Earlier this week, I noticed my phone pinging me about multiple referrals coming from my Glossier account, far more than usual. When I got home from work and checked my email, I realized that Glossier had stealthily dropped two new Generation G lipstick shades. I noticed Leo, the new brown shade, and was happy that they'd come up with another dark skin friendly color, but I didn't get excited until I saw Zip. OMG RED!!!
Then I saw their Instagram posts. Apparently, they didn't just add a couple of shades to the range. They tweaked the formula to make it more emollient and updated the packaging. Considering how many complaints I've heard about the lipsticks snapping right out of their tubes and my own apprehensions about the original flimsy plastic, these are laudable changes. (I almost repurchased Crush and Jam to get them in the new tubes, but I resisted.)
Leo is a sheer brown shade; while Glossier claims it "pop[s] with color," I'd liken its pigment level to the softer Generation G shades, Cake and Like. While I don't think it's very flattering on me, I'm glad they've included a nude for medium to deep skintones, since Cake can appear chalky or transparent on darker lips. It will also be a nice layering shade.
Zip is just as pretty as I thought it'd be: a fall-ready red with good color payoff a la the bolder Jam and Crush shades. I'd say it reads a hair warmer on camera than it is in real life.
A few people have wondered how Zip compares to Crush, so here are some quick comparison swatches! Crush is pink, Zip is red, both are quite pretty.
And is the formula different? A little, yes, especially for Zip; I noticed it glided across my lips and was easier to build. While I never found the original Generation G formula horribly drying, I will say that the current formula feels slightly more comfortable and weightless.
I spy with my little eye...scotch tape!
The real improvement, however, is the packaging. The new Generation G tubes look a lot like the original release, but they're ever so slightly thicker, especially around the top where the product twists up. The plastic itself seems a bit heftier--notice how you can see through the old tube, but not the new one. Hopefully, this will prevent the problem some have had with broken lipsticks. (ETA 10/15: I forgot to mention that the newer tubes have more product, too, clocking in at 0.07oz versus the original 0.04oz.)
My original opinion on these lipsticks stands: they are nice, but nothing revolutionary, no matter what the ad copy says. Most people will prefer either the sheer shades (Cake, Like, Leo) because they're natural and dummy-proof, or the more pigmented shades (Jam, Crush, Zip) because they have a variable color payoff while retaining that soft, blurred look. Unless you love the formula, there's no need to collect every shade; I myself will be sticking with the stronger shades. But the updated packaging and slightly creamier formula show that Glossier has heeded their consumer base, and that certainly heightens my opinion of the brand.
As a final note, I want to thank those of you who have supported me and my blog in so many ways. This includes using my Glossier referral link, which has been used at least a dozen times in the past week if my notifications are correct. In fact, I'm maxed out on store credit for 2016 (but you should still get 20% off of your first order if you choose to use it). An action as simple as using my referral links? That allows me to continue reviewing products for this space. Even if you never plan on using one of my brand referral links, I am absolutely humbled by and thankful for your readership.
Ooh, Zip looks pretty. This is about the first time I've been really tempted by Glossier. I just bought UD Sheer F-Bomb, because I want a sheer red, but it looks very pink on me. I also have Revlon Balm Stain in Romantic, which is too orange. Maybe this is just right? I am still not really happy about how small they are, though, especially, since, if it were a shade that worked well on me, it would get frequent use and need frequent replacement (unlike some lipsticks that I only use occasionally, which makes the size less important, imo).
ReplyDeleteI will note that you only need one or two layers of Zip to get a good amount of color, so I don't know if you'd go through it as quickly as one of the lighter shades.
DeleteThat helps!
DeleteOh, and I forgot to mention that the new tubes are 0.07oz instead of the old 0.04oz--I'll update the post!
DeleteI have one of the original ones, a pinky color, and I never reach for it. I find it lasts about 5 minutes on my lips and just feels...weird. That, and the cost per oz making these among the most expensive lip products on the market makes me give these new ones a pass, even though the colors look pretty. Also the whole Glossier "cool girl makeup" thing annoys the shit out of me. if you have to explicitly say that your brand is effortless and cool, it's not.
ReplyDeleteI think there's one type of marketing that always gets to us, especially if you're aware of just how much hype and bullshit goes in to ad copy of all kinds. For me, it tends to be the really faux science-y, all-natural, crunchy granola shit. Part of why I can't bring myself to touch Tata Harper products, for instance, is because of that "We put in all of these random ass plant extracts but it's okay because it's ~~~natural~~~ and your skin has just become ~~~sensitized~~~ by CHEMICALS!!!!!!!!" vibe.
DeleteYeah, I feel like I've been unfair to Glossier on my own blog because I hate that "we're the rich cool girls who ostracized you in middle school, now give us your money!" vibe. Other brands spend just as much on marketing and have their own annoying approaches, but Glossier's approach is the one that really gets under my skin.
DeleteWell thanks for ruining Tata Harper for me! (Kidding). And it's true, all brands just do what they do to sell their products. It's funny how certain things just press different people's buttons. But I just can't with Glossier.
DeleteWOW, Leo is sheer af. Interest gone. This type of lipstick just isn't for me.
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely got a certain customer! I think the Generation G lipsticks are perfectly nice, but most people can take a pass without missing much.
DeleteOh my goodness, Zip looks fantastic. But Glossier still won't ship to Canada so I refuse to jump through hoops to get them. But I'll crack when they ship here. Probably.
ReplyDeleteThey're going to update people on their shipping issues soon, apparently.
DeleteZip is pretty!
ReplyDeleteI'm really enjoying it.
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