Glossier Generation G in Cake and Leo - Swatches and Review

I Purchased This With Referral Credit Affiliate Links

Hey everyone! 

Today I have a review of the Glossier Generation G lipsticks. Before I get to the review, I wanted to say thanks to everyone who's been reading my reviews and using my referral link when making your purchases. It's helped me try out more of Glossier's products and review them for you guys. I've already reviewed the Boy Brow, Balm Dotcom, and Cloud Paint if you missed it and I'm focusing on the Generation G lipsticks today.

Glossier says "Generation G is a new kind of lip color that gives the look and finish of just-blotted lipstick, without the blot. We’ve created a short list of the six most important shades, with dialed-down pigment loads for a casual look: Zip, Leo, Crush, and Jam, along with the super subtle Cake and Like, which give some oomph to lighter lip tones. They’re lipsticks that adapt to you, not the other way around, so they'll appear a bit different on everyone as your natural lip color shows through. The effect? Diffused, matte goodness—just swipe it on."

Click through to read my thoughts/review, see swatches, and whether I think it's worth it.


Considering Glossier's vibe of perfect skin and effortless makeup, it's no wonder they came out with the Generation G lipsticks. Essentially, they're a sheer matte lipstick that looks different depending on your lip color. The Generation G retail for $18.00 for .07 oz/2.0 grams of product. The Generation Gs come in a white plastic slimline tube with angled tip and the amount of product you get is average for products that come in a slimline packaging like this does.

This is the product you want when you want people to wonder if your lips are naturally that color. It takes the concept of "my lips but better" to a different level because of the matte formula. Because it's sheer and matte, it lets your natural lip texture show through so it looks more like a stain without that awful tight feeling. It's still matte so it's not going to glide like a creamy lipstick on your lips but it's not dragging either. I found it neither drying or moisturizing.

Cake is on the left, Leo on the right.

Glossier says to apply one to two swipes for a subtle wash of color, three to four swipes for stronger payoff. For me, three to four swipes is the minimum to get color to show up; I honestly just swipe back and forth until I get the color pay off that I like. 

They do have a few brighter shades like Zip, Jam, and Crush, but my review is based on Cake and Leo. Cake is sheerer than Leo and takes several back and forth swipes to give off a pretty peachy nude color on my lips. Leo has more pigmentation compared to Cake but still takes a few swipes but it can build up to light to light-medium coverage whereas you'll never get beyond light for Cake. Because of the fact that I do apply several layers, I can see myself actually finishing the lipstick sooner rather than later.

For a sheer lipstick the longevity is quite fair, about three to four hours which I think is due to the matte finish. I did notice a scent that reminded me of modeling clay, though it doesn't actually taste like anything. These two shades are definitely ones you can apply without a mirror.

I did have an issue formula-wise with Leo; there were two bumps of unmelted wax in the bullet. It wasn't at the surface but further in the middle of the lipstick. It didn't negatively impact the performance of the lipstick but it wasn't something I expected given the price.

A closer look at the bump of unmelted wax (it was originally two bumps but I had worn the lipstick a few times since I noticed it so it had worn down to just one bump).

I'll show you the swatches before I get to my final thoughts on the Generation Gs.

Swatches:

These swatches were taken using my studio lights without flash.

Cake

Cake is described as a "subtle peachy nude". Between the two, I think this looks most flattering on my skin tone. It's sheer but I feel like the color just brightens up my face and makes it look fresh. It's my pick between the two for my everyday color. I work in a hospital so I much prefer how this color adds a bit of oomph without making it too obvious that I'm wearing something.

Leo

Leo is described as a "warm cocoa brown". On me, I think Leo pulls a little too warm so I'm not 100% down for how it looks on me. However, I love how Cake + Leo look together; the peachy tones of Cake mix with the warm tones of Leo and make for a gorgeous combo (which sadly I forgot to photograph!).

Do I like Cake and Leo? Yes I do! Do I plan to keep wearing them? Yes I will! But thinking about the sheer formula/need to use build up several layers for it to show up and the packaging, I don't agree with the $18.00 price tag. I do think the Generation Gs are different from other sheer lip products because it's matte vs glossy/shiny so it is longer wearing/more forgiving if your lips aren't in 100% perfect condition. But while I totally get that the packaging fits Glossier's aesthetic, I feel like it's underwhelming and I suppose I wanted something with more heft for $18.00.

If you think you'll like the formula but want something with more color, you can consider checking out some of the brighter shades like Zip and Jam. If you're the type of person who enjoys more natural-looking everyday makeup products, then I would totally recommend either Cake or Leo for you (Cake is what I really like against my natural lip pigmentation). Me, I'm happy to keep wearing these and getting more (as long as I don't pay full price for them).

Are you down for something like the Generation Gs or do you like your lip products to have more boldness?

Disclaimer: I purchased these Generation Gs using referral credit. All opinions are my own and not impacted by the fact that I used referral credit. This post was not sponsored by the brand and I'm not being paid for the blog post. The post does contain a referral link, which gives you 20% off your first purchase and $10 credit to me if you make a purchase through the link.