ONDINE'S ESCAPADES

Like many women my age, I have unabashedly joined the Glossier cult. I use their Rich Moisturizing Cream and Face Cleanser religiously, swear by the green galaxy mask, and groom the hairy caterpillars above my eyes with their Boy Brow daily. I even decorated my phone case with some of their stickers at one point! Their marketing is so effective - I even found myself tweeting and posting Facebook statuses about them advertising the personalized code they gave me, all so I could get MORE products for free. While I do believe Glossier is worth the hype, its toll on my wallet is definitely up for debate. Their skincare products do not contain any magical formula to them; while they are focused on pushing forth natural ingredients that are good for your body’s largest organ, I would not say that they work any better than the drugstore’s best salves, soaps and creams. It is easy to promote and advocate for a self-care movement that involves bath bombs, expensive sheet masks, and multiple facials when you can afford it. 

Glossier’s rise on everyone’s Instagram feeds (and faces…and credit cards) and the burgeoning self-care movement is no accident. The beauty industry thrives on creating concepts for women that make them feel like they are incomplete without whatever product du jour…thus creating a need. We are living in an age where authenticity from the companies we purchase and invest in is king, and the self-care movement has been skillfully co-opted by businesses looking to cash in - BIG TIME. When taking care of yourself and your mental well-being turns into a practice with a dollar amount attached to it, said movement no longer possesses its intended effect of improving one’s physical and psychological health. Hell, it probably causes even more stress!