Why I’m Trying Glossier

I can’t remember when I first found out about the brand Glossier. Or perhaps it was during that time somewhere in the limbo between the last day of university and graduation day that I had a sudden interest in skincare. And the only thing that made me veer off the path of cosmetics is that I treasured beautiful skin from within than having my awful skin hidden away underneath layers of makeup just to achieve the same effect. And the first brand that took me down this road is Mario Badescu. Following suit was Glossier, in all its pink polishedness. Though I’ve tried Mario Badescu’s Glycolic Acid Toner, I, like most other fascinated girls out there, have been enchanted with the hype that surrounds it, that allows it to thrive highly in our interest’s eyes. And to further aggravate the want to try out Glossier products, I am not able to purchase them because I live in Singapore—they only ship products within the USA and to Canada. That is only until recently was I shown an ad on Instagram by Shopee that featured Glossier products. Funny thing is, as a digital marketer, I know the only way I was able to see this ad is that I had to be living in Singapore to see a Singapore-targeted ad. And seeing that it was the all-time coveted Glossier brand, I immediately downloaded the Shopee app to make sure the ad wasn’t wrongly shown, that is, to me who lives outside the USA. And lo, and behold, the sellers on Shopee are doing drop-shipping for Glossier products. That means, after a year of wanting to try out Glossier products and fantasising about planning a trip to New York just to purchase them, I can finally try them out with these drop-shippers. Yay!

Glossier Products In My Beauty Regimen

Now the issue is this: I can only depend on the product descriptions on the official Glossier.com website and the good and bad reviews left by customers. The great thing about the Glossier product page is that they allow you to filter the reviews based on gender, age, skin type and skin tone so that you can narrow down your own pre-made opinion on the products you’re interested in.

So, based on the product descriptions and the reviews by satisfied and disappointed reviewers, I’ve come up with a ‘virtual’ skincare regimen, ‘virtual’ because I have no physical products to test out if I should get them or not, like how you would be able to tell whether you’re going to make a purchase or not based on actually trying out the testers at any brand boutiques. So, after going through tons of product descriptions and reviews, I’ve chosen five products I’d like to try out, and they are Milky Jelly Cleanser, Solution, Priming Moisturizer Rich, Moisturizing Moon Mask and the famed Glossier Super Pure.

Acne-prone Medium Brown Oily Skin.
Bring. It. On.

I have oily skin in a medium brown skin tone, and I’m 23 years old, going on 24 at the end of the year. I have acne-prone skin, more specifically hormonal acne-prone skin which appears typically in the week before my period. At the moment, I exclusive Sebamed’s Deep Cleansing Facial Toner, and it’s done a beautiful job at taming acne that I wouldn’t classify as hormonal acne, i.e. acne caused by dirt or foreign substances that gets under my skin. I credit this to the witch hazel/hamamelis virginiana component in the toner that has helped even out my skin the past one and a half years. I also found out that my skin is grossly allergic/irritated by tea tree oil, a more popular ingredient to quench acne. Because of that, anything I see with tea tree oil in it, I’ll never touch it, not even go near it, and that sadly includes Glossier’s cool looking Zit Stick. Perhaps the tea tree oil in it is the reason it’s been getting terribly bad reviews by angered users, only because they didn’t realise that they’re potentially allergic to tea tree oil like myself.

Without further ado, let’s get the virtual skincare regimen up and running!

Step #1: Wash Off That Makeup and Grime!

Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser // My whole life since I was about 14 or 15 I’ve only used Follow Me’s Facial Cleanser. It was a cheap option for a time when I was still schooling and had no job to afford more expensive formulations. Despite that, the simple Facial Cleanser served me well, with its combination of power citruses and acids—kiwi fruit extract, citric acid, glycolic acid (an alpha-hydroxy acid or AHA), lactic acid (another AHA) and malic acid (a dicarboxylic acid which can be considered as an AHA).

Now that I’m a little more financially available, and plus my interest in Glossier products, I’ve been looking at their Milky Jelly Cleanser. It has a totally different formulation from my usual Follow Me Facial Cleanser, and that’s mostly because it also works as a makeup remover. Basically, it’s like a dual-function cleanser that removes makeup when used dry (no water added) and used to remove impurities when used wet (like a foam? I’m not sure.) There are some ingredients used in each of the different cleansers that perform similar functions such as to act surfactants or foaming agents and it only comes down to which surfactant/foaming agent ingredient the brand thought was a better fit for their formulation. So, what differentiates them? I’ve listed some ingredients found in the Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser that are not found in Follow Me’s Facial Cleanser, essentially setting the two cleansers apart.

Ingredient #1: Rosewater // As mentioned on the product page, 1/4 of Milky Jelly Cleanser’s water content is made up of rosewater. I guess for the simple reason that it smells great and has its own set of benefits. It’s well known that rosewater contains antioxidants that work to kill free radicals in our skin that ultimately denatures the matrix of the skin, such as destabilising the collagen in our skin, thus breaking the skin’s barrier and letting bacteria in. Based on medicalnewstoday.com, it also has anti-inflammatory properties that help to soothe skin, damaged or not, and, more specific that being just an inhibitor of free radicals, it is also an inhibitor of collagenase and elastase, both of which are enzymes that destroy collagen and elastase in the skin, which results in your skin losing its natural bounce as well as protection. Perhaps after knowing these properties of rosewater, you might want to look out for products that contain rosewater. But do note that a product can only be as good as it claims to be with the right composition of its ingredients.

Ingredient #2: Comfrey Root Extract // Okay, I am going to drop a bomb. I was shocked to find out that Comfrey Root Extract is widely considered a poisonous and dangerous substance to human and animal life, due to it containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids that harm the liver and may very well be carcinogenic (source). In general, comfrey root extract is considered safe for topical applications (use sparingly for additional safety!) and is unsafe for ingestion (source). So, looking at this, you be your own verdict as to whether Milky Jelly Cleanser is the makeup remover-cum-facial cleanser you want in your skincare regimen. Personally, that fact that Comfrey Root Extract has carcinogenic properties already scares me. I’m feeling a little sketchy now about trying Glossier’s Milky Jelly Cleanser. But, knowing myself as being an unexpected life-threatening daredevil, I might still purchase this, but in the smaller bottle, just to see how it goes. Despite its carcinogenic component, users have written some pretty good and bad reviews about it, depending on their skin type. And, as much as I have read of the hundreds of reviews left on the product page, I have not found one that specifically points out the danger of Comfrey Root Extract in the makeup remover-cleanser they are using on their face. Yikes!

Ingredient #3: Pro-Vitamin B5 (Panthenol) // It’s an all-rounder: it soothes, it moisturises, it heals, it protects (source). Perhaps one thing you should know: pro-vitamin B5 is converted in vitamin B5 when it enters the skin and thus performs all that action above in the form of B5. So, B5 is what’s working underneath your skin to seal the deal on that bouncy, moisturised skin.

Step #2: The Supreme Sisters, The Triple Threat. The Acids That Exfoliate.

Glossier Solution // As mentioned in the introduction, I only use Sebamed’s Deep Cleansing Facial Toner now, which, apart from doing more deep cleansing after I’ve cleansed my face with a facial cleanser, it also helps to restore the skin’s normal pH level to about pH 5.5. While I restore my skin’s pH with this toner, I also *ahem* use it as an exfoliator. Which I shouldn’t because it may hurt my skin. But I’ve been doing it for months and it’s been great. But perhaps I should separate my exfoliator from my toner. I’ve chosen Glossier’s Solution for that, particularly because it boasts three families of hydroxy acids that does all the job of getting dead skin off your face, making way for clearer and hopefully blemish-free skin in time to come. One thing I should mention is that apart from the hydroxy acids and acne-fighting Niacinamide in Solution, it also contains aloe, presumably aloes vera, which I suspect my skin might be slightly irritated by it. Once, I used Sebamed’s Clear Face Care Gel, a gel that acts as a moisturiser which does a fantastic job at moisturising, but because of its aloe barbadensis leaf juice ingredient, my skin isn’t as surface-leveled as when I use Sebamed’s toner alone. I notice, after using the care gel on and off, that my skin gets bumpy when I use it and returns back to normal after about a week when I stop using it. Plus, I’ve checked the other chemical ingredients and they are present in other skincare products I use which don’t cause me to break out (or bump out). So, I’ve singled out the aloe vera that caused my skin to be irritated. But more tests in the future to reach the truth.

Ingredient #1: Glycolic Acid (an Alpha-Hydroxy Acid) // Held up by the beauty industry as the holy grail acid in skincare products, simple and petite Glycolic Acid goes deep into the pores and literally disentangles dead skin cells that congregate together. According to Julia Brucculieri, Glycolic Acid is also beneficial for those with acne-prone skin. Knowing that acne is caused by bunched-up dead skin cells, Glycolic Acid is obviously the acid that works to break the riot party up so that you will ultimately achieve clearer skin, freed from (most) acne, that is, on surface level, according to Ron Robinson, because it is essentially a water-soluble molecule and can only go so far into the skin as its hydrophilic property allows it.

Side note: I’ve used Mario Badescu’s Glycolic Acid toner once (and once only because it’s too expensive for me at the time when I wasn’t working and didn’t have the budget to continue using it). I’m not sure, perhaps it was the concentration of Glycolic Acid in the toner that wasn’t enough for my skin to feel like it was doing anything. The first time I tried it, I felt that typical stinging feel. But after a few days, the sting died down as my skin got used to the concentration. And by the time I finished the first bottle, I felt that the only thing the toner did was to keep my acne-prone skin just the way it was, not better, not worse. It literally maintains my skin condition. When that bottle was done, I got the Sebamed toner and I am on my third bottle already. Compare to the Mario Badescu toner, the Sebamed toner actually helped to reduce the occurrence of acne on my face and also maintains it that way. The Sebamed toner doesn’t contain Glycolic Acid, just Witch Hazel (Hamamelis Virginiana) which does the work of actually fighting acne on my skin. But, I’m willing to give Glycolic Acid as well as all the other hydroxy acids a second chance at smoothening out my skin.

Ingredient #2: Salicylic Acid (a Beta-Hydroxy Acid) // Unlike the alpha-hydroxy Glycolic Acid, Salicylic Acid is oil-soluble. This means that it is able to go deeper into the skin than Glycolic Acid as it is able to penetrate the oil layer in the skin’s pores (source). That means, while Glycolic Acid breaks up the riot party on the streets of topical skin, Salicylic Acid bombs the bunker-deep headquarters of blackheads and whiteheads that, I should think, have already resulted in pus. So, seeing as my skin is on the oily side, this beta-hydroxy acid is just the thing I need to reach deep into my pores.

Ingredient #3: Gluconolactone (a Polyhydroxy Acid) // Like its sister hydroxy acids, Gluconolactone is also an exfoliator to remove dead skin cells. But unlike its sister hydroxy acids, Gluconolactone doesn’t explicitly fight acne. Rather, it fights free radicals and ‘free metals’ in the skin that are a result of UV radiation (source). Ultimately, it also protects you from the sun’s harmful UV rays. With these acids in place, Solution looks like a good blend to expel acne and sun-damaged skin.

Step #3: Inject Some Moisture Into That Dehydrated Skin Of Yours

Glossier Priming Moisturizer Rich // I have never used facial cream in my life before, so this time, I’m going to put one in, and that’s going to be Glossier’s Priming Moisturizer Rich. I’ve been told once that for people with oily skin, they shouldn’t be using creams, essences and oil-based products, only because our skin is already highly lubricated with our own sebum and there is no need for us to super-saturate our skins with more heavy creams. But, as the silent daredevil that I am, I will be getting Priming Moisturizer Rich, as opposed to the normal Priming Moisturizer which isn’t as ‘Rich’ as this one, and it what ways less ‘Rich’ I’m not sure yet. Another reason why I’m interested to try this out is because of its content: it has ceramide in it, and I’ve been mystified by ceramides for a long time, since the start of my having taken interest in skincare.

Ingredient #1: Ceramides 3 (NP) & 6 (AP) // Generally, Ceramides 3 and 6 perform similar functions in your skin. They act as the glue that holds all the skin cells together in an arranged matrix to achieve their several objectives, one of which is to hold moisture in the skin and prevent it from evaporating into the atmosphere. This water-retaining ability of ceramides additionally keeps the skin hydrated, supple and firm (source #1 & source #2). Something special about ceramides that you should note is that these ceramides used in skincare products are what experts call ‘skin-identical’ compounds. This means that foreign ceramide (as opposed to naturally produced ceramide in the skin’s epidermis layer) added topically to the skin can merge into the skin’s ceramide layer, thus fortifying the skin’s ceramide layer, giving you that firm and bouncy youthful skin. This also means that ceramides are suitable for all skin types as they are already part of the human skin’s formation, even for those with highly sensitive skin such as those with eczema. The magic behind this is that with your skin’s ceramide levels replenished, your skin’s barrier is restored and heightened, thus protecting it from foreign particles. In other words, I’ve found another magic ingredient to help with the acne problem. On another note, as ceramides are essentially fats/lipids, and for anyone to reap the most benefits from this awesome ingredient, it would do you well to use ceramides in conjunction with other lipids, particularly cholesterol and fatty acids, which brings us to the next ingredient.

Ingredient #2: Five Fatty Acids (Palmitic, Stearic, Oleic, Linoleic and Linolenic Acids) // Derived from Kukui Oil, these five fatty acids work with ceramides to achieve an overarching objective: clearer, supple skin. Let’s get down to the details:

1. Palmitic Acid and Stearic Acid are surfactants that loosen up the surface tension between the water and oil phases in the skin. Because of its surfactant property, their main work is to bind themselves with water on one hand and oil and dirt molecules on the other hand, thereby taking and washing away dirt from the epidermis layer (source #1 & source #2).

2. Oleic Acid (omega-9 fatty acid) and Linoleic Acid (omega-6 fatty acid) both have moisturising, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, healing properties which help in the regeneration of skin cells as well as the protection of it (source). The difference between them is that Oleic Acid is more moisturising and penetrating than Linoleic Acid. For this reason, higher amounts of Oleic Acid is recommended for dryer skin and Linoleic Acid is recommended for oilier, thus acne-prone, skin. According to Mun Skin Care, people with acne-prone skin have an overabundance of Oleic Acid, which does a job too fantastic at retaining moisture in the skin that most time clogs pores, resulting in acne. On this note, acne-prone skin is also lacking linoleic acid, which is much thinner (less viscous) than Oleic Acid, which in abundance creates more sebum. Thus, Linoleic Acid is more suitable for acne-prone skin than Oleic Acid. But seeing as Glossier’s Priming Moisturizer Rich contains both, and in unknown concentrations at that, we’ll have to take a chance if we ever want to find out how good this cream is for our own individual skins.

3. Lastly, Linolenic Acid (omega-3 fatty acid) is described to be skin-restoring and skin-conditioning like a modulator (source).

Ingredient #3: Murumuru Butter // According to Teadora, Murumuru Butter consists of Vitamin A, C and fatty acids such as Oleic Acid. According to Mahalo Skin Care, it also contains Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid and Lauric Acid, the latter being the predominant acid in Murumuru Butter. Acne-prevention-wise, Lauric Acid has anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties which makes it a single-bodied triple threat to fight acne (source). It has also been compared to benzoyl peroxide as being better than it at reducing acne (source).

Step #4: Mask-querade Party To Keep Away The Baddies

Glossier Moisturizing Moon Mask // Recently, I just bought Origin’s Out Of Trouble 10-minute clay mask targeted at acne-prone skin. I’ve only tried it once and look forward to the days I can apply it again, as usage is only once a week, perhaps due to the presence of Salicylic Acid which may be doing enough action to last a week. If Out Of Trouble is my first non-sheet mask, then Glossier’s Moisturizing Moon Mask might and possibly could be my second. The first reason why I even decided to add in this mask is because, then, I never tried this kind of mask before. Second, the ingredients intrigue me and I’d like to see what kinds of results I’d get from the ingredient combination of this mask, especially since it includes ingredients that have acne-reducing effects. The only other thing that I’d have to look out for now is if the mask really does anything good for my acne. If not, then see if it does anything good at all. Below are some of the ingredients that struck me when I found out they’re in this mask.

Ingredient #1: Shea Butter // Extracted from the karite tree, Shea Butter consists of several acids that have been mentioned above, which are Oleic, Linoleic and Stearic Acids (source). Due to the presence of the first two acids, Shea Butter has moisturising, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Despite the above, Shea Butter is better well-known for its emollient property, meaning it moisturises by sealing in moisture, and thereby soothe the skin (source). At the same time, it contains Vitamins C and E, both of which work to protect the skin from (excess) free radicals caused by UV rays (source). Generally, Vitamins C and E work better together, especially when you add Ferulic Acid to the combination, rather than on their own. This is because Vitamin C is a water-based compound and Vitamin E is oil-based. Because of this apparent difference in their solubility, they balance each other out in strength, which is less likely to cause extreme changes to the skin’s surface composition. Example #1: if Vitamin E is used alone without Vitamin C, the skin would end becoming oilier (for oily skin types) than it was before because there is no Vitamin C to balance it out. Example #2: if Vitamin C is used alone without Vitamin E, the skin would become drier than it already is (for dry skin types) because there is no Vitamin E to bring out the oil to the surface of the skin (source).

Ingredient #2: Squalane // Now commonly sourced from olives instead of the livers of sharks, Squalane acts as an emollient (like Shea Butter) to seal in moisture and prevent it from evaporating into the environment. The best part about it is that its chemical structure/genetic makeup is similar to human skin, allowing it to penetrate deep into the skin, thus sealing in moisture from deep down under. And because of its similar genetic makeup to skin, it rarely causes acne as our own skin produces Squalane.

Ingredient #3: Hyaluronic Acid // In partnership with Squalane is Hyaluronic Acid, the famed mega hydrator, as Glossier puts it, that hydrates and moisturises the skin by pulling moisture from the environment into the skin (source). So how does Squalane fit into the picture? While Hyaluronic Acids attracts moisture into the skin, Squalane seals that moisture in the skin, preventing it from escaping. This double stunt act sounds like a mega hydrating experience I’d like to try and feel.

Ingredient #4: Licorice Root & Lemon Extracts // First up, Licorice Root has this amazing acne-fighting ability. Based on Annmarie Skin Care, the extract of Licorice Root contains a compound called Licochalcone (or Licochalcone A) which balances oil in the skin, making it a benefit for those with excess facial oil. Additionally, according to a study by Yang G et al., Licochalcone A is able to inhibit (one of) the protein responsible for causing inflammation that leads to the growth of Propionibacterium acnes (or P. acnes), (one of) the bacteria that causes acne. In this study, they found that by inhibiting the specific protein called NLRP3 inflammasome, the presence of P. acnes fell which resulted in the visible reduction in acne and inflammation. If that was too much of science for you, this is the takeaway message: Licorice Root Extract reduces acne, one way or another. Your own skin is the verdict. Second, we have Lemon Extract, which many sources write it as being inappropriate for the skin due to its extremely low pH/high acidity, which may cause the skin to become sun-sensitive (source). Perhaps knowing this you may become hesitant to try out Glossier’s Moisturizing Moon Mask. On the other hand, knowing that in this formulation there also exists Hyaluronic Acid and Squalane, the double-team hydration squad, the sensitising aspect of the Lemon Extract would be (hopefully) balanced out by the moisturising effect of Hyaluronic Acid and Squalane.

Step #5: Banish The Acne Enemy

Glossier Super Pure // Another famous product by Glossier a.k.a. Something I would obviously try. But there is a reason why I specifically chose to try Glossier’s Super Pure and not the other two which are Super Bounce and Super Glow (though I definitely will in the future), and that’s because of its suspicious and potential ability to treat or, at the very least, lessen the occurrence of acne on the skin. And this is primarily due to the two main active ingredients which are Niacinamide and Zinc PCA. As this blog i targeted to users with acne-prone skin, I thought I’d give this virtually acne-vanquishing serum a try.

Ingredient #1: Niacinamide (AKA Vitamin B3) // Presently glorified as the IT ingredient in beauty products, especially in products targeted at acne-prone skin, Niacinamide, one major form of Vitamin B3, is also found in Glossier’s Super Pure. In fact, it is one of two main ingredients in this cute little bottle of serum. Not that Glossier’s Super Pure is produced to specifically target acne, but the fact that Niacinamide exists in it as one of its principle active ingredients may have some effect in acne reduction. Basically, Niacinamide is a precursor to two major biochemical cofactors that are needed by all cells to function properly, including repairing damaged cells, hence the reduction of acne (source). This biochemical cofactor is called Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+) and Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate (NADP+). So, by providing the body with Niacinamide, an entire cycle of cell reparation is initiated. If you thought Niacinamide specifically targets acne, it doesn’t. What Niacinamide does is to provide bullets for the actual killing machine. Without bullets, even the sharpshooter can kill no enemy. In other words, products with Niacinamide in them generally don’t reduce acne, per se. The end result is that acne happens to have gone away due to the cell reparation cycle Niacinamide fuels.

Ingredient #2: Zinc Pyrrolidone Carboxylic Acid // According to Dr. Hannah Sivak, the Zinc metal has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. As for Pyrrolidone Carboxylic Acid, or PCA, is hygroscopic, an absorber of moisture from around it. In the salt form of Zinc, that is, Zinc PCA, this ingredient potentially offers the benefits of both Zinc and PCA, such as being able to control and reduce sebum secretion by inhibiting the enzyme 5 a-reductase that allows the production of Dihydrotestosterone which produces sebum. Not to worry; if Zinc PCA doesn’t directly kill your acne, at least it killed the production of DHT which (could) very well lead(s) to more acne.