| Review| Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable Collection

| Review| Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable Collection

I've been such a makeup minimalist since we've all been on lockdown and I really started to embrace the less is more philosophy. Rare Beauty really impressed me with their first launch of products, you can read my review here. I was so excited to see the release of this minimalist monochromatic makeup collection. With three essential products, the Stay Vulnerable Melting Cream Blush, Liquid Eyeshadow, and Glossy Lip Balm to create a perfect monochromatic look, this collection is simply beautiful. I couldn't resist picking up these intriguing new beauty products. 

CREAM BLUSH 

The Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable Melting Cream Blush retails for $21.00 USD and is available at Sephora. The small plastic compact has an oval shape and magnetic closure, which is my favorite kind of packaging. Magnetic packaging is just so luxurious and chic. My only concern is that it may not be as air-tight as a screw-on cap but I have no confirmation of this. The blush itself is actually raised from the packaging, instead of being embedded into the compact. 

Shades 

This collection comes in 5 shades that coordinate with other products in the collection. The shades are all very wearable, ranging from a nude to berry tone. There should be a color to suit every skin tone but maintaining a natural look. The shade I purchased is: 

 

Nearly Neutral - This is the lightest shade available and it looks much pinker and more mauve in the pan than it is described by its name. However, when applied to the cheeks it leans a bit more neutral but it still has quite a pink pigment to it. 

Formula 

This cream blush formula has a luscious and unique translucent and glossy finish! This blush goes on very sheer and translucent, offering a very natural, real, and fresh flush to the skin. It gives you a glossy watercolor effect to the skin, which is so stunning. The texture of the blush is very thin and slick. When you run your fingers over the surface, you can feel a slippery texture and you will pick up a very thin layer of product. This formula applies well with the fingers or with a small dense stripping brush. The translucent finish allows you to see the skin's texture from under the blush, making the flush look so real like it's emanating from the skin. 

The blush does leave a veil of the product on the skin that doesn't set down but it doesn't feel sticky or greasy on the skin. The slick texture makes it feel like a moisturizer on the skin, thin and a little wet. This blush will transfer and move around on the face, simply because the texture is so slick. I find this formula lasts about 1 to 4 hours on the skin, depending on the climate, your skin type, and your base underneath. I applied it to my bare skin heavily on the back of my hand and it lasted about an hour before fading. On the cheeks with a foundation on, I have found it to wear for closer to 4 hours before I noticed significant fading. This isn't the longest wearing blush but the finish is beautiful. 

LIQUID EYESHADOW 

The Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable Liquid Eyeshadow retails for $20.00 USD and is available at Sephora. This product is packaged in a clear plastic tube with one flat side so, it sits on your vanity without rolling around. Now, either this was thought out purposefully for the user, preventing the product from rolling around or it was designed for being Instagram-perfect packaging because it lays so perfectly for flatlays. Either way, it's pretty innovative for such simple packaging. The product has a doe-foot wand applicator, making it easy to take on-the-go. The doe-foot has a tapered shape that allows for precision. 

Shades 

This collection comes in 5 shades that coordinate with other products in the collection. The shades are all very wearable, ranging from a nude to berry tone. There should be a color to suit every skin tone but maintaining a natural look. The shade I purchased is: 

Nearly Neutral - This liquid eyeshadow also has a very peachy-pink tone and is subtly more neutral when layered. I do wish this shade was slightly more neutral because it would be more of a contrast from the other shades in the range. Also, because it has such a strong peach and pink coloring, I feel that I really need something to ground the look and prevent it from looking too much like my eyes are irritated. I feel that I have to wear some liner or a pair of lashes or something to make the color look intentional on my eyes. 

Formula 

This matte liquid eyeshadow has a very light texture and a sheer initial pigment. The pigment is very buildable and you can get to full opacity very easily. It is also best to build the color by layering to avoid a messy or uneven application. I start with a small swipe on the center of my lid and using a blending brush or my fingers, I blend it out. This formula dries relatively quickly but not so fast that you can't do both eyes simultaneously. I prefer to do one eye at a time to make sure I thoroughly blend my eyeshadow. 

Once the eyeshadow dries on the eyes, it really doesn't move! You can continue to layer on more until you have your desired opacity. It doesn't have any issues with layering more product on and each layer applies very evenly. This formula is really thin, which is really nice because you don't feel the eyeshadow on the eyes, it doesn't get crepey as you layer it on the eyes, and you can even layer other eyeshadows on top. 

This formula is extremely long-wearing and looks just as vibrant at the end of the day, as it does when you first apply it. This eyeshadow lasts beyond 8 hours without a primer and it never smudges, creases, or fades. It's a very easy formula to apply and it is truly effortless. 

GLOSSY LIP BALM 

The Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable Glossy Lip Balm retails for $18.00 USD and is available at Sephora. Like the liquid eyeshadow, this packaging has a unique tube with one flat side. This is flat side prevents the product from rolling around on a flat surface, making it ideal for taking pictures and for using daily. The gloss comes with a doe-foot wand applicator with a tapered point tip. 

Shades 

This collection comes in 5 shades that coordinate with other products in the collection. The shades are all very wearable, ranging from a nude to berry tone. There should be a color to suit every skin tone but maintaining a natural look. The shade I purchased is: 

Nearly Neutral - This shade is a beautiful rosy neutral brown shade. This is the shade I was hoping the other two products in this collection would be more like. It has just enough rosiness to make this cool brown very flattering for a wide variety of skin tones. This lip color has a cream finish and no shimmers or reflective particles in it. This shade is actually more mauve than the other products with the Nearly Neutral name. 

Formula 

This glossy balm has a wonderfully thick and balmy texture! The gloss has a great medium-thickness, it's not too gloopy and not at all sticky. It has the texture that reminds me of a lip sleeping mask, thick and balmy, It has this instantly smoothing texture that coats the lips in this cushiony veil. It just makes you want o to rub your lips together because it gives your lips this luscious, cushiony, plum, and super-smooth texture. 

This texture is so comfortable for long term wear, it doesn't wear off as easily because it adheres to the lips, and it provides hydration to the lips. This formula really does feel more like a nourishing balm but looks like a gloss! This formula has a great pigmentation that is close to full coverage with just a touch of translucency. The color is true to what it looks like in the tube and it doesn't sink into lip lines. The balmy formula suspends the pigment in the balm and creates an even veil of color over the lips. 

This balm has a pretty decent wear time anywhere from 3 to 6 hours, depending on how much and what you're eating and drinking. On average, it wears about 4 or 5 hours very comfortably. It also fades very evenly and still looks good as it wears off. This formula is so hydrating that long after the balm wears off your lips still feel moisturized! 

THE LOOK 

For this look, I simply applied each of the products in their intended location. I do want to note that I did use a lip liner under the glossy balm. It turns out the Laura Mercier Lip Definer in Naked is the perfect match for Nearly Naked! It makes for a stunning lip look! I feel like I could use some lashes or an eyeliner here but overall, I'm very pleased with this minimal makeup look. 

FINAL THOUGHTS 

I had some high expectations for this collection and it really didn't disappoint! All the products in this collection are absolutely beautiful, and I am heavily considering picking up some more shades! Together, these products really do create a beautiful monochromatic look that is just as effortless to apply! 

If I had to choose a favorite product from this collection, it would be the Glossy Lip Balm. This glossy balm just feels so incredible on the lips and it leaves the lips with a beautiful color. I love the smooth balmy texture and how hydrating the formula feels on my lips. I think it is the perfect fusion of gloss and lip balm. I currently keep this in my bag with some other products that are similar for effortless touchups. 

While I love the finish and look of the Melting Cream Blush, I wish it would last longer on the skin. I have some other products that give me a similar effect but will last longer. However, there's just something so fresh and beautiful about this formula that I would definitely consider picking up another shade or two. The liquid eyeshadow is a great formula that is wonderful and easy to use. The only reason why I am hesitant to pick up some more shades is that many of the shades are very similar with a rosy or pinkish tone. I just personally don't need any more of those shades in my collection but if you like the shades, the formula is fantastic and I highly recommend getting some. 

Overall, I think these products are beautiful additions to the brand and really suit the brand's aesthetic. I think the formulas are quite unique and I hope to see some possible shade extensions in the future! I would recommend all these products if you are curious about them. To me, these are much more interesting and special than the products originally released from the range. They have really developed a strong precedent for high quality and unique formulas that have me excited to see what the brand has in store in the future!

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