If You Think You're Seeing Boomstick Ads Everywhere, It's Because You Are. Part I of II

How one beauty brand spends $7 million a year to follow you around the internet

Hello, Gorgeous!

A reader recently asked me for my opinion on Boomstick. And unbeknownst to them, they hit one of my makeup marketing pet peeves.

You know how you'll be scrolling through Facebook, and suddenly there's a Boomstick ad? Then you're watching YouTube and boom!(stick) another testimonial about how these three little sticks changed someone's life. Head to Insta and there's another 5 Makeup Tips for Women Over 40 or 50 sponsored post.

As if that isn’t bad enough, a friend asked for makeup advice on social media recently. About three or four women recommended Boomstick. That part wasn’t the disturbing part. The fact that they used nearly identical language to make the recommendation was, though.

So is Boomstick literally everywhere? Yes. Yes, it is. And there's a very expensive reason why.

BOOM! by Cindy Joseph spends 30-35% of their $20+ million annual revenue on advertising or roughly $6-7 million yearly. They're not just buying a few Facebook ads; they're following us around like a high school frenemy on every platform where women over 40 might be lurking and even direct mail postcards that show up in your actual mailbox. And they’re doing a good job of it. It’s estimated that the brand reaches 4.6 million women monthly racking up over 5 million video views. All of this targeting one demographic: us.

So when you see those testimonial-heavy ads or stumble across articles with titles like 5 Makeup Tips for Older Women (which, by the way, almost always lead back to Boomstick), you're not discovering a grassroots beauty secret. You're experiencing a sophisticated, multi-million-dollar marketing machine.

And it's working brilliantly.

A humblebrag about Hello Gorgeous!

While Boomstick spends millions chasing eyeballs, I've taken a completely different approach. In just over a year, my newsletter has organically reached 150,000 individual readers/subscribers/lurkers (Yes. I love my lurkers too!). That’s growth so authentic that brands actually come to me instead of me pitching them (and yes, I’m totally open to discussing sponsored content, partnerships and more!)

When I do work with partners (like my wildly popular December 2024 collaboration with Olay in which we gave away 1,000 sample products), I tell you about it upfront. But the majority of my content is me digging into products and trends because I’m curious about what lives up to the hype and what is ostensibly just smoke(y eyes) and (makeup) mirrors. I'm genuinely curious and I know you are too.

Which brings me to today's burning question: Is Boomstick's eyeshadow stick actually worth your money, or are you paying a premium for all that marketing?

I think you know the answer to that one.

The eyeshadow stick thing is real

Before we dive into Boomstick specifically, let's talk about why eyeshadow sticks are having such a moment.

Searches for "eyeshadow stick" jumped 25% last year alone. it’s popular for a reason with grownup women. Creating perfectly blended eyeshadow masterpieces takes time, and most of us are busy giving our time to work, parents, or kids.

Eyeshadow sticks solve real problems. No brushes to clean. No powder settling into fine lines. No complicated color theory. Simply swipe, blend with your finger, and go. They're mistake-proof in a way that traditional eyeshadow often isn't. Eyeshadow sticks are also more forgiving.

The whole trend really took off during the pandemic when everyone simplified their routines. And while NYX made their Jumbo Eye Pencils since the early 2010s, it wasn't until Laura Mercier and By Terry launched their premium versions around 2015 that the format got serious credibility.

So what's the deal with Boomstick?

It’s a good story. Cindy Joseph founded BOOM! in her 60s after a successful modeling career that started when she was already 49 (The late bloomer in me rejoices at this). The brand philosophy is pro-age and while it seems to appeal to women of a certain age, it’s likely targeting their mothers or aunts as well.

Their Boomstick Trio costs $79 and includes three products: Glo (moisturizer), Color (blush/lip color), and Glimmer (highlighter/eyeshadow). Each stick runs about $28-38 if you buy them separately.

The Glimmer stick is the one we're talking about today. It's supposed to work as eyeshadow, highlighter, and body shimmer. The ingredient list is actually pretty nice: mica for shimmer, castor seed oil, jojoba oil, shea butter, sea buckthorn oil, and hyaluronic acid. They skip parabens and phthalates, which is good, but also more of an industry standard with responsible beauty.

Here's what's interesting though: these ingredients aren't revolutionary. They're nice enough, but also found in pretty much every other brand’s products as well. The sea buckthorn oil and hyaluronic acid are nice touches, but they're not exactly groundbreaking.

The reality check nobody talks about

I spent way too much time reading customer reviews, and here's what I found: the experience is mixed.

Some people absolutely love Boomstick. They rave about the simplicity, the philosophy, the fact that someone finally made makeup for women who don't want to pretend they're 25.

But others? They're less thrilled. Quite a few mention that the formula can drag on dry skin and requires more buffing and blending than expected which defeats the entire purpose. Some say it settles into fine lines. Others find the color payoff isn't as strong as they hoped.

The brand claims Color lasts 6-8 months with daily use, and Glimmer goes 8-12 months. That works out to about 33 cents per day for the trio, assuming you use all three products daily.

Marketing or masstige?

The marketer in me sees a $6-7 million advertising budget and wonders how much of the $79 price tag is actually going toward product development and quality ingredients, and how much is funding those ubiquitous ads?

Marketing has its place. But when a non-legacy brand invests that much in promotion, one wonders what’s behind the curtain. Is it much more sizzle than steak?

The bigger picture

The good news is that marketers understand that we have spending power and they need to take note.

In the 1950s, women first started spending on themselves and beauty culture became an accepted part of self-care. The beauty industry is finally waking up to the fact that women over 40 control a huge chunk of retail spending, and we're really not interested in buying Gen Z’s sloppy seconds.

Which is why brands are scrambling to reach us, often with premium-priced products positioned as being specifically for Gen X needs. Sometimes that's legit innovation. Sometimes it's the same formula in fancier packaging with a significantly higher price tag.

The tricky part is figuring out which is which.

Tomorrow's promise

Listen. I’m not trying to talk you out of buying brands like Boomstick. Quite the opposite. I just want to help you become a more informed consumer. Even if the products are meh, if the brand philosophy resonates with you and you love the simplicity, that has value too.

Tomorrow, I'm going to break down a list of eyeshadow sticks that are equally notable. Some of them perform better than Boomstick in side-by-side tests. Some cost a fraction of the price. Some come from brands that spend their money on product development instead of Instagram ads.

I'll also share some application tricks that make any eyeshadow stick work better on skin that's lived a little.

Because here's what I believe: you shouldn't have to choose between good products and good values. And you definitely shouldn't have to pay a premium just because a brand figured out how to target your demographic.

What's your experience with all those Boomstick ads? Let’s meet in the comments section to discuss. Your stories always make these deep-dives better.

Rachel, Your beauty concierge 💋