Giving up the Gloss
Replace your coveted Glossier products with these sustainably-made alternatives
By Elise Nye
Instagram
Some people trivialize skincare and beauty products, but I think there’s something so important about being comfortable in your skin. Having dry and acne-prone skin has made that a bit of a challenge for me. Hormonal acne that still felt painful and inflamed by the time the next bout came around made it difficult for my skin to fade into the background of my existence.
My skincare routine has gone through two major developments. First, I started taking spironolactone. I’ve since gone off of this medication because of the side effects, but it was huge in clearing up the majority of my painful acne. The second was Glossier. Since Glossier has created something akin to a capsule wardrobe for your skin, their product line helped me streamline my skincare routine and stopped me from grabbing any and all products that might help my skin look and feel better.
Prior to using Glossier, I layered my face with mattifying primers and powders so as not to appear oily, but that only served to suffocate my skin. I also used blotting papers to remove midday oil and shine, which made me feel disgusting. One revelation was learning to be OK with having my skin look like skin. My face was a lot clearer due to my medication, but being OK with little bumps and breakouts here and there was a lot easier once I learned to embrace my skin’s texture and natural dewiness, and this was easy to do with Glossier. It certainly took time, but as I learned to appreciate how my cheekbones caught the light, a few spots here and there didn’t seem as big of a deal.
I’ve now entered a third phase in my skincare routine: replacing my favorite Glossier products with ones that are low-waste and more sustainably made. I’ve discovered that I can achieve the same Glossier look for less and with products that have better or more natural ingredients. If that’s not reason enough to pass on Glossier, the company has also drawn criticism from its retail employees for being racist and abusive (detailed accounts are posted on the @outtathegloss Instagram). In Let’s Talk Glossier, our Content Producer Meg Chellew and Creative Director Amanda McCarty dive into all of the reasons why they decided to break up with Glossier.
While it’s easy to toss products aside to move onto the next thing, I think it’s important to finish what you have before investing in something new. The most eco-friendly product is the one you already have!
That said, every single person’s skin is unique, and a product that does wonders for me might be disastrous for someone else. Because of this, I can’t stress enough that listening to your skin, isolating your needs, learning which ingredients address those needs, and finding products that are transparent about ingredients used is the name of the game. You have to tune out a lot of enticing — and often unsubstantiated — product marketing. As an ex-goo hoarder, I know that this is a bit of a feat, but it’s worth it in the end.
Again, spend some quality time with your skin to figure out your routine essentials. Everyone is going to have their own perfect lineup, but here are some products that I’ve swapped out for Glossier products.
Pictured: A glass jar of Yay for Earth Sensitive Skin Face Lotion sits on a bold and colorful striped background. The label is made with biodegradable materials.
Replace Priming Moisturizer, Balm Dot Com, and Haloscope with Yay for Earth
Pictured: A jar of Xeba Botanica’s Hemp Face Cream SPF 32+. The jar is made of glass and has a brown paper label.
Yay for Earth moisturizer only has 4 ingredients (olive oil, beeswax, shea butter, and pomegranate seed oil) and is so nice on your skin. I mostly wear it at night, but it makes a great lip balm and it looks so pretty patted on your cheeks for a little extra glow. This lotion was developed with sensitive skin in mind. It is great for healing tattoos, and feels so luxurious when used as an eye cream. I use this stuff for literally everything, but one jar still lasts such a long time!
I like balancing a heavier moisturizer with something lighter with a more gel consistency, like this Loli Beauty Aloe Blueberry Jelly for when my skin really needs to breathe. I generally wear an SPF as a daytime moisturizer, but after a particularly hot and sweaty day, I love having a lighter nighttime option in addition to a heavier oil based moisturizer like Yay For Earth, which I might still use around my eyes and lips. A lighter moisturizer is also great under an SPF during the day when my skin is particularly parched. Again, you gotta listen to your skin!
Both of these products come in glass jars, which you can add to your jar stash once you're done with the products.
Replace Invisible Shield for Xeba Botanica Hemp Face Cream SPF 32+
Now this one might be a bit of a hard sell, as this sunscreen is not invisible. As a mineral sunscreen, you definitely have to work it in a bit, but it feels really nice on your skin once you do and it contains all natural ingredients. Bonus points for coming in a glass jar with a metal lid!
I think it’s so worth giving mineral sunscreens a shot, but if you’re not quite there yet, I’ve loved this EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46. It has niacinamide in it, making it a great choice for acne prone skin AND if you’re hooked on Glossier’s Super Pure Serum, this is the perfect two in one product! The downsides are a more complicated ingredients list and it comes in a plastic bottle.
Pictured: A glass pump bottle of Indie Lee’s Brightening Cleanser. Through the frosted glass, you can see the product is a light yellow and has a jelly consistency.
Replace Milky Jelly Cleanser for Indie Lee’s Brightening Cleanser
I love this cleanser so much; I think I’m on my 5th bottle of it. This cleanser is great for removing makeup and is truly a joy to use. The thicker gel consistency feels so nice and it works into such lovely lather. I wear thick winged liner every day, and though it might take two passes, this cleanser thoroughly removes all of my eye makeup and leaves my face feeling extra fresh. Because of this cleanser, I’ve essentially stopped using makeup remover altogether.
You can also add a little luxury into your routine by leaving this cleanser on for 5 minutes before rinsing for a mini exfoliating facial. I love the added versatility of it in that way. It comes in a glass bottle, but the pump is still plastic. It is definitely a step in the right direction, but something to keep in mind if you want a more package-free product.
Pictured: A large frosted glass bottle of The Ordinary’s Hyalauronic Acid 2% + B5 serum and a smaller bottle of The Ordinary’s Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% serum sitting on a bold and colorful striped background.
Replace Glossier’s Serums and try ones from The Ordinary!
Glossier introduced me to so many types of products that I still use today, but once I did a bit more research, I realized that leaving behind the bubble gum packaging meant I could spend a fraction of the price for the same if not better results.
Instead of Glossier’s Super Bounce Serum (hyaluronic acid + b5) try The Ordinary’s Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Serum. This is $6.80 for a 30ml bottle compared to $28 for Glossier’s 30ml bottle. I love this serum so much for that little extra boost of moisture that I’d recommend getting the 60ml bottle for $12.80. It is still less than half the price of Glossier’s 30ml bottle!
Instead of Glossier’s Super Pure Serum (Niacinamide + Zinc) try The Ordinary’s Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Serum. This serum is $5.80 compared to Glossier’s $28 version. One of my favorite parts of the Ordinary is how informative the site is. If Glossier is trying to sell you on a Dewy Dream World, the Ordinary is here to slap you with the facts. The descriptions tell you exactly what the product is for and recommend what you might want to use instead if this isn’t quite the thing you’re looking for. They’ll also tell you which products you should avoid using at the same time. For instance, you should avoid using the Niacinamide and Zinc serum with Vitamin C.
Speaking of Vitamin C, instead of Glossier’s Super Glow Serum, try The Ordinary’s Ethylated Ascorbic Acid 15% Solution. The Ordinary has tons of different Vitamin C adjacent products, but this is the one I’ve used and liked. Diving into The Ordinary’s Vitamin C Guide can be a bit overwhelming, but their breakdowns make it possible to identify which product best suits your needs. Even if it takes more time, I feel like I’m getting a product that will work for me rather than being sold an idea. This serum is $18 for a 30ml bottle compared to Glossier’s $28 price tag for their Super Bounce Serum.
With these serums, I cannot stress enough the importance of listening to your skin! I haven’t been using serums every day lately, but if I’m feeling a little extra bumpy I might use a little Niacinamide + Zinc before applying my moisturizer. If my skin is feeling crazy dry, I’ll pat on some Hyaluronic Acid. Serums are perfect for addressing your skin issue du jour, but they shouldn’t add 16 steps to your everyday skincare routine.
Drop Boybrow for a Brow Pomade
To be completely honest, I’m not the biggest fan of the pomade I’m using currently, so I’m not going to recommend it! A little pot of pomade will last you a lot longer than a tube of boy brow, making it a much more eco friendly and economical choice. Let me know if you find one that you like!
Pictured: A mostly used tube of Glossier’s Cloud Paint in Dusk sits next to a mostly full tube of Glossier’s Cloud paint in Storm.
Drop Cloud Paint for well… Cloud Paint!
Now hear me out! I bought two tubes of Cloud Paint in dusk and storm in a duo sale more than two years ago and they’re still going strong. Those bad boys last FOREVER! While it’s easy to toss products aside to move onto the next thing, I think it’s important to finish what you have before investing in something new. The most eco-friendly product is the one you already have!
That said, I’m very interested in trying these Axiology Lip to Lid Balmies once I finish off my Cloud Paint in 2026.
Conclusion
No matter what miracle fix companies try to sell you, you’re still gonna be a cute little human with pores and wrinkles and discoloration. I’ve done my best to throw perfection to the wind and try to find products that make my skin look and feel healthy.
I hardly ever wear skin makeup anymore (aside from blush). While my skin is far from clear right now, I don’t really get the “Are you OK?” or “You look tired” and “Are you sick?” comments on days that I decide to skip makeup all together. People are definitely more used to my natural face, but I think the real difference is that I’m actually taking care of myself rather than ignoring or covering up my needs to achieve some sort of ideal.
We all know that Glossier is a pretty trash company at this point, but for every #Girlboss millennial pink brand, there’s another small business with an incredibly thoughtful product to take its place. Just go to Yay For Earth founder Stevie’s Instagram to see how passionate she is about her lotion and how ecstatic she is upon reaching each business milestone.
At the end of the day, you probably don’t need as many products as the internet says you do, and it’s much easier than you think to give up the Gloss. Listen to your skin. I believe in you!
Editor: Phoebe Bates | Designer: Kelsey Wolf | Photographer: Elise Nye | Copy Editor: Katie Frankowicz | Communication/Support/Outreach: Elise Nye
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