Emily Weiss Quotes

Ultimately, I think the #1 thing that draws me to someone is their sense of freedom. Freedom and confidence are two different things, in my book. Confidence is overrated — it can be faked, whereas freedom is fearlessness.

it felt a bit like these companies were playing with the ideas of equity and advancement for women, which is not the same as actually doing it.

Weiss is a complicated woman who is admired more than she is liked.

Glossier is about much more than aesthetic appearance; it has become a way for people to feel connected to bigger beliefs, to feel like their daily choices are having an impact, and that they are putting the money were their mouth is.

The key to a product’s success lies not in being something entirely new. What makes a product successful is a combination of performance, price, marketing, and packaging. Is there a perceived sense of prestige? Are cool and influential people wearing the brand? Because, frankly, there’s not a great deal of difference on a chemical or ingredient level between many products, and many supposedly key or active ingredients have little scientific basis for their efficacy.

This is what feminist writers in books like Reviving Ophelia and Playing Big have talked about all along regarding women downplaying achievements in the classroom and now out in the business world. The problem Weiss found herself wrestling with was wanting to be both relatable and likable, which is a trap not just for female executives, but for all women.

One prominent source was the Instagram account Glossier Brown by blogger Devin McGhee that showcased Glossier fans of color. McGhee told Glamour, “Women of color, black women specifically, spend more money than any other demographic on cosmetics. I believe this is mainly because we