Released in 2023, Meltzer gives Glossier fans an inside into Weiss’s millennial makeup brand which changed the makeup industry as we know it today. When Glossier’s first permanent showroom opened in SoHo in 2016, it officially became the it-girl spot in town. Soon after, celebrities such as Beyoncé and Timotheé Chalamet began to represent the brand, and in 2019, Glossier rose to a billion dollar value, and is considered one of the most influential brands today.
Emily Weiss–one of the original “girl bosses,”–was known as the mysterious, popular girl in high school. Weiss never actually attended business school and instead began an internship with Teen Vogue, allowing for the birth of her blog, Into the Gloss. Marisa Meltzer puts together a narrative filled with beauty, secrets, and a young woman navigating the business world. Despite all the turning points the company has had, the novel focuses on Weiss’s story at the center.
Weiss had always been known as ambitious and precocious from her reality TV feature on The Hills, to her title as “Superintern” in Teen Vogue. The foundation for a tangible beauty brand began when Into the Gloss’s “Top Shelf” features blew up and makeup fans all over the world were looking for more insights into the beauty world. Weiss basically invented the concept of “no-makeup makeup,” however it came with its own backlash. While Glossy is no Bad Blood, it attracts makeup fans and those who aspire to lead a business career.
The entire concept of Glossier represents Weiss’s personality. The brand creates an experience for all who make a purchase. Described as the “Disneyland of the makeup world,” Glossier stores allow for shoppers to try on each product, then place orders with employees dressed in pink jumpsuits. With the names of the shopper handwritten on the Glossier bags, Weiss ensured that Glossier stores would become more than addictive. The brand’s packaging features its iconic “millennial pink,” and with their marketing style they completely disrupted the beauty industry. In early 2021, the brand collabed with Grammy-winning artist Olivia Rodrigo to debut the opening of their Los Angeles store location. At the store, shoppers could register to vote all while getting to meet their favorite artist.
The pop-culture and makeup world go hand in hand. Glossier experienced fluctuations in sales throughout their early years due the constant shift in trends or the release of new media. Weiss pitched the brand as a simple, classy makeup brand, and it’s stayed that way. Its Instagram profile picture became its trademark color Glossier Pink, and fans became so obsessed that it has yet to change.
In May 2022, Weiss resigned as CEO of Glossier and handed over her role to Kyle Leahy, Glossier’s former chief commercial officer. While she no longer acts as the brand’s head, she has had a lasting impact on the beautify industry.
Glossier recently celebrated “10 years of Glossier” and Weiss sent a message to all the pink-obsessed makeup fans: “Glossier is about living in—and embracing—the now, not the past, and not the future. It’s about fun and freedom and being OK with yourself today. It’s about being nice to people and knowing that a smile begets a smile. Snobby isn’t cool, happy is cool.”
“Ultimately, I created this brand because I was inspired by people and their stories. Since then, this community has inspired me beyond measure—Glossier has exceeded all of my wildest dreams. Thank you for being here, for being you, and for making Glossier what it is.”
–Emily Weissvoi
