closest alternatives I’ve tried are the Kulfi Zari Eyes, which runs about $10 more, and the RMS Eyelights Cream Eyeshadow. If you want a drugstore option, Versed makes a liquid eyeshadow, though only in four colors.
Ultralip
UltraLip is one of the best lip products Glossier makes, and I’ve been reaching for it since it launched.
The formula sits somewhere between a balm, a tint, and a gloss: sheer color, enough shine to feel intentional, comfortable to wear all day.
There are comparable products on the market now from Kosas and M.Ph by Mary Phillips, but I haven’t tried either, so I can’t say where Ultralip lands by comparison. For something similar at a lower price but with fewer shades, I like the e.l.f. Hydrating Core Lip Shine.
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Balm Dotcom
Glossier reformulated Balm Dotcom a few years back to remove the beeswax, which did not go over well. They eventually brought it back, and that was the right call.
The formula is where it should be, and the newer applicator packaging is an upgrade if you don’t love applying lip products with your finger. The lip balm and salve category has expanded a lot since this launched, but nothing quite replicates this texture. The closest I’ve found is Lanolips, but Glossier holds its own on color options.
I use mine strictly on my lips. For a multi-use face salve, I’d reach for the Jones Road Miracle Balm instead.
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Makeup To Skip
Skin Tint: I never fully got this one, even when it launched. The coverage is so minimal that sheer barely describes it. If you want a skin tint with more coverage, Summer Fridays is a better option.
Stretch Fluid Foundation: This one didn’t work for me at all. Color matching was difficult, the texture ran thick, and it was drying. For buildable, radiant coverage, the MAC Studio Radiance Face and Body Foundation is a better call. For a more natural finish, the Merit The Minimalist Complexion Stick is worth looking at.
Lash Slick: Lash Slick gives a natural, everyday look, but I usually want something that does a bit more. For natural lashes, with a bit more oomph, I’d recommend the Tower 28 mascara instead.
Generation G: A sheer matte lip product, which is a category I’ve come around to, but the formula is more drying than what’s on the market today. For a sheer matte that doesn’t dry you out, the Merit Signature Lip Blush is a much better option.
Lip Gloss: The Glossier Lip Gloss is a high-shine gloss, but it runs thick and a bit sticky, and at $18, there are drugstore options that do the same for a fraction of the price.
Glossier Skincare Reviews
Glossier’s skincare lineup made sense when it launched. However, the line can’t compete with all of the options that are available now.
Milky Jelly Cleanser
A gentle cleanser that leaves skin soft and doesn’t strip or irritate. If you have sensitive skin and want something mild, this works.
The issue is that it no longer stands out. The gentle cleanser market has gotten crowded, and there are comparable options at lower price points. It’s not a bad product, just not a standout one anymore.
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Invisible Shield SPF 50
This is a good SPF for the right person. It goes on clear with no white cast, and the dimethicone base works well as a primer underneath makeup.
If silicone-based formulas don’t agree with your skin, this won’t be the right fit. But if you want SPF that also preps skin for makeup, this is a good option, similar in concept to the Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen.
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Futuredew
An oil-serum hybrid with shimmer, and one of the more distinctive products in the Glossier skincare lineup. The formula is closer to a face oil than to glow products like the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter or the L’Oreal Lumi Glotion, and that’s what makes it interesting. I used to reach for it as a primer or mix it into foundation, and I loved it for that.
One thing to know before you buy: it expires relatively quickly, so it’s worth picking up only if you’ll use it up. It’s been long enough since I’ve had it in my routine that I can’t speak with full confidence about where it sits today, but the formula concept remains something I haven’t found elsewhere.
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Skincare To Skip
Super Bounce HA Serum: HA serums were much less common when Super Bounce launched. They’re everywhere now, and at a fraction of the cost. The Ordinary’s HA serum accomplishes the same thing for significantly less money, and the price difference is hard to overlook.
Milky Oil: A gentle makeup remover that does what it says, but a cleansing oil or balm does the same job without adding an extra step. There are comparable K-beauty options at a better price point too, so this is an easy pass.
Solution Exfoliating Skin Perfector: Currently not available at Sephora or on Glossier’s website, which suggests it may be on its way out. For anyone with sensitive skin, the actives are also too strong. If you want a chemical exfoliant toner, I’d recommend the Medicube toner pads.
Priming Moisturizer Rich: This has been reformulated since I tried it, and the version I used was too heavy for my skin. I can’t speak to the current formula, so I’ll leave it there.
Glossier Bodycare Reviews
The bodycare market has exploded since Glossier launched these products. Brands like Saltair, Naturium, and Cyklar have made most of this lineup easy to skip.
Body Hero Exfoliating Bar
This is a seriously gritty scrub bar that physically exfoliates well. Use it once, maybe twice a week. One thing to know: the bar is large and won’t fit most standard soap dishes, so figure out your storage situation ahead of time.
The exfoliating bar category has expanded a lot since this launched, but if you want real grit, this one still delivers.
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Bodycare To Skip
Body Hero Daily Oil Wash: This smells lovely, a citrus-based scent I really like, and a lot of people love how it makes their skin feel. If scent and skin feel are your main priorities in a body wash, you might like it. If you actually need to get clean at the end of the day, it won’t do the job. I’d rather use a real cleanser and add a body oil separately for the scent and feel.
Body Hero Dry-Touch Oil Mist: The original glass bottle with the spray mechanism was a hazard in a wet bathroom, easy to drop with wet hands. The bottle has since been redesigned, but I haven’t tested the new version, so I can’t say whether the experience has improved. For a dry-touch body oil, Saltair makes one in a range of fragrances at a lower price point. My personal preference is the OSEA Undaria Body Oil, though that’s not a dry-touch formula.
Deodorant: The aluminum-free deodorant category has come a long way since this launched, and there are better options now.
Is Glossier Still Worth It?
After years of using most of this lineup, here’s where I land: Glossier is still worth it, just not across the board.
The face makeup is where the brand still earns its place. Cloud Paint, UltraLip, Stretch Concealer, Boy Brow, Balm Dotcom, and Lidstar are all products I’d recommend.
The skincare is outdated, and the body lineup has stronger competition now than it did when these products launched.
If I were building a Glossier cart today, I’d skip the skincare and bodycare entirely and focus on the face products. That’s where this brand is still at its best.
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