I’m an IT Cosmetics User (but I Really Want to Look Like a Glossier Girl)

If you’ve purchased makeup or skin care from Glossier or IT Cosmetics, you’ve made a statement about the kind of beauty consumer you are. The beauty market is saturated with brands catering to all types of age groups, skincare needs, packaging preferences, budgets and personalities. So it makes sense the brands you choose above all others are bound to say something about you.

If you have even a passing interest in beauty, chances are you’ve heard of Glossier and its minimalist, natural approach to beauty. (Their motto is “Skin first, makeup second.”) Since its 2014 launch by IntoTheGloss.com founder Emily Weiss, the brand has taken the beauty world by storm with its relatively affordable beauty products donning light-hearted names like “Balm Dotcom” and “Boy Brow”—all of which promise to make you look like a subtly enhanced version of yourself.

Boy Brow ($16)

Balm Dotcom ($12)

But have you ever felt a bit left out scrolling through Glossier’s hip, cool-girl au natural Instagram?

Potent Media

For a time, it seemed like skincare treatments were becoming more and more horror-movie-like (vampire facials! snail slime! leech face-lifts!), but these days, skin care is becoming a lot more… chill. There’s been a lot of talk lately about how to use cannabis not just for recreational use but also for vanity purposes. I noticed the buzz bubbling up, with more and more talk of slathering cannabis on your face.

Until recently, cannabis was primarily known for its most active ingredient, delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the compound that compels you to jam to Bob Marley. But marijuana contains another substance I certainly haven’t been paying much attention to until recently: cannabidiol (CBD), which is not psychoactive.

Research has only recently begun to uncover CBD’s potential medical benefits. When you consume CBD, it’s been a proven aid for nausea, inflammation, pain and anxiety. For someone like me, a nature lover and an anti-corporate type, these findings felt like a game-changer. And I wondered: Can CBD also be an earth-given gift for our complexions?

Skin-similla: What About CBD Is Good for Your Beauty Routine?

First and foremost, don’t confuse CBD oil with hemp seed oil. The main difference between them, aside from the fact that they’re made from different parts of the plant, is the amount of CBD each contains. Hemp is very low in CBD — usually less than 25 parts per million, or none at all. CBD oil, however, can range anywhere from 2 percent to 99.9 percent.

Science suggests CBD is the crème de la crème of herb-infused skin-care products. For example, one study published in the British Journal of Pharmacology found that CBD can be used as a treatment for more serious skin diseases like psoriasis. But on an even more fundamental level, CBD may help skin fight against everyday wear-and-tear. That’s because CBD contains all 21 amino acids, according to a report published in Hemp Line Journal, that supply nutrients to nourish the skin, hair and nails.

Hemp Line Journal also reports that CBD is rich in essential fatty acids that play an important role in skin’s health, including omega-3 and omega-6, that help ward off skin issues related to sun exposure, pollution, weather changes and dry climates. Topping that off, CBD is a neuroprotective antioxidant more powerful than vitamin C, E, A or omega-3 fatty acids.

In comparison, coconut oil, a beloved holistic remedy for skin ailments and renowned promoter of glistening skin, only contains some amino acids, as reported by Healthline, and does not actually contain omega-3 fatty acids at all. So if your skin is feeling and looking dull, suffering from acne breakouts, or premature aging, CBD may be your answer. (You can still use coconut oil for your veggie stir-fry, though.)

Dazed and Infused: Getting the Best CBD Oil

If you’re intrigued, make sure the CBD products you buy aren’t from companies selling hemp oil with little or no actual cannabinoid profile (and calling it CBD oil). Look for products that boast proper testing, transparency and safety. Look for a pharmacist-formulated, certified-organic variety cultivated to the highest standards of medical plant use.

Of course, I’m not saying anything with even high-quality CBD oil is worth the buy. Here are 3 cannabis beauty and skincare products that bliss me out:

Hempgenix AM/PM Anti-Aging Moisturizing Lotion Cream

Hempgenix AM/PM Anti-Aging Moisturizing Lotion Cream $34.99

Best for: A reduction of fine lines and wrinkles without breaking the bank

I came across the Hempgenix brand (known for its quality in the CBD world) while I was looking for an anti-aging lotion. The moisturizer contains over 80 different phyto-cannabinoids, which occur naturally in the cannabis plant. It’s also rich in antioxidants with amino acids and fatty acids.

I was happy to see the cream actually reduced the appearance of my crow’s feet and forehead lines after a month of using it. My skin felt tighter, too. (On the flip side, my generic anti-aging cream seemed to only moisturize, but I didn’t see any of these same changes on the surface.) Yes!

CBD Oil for Life Shampoo & Conditioner

CBD for Life Shampoo and Conditioner$25.00 each

Best for: A quality alternative to generic haircare products

I have REALLY thick hair, and feel like the only way to get it clean and conditioned is to resort to the brands that have foaming agents and preservatives that always seem to make my skin dry and irritated. Every time I try a shampoo that’s nil of the generic ingredients, my hair ends up feeling greasy, while the conditioner doesn’t seem to do anything but dry my hair out.

I am super skeptical about any shampoo and conditioner (even if they’re celebrity endorsed or on QVC), because my hair is just a lover of knots and tangles. But I tried CBD for Life’s shampoo and conditioner, and WOW.

The products are a blend of essential oils, natural botanicals and the highest-quality CBD. The shampoo leaves my hair feeling squeaky clean without being stripped of its natural oils, while the conditioner leaves my hair feeling silky soft and light.

Herb Essntls Lip Balm

Herb Essntls Lip Balm $12

Best for: Stubbornly dry lips

I’m so obsessed with lip balm that if I don’t have it on me, I freak out and hallucinate desert-dry lips even when they’re perfectly moist. A friend turned me onto this when I was getting intrigued by the CBD world. I am absolutely in love.

I’ve found that not all balms are created equal, with some of the most natural brands sort of sitting on top of my lips rather than penetrating my skin to provide healing qualities. CBD helps rebuild your lips’ natural oil barrier to keep them hydrated and prevent moisture loss.

Being someone who travels to many different climates in a short period of time, I can say Herb Essntls lip balm really does prove to heal.

Since CBD oil was only a part of these formulas it’s too early to tell if CBD in skin care is just a fad, but I hope it isn’t. Sure, there are a ton of other natural ingredients that boast lots of similar benefits, but very few products have made me double-take myself when I glance at a mirror. I would dare to say that despite the fact that it isn’t known for its psychoactivity, CBD, perhaps, has made my skin as calm and high as ever.

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Glossier

The leg(IT) solution for rosacea, pimples and redness.

I (and I’m guessing a lot of other women with more serious skin issues than the occasional zit) feel excluded from their minimalist beauty narrative. Yes, I covet the ability to leave my skin bare, adding just a dewy touch with highlighter or blush, but I would never be able achieve the effect portrayed on Glossier models. I have rosacea. My skin is just too blotchy—and disguising the redness that splatters my face makes me feel more confident and beautiful.

So, despite my love of Glossier’s glittery millennial-pink packaging and adoration of basically everyone on their IG feed, I turn to IT Cosmetics to even out my skin tone, using their Bye Bye Redness Cream and Bye Bye Lines Foundation.

Bye Bye Redness Cream ($32) 

Bye Bye Lines Foundation ($38)

IT Cosmetics (the “IT” stands for Innovative Technology) was founded in 2008 by former news anchor Jamie Kern Lima when she struggled to find makeup that would stand up to the harsh lights and HD cameras. IT quickly shot in popularity on QVC. If Glossier is popular amongst dewy-faced 20-somethings and off-duty models (including celebrities such as Karlie Kloss and Lucy Hale), IT Cosmetics is beloved amongst makeup artists and women who are looking for a solution to highly visible skin issues such as acne. Their consumers aren’t looking for a mostly sheer foundation or a rosewater face mist, as nice as those options sound in theory. No, the women who buy IT Cosmetics want full-coverage foundation and concealer that will help them minimize dark under-eye circles or acne or tomato redness, plus a tinted powder to set it and then some heavy creams that promise to fight redness and lines after you take off all that makeup and go to sleep.

It Cosmetics

The two beauty camps and their social media divides.

In the same way that people make assumptions about you based on whether you’re a country music fan versus a classical music lover, I have a certain picture in my head of what a Glossier ultrafan is like as opposed to an IT Cosmetics loyalist.

To me, these two brands represent the two opposite sides of the spectrum that beauty lovers and consumers seem to be divided into now.

For example: if you’re a Glossier girl, I imagine you’re a little younger and into subtle, natural-looking, effortless (or at least seemingly effortless) beauty. I see freckles and pouty, super-shiny lips. You spend a lot of time researching and trying out the latest, trendiest skincare offerings while drinking La Croix. You prefer Instagram over Facebook, you’re comfortable going makeup-free, and you’re into brands like Reformation, RMS, Catbird and Diptyque.

If you’re a hardcore IT Cosmetics fan, I’d guess that you enjoy wearing a full face of makeup every day and you like experimenting with bold, colorful makeup looks (like vivid pink blush or siren-red lipstick). You spend a lot of time watching YouTube beauty vloggers demonstrate contouring, you like browsing Facebook and Pinterest with a glass of wine, and you probably love sampling beauty products at Sephora rather than online. You’re loyal to brands like Clinique, J. Crew, Proactiv and Lululemon.

It Cosmetics

Now, are these over-generalizations that aren’t even likely accurate because people can’t be divided into two distinct camps? Of course. Take me, for example. I’m 27 but occasionally use nourishing skincare products, I like browsing both Instagram and Pinterest with La Croix in the morning and wine in the evening, my closet is a mix of J. Crew and Everlane. I own Glossier skin care and IT Cosmetics makeup (I would love to swipe on Glossier’s Haloscope highlighter and run out the door like so many reviewers claim to do, but the fact remains that I have rosacea. I use their Milky Jelly Cleanser and might buy their Glossier You fragrance, but won’t buy their makeup because I need more coverage).

Milky Jelly Cleanser ($18)

Glossier You ($60)

Where do I fit in?

I own and use more IT Cosmetics products than Glossier products, but if I had to choose one brand’s apparel to wear in front of the world I would want to wear the Glossier sweatshirt. 

 

I’ll admit, I prefer to put myself into a clearly labeled box most of the time.

I like the cool girl, effortless vibe of Glossier products but I appreciate the promise of a total transformation offered by the hardworking products in IT Cosmetics’ lineup. It’s all about buying into the marketing promise that appeals to you and your idea of who you want to be. And apparently, deep down I want to be a poreless 22-year-old model (not a huge surprise).

Such is the power of Glossier: I may be resentful of not having the required perfect skin for most of their products, but I’ll wear their fragrance… while sporting a full face of IT Cosmetics. What does that say about me? No, seriously, I’m asking you. If anyone knows, ping me.