Emily Weiss

Emily Weiss (born March 22, 1985) is an American entrepreneur, businesswoman, and blogger who founded the beauty blog Into the Gloss in 2010 and the cosmetics company Glossier in 2014. She revolutionized the beauty industry by building a brand directly from a community of engaged readers, pioneering a direct-to-consumer approach that emphasized minimal, "skin-first" beauty products and authentic customer engagement over traditional marketing.

Under Weiss's leadership as CEO, Glossier achieved a valuation of $1.8 billion at its peak in 2021, making it one of the most valuable beauty startups in history. The company's approach—developing products based on community feedback, prioritizing inclusivity, and treating customers as co-creators—influenced the broader beauty industry and inspired numerous imitators. Weiss stepped down as CEO in May 2022, transitioning to the role of Executive Chairwoman while Kyle Leahy assumed day-to-day leadership.

Weiss has been recognized as one of the most influential figures in modern beauty and retail. She was featured in Forbes' 30 Under 30 list in 2015 and was included in Time magazine's "Next 100" list in 2019 as one of the emerging leaders shaping the future.

Early life and education

Childhood

Emily Weiss was born on March 22, 1985, and was raised in Wilton, Connecticut, an affluent suburb in Fairfield County. Her father worked for Pitney Bowes, a global technology company headquartered in nearby Stamford, while her mother was a homemaker. Growing up in suburban Connecticut, Weiss developed an early fascination with fashion and beauty that would eventually define her career.

During high school, Weiss demonstrated initiative by securing internships at Ralph Lauren for two consecutive summers, gaining early exposure to the fashion industry's operations and aesthetics. She also briefly pursued modeling, an experience that further immersed her in the fashion and beauty world and provided insight into the industry from the perspective of someone in front of the camera.

New York University

Weiss attended New York University (NYU), where she studied studio art. The program provided a creative foundation and exposed her to New York City's vibrant fashion and media scenes. Her time at NYU coincided with the emergence of fashion blogging and the early social media era, developments that would shape her later career.

While attending NYU, Weiss secured an internship at Teen Vogue, then edited by Amy Astley. The internship proved significant in unexpected ways: it led to a brief television appearance on The Hills, the MTV reality show that followed the lives of young people working in the fashion industry in Los Angeles. Weiss appeared in a three-episode arc alongside Lauren Conrad and Whitney Port, gaining national visibility while still a college student.

Weiss graduated from NYU in 2007 with her degree in studio art. The combination of creative training and fashion industry exposure positioned her well for the career that followed, though the specific form that career would take remained unclear at graduation.

Early career

Condé Nast

After graduating from NYU, Weiss worked at several Condé Nast publications, beginning at W magazine as a fashion assistant. The position provided exposure to high-end fashion editorial production and the mechanics of luxury magazine publishing. She subsequently moved to Vogue, where she worked as an on-set styling assistant under Elissa Santisi.

The Vogue experience proved formative, exposing Weiss to the highest levels of fashion production and the beauty routines of models, celebrities, and fashion industry insiders. She observed firsthand how these individuals approached skincare and makeup, noting that their routines often differed significantly from what was marketed to ordinary consumers. This observation would later inform the concept behind Into the Gloss.

Working in fashion editorial also exposed Weiss to the economics and dynamics of traditional beauty marketing, which relied heavily on expensive magazine advertising and celebrity endorsements. She would later challenge this model through direct-to-consumer approaches that bypassed traditional media gatekeepers.

Into the Gloss

Founding and concept

In 2010, while still working at Vogue, Weiss launched Into the Gloss, a beauty blog featuring in-depth interviews and features about beauty routines and products. The site's signature feature was "Top Shelf," in which Weiss visited the bathrooms of fashion-world personalities and documented their products, routines, and beauty philosophies. The format provided an intimate, voyeuristic glimpse into how stylish women actually approached beauty—often revealing preferences quite different from what traditional beauty advertising promoted.

The concept behind Into the Gloss emerged from Weiss's observation that women in fashion often had unconventional or unexpected beauty routines, and that this authentic information was more valuable to readers than traditional beauty coverage driven by advertising relationships. By focusing on real routines rather than sponsored content, Into the Gloss built credibility and engaged readers who were skeptical of traditional beauty marketing.

Growth and community

Into the Gloss quickly built a devoted following among beauty enthusiasts who appreciated the site's authentic, editorial approach. The comment sections became active communities where readers shared their own routines, recommendations, and questions. Weiss and her small team engaged actively with commenters, creating a sense of dialogue and community unusual for beauty media at the time.

The site's success demonstrated the appetite for beauty content that treated readers as informed, sophisticated consumers rather than passive recipients of advertising messages. The community that formed around Into the Gloss would later become the foundation for Glossier, providing both market research and a ready customer base for the brand's initial products.

By 2014, Into the Gloss had established itself as an influential voice in beauty media, attracting millions of readers and securing a position as a trusted authority on beauty products and routines. The platform's success caught the attention of venture capitalists who saw potential for expanding beyond media into product development.

Founding Glossier

Development and launch

In 2014, Weiss began approaching venture capitalists with plans to expand Into the Gloss into a product company. She secured $2 million in seed funding from Forerunner Ventures, led by Kirsten Green, a venture capitalist who had invested in other successful direct-to-consumer brands including Dollar Shave Club and Bonobos. The investment provided capital to hire a small team and develop initial products.

In October 2014, Weiss introduced Glossier's first four products on the Into the Gloss blog and announced the launch of Glossier.com. The initial product line reflected the preferences and feedback Weiss had gathered through years of Into the Gloss coverage: simple, effective products that enhanced rather than masked the skin. The "skin-first" philosophy emphasized skincare as the foundation of beauty, with makeup serving to complement rather than conceal.

The launch strategy leveraged Into the Gloss's existing community, effectively converting engaged readers into early customers. By launching through the blog, Weiss bypassed traditional beauty distribution channels and marketing approaches, reaching customers directly and maintaining the authentic voice that had built Into the Gloss's credibility.

Growth and funding

Glossier's products resonated with consumers, and the company grew rapidly in the years following its launch. The brand expanded its product line while maintaining its focus on simple, accessible beauty products positioned as essentials rather than aspirational luxuries. The distinctive pink packaging and minimal aesthetic became recognizable markers of the brand.

The company raised additional funding at increasing valuations as it demonstrated the viability of its direct-to-consumer model. Additional rounds in 2018 and 2019 raised approximately $150 million and valued the company at $1.2 billion, making Glossier a "unicorn" startup. The March 2019 Series D round of $100 million confirmed the billion-dollar valuation and provided capital for continued expansion.

In July 2021, Glossier raised an $80 million Series E round that valued the company at $1.8 billion—its peak valuation. The funding was intended to support retail expansion and international growth, building on the brand's strong direct-to-consumer foundation with physical presence in key markets.

Business model innovations

Glossier's approach introduced several innovations that influenced the broader beauty industry. The company prioritized customer feedback in product development, using social media and community input to inform new product launches. This "co-creation" approach made customers feel invested in the brand and produced products that addressed genuine customer needs rather than marketing-driven trends.

The direct-to-consumer model allowed Glossier to build relationships with customers directly, capturing data and feedback that traditional wholesale brands lacked. The approach also enabled higher margins by eliminating retail markup, though it limited the brand's reach compared to companies with broad retail distribution.

Glossier's marketing relied heavily on user-generated content and word-of-mouth rather than traditional advertising. Customers shared their Glossier purchases and routines on social media, providing authentic endorsement that carried more credibility than paid advertising. The approach reduced customer acquisition costs while building genuine brand affinity.

Leadership transition

Stepping down as CEO

In May 2022, Weiss announced that she would step down as Glossier's CEO, transitioning to the role of Executive Chairwoman while remaining on the company's board. Kyle Leahy, who had joined Glossier as Chief Commercial Officer in November 2021 after executive roles at Cole Haan and Nike, assumed the CEO position effective immediately.

The transition came during a challenging period for Glossier. Within eight months of the Series E funding round, the company had laid off approximately one-third of its workforce—more than 80 employees. The layoffs reflected challenges in the direct-to-consumer sector as customer acquisition costs rose and the path to profitability became more pressing for venture-backed companies.

Weiss framed the transition as enabling Glossier to enter a new phase of growth with leadership better suited to the company's evolved needs. As founder and creative visionary, she had built Glossier from concept to billion-dollar valuation; the operational and strategic challenges of scaling to the next level called for different expertise.

Glossier's evolution

Under Leahy's leadership, Glossier pivoted from its strict direct-to-consumer model. In July 2022, the company announced its first wholesale partnership with Sephora, making Glossier products available through the beauty retailer's stores and website beginning in 2023. Additional wholesale partnerships followed, including distribution through Mecca Brands and Space NK.

The strategic shift represented a significant departure from the direct-to-consumer approach that had defined Glossier's identity and Weiss's vision. The move acknowledged that reaching the company's growth targets required broader distribution than owned channels alone could provide, even at the cost of some brand exclusivity and customer data access.

Leahy departed Glossier at the end of 2025 after three years as CEO. As of October 2025, Colin Walsh serves as CEO, representing another leadership transition as the company continues to evolve beyond its startup phase.

Recognition

Forbes 30 Under 30

In 2015, Forbes included Weiss in its 30 Under 30 list, recognizing her achievements in building Into the Gloss and launching Glossier. The recognition came as Glossier was demonstrating rapid early growth and established Weiss as a rising figure in the entrepreneurial and fashion worlds.

Time Next 100

In 2019, Time included Weiss in its "Next 100" list, identifying her as one of the emerging leaders shaping the future across various fields. The recognition acknowledged her impact on the beauty industry and her role in pioneering direct-to-consumer approaches that influenced retail more broadly.

Business of Fashion 500

Weiss has been included in the BoF 500, an annual professional index of the people shaping the global fashion industry. The recognition placed her alongside designers, executives, and entrepreneurs who define fashion and beauty.

Television appearances

Weiss's appearance on The Hills during her Teen Vogue internship represents her most notable television exposure. The three-episode arc in 2007 provided national visibility for the then-college student and has been referenced in coverage of her later success as an example of her early proximity to media and fashion culture.

Legacy and influence

Impact on beauty industry

Weiss's most significant legacy is her role in demonstrating that beauty brands could be built through community and content rather than traditional advertising and retail distribution. Glossier's success proved that direct-to-consumer models could work in beauty and that customers would embrace brands that treated them as participants rather than passive consumers.

The "skin-first" philosophy that Glossier popularized influenced the broader beauty industry, contributing to increased focus on skincare products and more natural, minimal makeup aesthetics. While not entirely novel, Glossier's commercial success helped mainstream these approaches and made them accessible to mass-market consumers.

Influence on direct-to-consumer retail

Beyond beauty specifically, Glossier became a case study in direct-to-consumer brand building, influencing startups across retail categories. The company's approach to community building, user-generated content, and customer co-creation has been studied and imitated by entrepreneurs seeking to build engaged customer bases without traditional marketing budgets.

The challenges Glossier later faced—including the eventual pivot to wholesale distribution—also provided lessons for the direct-to-consumer sector about the limitations of owned channels and the ongoing importance of retail partnerships for achieving scale.

See also

• Glossier
• Into the Gloss
• Direct-to-consumer
• Beauty industry

External links

• Glossier official website
• Into The Gloss
• Emily Weiss on LinkedIn