Sponsored by Sephora x Rare Beauty
Why Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty Is The Latest Sephora Exclusive To Create Serious Buzz In The Industry
By Marissa Oliva
There is a powerful underlying message behind Selena Gomez’s 2020 hit single Rare: Love yourself, appreciate yourself, and know there’s no one as uniquely beautiful as you. This same idea is the backbone of Gomez’s brand new makeup line — aptly named Rare Beauty — which just recently launched only at Sephora. The line has everyone rushing to swipe, try, and buy its products not only for their unique finishes, but to be part of a new movement in beauty.
First off, you’re probably wondering how this idea of self-love translates to makeup. Essentially, the line’s mission is to provide you with the literal and figurative tools you need to achieve the kind of luminosity that comes from embracing who you are. It’s also about disassembling unrealistic standards of beauty and empowering you to feel amazing about being you. The line is super comprehensive for a new brand, with 48 shades of foundation and concealer, 12 lip souffles, eight liquid blushes, eight highlighters, plus several other complementary products. Gomez made sure to keep price points down to earth; they range $5 to $29. We had the honor of trying out these products ourselves, and we can confidently say they are truly breathtaking.
But before we dive into our favorites, it’s important to know that what makes this line really stand out is the Rare Impact Fund. One percent of all Rare Beauty sales go toward supporting mental health services in underserved communities, with the goal of raising $100 million over the next 10 years. It's a cornerstone of the brand's long-term commitment to fostering community and reducing the stigma associated with the subject of mental health. The admirable mission behind Rare Beauty is in fact one of the reasons why Sephora was so excited to carry the line, as it fosters their own mantra of promoting acceptance. To us, it makes the brand inherently 10 times more gorgeous, and we haven't even gotten into the makeup itself, which is seriously stunning.
One of our favorites in the line is the Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation, and it wears just as the name suggests. The serum-y, medium-coverage formula melted into our skin with minimal blending to enhance and even out, not cover up. And its doe-foot applicator made it easy to target exactly where we wanted seamlessly buildable coverage. The secret to the latter is in the pure pigments — they let you control precisely how much coverage you want without taking away from the airy, lightweight texture. The ultra inclusive shade range (again, there’s a whopping 48!) is also incredibly refreshing.
On a day we wanted to forgo foundation altogether, we dabbed the Liquid Touch Brightening Concealer beneath our eyes and over a few acne scars, and we felt confident enough to go camera-on during a virtual call. The creamy formula kept our skin dewy, and the luminous finish made us look bright-eyed and fresh without any other makeup. Of note: The doe-foot applicator features a unique slanted edge we’d never seen before and which makes it easy to target dark circles, blemishes, and redness. Blending is a cinch (you can use the plush, vegan Liquid Touch Concealer Brush for areas like around the nose and under the eyes). And you don't have to worrying about the concealer caking or settling into lines — the areas we applied it to still looked like our skin, but more even and radiant, by the end of the day. *Chef’s kiss.
Now for the stars: the brand’s liquid blush and matte lipstick.
The Soft Pinch Liquid Blush has color payoff that’s otherworldly. It comes in two different finishes: dewy and matte (perhaps one of the most even divides among makeup wearers). The choice is yours, but no matter which route you take, you’ll need only one dab on the high points of your cheeks for the most glorious wash of color. There are four shades to choose from in either finish. We tried Joy, a dewy peach, and the tint it left was soft and natural looking — like the flush your cheeks get after a brisk autumn walk. An added benefit of the featherlight blush is that it smooths on without disturbing your makeup underneath.
And then there’s the Lip Souffle Matte Lip Creams, which you need to try if you love the look of a velvety, matte lip but hate that dry, my-lips-are-the-Sahara-desert feel. We wouldn't be exaggerating to say that we fell in love with how this product felt and looked on our lips. Thanks to vitamin E and a few different soothing botanicals, the formula was cushion-y and comfortable, coating our lips in nourishing pigment that stayed strong well past morning coffee. The flat, fine sponge-tip applicator helped with precise lining and filling. The shades were also so beautifully curated, with tones ranging from natural (try Courage, a pretty pinky-nude) to vivid (go with Ascend, the hottest fuchsia we’ve ever seen). There's something to be said for the shade names, too, which are equally empowering. Starting our day with a few swipes of Daring, Heroic, or Fearless somehow gave us that extra shot of confidence. This is makeup made to feel good in, indeed.
Call us crazy, but between the pro formulations and what Rare Beauty stands for, we felt we really did radiate the type of glow that only comes from really, deeply, loving yourself. And that kind of result is rare.
This post is sponsored by Sephora x Rare Beauty.
