I use Miracle Balm and I find it resoundingly...fine? I'm so intrigued by the extreme reactions on either end of the spectrum because I feel like it's so mid, not overwhelmingly good or bad. It may be because I use it very sparingly as a cheek color. A couple of finger tip taps on the balm then a couple of taps on my cheeks. I did try it on my lips and did not enjoy that at all, so maybe the key for me is light use.
Oh my goodness the story I was waiting for!! Absolutely brilliant observations, of course!, on not just marketing (🙌🙌) but formulation, and so, so interested in what works for you, v what doesn’t for others in the Gen X space (I obviously knew about MB, LOL – my Windex 🤣 - thank you for the kindest shout out! But super interested to hear your take on merit). Also, could not agree with you more about Laura Mercier – in my opinion, still the best eyebrow pencil there is! And this: “I, and so many of my peers, just want to feel good in our skin and glow a bit, with a cream that’s a pleasure to use. We want products that don’t make outrageous promises, made by people who understand our skin and makeup concerns.” YES!! 👏✨🧖♀️ 🥰
I love that you love your Windex!!! As you know, beauty is so personal and individual. Merit needs its own story. It is fine? Not great? I dunno. I think it just got an early start in this space
As a Gen Xer with aging skin and money to spend, I appreciate the attention and product options. But as someone who works in the industry, I can almost guarantee you that brands have noticed a pattern with us but are *really* gearing up for the sales that the millennials (e.g. largest generation of consumers ever) will bring once their wrinkles kick in.
P.S. I love everything I’ve tried so far from Sarah Creal but the product and shade names are so cringe. And for Miracle Balm, you have to use the brush—it doesn’t work with fingers!
We'll never not be clearing out the lane. But thank you for all these recs because you also can never take the beauty editor out of the girl. I'm so glad you guys (and Jamie Rosen and Marisa Meltzer et al) are here on Substack with actual expertise, insight, context, good writing...you know all the things we learned back in the day.
Like Janet, I don't wear a lot of makeup beyond lipstick and blush, but find all these different options marketed to our cohort fascinating. And that maybe I should think more about skincare formulated for people our age.
Also, this made me chuckle: "What in the name of Drew Barrymore’s ‘90s eyebrows is happening here?"
This is the challenge for brands - I do think a lot of people cut back on makeup! The skincare realm is a sh*tshow. It is overwhelming! (And I think about those brows too much?)
Love Melani. I have been wearing less and less makeup as I, too, have stopped caring as much. It takes some time to get used to a naked face, but I like not spending a fortune on my face when I could be spending that money on comfortable shoes.
I still wear blush and lipstick! 💄 Just backing off on foundation and eye makeup. I enjoy my Hokas, Cole Haan, or Rockports. Nothing fancy. Thanks for the great newsletter. Always a pleasure!
I can’t tell you how many tries I gave that Miracle Balm (and Jones Road generally), and it just doesn’t hit for me. The look and tone of JR works, for the most part, but I am not the audience for the actual products (even though I literally am the audience)
Also, Danessa Myricks (the brand and the person) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cheryl, for me the beauty brand is for me, as an older & wiser woman, if it sees me, uses the messaging that resonates, makes products that make my skin look better & me feel better about being the age that I am. I really like Sarah Creal products but agree with you on messaging. Westman Atelier is great but it’s launching way too many products & their powder products simply don’t work on my mature skin. Jones Road has its hits & so many of us have a soft spot for Bobbi, but I don’t find the brand & London counter staff genuinely engaging & find use of well known beauty influencers to promote products like a certain silver haired lady, who flies from brand to brand like a bee to nectar somewhat annoyingly inauthentic now. Caudalie seems disengaged too. So there are plenty of skincare for us, but brands messaging seems to be increasingly disconnected from what we want, need or long to hear. What do you think?
Yeah I think the messaging is the root of the problem here. It IS difficult to speak to an entire generation, obviously, since there are so many differences within it, but I’d like to see less hedging (ie using a ton of young models because it’s still scary to be pegged for old people)
it is indeed difficult to speak to the whole generation, but it's not impossible. And not using models might be a great idea, as while some of us might aspire to look like models, plenty of us don't. Instead we want to look like the best versions of us on a given day and be appreciated by brands that we support with our wallet.
Should I get the Jones Road Miracle Balm?! I’m intrigued
I use Miracle Balm and I find it resoundingly...fine? I'm so intrigued by the extreme reactions on either end of the spectrum because I feel like it's so mid, not overwhelmingly good or bad. It may be because I use it very sparingly as a cheek color. A couple of finger tip taps on the balm then a couple of taps on my cheeks. I did try it on my lips and did not enjoy that at all, so maybe the key for me is light use.
Hm ok helpful to know! And yeah I feel like I’d probably just use it as a blush. The multi-use products tend to confuse me.
Let’s go on a field trip to the JR store in the Village and let someone put it on you properly!!
Ooh yes field work!
Oh my goodness the story I was waiting for!! Absolutely brilliant observations, of course!, on not just marketing (🙌🙌) but formulation, and so, so interested in what works for you, v what doesn’t for others in the Gen X space (I obviously knew about MB, LOL – my Windex 🤣 - thank you for the kindest shout out! But super interested to hear your take on merit). Also, could not agree with you more about Laura Mercier – in my opinion, still the best eyebrow pencil there is! And this: “I, and so many of my peers, just want to feel good in our skin and glow a bit, with a cream that’s a pleasure to use. We want products that don’t make outrageous promises, made by people who understand our skin and makeup concerns.” YES!! 👏✨🧖♀️ 🥰
I love that you love your Windex!!! As you know, beauty is so personal and individual. Merit needs its own story. It is fine? Not great? I dunno. I think it just got an early start in this space
As a Gen Xer with aging skin and money to spend, I appreciate the attention and product options. But as someone who works in the industry, I can almost guarantee you that brands have noticed a pattern with us but are *really* gearing up for the sales that the millennials (e.g. largest generation of consumers ever) will bring once their wrinkles kick in.
P.S. I love everything I’ve tried so far from Sarah Creal but the product and shade names are so cringe. And for Miracle Balm, you have to use the brush—it doesn’t work with fingers!
Absolutely hit the nail on the head re: millennials. We are the canaries in the coal mine here
As it has always been, so it shall forever be.
We'll never not be clearing out the lane. But thank you for all these recs because you also can never take the beauty editor out of the girl. I'm so glad you guys (and Jamie Rosen and Marisa Meltzer et al) are here on Substack with actual expertise, insight, context, good writing...you know all the things we learned back in the day.
Abby hi!! And thank you for popping in here! (Beautystack is … a work in progress)
💋💋💋💋💋
Like Janet, I don't wear a lot of makeup beyond lipstick and blush, but find all these different options marketed to our cohort fascinating. And that maybe I should think more about skincare formulated for people our age.
Also, this made me chuckle: "What in the name of Drew Barrymore’s ‘90s eyebrows is happening here?"
This is the challenge for brands - I do think a lot of people cut back on makeup! The skincare realm is a sh*tshow. It is overwhelming! (And I think about those brows too much?)
Good point! And re: eyebrows, the fact that I could just picture them immediately made me (weirdly? proudly?) feel like such a Gen-Xer
Love Melani. I have been wearing less and less makeup as I, too, have stopped caring as much. It takes some time to get used to a naked face, but I like not spending a fortune on my face when I could be spending that money on comfortable shoes.
I have rediscovered makeup lately. I like a blush! But please drop your favorite comfy shoe brands though. (Melani is the leader we all needed)
I still wear blush and lipstick! 💄 Just backing off on foundation and eye makeup. I enjoy my Hokas, Cole Haan, or Rockports. Nothing fancy. Thanks for the great newsletter. Always a pleasure!
I love Rose Marie Swift (RMS is her brand) because she puts HER face out there. I don’t have many of her projects - just two lipsticks which I like.
A classic!
I can’t tell you how many tries I gave that Miracle Balm (and Jones Road generally), and it just doesn’t hit for me. The look and tone of JR works, for the most part, but I am not the audience for the actual products (even though I literally am the audience)
Also, Danessa Myricks (the brand and the person) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’ve tried so many shades of the JR but the texture is the (heh) sticking point for me
Cheryl, for me the beauty brand is for me, as an older & wiser woman, if it sees me, uses the messaging that resonates, makes products that make my skin look better & me feel better about being the age that I am. I really like Sarah Creal products but agree with you on messaging. Westman Atelier is great but it’s launching way too many products & their powder products simply don’t work on my mature skin. Jones Road has its hits & so many of us have a soft spot for Bobbi, but I don’t find the brand & London counter staff genuinely engaging & find use of well known beauty influencers to promote products like a certain silver haired lady, who flies from brand to brand like a bee to nectar somewhat annoyingly inauthentic now. Caudalie seems disengaged too. So there are plenty of skincare for us, but brands messaging seems to be increasingly disconnected from what we want, need or long to hear. What do you think?
Yeah I think the messaging is the root of the problem here. It IS difficult to speak to an entire generation, obviously, since there are so many differences within it, but I’d like to see less hedging (ie using a ton of young models because it’s still scary to be pegged for old people)
it is indeed difficult to speak to the whole generation, but it's not impossible. And not using models might be a great idea, as while some of us might aspire to look like models, plenty of us don't. Instead we want to look like the best versions of us on a given day and be appreciated by brands that we support with our wallet.