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Georgia Storm

Professor Granillo

English 103

5 December 2018

Multimodal Project Abstract

In the world of cosmetics, the brand ​glossier ​stands out due to its simplistic product.

Their most common consumers are the minimalist women. Much of their success is due to their

use of pathos logos and ethos in advertising to portray the product’s drama-free and fun use. But

I was curious to see if utilizing a feminist lens to analyze the use of rhetoric would still create the

same fun and light-hearted atmosphere that ​glossier ​promotes. I looked specifically at their

commercial for their most famous product, an eyebrow serum by the name of “boy brow.” I

utilized the feminist ​Laura Mulvey’s concept of ​male gaze​ in reference to how the commercial

contributes to the idea that women’s main form of power in a patriarchal society comes from

their ability to be looked at. I also cited Elizabeth Carolyn Miller’s “Beautiful For Ever!” ideas to

expand on this idea of women not being able to obtain power with any other ability rather than

their ability to be looked at by men. I also utilized an article by Elizabeth A. Kreydatus that

discusses how cosmetic advertising has changed along with the different waves so feminism

throughout history. These ideas led me to the conclusion that although ​glossier​ attempts to

appeal their product to the progressive woman by use of pathos, logos and ethos, use of a

feminist lens shows these strategies perpetuate the limiting ideologies of the patriarchy; therefore

proving that any brand within the cosmetic industry will have a hard time advertising themselves
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as liberating and progressive because it feeds off the oppressive patriarchal programming of

insecurity within women.