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The 'Glossy' legacy of beauty founder Emily Weiss

A general view at Glossier Pop-Up Shop at Nasty Gal Santa Monica on June 4, 2015 in Santa Monica, California.  (Photo by John Sciulli/Getty Images for Nasty Gal)
A general view at Glossier Pop-Up Shop at Nasty Gal Santa Monica on June 4, 2015 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by John Sciulli/Getty Images for Nasty Gal)

Skincare-forward cosmetics brand Glossier burst onto the scene in 2014. It quickly disrupted the beauty industry, with its chic branding and sleek packaging emblazoned with an iconic hue (later dubbed “millennial pink”).

By the mid-2010s, the brand had expanded from 4 products to a signature fragrance, a line of body care products, and apparel.Hundreds of customers would queueup for several city blocks, eager to access limited edition pop-up retail stores for the Glossier experience.

It was full-on fanfare, with a billion-dollar valuation.

The woman credited with pioneering a cult following of brand loyalists – referred to as Generation G – isEmily Weiss. The former Teen Vogue intern turned fashion writer turned beauty blogger ledGlossier to astronomical heights before stepping down from the CEO post last year. 

How did one woman turn a beauty blog side project into a 1-point-8-billion-dollar cosmetics business? And what lessons did she learn along the way?

Copyright 2023 WAMU 88.5

Lauren Hamilton