Insights from Glossier’s CX playbook

In an industry dominated by glossy campaigns and airbrushed perfection, Glossier has carved out a space that feels personal, authentic, and community-driven. Founded in 2014 by Emily Weiss, Glossier grew out of Into the Gloss, a beauty blog that celebrated real people and their beauty routines. This foundation shaped Glossier’s ethos: beauty should be built by its users, not in boardrooms.

What truly makes Glossier stand out is how it connects with its customers on a deeper, more authentic level. Known for its Skin First. Makeup Second™ approach, Glossier combines skincare and makeup products with a social-driven ecosystem where customer feedback and user-generated content shape its offerings. Glossier has redefined how beauty brands build relationships through thoughtful design, community, and customer-first innovation.

At the NXT:Commerce Summit 2024, Amy Kemp, Director of Omnichannel Customer Experience at Glossier, joined Neil Forrest from Gorgias to share the strategies behind this success. Together, they explored Glossier’s CX playbook, highlighting how the brand’s innovative approach to unified commerce is shaping the future of customer experience.

Glossier’s approach to customer experience is rooted in its origins as a content and community-first brand. From the start, the company has prioritized listening to its customers and integrating their feedback into every touchpoint. Amy shared how this philosophy guides everything from product development to customer interactions:

“We were born from content and fueled by community,” Amy explained. “Our customer experience isn’t just about solving problems—it’s about creating meaningful connections.”

This mindset has helped Glossier build a loyal customer base while standing out in a crowded beauty market. Whether in retail stores, online, or through their social ecosystem, Glossier’s CX strategy centers on fostering genuine relationships.

In stores, they’ve deliberately removed traditional cash registers to create a more personal and less transactional shopping experience. Customers interact directly with “editors” using iPads for purchases and tailored recommendations, making the process feel like a one-on-one consultation. By removing barriers like checkout counters, Glossier shifts the focus entirely to the customer.

This same philosophy extends online, where their Shopify store ensures a consistent, intuitive experience that reflects the care and ease found in-store.

The buzz around AI in customer experience is hard to ignore, but Glossier isn’t about jumping on trends for the sake of it. Their approach is refreshingly deliberate: using AI where it truly makes a difference, without losing the human touch. It’s not about flashy automation—it’s about solving real problems in real time.

For Glossier, AI shines in moments where speed is everything. Think managing last-minute order changes or cancellations within a tight one-hour window. These are the interactions where timing is critical, and AI steps in to ensure customers get what they need, exactly when they need it.

By letting AI handle these high-pressure moments, Glossier frees up their CX team to focus on the bigger picture—building relationships, creating memorable experiences, and tackling issues that require the human touch. It’s this thoughtful balance of efficiency and empathy that keeps Glossier ahead, proving that tech can serve people without replacing what makes service personal.

When it comes to metrics, Glossier’s CX team is refreshingly selective. They focus on what truly drives impact, putting loyalty and retention at the forefront. Net Promoter Score (NPS) plays a key role in this strategy. NPS is a metric designed to measure customer loyalty by asking one powerful question: “How likely are you to recommend our brand to a friend?” Unlike metrics that only measure short-term satisfaction, NPS gives a clear picture of long-term customer sentiment and highlights opportunities to deepen loyalty. 

Surprisingly, Glossier doesn’t rely heavily on Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT), a metric that many CX teams treat as gospel, because it highlights if you solved the problem the way the customer suggested. Instead, they combine NPS with Quality Assurance (QA), reviews and retention data to dig deeper. This approach helps them understand not just what happened, but how the overall experience felt—and how to make it better next time.

By tracking what truly matters, Glossier ensures their CX strategy is focused on strengthening relationships, inspiring loyalty, and delivering experiences that reflect the care and thoughtfulness the brand is known for.

For another perspective on turning customer insights into loyalty-driving strategies, check out how Ekster rewrites the rules of customer retention.