A guide to Glossier product photography

Glossier has taken the beauty world by storm with their minimalist aesthetic, inclusive marketing, and cult-favorite products that promise a dewy, fresh-faced glow. A key part of Glossier’s meteoric rise has been their incredible product photography that perfectly captures the brand’s signature look and feel. Featuring clean backgrounds, flattering lighting, and an emphasis on natural beauty, Glossier’s product shots are instantly recognizable and highly Instagrammable. 

Whether you’re an aspiring beauty photographer or an e-commerce brand looking to elevate your product images, there’s a lot to learn from studying Glossier’s approach. In this guide, we’ll break down the key elements of Glossier’s product photography style and share tips for recreating the look yourself. We’ll also explore how new technologies like CGI product visualization are making it easier than ever to achieve pixel-perfect shots without the time and expense of traditional photoshoots. Let’s dive in!

One of the hallmarks of Glossier’s product photography is the way it celebrates the unique beauty of every individual.  

Rather than using models with flawless, airbrushed skin, Glossier frequently features real people of all ages, skin tones, and gender identities in their campaigns. The makeup is applied with a light touch, allowing freckles, birthmarks, and smile lines to shine through. This inclusive approach sends a powerful message that Glossier is for everyone.

As Glossier founder Emily Weiss explains, “At Glossier, something we’ve always stayed very true to, since pre-launch, day one, is that every single person is an influencer.” By embracing a diverse range of beauty in their photography, Glossier has built a deep emotional connection with their audience.

To channel this natural aesthetic in your own product photography, prioritize even, diffused lighting that minimizes shadows and softens imperfections without erasing them completely. Encourage your models to smile, laugh, and express their personalities rather than holding a serious pose. And most importantly, make room for diversity in your casting so that your customers see themselves reflected in your brand.

Another key aspect of Glossier’s product photography is the clean, minimalist styling of the shots.  

Glossier’s product photos often feature a single hero product against a solid white or pastel background, allowing the packaging design to take center stage. Props and models’ hands are used sparingly and strategically to demonstrate the product’s texture or application.

This less-is-more approach is very intentional, as it echoes the streamlined aesthetic of the products themselves. Glossier’s skin tints, lipsticks, and shimmer shadows are designed to be easy to use and to enhance your natural features with just a wash of color – no complicated techniques or heavy layering required.

Minimalist product photos also have the advantage of being extremely versatile from a digital marketing perspective, as they can easily be repurposed for web banners, social media posts, email newsletters, and more. The negative space around the product provides a natural frame and makes the image pop on any background color.

To achieve a similar look with your own product photography, invest in a seamless white background and make sure your products are squeaky clean before each shot. Eliminate any clutter that doesn’t add to the story you’re trying to tell about the product. Play around with compositions that allow the products to breathe within the frame while still showing important details.

Glossier’s rise to fame is inextricably tied to the brand’s social media prowess and their ability to create highly shareable, Instagrammable moments with their product photography.  

Glossier has a knack for transforming the mundane into the delightful with playful, artfully styled photos that demand a double tap. They might arrange their serums and creams to look like cute cartoon characters, or scatter sparkly star confetti around a tub of their exfoliating moon mask. 

These eye-catching photos are like catnip for Glossier’s digitally native audience, who delight in sharing and recreating the looks at home. In fact, user-generated content has been vital to Glossier’s growth over the years, with the brand’s hashtag racking up over 200,000 posts from fans eager to become unofficial brand ambassadors.

As Weiss shared, “What we’re interested most in is creating this really democratized conversation. What we do a lot of on our channel on Instagram is really celebrate people’s stories.” 

If you want to create similarly shareworthy product photos, think about capturing relatable, behind-the-scenes moments rather than just a static beauty shot. Brainstorm fun, out-of-the-box ways to style your products that align with your brand personality. And be sure to engage with the folks who are sharing your products on social media to build a sense of community and belonging around your brand.

Great lighting can make or break a product photo, and it’s one of the trickiest elements to master – unless you know what to look for.

One reason Glossier’s product photos look so fresh and luminous is that they’re often shot with natural light. Sunshine streaming through a window creates a soft, warm glow that makes skin tones and product textures look amazing with minimal retouching required.  

Of course, not everyone has access to the perfect naturally-lit studio space, which is where artificial lighting comes in. Ring lights and softboxes can help diffuse shadows and create an even wash of illumination from all angles. Pay attention to the color temperature of the light as well – cooler light can make products look sterile and uninviting, while warmer light is more flattering and forgiving.

Another lighting trick Glossier uses in many of their photos is backlighting, which involves placing the main light source behind the subject rather than in front. This technique creates a dreamy, halo-like effect that really makes the products pop against a clean white background.

When setting up your own product photoshoot, experiment with different lighting angles and intensities until you find a setup that makes your products look their best. Don’t be afraid to use reflectors and diffusers to manipulate the light and create the perfect mood. And if you’re still struggling to get the lighting right, consider investing in some professional photography classes or tutorials to level up your skills.

Scrolling through Glossier’s product photos is like taking a tour through a delicious, pastel-hued candy shop, with each new image more tantalizing than the last.

Glossier has a distinctive color palette that runs through all of their branding, from their millennial pink packaging to the dreamy, sorbet-inspired shades of their makeup products. These soft, muted colors create a cohesive look that’s instantly recognizable as Glossier.

But while Glossier’s signature colors are certainly pretty, they also serve a strategic purpose. According to research by the Color Marketing Group, certain colors are more likely to drive sales and inspire brand loyalty than others. Pink, for example, is associated with femininity, romance, and sweetness, making it a perfect fit for Glossier’s target demographic of millennial women.

When planning your own product photography, think about how you can use color to tell a story and create an emotional connection with your audience. What colors are already associated with your brand, and how can you incorporate them into your photos in a fresh way? Don’t be afraid to experiment with unexpected color combinations or to use pops of bright color to draw the eye to key details.

It’s also important to consider how your product colors will translate across different devices and screens. Some colors may look different on a phone versus a desktop monitor, so be sure to test your photos on multiple devices before finalizing them. You may need to adjust the saturation or brightness levels to ensure that your colors look consistent and true-to-life no matter where they’re viewed.

While traditional photography will always have its place, more and more brands are turning to CGI (computer-generated imagery) to create pixel-perfect product photos that would be difficult or impossible to achieve with a camera alone.

With CGI, the possibilities are virtually endless. Want to see how your product would look on a sleek, futuristic background or in an exotic locale? No problem. Need to create multiple variations of a product with different colors or finishes? Easy peasy. CGI allows for complete creative control and flexibility, without the logistical hassles and expenses of a traditional photoshoot.

CGI is also a more sustainable and cost-effective option in the long run. Rather than shipping products and props all over the world for photoshoots, CGI assets can be created digitally and reused across multiple campaigns and marketing channels. This not only saves time and money, but also reduces the carbon footprint of the photoshoot.

At Welpix, we specialize in creating stunning, photorealistic CGI images that blend seamlessly with your existing product photography. Our team of experienced 3D artists and designers will work with you to bring your vision to life, whether you need a handful of hero shots or thousands of images for your e-commerce site. Best of all, our streamlined workflow means you can have your finished CGI assets in a matter of days, not weeks or months.

If you’re ready to take your e-commerce product photography to the next level, we’d love to chat. Get in touch with the Welpix team today to learn more about our CGI services and to request a custom quote for your project. The future of product photography is here—don’t get left behind!

As we’ve seen throughout this guide, Glossier’s product photography is a masterclass in creating beautiful, on-brand images that resonate with their target audience. By embracing natural beauty, keeping compositions clean and simple, creating shareworthy moments, mastering lighting techniques, and getting creative with color, Glossier has built a loyal following of customers who can’t get enough of their products – or their gorgeous photos.

But as technology continues to evolve, traditional photography is no longer the only option for e-commerce brands looking to showcase their products in the best possible light. CGI product visualization offers a faster, more flexible, and more cost-effective alternative that allows for greater creative control and consistency across all your marketing channels.  

If you’re ready to explore the possibilities of CGI for your own product photography, we invite you to get in touch with the experts at Welpix. Our team is passionate about helping brands like yours harness the power of digital imagery to take your e-commerce business to new heights. Whether you’re just getting started with CGI or looking to scale your existing efforts, we’re here to help you every step of the way.