One month ago, an anonymous group of former Glossier employees, known as “Outta the Gloss,” penned an open letter on Medium and Instagram, accusing management of a toxic workplace culture, racism and other inappropriate behavior that supposedly contradicts the brand’s values.

According to the former “editors” (retail workers), the conditions inside their store were intolerable. They worked an entire summer without air conditioning, and shared a workspace with ongoing construction that violated occupation limits in its New York City location.

Editors of color also tried suggesting changes to the complexion products that would be more suitable for people of darker skin tones, and they were punished with negative performance reviews for doing so.

They also claim to have faced unequal pay and barriers to moving up to higher positions.

The editors, who are primarily LGBTQ and people of color, asserted that they were ridiculed by a woman customer who called them “illegals,” and this customer was continuously permitted to return to the store. There was even a group of white teens that came into the store, applying dark skin tone products in blackface.

When these incidents were brought to HR, no action was taken. 

In Outta the Gloss’ letter and Instagram post, they addressed these concerns and insisted that accountability be taken. Founder and CEO, Emily Weiss, did respond to their list of demands, but the collective felt that her words were empty and performative at best. 

A month later, the demands have still not been met. 

The group recently outlined in an Instagram post which demands have been met, which still have not, and which ones were technically met, but still incomplete. There is still so much left for Glossier to address, compensate for and rebuild, but it doesn’t seem to be on the top of their to-do list. 

Now, as the collective reflects on all that has transpired, they are disappointed, and calling for a complete boycott of the brand. 

Outta the Gloss felt that Glossier was supposed to be a community, but that is not how it has felt for them. 

They are calling for people to stop shopping at the brand, unfollow their accounts, and use their hashtag #BoycottGlossier.

“At the end of the day, Outta the Gloss just wants to ensure that Glossier’s workers are protected to a reasonable extent against transgression and demeaning interactions that aren’t brushed off in the future. We want to see resources that elevate and restore victims if/when there are incidences,” they wrote on Instagram.