Shop the new Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez line:

*Update* – Rare Beauty just launched a Holiday collection! Want to know more? Check it out here.
*Another Update* – Rare Beauty just launched the new Stay Vulnerable collection! Want to know more? Check it out here.

Earlier this spring, I predicted that the “no makeup” makeup look would be hot for the rest of 2020. However I never could have imagined that there would be multiple new brand launches all focused on letting your inner beauty shine and enhancing your natural features through minimal makeup. But I love it! Although new brands launch all the time, it’s rare to have a launch that is as robust as the new Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez makeup line straight out of the gate. This launch includes SO many products and SO many shades!

In fact, the new Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez line is now available at Rare Beauty and Sephora. Moreover, the line includes 17 products that make up almost a full face of makeup. To be sure, the only things missing are eyeshadow and mascara. And you know Rare Beauty will follow up with those eventually. Of course one of the most impressive things about this “celeb beauty line” is the shade range. For example, the foundation and concealer come in 48 shades each, the blush and illuminator come in 8 shades each, and the liquid lips and lip balms come in 12 and 8 shades respectively.

In fact, this launch reminds me a lot of the new Lauren Conrad Beauty line (full review here). Not because I’m trying to put starlets or celeb beauty lines against each other. But rather in the fact that both are encouraging people to feel beautiful in their own skin and that natural makeup or no makeup at all can be just as much (or more) beautiful than a full face. Obviously I love that.

Here are all of the Rare Beauty products:

In fact, since there are so many products in this launch that deserve to be discussed, I made a little table of contents so you can click the links below and jump directly to the products/swatches/info you want to see.

Foundation, Skin, and Tools

Cheeks

Highlighters

Lips

Foundation, Skin, and Tools

Always An Optimist 4-in-1 Prime & Set Mist – $24

Liquid Touch Multi-Tasking Makeup Sponge – $14

Always An Optimist Illuminating Primer – $26 – This also comes in a mini for $14.

Liquid Touch Foundation Brush – $28

Liquid Touch Concealer Brush – $16

Blot & Glow Touch-Up Kit – $26 – This set also has refills! Not only that, but you can get a refill of 100 blotting sheets for $5 and a powder puff refill for $15.

Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation – $28 – 48 shades – If you need help selecting a shade, I’m obsessed with Sephora’s shade finder.)

Liquid Touch Brightening Concealer – $19 – 48 shades

Perfect Strokes Matte Liquid Liner – $19

Brow Harmony Pencil & Gel – $22

Cheeks

Soft Pinch Liquid Blush – $20

• Radiant Finish –
  • Happy – Dewy Cool Pink
  • Joy – Dewy Muted Peach
  • Lucky – Dewy Hot Pink
  • Grateful – Dewy True Red
• Matte Finish –
  • Bliss – Matte Nude Pink
  • Love – Matte Terracotta
  • Grace – Matte Bright Rose Mauve
  • Faith – Matte Deep Berry

First of all, these shades are gorgeous in person. Surprisingly, there’s only a very slight difference in texture between the dewy and matte shades. In fact, the matte shades dry down almost to a powder-esque finish. However, you have to work very very quickly with these blushes. If you don’t apply and blend quickly enough, they’ll dry patchy. When they say “you only need a dot”, they’re not kidding. You truly only need 1-2 dots per side. In the photo below, I blended out a full swipe of product vs one tiny drop so you can see how little you really need. One bottle will last forever.

Highlighters

Positive Light Liquid Luminizer Highlight – $22

• Enlighten – Champagne
• Enchant – Soft Pink
• Mesmerize – Rose Bronze
• Outshine – True Gold
• Transcend – Rose Gold
• Flaunt – Bronze Gold
• Captivate – Copper
• Reflect – Deep Bronze

Oh my goodness these highlighters are gorgeous. Not only do they give you a really subtle glow with just a hint of shimmer (not sparkle), but the bottles are absolutely huge. Like with the blush, just make sure you don’t go in too heavy handed. I am wearing the shade Enlighten.

Lips

Lip Souffle Matte Cream Lipstick – $20 – 12 shades

• Courage – Nude Mauve
• Brave – Muted Terracotta
• Fearless – Deep Mauve Rose
• Thrilling – True Brown
• Motivate – Watermelon Pink
• Inspire – Bright Red
• Ascend – Deep Fuchsia
• Energize – Bright Coral
• Strengthen – Dark Cool Red
• Heroic – True Berry
• Transform – Deep Wine
• Daring – Muted Lavender

With Gratitude Dewy Lip Balm – $16

• Honor – Clear
• Praise – Muted Peach
• Blessed – Bright Coral
• Empathy – Rose Mauve
• Thankful – Nude Mauve
• Appreciate – Cool Brown
• Support – Plum Brown
• Compliment – Muted Berry

Both of these lip products are so pretty. However, the coloring of the liquid lips really confuses me. Somehow the packaging shades don’t match the swatch shades, which don’t match how the color looks on your lips. For example, I’m wearing the shade “Strengthen” in today’s photos yet the swatch looks like it would be a rosey mauve and the tube looks like it’s a purple that’s almost black. However, the formula did feel nice on, but it didn’t dry down and is definitely not a transferproof formula. But it was very light weight and felt more like a cream lipstick than a drying liquid lip.

As for the lip balm, I’m also intrigued by this packaging. I love that it has a sort of magnetic closure that makes the little lid “snap” back on. And the flat side of the packaging is nice if you don’t want your products rolling around everywhere. However it feels weird in your hand when you apply the lip balm. And I don’t like the way the lid can rotate when it’s on so the flat side of the top and the bottom don’t always match up. Which makes the lid a flight risk in your handbag. But the formula is nice and silky and smells wonderful.

Although I’m super excited about this line and these products, the packaging really surprised me. To explain, it feels kind of “old”. Almost more like an Estee Lauder than a new fresh brand. I know these products are meant for all people of all ages and all backgrounds, but for some reason I expected the packaging to be more “fun and fresh”.

All in all, I think this is a great launch and addition to the beauty world. I love the message of inclusivity and that beauty is what you make of it. In the future, I hope they expand the lipstick and blush ranges to be as well rounded as the concealer and foundation range.

If you want even MORE information about these Rare Beauty products, check out my YouTube video.

Overall Rankings (out of 5) –
I’m only giving ratings for the products I tried – the blush, highlighter, eyeliner, liquid lip, lip balm, and the brushes/sponge.

Foundation Brush – 3 – It’s a nice brush, but I felt like it made my foundation look like it was sitting on top of my skin, rather than looking super natural or blended.

Concealer Brush – 4.5 – I liked this brush. In fact, this is what I was expecting from the Pat McGrath Labs concealer brush. It’s soft and really feels like you’re applying your concealer with your fingertip. However, I wish it were just a tad softer/less dense so you could really buff out any fine lines.

Sponge – 4 – I like the price point and all of the angles/sides. The pointed tip is really great for precision application. However, it’s really really squishy and has a lot of “give”. Which makes it feel kind of weird as you blend your products. But I did feel like it soaked up a lot of product which might have been part of my blush struggle.

Eyeliner pen – 4 – I love the size and price of this liner. In fact, it actually reminds me a lot of a Sharpie. (Don’t use a Sharpie as eyeliner.) It has a great feel and point and lines your eyes nicely. However, it says it’s long wearing and waterproof, but smudged on me within a few hours.

Liquid Blush – 5 – Love this. I love the size, the price, the quality, and the shades. But hopefully they’ll continue to expand the shade range. Although this seems like a super easy product, the matte version is definitely not for beginners. Make sure you blend quick and only use a little bit.

Liquid Luminizer – 5 – Love this. The size is huge, the product is great, and the performance is awesome. I love the shade range. This is a great product for both full makeup and no makeup days.

Lip Balm – 4 – I like the product but don’t like the packaging. The price is great and a lot lower than several of the other recent tinted lip balm launches. And I love the shade range.

Liquid Cream Lipstick – 3.5 – The lipstick itself felt more like a cream lipstick than the liquid variety. Which, to be fair, is how it’s billed. However, I really hope they expand the shade range. All of the shades are really dark/bold, and it was hard to find a good match.

Now that you’ve made it this far, if you want to try some of these products from Rare Beauty but don’t want to buy the full size, check out my preview of the Holiday collection here. It’s full of cute little minis at great prices.

XOXO,
Tiffany

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