| Review | Rare Beauty By Selena Gomez
So, initially, when I saw that Selena Gomez was releasing her own beauty range, my eyes rolled but when I saw the range at Sephora, I was intrigued! It seems like everyone (especially celebrities) is jumping on the beauty bandwagon and it's already hard enough to keep up with brands that have been around for a while. When I saw the products, I was really attracted to the formula and vibe of the brand.
Let me just make it very clear that I paid for all the products myself. I have seen many reviews pop up online but they were all reviews from bloggers who were gifted the range. I also didn't purchase everything from the range, just some products that really appealed to me. The foundation sounds like a lovely formula but it didn't sound particularly unique and the doe-foot applicator is my least favorite packaging for a foundation. I find this kind of applicator extremely unsanitary and it completely turned me away from purchasing it because I have used foundations with this kind of applicator and my foundation has gone bad fairly quickly.
PRIMER
The Rare Beauty Always An Optimist Illuminating Primer retails for $26.00 USD for 0.94 oz/ 28 ml and $14.00 USD for 0.5 oz/ 15 ml and is available exclusively at Sephora. This primer is packaged in a nude pink sheer frosted plastic bottle with a pump dispenser. It's pretty packaging but nothing special. The plastic packaging is excellent for travel and minimizes the chances of it breaking.
Shade
This illuminating primer currently comes in only one shade, which is a very light pearly white shade with very fine shimmer particles. The formula is extremely sheer so, one universal shade should work for all skin tones.
Swatches from left to right: Always An Optimist Illuminating Primer, Flaunt Highlighter, Bliss Liquid Blush, Joy Liquid Blush |
Always An Optimist Primer Swatched Heavily |
Always An Optimist Primer Blended Fully |
Formula
This primer has a gel texture, it feels very light and refreshing on the face. It feels like a gel-cream moisturizer and leaves the skin with a hydrated finish but doesn't leave it feeling wet, sticky, or greasy. While it looks like quite a light silvery-white pearl shade, it is extremely sheer and the color isn't noticeable on the skin at all. It just leaves a very natural, fresh, and soft glow all over the face.
Other than the hydrated feeling and the glow it provides, I don't notice anything particularly special about the primer. It didn't seem to fill in pores or blur imperfections. It mostly just gives your skin a healthy glow. It does seem to give you a very smooth texture to the skin like a smooth dried gel-like veil over the face. It allows your foundation to sit very evenly and look very flawless but it doesn't necessarily help your foundation adhere or last longer. It also doesn't control oil, which may be an important factor for many people.
This primer borders on the edge of being a liquid illuminator because it is quite pigmented. It does work beautifully alone, mixed into, or under foundation. I treat it like a liquid illuminator, which for me offers a lot more value than just an illuminating primer in my routine. You can even use it as a targeted highlighter for a subtle glow. I think the versatility of this primer makes it so valuable in anyone's collection. While I don't think the primer is incredibly unique, for the price, I think it's lovely and worth trying out. I really enjoy the fresh finish it offers my skin and the smoothing texture for my foundation to glide on. I would recommend this product for those looking for an affordable illuminating primer.
LIQUID BLUSH
The Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush retails for $20.00 USD and is exclusively available at Sephora. These liquid blushes are housed in small frosted tubes, similar to lip-gloss, with a doe-foot applicator and a gold rounded cap. The cap is designed to easily twist open and hold for application.
I find this packaging to be very travel and user-friendly. Especially with a runny formula like a liquid, a doe-foot applicator helps control the amount of product being applied and allows you to slowly build your color. The doe-foot applicator is quite large and chunky with a little groove shape. This seems to be the same applicator for most of her products.
The only thing I don't love about doe-foot applicator products like this one is that they aren't the most sanitary and will have a tendency to go bad quickly compared to something that is pumped out. Even if you try to keep it sanitary, every time you dip the applicator back in the tube, you risk transmitting bacteria.
Shades & Finishes
These liquid blushes come in 8 shades - 4 matte and 4 dewy finishes. I love the options for matte and dewy blush because of course, we all have our own preferences and skin types. I haven't actually seen a matte liquid blush before, which is what really gravitated me toward this product. Also, I was extremely excited for this formula because from what I could tell, it looked very similar to the Em Cosmetics Serum Blush formula. I purchased one shade of each finish to try.
Joy (Dewy) - This shade is a vibrant coral
Bliss (Matte) - This soft peachy pink shade
Swatched from left to right: Joy, Bliss |
Formula
These liquid blushes are PIGMENTED! My first time using these I put a dot on each of my cheeks and it was waaay too much product! By the time I started blending, my whole cheek area was covered in blush and I couldn't remove all the excess blush. What I highly recommend when using this formula is applying a touch to the back of your hand and then going in with your brush or fingers. I also recommend picking a pin-prick of product because the tiniest bit goes such a long way! This liquid formula has a vibrant and intense color.
They blend out extremely easy and the tiny dot you use will easily spread to cover the cheeks. It definitely has a learning curve because even when I picked up the tiniest dot of product, I felt like still applied too much after it was all blended out so, I had to go in with my foundation brush to help reduce the amount of color on my cheeks. However, it does blend into the skin and leaves a very natural and fresh flush.
The matte formula offers a more of a glow-from-within type of look and looks very skin-like. Whereas, the dewy finish blush offers a fresh and glowing finish. Due to the rich pigment in these blushes, they last all on the skin and can last beyond 8 hours. This wear time depends on your skin type but the pigmentation is so intense, you should get a full day's worth of wear out of it. Additionally, this intense pigmentation means that all skin tones can wear these shades, even the deepest skin tones! They really are powerhouse blushes that don't budge but they look so skin-like!
The formula of these liquid blushes is so unique and truly exceptional! Liquid blush formulas can be very hit or miss and this one is a HUGE hit! I think the finishes are so unique and beautiful, the colors are so universally flattering, and they are pretty much effortless to apply. I would love to see more shades come out in these because I can't seem to get enough of them. Whether I choose to wear a foundation or not, adding a touch of these blushes give my face the perfect brightening lift it needs!
HIGHLIGHTER
The Rare Beauty Positive Light Liquid Luminizer Highlight retails for $22.00 and is available exclusively at Sephora. These highlighters are housed in a large clear tube with a doe-foot applicator attached to a cap with a little rounded cap to hold onto the wand with. The doe-foot applicator is very large and chunky and picks up a lot of product.
Shades
This highlighter formula currently comes in 8 shades ranging from a very light pearl to a rich bronze shade. There really is something for everyone and for every skin tone here. I chose the shade Flaunt because I love a bronze champagne shade for a highlighter. This shade looks quite bronze in the tube but sheers out on the skin and looks very natural and leans a bit more golden.
Flaunt Highlighter Swatched Heavily and Blended |
Flaunt Highlighter Swatched Heavily and Blended |
Formula
This formula is a very smooth and silky liquid that glides easily across the skin. Again, this is a product where very little goes a very long way. I find one dot on the cheekbones is more than enough to cover the whole cheekbone area. This liquid spreads out very easily and really covers the skin so, you can go overboard very easily. Due to its silky texture, it just blends into the skin seamlessly and the ultra-fine pearl doesn't emphasize texture too much.
The finish is a very natural and soft luminosity. It gives your skin a soft pearly shine but it doesn't;t look as metallic as it does in the bottle. This is what I would expect from this brand that believes in natural enhancement. This is also what I would prefer from a highlighter. You can build this liquid up to give you a bit more of an intense glow but it isn't really meant for a bold shine or shimmer.
The pigmentation is also soft but I wouldn't call it sheer. The bronze shade of the color I purchased is still apparent on my skin but it isn't true to the color in the bottle, which is preferred. It just adds a tint to the highlight that makes it look a bit more interesting a nuanced. I think that many skin tones can wear many of these shades because of the sheerer pigmentation and the softer pearl finish.
This more liquid formula is also very versatile because you can use it mixed into your base or blush for some extra glow. This highlighter won't drastically alter the color of your foundation or blush but will just add a touch of color with a bit of luminosity. This formula sits very close to the skin and becomes part of the skin so, it wears very well. Additionally, it seems to somewhat set on the skin and doesn't stay wet. It just feels very skin-like. This formula will last much longer than other liquid highlighter formulas because it sets down and doesn't stay wet. On my dry skin type, I find it lasts beyond eight hours. It may vary depending on your skin type.
BRUSHES
Shockingly, these were the products I was most intrigued by because the shape of these brushes is so different and unique. The only two brushes currently available are:
The Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Foundation Brush retails for $28.00 USD and is available exclusively at Sephora. This brush has every unique angled shape with a pinched end at the bottom. The brush is extremely dense and short. While this is very similar to a dense buffing foundation brush, the unique shape allows you to really trace the contours of the face and get around awkward crevices. The bristles are very dense and soft. Plus, the slightly darker hair tips hides the fact that your brush is dirty when you've been using it.
For foundation application, this brush works like a dream! First, I dot the foundation all around my face evenly. I prefer to apply many sheer dots of product over applying several large dots of product. Then, I take the foundation brush and sweep it across my face. With a few smooth sweeping motions, my foundation is perfectly blended and flawless! The density of this brush allows you to easily smooth the foundation all over and blend it into the skin, leaving no streaks or patches! For more coverage, you can use a stippling motion to press the foundation into your skin and minimize sheering out the foundation.
I think this brush can be used with a variety of foundation formulas, including powders and creams. Due to its density, it really buffs the product into the skin leaven a very seamless and natural finish to the skin. It also doesn't absorb that much product so, you have minimal waste and more coverage.
What really appealed to me about this brush was its shape and density would allow me to utilize it for more than just foundation application. I used this brush to apply my cream bronzer, highlighter, and blush. It excelled in all facets of the makeup application process. The pinched angle shape really allows the brush to fit into all the contours of the face, making it perfect for applying virtually every makeup product. I particularly like it for cream bronzer and contour because it can really help shape the face and it even fits on the sides of the nose.
I love the versatility of this brush and I'm planning on picking up a couple more! I really haven't come across that many brushes that "can do it all". I know it can't actually do it all but it's pretty close! I find myself constantly reaching for this brush to apply just about any of my face products and I don't think I can be without several in my collection! It is a very unique design that is highly functional and so effortless to use!
The Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Concealer Brush retails for $16.00 USD and is available exclusively at Sephora. This concealer brush is a mini version of the foundation brush and while cute, it's not as versatile as the foundation brush. It has the same pinched angled shape and density, which makes it great for blending and maintaining coverage. Like the foundation brush, it doesn't absorb a lot of product. The bristles are very tightly packed, dense, and very soft.
I think the angled shape makes it perfect for concealing, especially around the nose and under the eyes. It really fits in all those spaces and blends everything very seamlessly. Other than for applying concealer, this brush can be used for contouring the sides of the nose, highlighting, and as an eyeshadow brush. The thing is, that the foundation brush contours and highlights just as well. This brush will only give you more precision. This brush just isn't as versatile as the foundation brush but I do think it is an excellent brush that is beautifully constructed.
THE LOOK
For this look, I didn't wear any foundation. I just applied Bliss matte Liquid Blush and the Flaunt Liquid Highlighter on my cheekbones.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Based on all the products I've tried, I'm quite impressed with the Rare Beauty range. I think the standout products for me are the liquid blushes and the foundation brush. I think the foundation brush is extremely versatile, well-crafted, and offers a very seamless application of any product to the face. The liquid blushes are shockingly pigmented and vibrant. This can make them a bit tricky to work with initially but they do apply and blend beautifully into the skin. They offer a beautiful and natural flush on the skin. I love the longevity of these liquid blushes and the versatility of the shades, which will work on every skin tone!
Overall, the range is very impressive and doesn't feel like a celebrity cash grab. It feels like the products were very well thought out, they had some unique formulations, and they all perform beautifully. The look the brand offers is more on the natural side, which really suits Selena Gomez's style. I think there are some real gems in this range and I am looking into trying some more products from the range based on my experience with these products.
Shop Rare Beauty:
3 Comments
Gorgeous photos and such a thorough review! I tried the lip soufflees from Selena but they weren't my thing. Not bad necessarily, just not for me. But the blushes sound like they're definitely worth giving a try!!
ReplyDeletexoxo - Kelly
www.dreaminlace.com
Im a South African living in South Africa, I love Selena Gomez my question is where can I get rare beauty here, big ups to Selena Gomez I luv the reviews even though I never use it yet
ReplyDeleteRare Beauty's blush shades offer a stunning range of colors that blend seamlessly for a natural, radiant glow. Discover which shades best complement your skin tone in our latest article!
ReplyDeleterare beauty blush shades