In October last year, after a decade-long wait, hip, hyped US-based skincare and makeup brand Glossier finally opened up its online shipping to shoppers Down Under.
Now, we’ll have a better chance to touch, swatch and explore the brands range of products. MECCA has announced it will be carrying the brand in 70 stores across Australia and New Zealand and online from on Tuesday, 16 July.
Chief MECCA-Maginations Officer, Marita Burke says Glossier has long been at the top of the brand wish-list for customers, and being able to fulfill those wishes was a ‘dream come true’.
“It’s a partnership that brings the same kind of magic and matches everything we’re about,” she says. “Innovative products, community-first, decadent pinks and unique store concepts…it couldn’t be more MECCA.”
The range will include skincare hits such as Milky Jelly Cleanser at $41 NZD / $37 and Futuredew Serum, $56 NZD / $50 AUD and makeup hits Stretch Foundation $64 NZD / $56 AUD and Cloud Paint Blush, $41 NZD / $37 AUD. Viral hit Glossier You Fragrance will be $135 NZD / $120 for 50ml.
It’s a rare occasion these days that beauty items are out of reach thanks to shipping constraints.
With the globalisation of courier routes and near overnight delivery between some countries, its not often you’ll find a brand limiting shipping options to their home country.
But such was the case for Glossier, meaning Kiwis and Aussies had to shop while travelling, or beg friends to bring products back from overseas jaunts.
Minimalist cool
Founded in 2014 by former beauty editor Emily Weiss, the line was initially a spin-off of Weiss’s beauty blog called “Into the Gloss,” where Weiss interviewed industry experts about their favourite beauty products.
Glossier’s minimalist aesthetic and emphasis on simple, effective formulas gained a loyal following, particularly among millennials, and within five years of launch the company was valued at US$1.2 billion. It pushed an ethos of skin-first, makeup second, (though its makeup options were equally popular) something that was rare in pre-pandemic days before the skincare boom, and fostered an engaged community through social media. It’s soft-pink packaging was also a huge drawcard.
After operating as one of the first successful online-only, direct-to-consumer brands, Glossier eventually extended into experiential retail with stores in the US and then spread its wings, first offering shipping to the UK in 2017 and then setting up a retail store in London. In 2022 founder Emily Weiss stepped down as CEO, as the brand seemingly made a push for a new audience, with Olivia Rodrigo–fronted campaigns. Last year the brand launched its first-ever retail partnership, with beauty mega retailer Sephora in the US, so many expected it might follow suit in local markets, but the brand has gone with MECCA instead.
What to shop from Glossier
So now we can get our hands on it, what’s worth buying?
Here are our picks from the brand’s best sellers and our favourites tested over the years thanks to a combination of travel, family that live in the US and YouShop purchasing.
L-R: Boy Brow; Glossier You EDP; Stretch Fluid Foundation; Futuredew
Boy Brow
One of its earliest hits, this brush-on, tinted brow pomade shapes and adds a touch of colour to your brows, giving the illusion of length and thickness to each hair. It was one of the first of its kind, and influenced a host of similar products in the years since.
Glossier You EDP
The one perfume the brand has created and unlike any other perfume there in our opinion. Arguably the original ‘smells like skin’ fragrance, it is formulated to be a personal skin-scent enhancer, meaning it smells a little differently on everyone. It has notes of pink pepper and white florals with a warm, slightly-sweet center with ambrette.
Stretch Fluid Foundation
The newest product in the lineup, this new foundation has a light- medium coverage, is available in 32 shades and promises to deliver a super “natural-to-you” finish. The gel-cream foundation is formulated to “fuse” with your skin (so, no caked-on effect), blending seamlessly for 12 hours of coverage.
Futuredew
An oil-serum hybrid that helps create a desirable ‘glazed’ look to skin while drenching it in beneficial ingredients. Designed to improve the appearance of texture and help skin look more radiant and hydrated, it contains Jojoba, Grape Seed, Evening Primrose, and Rosehip Oils, Squalane and light-reflecting minerals for that all-important ‘glow’.
L-R: Balm Dotcom; Stretch Balm Concealer; Milky Jelly Cleanser; Cloud Paint
Balm Dotcom
Another product from the brand’s original line-up, this gentle, vegan, universal salve for lips, cracked skin, and dry patches is a best-seller. There is one untinted, fragrance-free shade and eight further flavours, Rose, Mint, Mango, Strawberry, Birthday Cake, Lavender, and Coconut, each offering a subtle hint of tint that gives your lips the perfect kiss of color.
Stretch Balm Concealer
A pot concealer with a unique, lightweight and dewy finish that looks natural on and never ends up cakey. It comes in 32 shades and while it doesn’t have opaque coverage (which helps with that natural-looking finish), it is buildable, so you can just layer it up where you need it. It’s easy to apply with your fingers, meaning its great for a makeup novice, but you can apply with a brush too.
Milky Jelly Cleanser
This gentle pH-balanced gel-cream facial cleanser won’t leave skin feeling dry and stiff after using, more like plump and hydrated. Formulated with pro-vitamin B5 and allantoin, this cleansing milk conditions the skin while dissolving all oil, dirt, and makeup buildup.
Cloud Paint
A gel-cream blush in 10 inclusive shades that easily mimic a flattering, real life skin flush. A little goes a long way, so you only need a tiny dab of colour which is easily blended into skin with your fingers. Puff, a soft pink, and Beam, a peach hue, are our original faves. It’s also created with special blurring pigments that create a soft-focus effect, meaning it wont highlight pores or texture.
