Glossier Boy Brow and Stretch Concealer Review: The Good and the Bad

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At first I was going to do one review for all the different Glossier products I bought but I'm going through them all so slowly since I really take my time when it comes to trying new makeup and skin care (sometimes when I use too many products at once my skin just freaks out and then I'm not sure which product was the one that triggered it all).  So for today I have for you a review of Glossier's Boy Brow and Stretch Concealer.  

First the Boy Brow, which I have to say does live up to the hype.  My brows in general are fairly thin since an unfortunate over-plucking incident early on in my adolescence (a story for another time), but recently I've been using this lash and brow growth serum (and it really works!).  And now that my brows hairs are growing quite long, Glossier's boy brow has been pretty clutch in keeping my brows looking groomed and polished.  The short wand is perfect for combing your brows while simultaneously filling them with their cream-like formula.  At first it looks like there's a lot of product on the wand and that it might make your brows look too dark but looks are deceiving.  As you comb it through, it really does blend it with your natural hairs.  I'm using the brown color and it blends in perfectly.  I should warn you though that once you comb through the formula, you don't want to touch it until it dries otherwise it somehow loses its magic and starts to look like you painted your brows heavily (I made this mistake when I accidentally went overboard with this product and then tried to wipe some off with a tissue--nope don't do it, it totally backfires on you).  I really love this product but I'm not sure I'd repurchase this when I think about it from a sustainability stand point.  Yes the product is awesome, but all the extra plastic just for a brow product (when really my Shu Uemura brow pencil already does a decent job) seems a bit like a waste.

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Now for the bad: their stretch concealer.  I need concealer most to hide my zits and general redness on my face.  The concealer itself is a bit greasy but does have decent coverage.  But the big no-no for me is their pore-clogging formula (even though they say it's not).  How do I know this?  First I tried it out and then where ever I used it, I started getting a couple of small whiteheads. So then I cross checked the full ingredient list of this concealer to this list of comedogenic (pore-clogging) ingredients from a well respected acne spa treatment center in San Francisco (I went there a couple times and I actually use a lot of their products regularly).  And lo and behold the number one ingredient of this concealer is a pore-clogging ingredient (Octyldodecanol).  Talk about false advertisement.  So if you're planning to use this on pimples, don't.  But if you have fairly tough skin and are going to use this for under-eye darkness then it might be worth looking into.

Anyway I'll try to get the second half of this review out which will include Glossier's milk jelly cleanser, Generation G matt lipstick, and their Super Pure serum.

My skincare tips for sensitive and acne-prone skin

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I have the most sensitive skin in the world.  Though that's not the biggest problem with my skin.  My biggest problem has been acne for most of my life.  Once I hit puberty at 11 until my late 20s I was constantly breaking out (and still to this day in my 30's I get zits, but I don't consider it acne).  And so really, I've been using skin care products since I was 11.  I've been through 2 rounds of Acutane.  On top of that I've tried all kinds of prescribed topicals from sulphur, benzyl peroxide, and salicylic acid.  And pretty much ever over the counter stuff there is, from Neutrogena, Clearisil (both too harsh) and Proactiv (which worked for a little while).  But in the end, I think you just have to grow out of it.  Now that I'm less concerned with acne, I'm more obsessed with the elasticity of my skin (which really changes once you hit 30).  But I still have sensitive skin issues to navigate around.  So after two decades worth of trying skin care products what have I learned?

1) Don't be afraid to try new products.  

I am constantly buying and trying products with Sephora because they have the best return policy in the world.  You can return anything.  Even products that you've opened and tried.

2) Only try one new product at a time

Like any good experiment, change only one variable at a time.  If you change your cleanser and your moisturizer at the same time and break out or have a reaction, you won't be able to tell if it's one or the other (it's a no-duh kind of tip but sometimes when you're in the spirit of experimenting you can get carried away, or maybe that's just me.)

3) Change-up the products on a daily basis if you can

I find that by alternating the products that I use, my skin is more responsive to the benefits of the product.  You wouldn't feed your body with the same stuff everyday so why feed your skin that way?

4) Also change your routine with the seasons

This might be a no-brainer to most people.  But I tend to stick with products that work no matter what season.  But in the end, the creams that work in the winter just don't work the same in the summer.

5) Always spot-test

For those with sensitive skin, this is a must.  Always test it in a spot that is the most reactive and even though you might have a red itchy spot for a day at least your whole face won't be bright red and itchy.  My favorite spots are under my jaw or if I'm testing for breakouts, I'll try my chin or cheeks.

Stay tuned for a post on the products that I currently use on my problematic skin (and I'm thinking of talking a little bit more about skin care and cosmetics since I'm always curious to know what other girls use and why.  I've already started asking some of my friends what their favorite beauty products are).