Pritha O.

Face/Off: Old vs. New Glossier BDC

Change isn’t always for the better

When I learned that Glossier was redoing their cult-classic (and Pritha’s Pick) Balm Dotcom to be vegan (not important to me, but understandably important to others) and improve their applicator (very important to me for any balm, but especially ones that come in tubes), I was naturally quite excited.

Not only do I love when brands turn feedback into action, but the manual application required by the original tubes of BDC were my one negative on an otherwise unparalleled product. [Note: I was so blinded by my love that I didn’t mention this in the review, but it’s still true! Applying directly to lips in its former tube was not viable, despite my misguided assertion that it was.] Eagerly anticipating a better experience, I held off on restocking until the new balms had launched. Big mistake.

See below a breakdown of where the new BDC flies and where it falters.

Original Balm Dotcom ($12)

  • Contained petrolatum, beeswax and lanolin (latter two ingredients are both animal-derived)
  • Required finger application
  • Seamed tube; often experienced “splitting” and spillage*
  • All-day hydration using very little product; locks moisture in
  • Thick and occlusive formula
  • Tasty

*Note: I did not personally experience this

2023 Balm Dotcom ($14)

  • Vegan formula
  • Large, ergonomic applicator that can be used directly on lips
  • Seamless, more rotund sleeve; cap now “clicks” into place to prevent spills
  • Product doesn’t penetrate lips, or hydrate effectively (even with frequent reapplication)
  • Thin, unimpressive texture that dissipates within minutes
  • Still tasty!
on the left, the new tube + applicator
on the right, the OG

Despite claims by the brand to the contrary, the new balm is not an improvement. Is the packaging a step above? Yes, in about sixteen ways. But how many people purchase skincare for effective packaging, rather than effective ingredients? [Note: I actually think there may be quite a few #skinfluencers out there who do.] For me, thoughtful packaging is an added bonus – not a reason to recreate or endorse a product.

Worse, where the the packaging improves by leaps and bounds, the new formula retains almost no resemblance to its original perfection. While I recognize the importance of using ingredients that are safe, sustainably-sourced and kind to the world, every swap that Glossier made in this transition had a compounding negative effect on the potency of the balm.

Unfortunately, it’s not clear that Glossier is hearing all of the negative feedback from its former loyalists and no plans have yet been announced to bring back the original. Hopefully, you still have some laying around; I’m actively conserving every precious last drop of my original Coconut BDC. If not, there’s always eBay?