Glossier, creator engine

Ten creators, one number to protect

A first roster for Glossier: creators who show Boy Brow, Cloud Paint and Glossier You on camera, judged on cost per 1,000 views.

creators live by week six: 10
creator videos a month at the full roster: 303
weeks from the first creator to the full roster: 5

Night routine with Milky Jelly Cleansing Balm

Illustrative post: one take at the sink, the product on screen, a spoken partnership line, no promises about skin.

Illustrative post

Summary

Creator engine summary
Roster	Ten creators in six weeks	Two creators join each week from zero. Live by week: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10.
Who	Makeup, scent and body-care users	People who already use Boy Brow, Cloud Paint or Glossier You, filmed at home on a phone.
Production	7 videos per creator per week	303 creator videos a month at 10 creators, across five formats built on Glossier products.
Pay	Three bands, caps $600 to $1,500	Starter caps at $600, Standard at $1,000, Premium at $1,500. Bonus at the cap is $300, $500 or $700.
Bonus	$50 flat past 100,000 views	One bonus per creator per month, organic views only, never on a video that broke a rule.
Compliance	Claims sheet, word for word	Creators quote lines Glossier prints itself, like Longwearing for up to 12 hours.
Category rule	No medical or skin-outcome promises	Look and feel only. Lip Glaze and Invisible Shield SPF50 posts never promise results.
Goal	$1 per 1,000 views	Starting math: $10,050 of cost over 1.8M views is $5.74. Each week has to move it down.
Report	Every Monday	Views, cost per 1,000 views and the losers killed early, by creator and by format.
Decision	Approve ten creators and the ramp	Ten creators, six weeks, a $15,000 ceiling with bonuses excluded. Weekly numbers decide what comes next.

Part 1 of 15, continued

The program in numbers

Creators live at full roster: 10; Proposed
Videos per creator per week: 7; Proposed
Creator videos a month: 303; Calculated
Base pay per creator: $1,000; Proposed
Bonus past 100,000 views: $50; Proposed
Bonus at the top cap of the highest band: $700; Calculated
Program cost a month, bonuses included: $10,050; Calculated
Views a month at the assumptions: 1.8M; Calculated
Cost per 1,000 views: $5.74; Calculated
Target cost per 1,000 views: $1; Proposed

Part 2 of 15

History

Former COO of Tabs. I built its creator program to 100M monthly social impressions, and the paid ad engine alongside it. The numbers below come from videos that program produced.

At Tabs I built the creator program to 100M monthly social impressions, with the paid ad engine alongside it. Same playbook here: many creators, one variable per test, losers killed early. The category is new: I have not run beauty or skincare, so Glossier's team sets the claims and I run the numbers.

monthly social impressions at Tabs: 100M+
views on one reel: 17.7M
views on one video: 8M
views on one video: 6.5M

Part 3 of 15

Why now

32
Stretch Fluid Foundation variants
Stretch Fluid Foundation lists 32 variants. Match-your-variant videos are a natural format: one creator, one variant, one honest take.
Published
15
Cloud Paint variants
Cloud Paint comes in 15 variants. That is fifteen reasons for a creator to swatch on camera and fifteen hooks to test.
Published
12
Balm Dotcom variants
Balm Dotcom has 12 variants. A bag-contents or lip-care video can feature a different one every week without repeating itself.
Published

Part 4 of 15

Principles

One variable per test
Same Boy Brow, same take, one change: the first three seconds. Ten creators on 7 videos a week give 303 videos a month to read, so a change shows fast.
Losers killed early
A hook that trails after the first week is cut. Winners on Cloud Paint Plush Blush or Balm Dotcom get more takes; the rest wait their turn.
One number to protect
Cost per 1,000 views, target $1. My starting math sits at $5.74 on $10,050 of cost, so every week has to pull it down.
One shared channel with Glossier
Briefs, claim questions, drafts and reports sit in one workspace with Glossier's lead. No email chains, no side messages.

Part 4 of 15, continued

One channel for everything

#briefs

Briefs, drafts, reviews and the weekly numbers

Illustrative

MarinaMon 8:30 AM
This week's brief: Boy Brow, one take, show the brush before and after. Open with Meet your dream brows. Name the shade on screen.
RafaTue 11:10 AM
Can I say Lash Slick lasts all day on my video?
Not on the sheet. Show the lashes and describe what you see. Longwearing for up to 12 hours is Boy Brow Arch wording only.
Weekly botAppMon 9:00 AM
Weekly report posted: views, cost per 1,000 views, bonuses earned and the three hooks to cut. Target stays at $1.
BiaWed 2:15 PM
Draft for the Cloud Paint Plush Blush swap is in #drafts. Second line says it suits every cheek.
Sent back. Reword to what you see on camera, then resend. No claims about every skin.
Weekly botAppThu 4:45 PM
A Cloud Paint Plush Blush video passed 100,000 views, organic only. $50 flat is queued, one bonus per creator per month.
MarinaFri 10:00 AM
Check: every live video carries the partnership label and the spoken line. Two drafts flagged, none live. Same check next Friday.

The messages illustrate the working channel, with invented people: briefs go out on Monday, claims questions get an answer the same day, and nothing posts without the check.

Part 5 of 15

Formats

Brief 01
Brow in one take
“Meet your dream brows”
Close on the brow, window light, one brush pass from sparse to full. Name the shade on screen and skip any result claim.
Brief 02
Scent layering
“Designed to be layered”
Two Glossier You scents on the wrist, one at a time. Say how you wear them, hold both bottles to the camera.
Brief 03
Cheek colour swap
“Looking for the perfect chilly flush?”
Same face, Cloud Paint Plush Blush then Cloud Paint, swipe and blend with fingers. One variant per video, named in the caption.
Brief 04
Body care on the go
“Upgrade your body care routine”
Counter-top shot of Daily Perfecting Lotion and Daily Oil Wash, then the shower-to-towel routine. Product in frame throughout.
Brief 05
Holiday kit unboxing
“You smell rich”
Unbox the Mini Glossier You Wardrobe Kit on a table, smell each of the four miniatures, say which one you would gift.

Every product line in a video comes off the claims sheet word for word, for example “Longwearing for up to 12 hours”, “100% said formula is lightweight + feels like skincare”, “Delight your senses and hydrate skin for up to 24 hours.”. Product names are said as printed.

Part 6 of 15

Recruiting

Four sources in

Glossier's own customers
People already filming Boy Brow, Balm Dotcom or Glossier You on their own. Ask permission first, then brief them like any other creator.
Small beauty and body-care accounts
Accounts that film makeup, fragrance or body routines. Judge by video quality and honesty, not by follower count.
Affiliate or ambassador page
I did not find an affiliate or ambassador page on the Glossier site, so recruiting starts with direct outreach, not an existing program.
Open application link
A short form linked from briefs and posts: handle, three sample videos and one favourite Glossier product.

Five filters, fewer each step

1Uses the product
Already owns and uses a Glossier product on camera. No gift-and-glow strangers.
2Clean camera work
Light, sound and framing hold up on a phone, and the first three seconds hook.
3Reads the claims sheet
Passes a short test: quote only lines from the sheet, ignore the rest.
4Honest voice
Says what they see, not what they hope. Sounds like a friend, not a script.
5Reliable cadence
Can deliver 7 videos a week from week one. Misses twice, replaced.

Part 7 of 15

Who

Brow minimalist
Fills brows every morning, hates fuss, and shows the brush stroke by stroke.
Likely product: Boy Brow
Blush collector
Owns too many cheek products, swatches fast, names variants without prompting.
Likely product: Cloud Paint Plush Blush
Scent layerer
Mixes two perfumes a day and talks about it without sounding like an ad.
Likely product: Glossier You Doux
Gift planner
Shops early for friends and films a kit unboxing with real opinions.
Likely product: Mini Glossier You Wardrobe Kit
Bag-contents creator
Shows what lives in the handbag: a lip balm, a lash, a quick touch-up.
Likely product: Balm Dotcom
Body care routine
Films the shower-to-towel routine with products used daily.
Likely product: Daily Oil Wash

Left off, every time

Always out: anyone who promises a skin outcome, anyone who puts down other brands, anyone who will not label a partnership, and anyone who posts claims that are not on the sheet. Category rule: no medical or health promises about skin, lips or fragrance.

Part 8 of 15

First twenty

Brow-routine creators who film morning get-ready videos
Everyday blush and cheek-colour swatchers
Fragrance layering fans who review scents
Gift-guide creators who shop for friends early
Handbag-contents and what's-in-my-bag filmers
Body-care shower routine creators
Lip-care and balm obsessives with close-up skills
Pet owners who film walks and pet-gear details
Travel-light creators who pack small bottles and sprays
Minimal-makeup creators who show a five-minute face
Skin-tint and foundation variant-match explainers
Skincare-first creators who keep routines short
Students filming dorm-room and commute makeup
Busy parents with a fast morning routine
Creators who unbox and smell fragrance miniatures
Deodorant and body-spritz everyday users
Lash and mascara close-up specialists
Candle and home-scent creators who also use Glossier fragrance
Cap-and-hoodie styling creators who wear Glossier merch
Honest-review voices who admit what they dislike

Part 9 of 15

Claims

Approved, word for word

Quoted exactly as the brand publishes it.

“Longwearing for up to 12 hours”
Boy Brow Arch videos only
“100% said formula is lightweight + feels like skincare”
Stretch Fluid Foundation videos
“98% agreed skin looks hydrated after 12 hours”
Stretch Fluid Foundation videos
“100% agree lips look + feel smooth”
Lip Glaze videos, with the study of 34 people named
“Delight your senses and hydrate skin for up to 24 hours.”
Crème de You videos
“Water and transfer-resistant (once set), No. 1 pencil is formulated to last up to 12 hours without touch-ups.”
No. 1 Pencil videos

Never said

Each one with the reason it stays out.

Never say it fixes acne
A medical promise about a skin condition. The sheet holds none.
Never say it beats a named competitor
A comparison claim. Creators talk about the product in their hand.
Never say Glossier is dermatologist approved
An endorsement claim that is not on the sheet.
Never say Invisible Shield SPF50 protects you all day
A sun-protection outcome beyond the brand's own wording.
Never say the fragrance is safe for everyone
A safety claim for all skin. Creators say how it smells to them.
Never say it works on every skin type
A universal result. Creators describe their own skin only.
Never say the study proves it works for you
A study figure stretched past its context of 34 people.

To confirm with the brand

Held until someone on the brand side signs off.

Hydrate skin for up to 24 hours on Crème de You
A duration claim. Confirm the exact wording with Glossier's lead before the first video.
Free shipping threshold in the creator's country
An offer term that differs by region. Confirm before any creator mentions it.

Part 10 of 15

Pay

Starter
$300–600
a month, by band
Starter: new creators proving they can post 7 videos a week with clean hooks.
Bonus at the cap: $300
Standard
$500–1,000
a month, by band
Standard: steady creators whose Boy Brow and Cloud Paint videos hold their first-week views.
Bonus at the cap: $500
Premium
$800–1,500
a month, by band
Premium: the few who keep winning hooks alive and teach the others. Earned, never given.
Bonus at the cap: $700

Under 100,000 views
$0
The base pay covers the work.
100,000 views
+$50 flat
Whatever the band.
1,000,000 views
Top-up to your cap
Bonus = band cap − base pay.

One bonus per creator per month, even if three videos pass 100,000 views.
The bonus belongs to a single video: the first one past 100,000 views, $50 flat.
Organic views only. Boosted or paid views never count toward the bonus.
No bonus on a video that broke the claims sheet or the category rule, even if it took off.

Starter: $600 cap − $300 fee = $300 bonus; Standard: $1,000 cap − $500 fee = $500 bonus; Premium: $1,500 cap − $800 fee = $700 bonus.

The bonus pays for reach after the work is done, never instead of it. One bonus per creator per calendar month keeps it an incentive and keeps the program cost predictable.

Part 11 of 15

Simulator

At 10 creators the math gives $5.74 per 1,000 views against $1. To hit the target, 4.2% of videos must go viral or the median video must reach 21,711 views.

Program facts

Glossier creator engine, per month

Monthly cost: $10,050
Base pay: $10,000
Est. bonuses: $50
Videos / month: 303
Est. views / month: 1.8M
Cost per 1,000 views: $5.74

Above the $1 target at these inputs.

To hit $1, the roster needs about 10.1M views a month. That means about 4.2% of videos going viral, or a median near 22K views per video. That is why the day-90 gate exists: keep the accounts that clear it, replace the rest.

Proposed, not measured. Views = videos × median, breakouts at 10× the median, viral at 750K. Bonus: +$50 for a viral video, one per creator per month.

Part 11 of 15, continued

What moves the result

Cost per 1,000 views by median views per video
If the median is	Views / month	Monthly cost	Cost / 1K	Hits target
750	1.4M	$10,050	$6.96	No
1,500	1.8M	$10,050	$5.74	No
3,000	2.4M	$10,050	$4.24	No

Cost per 1,000 views by share of viral videos
If the viral share is	Views / month	Monthly cost	Cost / 1K	Hits target
0.3%	1.2M	$10,000	$8.44	No
0.5%	1.8M	$10,050	$5.74	No
1%	2.9M	$10,150	$3.52	No

The math. Videos a month = 10 creators × 7 a week × 52 ÷ 12 = 303. Views per video = (1 − 4% − 0.5%) × 1,500 + 4% × 10 × 1,500 + 0.5% × 750,000 = 5,782.5; 303 videos × 5,782.5 = 1.8M views a month. Cost = 10 × $1,000 = $10,000 base + 1 bonus × $50 = $10,050. Cost per 1,000 views = $10,050 ÷ 1.8M × 1,000 = $5.74 against a $1.00 target. To hit the target, either 4.2% of videos go viral or the median video reaches 21,711 views, other inputs held.

Move the sliders and the label recalculates. The result is only as good as the guesses behind it, so the median views, the share of breakouts and the share of viral videos are marked as Assumptions until the first month of posts replaces them.

Part 12 of 15

Phases

Creators live by week (proposed): 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10

0Wk 1
2Wk 2
4Wk 3
6Wk 4
8Wk 5
10Wk 6

Creator ramp by week
Item	Wk 1	Wk 2	Wk 3	Wk 4	Wk 5	Wk 6
Creators live	0	2	4	6	8	10
Videos a week	0	14	28	42	56	70
Base pay a month	$0	$2,000	$4,000	$6,000	$8,000	$10,000

Warm-up
Sheet, test, first two
Two creators go live. The claims sheet, the hooks and the tracking get tested on Boy Brow and Cloud Paint Plush Blush.
Month 1
Ramp to ten
Two creators join each week until ten are live, 7 videos each per week. Weak hooks are cut after the first week.
Month 2
Hold ten, read the cost
Ten creators, 303 videos a month. Cost per 1,000 views is read by format and by creator; winners move up a pay band.
Month 3
Scale what works
The Premium band opens for creators who keep winning. Losing hooks never return; winning videos head to the shelf and the checkout.
Day 90
Decision
Compare cost per 1,000 views with the $1 target. Keep, resize or stop; Glossier's lead decides with the numbers in front of them.
Ceiling
Monthly ceiling
All ten creators at the top cap, bonuses excluded, tops out at $15,000. Nothing above it without a written yes.

$15,000 Monthly ceiling, all 10 creators at the top cap, bonuses excluded Proposed

The roster grows by two creators a week, so hook performance can be read week over week instead of by anecdote.

Part 13 of 15

Report

Every Monday: views, cost per 1,000 views, bonuses earned and the hooks to cut, by creator and by format. You never have to ask.

Creator engine, last 4 weeks

Target $1 per 1,000 organic views Illustrative

Creators reporting: 5
Posts last week: 32
Avg cost per 1,000 views: $8.94
Bonuses owed: $0
Keep / Watch / Replace: 1 / 1 / 3

Per-creator results, last four weeks, sorted by cost per 1,000 views
Creator	Band	Format	Posts	Median	Best	Cost / 1K	Bonus	Flags	Call
Creator A	Starter	Brow in one take	7	2.1K	25K	$3.37	$0	None	Keep
Creator B	Standard	Scent layering	7	1.4K	8.4K	$9.83	$0	Claim check	Replace
Creator C	Premium	Cheek colour swap	6	1.8K	54K	$7.94	$0	None	Watch
Creator D	Starter	Body care on the go	5	900	3.6K	$12.99	$0	Over cap?	Replace
Creator E	Standard	Holiday kit unboxing	7	1.2K	11K	$10.59	$0	Release missing	Replace
All creators	not applicable	not applicable	32	1.5K	54K	$8.94	$0	not applicable	not applicable

Illustrative rows with invented creators, coherent with the pay bands above. Keep means the cost per 1,000 views is at or under the program average, Watch is up to half again over it, and Replace is anything higher.

Part 14 of 15

Exit

From organic to paid

Pick the winner
A video beats the $1 target on organic reach alone, not on one lucky spike.
Get the rights
Written permission from the creator to run the video as an ad, before anything else.
Test small
Run one version with one variable changed against the original, same budget for both.
Scale or stop
If paid cost holds against organic, raise spend step by step. If not, cut it and move on.

From the video to the checkout

Link to the product page with the Add to bag button, never to the home page.
A product showing Notify me on the site stays out of posts until it is back.
Holiday items marked Coming soon wait for launch before any video features them.
Mention shipping only as Glossier states it per country, since thresholds differ by region.
When a video shows two or more products, point to the matching set under Save with sets.

Part 15 of 15

Want to see the first briefs?

Grab a time here

Stretch Fluid Foundation variants

Cloud Paint variants

Balm Dotcom variants

One variable per test

Losers killed early

One number to protect

One shared channel with Glossier

Brow in one take

Scent layering

Cheek colour swap

Body care on the go

Holiday kit unboxing

Four sources in

Five filters, fewer each step

Brow minimalist

Blush collector

Scent layerer

Gift planner

Bag-contents creator

Body care routine

Left off, every time

Approved, word for word

Never said

To confirm with the brand

Starter

Standard

Premium

Sheet, test, first two

Ramp to ten

Hold ten, read the cost

Scale what works

Decision

Monthly ceiling

From organic to paid

From the video to the checkout

Beauty, skin and fragrance rules

No health outcomes

Study lines keep their context

Sun product wording

No comparisons

Fragrance and shipping

Disclose the partnership

Want to see the first briefs?