What Happened When a Beauty Newbie Tested the #1 No-Makeup Makeup Collection
Those who know me will tell you that my day-to-day look is pretty tomboyish; I didn’t even wear a full face of makeup on a normal workday until age 30, and I haven’t done it again since. So, as you might expect, I was kind of the perfect candidate to guinea pig the no-makeup makeup look being peddled by the NYC indie beauty brand, Glossier.
If you live in NYC like I do, you’ve no doubt seen Glossier‘s *super effective* ads all over the subway — especially if your commute takes you on the L train, aka the Williamsburg-Bushwick express (v strategic placement, Glossier!). Featuring fresh-faced models (who also happen to be Glossier employees) and promising a dewy complexion that moves and feels like real skin, the campaign for Glossier’s recently released Phase 2 collection gives a vibe of effortless downtown cool. It’s makeup for the girl who doesn’t really pluck her eyebrows or spend longer than five minutes getting ready for work. The girl who doesn’t mind hitting the town with a little bit of bedhead and slightly (or not slightly) wrinkled boyfriend jeans that only just barely pass the sniff test. The “lazy girl,” if you will. In other words: me.
The collection comes in a cute if not altogether durable ziplock-style plastic bag lined with pink bubble wrap. I would give the packaging a B+ overall; cute and unique if a little cheap looking. Moving on: Phase 2 includes a brow pomade (“boy brow”), a sheer matte lipstick (“generation g”) and a waxy “stretch concealer.” The idea behind all three is a translucent buildability that lets you choose your level of coverage without being all “look at my makeup!”
So, how about the formulas? Well, simply put, I really like them. Boy brow in brown gives my brows a little added bristle without looking too fake, and the soft color makes it hard to mess up. How it works for YOU depends on what you’re looking for in a brow product. My eyebrows naturally are pretty full and an ok shape, so boy brow suits my needs by adding just a little bit of thickness and texture. If you’re looking for shaping, boy brow might not be the product for you.
Generation g, which I’m going to start referring to as “the lipstick” because generation g is kind of a silly name, comes in four your-lips-but-better shades. I alternated between the two medium ones, “like” (a pinky neutral, pictured) and “crush,” a deeper rose. Both are pretty subtle and, in my opinion, not all that noticeable unless you really coat ’em on. They’re nice for daytime, though, and with fairly good wear. My only complaint is that they’re a tad drying, but then again so is any matte lip product. All told, me likey.
Finally, the concealer. It may surprise you (or not at all) to learn that I’m new to the world of concealers, so I have very limited basis for comparison. That said, I would complain that this very sticky and waxy formula brings out every single fine line under my eyes and isn’t great for masking my chin acne. Then again, it’s a nice color corrector — is that what you’re supposed to use concealer for? — and the medium shade suited my olive complexion just fine. I probably wouldn’t buy this on its own, but I do find myself using it regularly.
All in all, I think Glossier’s got a good thing going (despite my weird facial expression in the above pic). If you like highly-pigmented statement makeup you might not adore this collection, but if you’re a roll-out-the-bed-and-out-the-door kinda person, these might become your go-to faves.
Have you tried a no-makeup makeup look? Tag us on your next no-makeup makeup selfie @BritandCo!
