Marisa Meltzer

The bombshell exposé that reveals—for the first time—exactly what happened at Glossier, one of America’s hottest and most consequential startups, and dives deep into the enigmatic, visionary woman responsible for it all. Called “one of the most disruptive brands in beauty” by Forbes, Glossier revolutionized the beauty industry with its sophisticated branding and unique approach to influencer marketing, almost-instantly making the company a juggernaut with rabid fans lining up for a chance to buy its coveted products. It also taught a generation of business leaders how to talk to Millennial and Gen Z customers and build a cult following online. At the center of the story lies Emily Weiss, the elusive former Teen Vogue “superintern” on the reality show The Hills turned Into the Gloss beauty blogger who had the vision, guts, and searing ambition needed to launch Glossier. She cannily turned every experience, every meeting into an opportunity to fuel her own personal success. Together with her expensive, signature style and singular vision for the future of consumerism, she could not be stopped. Just how did a girl from suburban Connecticut with no real job experience work her way into the bathrooms and boudoirs of the most influential names in the world and build that access into a 1.9-billion-dollar business? Is she solely responsible for its success? And why, eight years later, at the height of Glossier mania, did she step down? In Glossy, journalist and author Marisa Meltzer combines in-depth interviews with former Glossier employees, investors, and Weiss herself to bring you inside the walls of this fascinating and secretive company. From fundraising to product launches and unconventional hiring practices, Meltzer exposes the inner workings of Glossier’s culture, culminating in the story of Weiss herself. The Devil Wears Prada for the Bad Blood generation, Glossy is a gripping portrait of not just one of the most important business leaders of her generation, but also a chronicle of an era.

Ambition, Beauty, and the Inside Story of Emily Weiss's Glossier

Glossy

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Blanks replied that it felt like the companies were making a concerted effort to be as inoffensive and congenial as they possibly could. "The adjectives I guess I'd use are very friendly, very soft colors, usually geometric sans serif faces in the Futura mold, but more contemporary." [...] But he also thought there was something malevolent in the branding. "Part of it is that it can't be divorced from the context of ho all these brands and tech companies are being exposed as just another side of capitalism. There's this sense of evil lurking behind them, so the friendliness and softness can feel like a lie and oppressive. Whereas there's an honesty to Helvetica. It's a corporation: They are who they are."

There is power in those kinds of connections. A gay teen could find a gay adult rep to ease him into buying glitter for the prom, or someone with rosacea might like hearing from someone else who deals with it on which products are the most soothing or the best at covering redness. 

"Anyone can buy customers, not everyone can earn them," Henry Davis said.

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