There have been hundreds of new makeup releases in the last year, and there have been some products that have stood out. But, it’s very difficult for an entire brand to stick out to me. A brand that makes products in almost every category is bound to have a few misses or products that just don’t match the quality of the others. But, Rare Beauty as an entire brand has been a major hit and has become a part of my everyday makeup routine!
3. Overall review of Rare Beauty
Rare Beauty is a makeup brand founded by none other than the extremely talented and effortlessly beautiful, Selena Gomez. Selena launched Rare Beauty in September 2020 as her very first venture into the makeup industry. She’s done everything from clothing lines, partnerships with haircare brands, Adidas, Puma, and even Coca-Cola. But, this was her first toe-dip into the beauty industry and I must say, if her name hadn’t been attached to the brand, I would’ve believed the brand was founded by a professional makeup artist.
Not only does the brand make high-quality products, their brand’s message makes you love them even more. It’s no surprise that anything Selena Gomez does is designed to empower women and everyone to embrace their most true, authentic self. Selena named the brand after her 2020 album titled Rare, as a nod to the fact that each of her fans and each individual is rare, unique, and beautiful in their own way. Selena says that her makeup is designed for people to feel comfortable in, and to embrace and enhance their uniqueness, rather than trying to cover up what makes you different.
Rare Beauty has grown in size, both literally and figuratively. The line started in 2020 with mainly face products such as foundation, concealer, powder, blush, and highlighter. Since then the brand has expanded their scope and now have products in every category including primers, liquid eyeshadows, loose powder, skin tints, eyebrow powder, and even brushes.
The first product I ever purchased from the Rare Beauty line was their Soft Pinch Liquid Blushes. They have several shades now, and they even come in two different types of finishes: matte or dewy. I bought one from the dewy line in the shade “happy”. It’s a really bright, babydoll pink and it’s a blue-based, cool tone pink, so it really is a true baby pink rather than orange or peachy-toned.
I absolutely love this blush. It’s probably the most pigmented makeup product I own, and I learned that the hard way! You really need just the smallest amount, I use only one dot per cheek, and it blends like an absolute dream. It’s creamy but it doesn’t stain your face, so you don’t have to rush to blend one side out at a time to make sure it doesn’t sit too long - unlike some other liquid blushes. It lasted the entire day, and it meshed so well with the rest of my makeup look. This product was an absolute 10 out of 10 for me. They have so many shades but if you’re unsure of which shade would suit your skin tone best, they have sample trios with three mini liquid blushes so you can test out which color, undertone, and finish you like best.
The next product I tried from Rare Beauty was their Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara. Now, when it comes to mascara, I am very picky and I honestly haven’t switched up my mascara in years. But I had heard such amazing reviews of this one on social media, so I had to give it a try. I bought the mini size just to test it out and see if I liked it. When it says volumizing, it’s not lying. It looked like I had just gotten a lash refill, they looked so full. My favorite part about this mascara specifically was that it didn’t get crunchy or flake onto my under eyes throughout the day, which is one of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to mascara.
Another pro of this product was the curling effect. I have naturally long eyelashes, but they’re dead straight and stubborn, so they don’t hold a curl for very long. But I was pleasantly surprised to see my lashes still curled when I looked in the mirror after wearing the mascara all day. I am more of a lengthening type of mascara girl, so this mascara doesn’t do the job for me on its own, but it’s perfect to pair with a lengthening mascara to give you the amazing effects of both.
The last thing I tried was the Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation. I didn’t actually purchase it, but I did get a tester sample to try out, and I must say, I loved it. It was truly weightless, just like the name says. And what I loved most about it was that it dried down to a satin, almost skin-like finish. I absolutely love looking glowy and hydrated, who doesn’t, but I do have somewhat oily skin so after a few hours that glow and dew looks like straight grease. So, I actually appreciate a foundation that dries down and gives a more skin-like finish because it tends to look better the longer you wear it, which is not usually the case with makeup.
You can definitely apply with a damp sponge, but I’m actually really interested in testing out Rare Beauty’s matching foundation brush with it because it seems like it buffs the product in perfectly without picking up any pigment, which is sometimes an issue for me when I use a sponge. Although I haven’t actually purchased this product yet, it’s definitely on my list to buy from the Sephora spring sale!
I have to give Selena her credit, she absolutely killed it with Rare Beauty, and that seems to be the consensus from everyone who has tried it so far. She continues to listen to her customers and put out new products that people want, and really takes her time developing formulas that not only look good but feel good on the skin as well. Although the brand is sold at Sephora, I think it’s very well-priced for the quality and definitely on the more affordable side compared to other brands Sephora carries.
I’ve always been a huge fan of Selena because everything she does comes from a place of love, and this beauty line is no different. The message behind it and every small detail down to the individual shade names of products are all positive, uplifting words. Rare Beauty was definitely my favorite new brand to emerge in the past few years!
Written by Jordan Hammaren
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