Glossier Play Review - Glam Makeup Gone Minimal
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Oops, I did it again. I went and dropped some more cash on the internet's favourite beauty brand.
In case you've missed the news (or you succumbed to the great Instagram blackout of 2019), Glossier launched their sister line, Glossier Play, this past week! Described as 'dialed up beauty extras', the collection includes bold & bright eyeliner, glossy glitters and lacquered lipstick to name a few.
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| A playful assortment of products from Glossier's new Play line |
Wear Test
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| Something I wanted to quickly note about the Glossier Play line is this: Each of the products come in their own foil packaging...inside of a box. While I understand this is for 'aesthetic' reasons, I find it to be incredibly wasteful and tedious (even if it does look cool). |
I picked up The Playground, which contains all 6 pieces from the lineup, including the brand new tools (which have gotten the most criticisms by far). I love a good bundle, and Glossier does a great job of creating these deals. It's a great way to dip your toes into the millennial pink waters of the brand, without breaking the bank.
Colorslide Technogel Eye Pencil in 'Critical Mass - $18 CAD
The name alone suggests this pencil will be smooth as butter but it just doesn't glide as well as Glossier lets on. I found I had to warm it up on the back of my hand or else it dragged a bit on the lid. The pigmentation isn't all that, either. It's not bad, I just found the vibrancy didn't come through as boldly as I had hoped. It's still a unique shade that I haven't really come across anywhere else, and will definitely continue to use it.
Colorslide dries down fairly quickly and has very minimal smudging afterward. While it's not the best pencil I've used by any means, I would be curious to try more colours and hope that they release some type of bundle in the future.
Blade Sharpener - $5 CAD
I don't really have anything bad to say about Blade; it does exactly what it claims to do, and that is sharpen the Colorslide pencils. It's just annoying that this sharpener doesn't automatically come with said eyeliner pencils.
I don't see it as a necessary purchase because you could truly use any other pencil sharpener on the market. The only benefit is that Blade comes with a wax crayon that's purpose is for cleaning to ensure your Colorslide's pigments don't mix and get gunked up (though that's nothing that a q-tip and some rubbing alcohol can't do).
But if you're in the market for a cheap pencil sharpener, and you're already stocking up on Glossier goodies; go for it!
Glitter Gelée in 'Phantasm' - $17 CAD
I have some very mixed feelings about this stuff. Which is hard, because I was excited about this product the most!
Glitter Geleé is a glitter gel paste that can be worn on the eyes, or anywhere else on the body. The glitter itself is very chunky, and the shade Phantasm has a gorgeous array of opalescent hues within it. It's very reminiscent of something we all likely slathered on our décolletage back in the early aughts. It's definitely not for everyday wear, but if you want to feel a little extra and channel those early millenium vibes, this'll fulfill that fantasy.
In terms of wear, it also felt very lightweight on the eyes. I tried dotting it on with The Detailer, but I found it worked best with just my fingers (especially if you're not picky about the placement of the paillettes). However, it started to flake off after 2 hours of wear, which is upsetting given that it's supposed to be 12-hour longwearing. If you want to ensure it stays on longer, you'd likely have to use some type of specialized primer for loose glitter.
Removal of the glitter was a little terrifying because it went everywhere. I used some micellar water on a cotton pad and then tried to wipe off the excess with a makeup wipe, and it still didn't get it all off. I ended up having to scrape some of it off with my fingernail and try my best not to get any in my eye in the process. In the end, it was just too much mess for way too little payoff.
The Detailer Silicone Precision Tool - $7 CAD
This is touted as the 'sidekick' for the Glitter Geleé, but let me save you $7 real quick by telling you it's not really worth it.
It's a slanted edge brush made of silicone. That's it. You could use a run of the mill eyeliner brush and it'll do pretty much the same thing this does.
The Detailer's purpose is to help precisely place each paillette exactly where you want it. But as I mentioned above, I am not that fussy when it comes to adding sparkle to my look.
Vinylic Lip High Shine Lacquer Lipstick in 'Blow-Up' - $20 CAD
I am so glad that lipgloss is still having a major moment in the beauty world, because this girl loves a slick lip look!
Blow-Up is a gorgeous candy pink shade (and it matches the eyeliner shade almost exactly). I really love this formula because of how buildable it is. You can dab it on for a gentle wash of colour, or you can pump it up for that plastic fantastic shine. I found it to be slightly sticky if you do layer more on, but not uncomfortably so. It has the texture of a lip balm, so it doesn't feel heavy.
Given that it's a gloss, you will find that it transfers, but as it wears down it creates this gorgeous stain that I've come to really really love.
My only critique is the click applicator, because it took so. many. clicks. to get the product to finally come through the velour tip. Though once you get it going, you'll be hard pressed to put it down!
Niteshine Highlighter Concentrate in 'Pale Pearl'- $25 CAD
This highlighter is the star of the show. And I'm not just saying that because I love to glow. This might be my new favourite highlighter; that is some high praise, folks.
Niteshine has a doe-foot applicator that you can dot or swipe onto the skin and blend out with your fingers. It has this beautiful cream to powder finish that practically melts into the skin. It creates the most stunning glossy, wet look without being glittery. I would truthfully bathe in the stuff, if I could. If you're going to get anything from the Play lineup, make sure it's this!
Would I Recommend?
Overall my feelings are pretty lukewarm about this collection. Glossier is known for being a minimalist beauty brand, so it makes sense that their creative line is pretty understated and simple. Maybe my expectations were a bit high, given that nearly every other product I've picked up from them have been a total home run. I can at least say that Niteshine & Vinylic will be in high rotation from here on out!
If you're into high glam, full coverage makeup, then this won't be the collection for you.
That said, if you're looking for a way to incorporate some color or some playful texture and your makeup looks without going over the top, this is a fun option!
Still curious about Glossier?
Check out my post about my first purchase ever.
Planning on taking the plunge?
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