What was once a tiny and mighty beauty blog called Into The Gloss has become a bona fide NYC startup: Glossier, with a ragtag team of 35+ jogging up and down the stairwell of our Soho office building, spread out across three floors. Why are we here? We're creating a new kind of beauty company from the ground up—one that acknowledges the hopes, dreams, and desires of women today, and gives them the tools (both digitally and physically) to take ownership over their beauty routines. Who are we? Well, a lot of us began like you: as readers. And we'd like for you to get to know us a little better—what we each do, where we come from, and what we're excited about. Meet Kim.
'I was hired as an Editorial Intern my sophomore year of college in 2013 when ITG was just four people in an office on Broadway and Houston. The beauty closet wasn’t a beauty closet back then, it was a little wall unit. It was so insane. The beauty shelf had an entire section for French pharmacy products, a lot of SK-II, every Lip Tar that was ever created, and we had a ton of Nars lipsticks—so good.
Back when I was interning—and even when I started full-time after I graduated—I was basically a Jack-of-all-trades. I did whatever needed to be done. Most recently, I worked with a lot of our advertising clients. Through that, I realized that I’m really good at working with people—and that's the part of the job I most enjoy. I want to be able to connect with anyone I'm working with on a personal level—customers included! So now I'm working with our Digital Product team to find new ways to engage our audience online and in person. This summer I was actually 'moonlighting' as a shopgirl in our Glossier Summer Fridays Showroom. There's nothing better than actually meeting the community face-to-face and watching them use the product.”
Where are you from?
Bethesda, MD
What do you do for Glossier?
Now that I am beginning to do more digital community engagement work, my days involve a lot of user testing, organizing focus groups, and in general reaching out to customers and readers to figure out how best to foster and grow our kick-ass community through our digital platforms.
What is your ideal breakfast?
A sausage egg and cheese on a biscuit from Dunkin' Donuts, which is right below our office so ideal becomes reality way too often.
Favorite office snack?
Candy! As you can see my eating habits could be better.
Best piece of professional advice ever given?
'You're young—do something that seems fun'
What websites do you read on a daily basis?
Besides ITG—The Cut, The Root, TMZ (I know, I'm sorry), and my DailyHoroscope app because it's freakishly accurate.
Five favorite products?
TonyMoly Luminous Goddess Aura Beam, Dior Lip Glow in Pink, Glossier Priming Moisturizer, Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil, and the eyebrow spoolies that they have in the try-on sections at Sephora.
New York City + $20 + night out—go!
Well I would spend $5 on a meal from McDonalds, $15 on a bottle of red wine for me and my roommate, and then hightail it to One Last Shag to spend the rest of the night dancing with all of my girlfriends...and Tom.
How do you dance?
In my desk chair to Aaliyah or Anita Baker Pandora.
Any deal breakers?
When someone tells me they don't like '90s R&B...
—as told to ITG
Kim Johnson photographed by Tom Newton.
For more about the team, say hello to editors Eva Alt, Claire Knebl, Emily Ferber and Tom Newton.
