Last week, Glossier launched yet more millennial-pink goods. Expanding their Body Hero line, the brand added a new exfoliating body soap (the Body Hero Exfoliating Bar) and a body mist (Body Hero Dry-Touch Oil). They also got the real Body Heroes at the WNBA to test it out. Following their lead, some Cut staffers sampled the products. Here’s what they thought.
Bridget Read, Writer
I don’t think I’ve used a bar of soap since Mary-Kate and Ashley were on television (just want them back) but now I think I will again. The Body Bar smells heavenly but subtle and sloughed away my sad quarantine skin without scraping me up. And I’ve never been good at moisturizing right after I shower, but the dry oil mist makes it very easy. I don’t have to worry about getting my jeans all slimy. Just kidding, I don’t wear jeans anymore.
Erica Smith, Beauty Writer
My body skin is very dry, and if I’m not diligent with exfoliating and then moisturizing straight out of the shower, things get ashy real quick. This pairing is designed to make both of those processes easier, which I appreciate. The bar soap is nice and hefty, making it very satisfying to hold. Be forewarned, despite its smooth appearance, it gets surprisingly scratchy once you start to scrub. I was a bit taken aback at how coarse it got in the shower, but rougher areas like my feet, knees, and elbows were down with it.
The scent (orange-blossom neroli blend) is described as “subtle,” but I found it superstrong — it felt more like I was rubbing perfume on myself, rather than getting gunk off. I enjoy the overall idea of being loofah-less and still getting a scrub, but after rinsing, it was hard to tell if I was more smooth, because I still felt some of that taut, filmy feeling you get from bar soaps.
Thankfully, that went away once I moved onto the oil. My dry limbs love a body oil and this one gets the job done. Most notably, it has a magnificent nozzle that gets you an even, thorough mist without any globs or squirts (just make sure you’re standing on a surface with grip when spraying or wearing a helmet if not). The formula absorbs super quickly for minimal rubbing, and my skin instantly felt silky and soft to the touch.
Glossier is all about looking moist, and the oil leaves a nice glow that has a human-looking sheen without getting into dolphin territory. Though slightly less perfumy than the soap, it’s still pretty perfumy, so I’ll probably save this for special occasions like pedicure day or when I choose silky pajamas over sweats.
Sangeeta Singh-Kurtz, Senior Writer
I’m a known Glossier skeptic, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that the brand is bringing bar soap back into the rotation. I grew up Asian™, and my family would use a bar of Dove soap for everything: washing your hands, face, and entire body. It also lasts ages, is plastic-packaging free, and cheaper than body wash. Well, this is no Dove soap; pale pink in color, it has top notes of gardenia and rose, with a grapey base. (Warning, you will be tempted to eat it.) It soaps up quickly and the exfoliation comes courtesy of “finely milled, biodegradable Bamboo Powder,” so you don’t feel like you’re causing microtears in your skin, or killing the environment with microbeads. 10/10.
Regarding the oil, I’m of the opinion that body oil is unnecessary, but — unlike many body oils — this one comes in a glass bottle with a spray cap so you can control the amount you’re dumping on yourself and don’t end up feeling like a pre-lubed condom. It’s not heavy on scent, which is a big plus, and it absorbs easily. I can see myself applying it before going out to a fancy location, like the grocery store, for a bit of extra dewiness.
Kathleen Hou, Beauty Director
Having also grown up Asian™, I didn’t use body wash until college. Body wash was considered wasteful, compared to economical bar soap. Why would you want to purchase soap that could so easily run through your fingers? Might as well pour money down the drain, my mom said.
She would approve of Glossier’s very generously sized bar soap. It can probably last for longer than a year. It also does a nice job of exfoliating rougher areas, like around the ankles and heels. For my preference, it was a tad scratchy to be comfortable, especially around more tender-skinned areas, but I guess this is how you get stuff done. I also found it to be a little drying.
However, I loved the body mist. It made me feel like a delicate hothouse flower who can only be hydrated through superfine droplets. It slid over my skin, giving me a dewy sheen so I could finally get that dolphin skin feeling everyone has been talking about. I know some people don’t love the neroli scent, but I do.
Izzy Grinspan, Deputy Style Editor
I keep reading about how bar soap is making a comeback, and I’m here for it — the packaging is easier to recycle, it reminds me of my childhood, and I also enjoy making completely inconsequential tweaks to my routine once in a while (I mean, who doesn’t?). Glossier’s new exfoliating bar is a big, weighty pink brick that develops a sandpapery texture once you get it wet. I found it exactly the right degree of rough-but-not-too-rough. It’s got that signature Glossier powdery-pear-y neroli scent; whether or not you like that smell is probably completely subjective, but I think it’s nice. I can’t quite tell yet if it’s actually making my skin softer, but it’s definitely a satisfying user experience.
As for the oil, it also smells delightful and it really does feel dry to the touch after you spray it on. I don’t think I’m living a life that requires regularly misting myself with oil, but I’m glad I have the option.
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