Recently, singer and actress Selena Gomez released a makeup line called Rare Beauty. When the brand was announced, it received a lot of backlash because it seemed like Gomez was just trying to jump on the makeup bandwagon and be like Rihanna with her line Fenty Beauty. Once the products were released, however, members of the beauty community praised the brand and I had to see what the hype was about.  

Firstly, let’s get into the packaging: All the products in this line do not look like your ordinary makeup products. Most Rare Beauty products are packaged in clear, matte bottles with screw-top lids that have a ball attached to the top. The reason for this packaging is to help makeup lovers with arthritis, like Gomez, open the product with less of a struggle. The design is very interesting to look at and has won a lot of praise from fans because Gomez is taking another step torward to a more inclusive beauty community.  

The first product I tried was the line’s foundation. The liquid touch weightless foundation is priced at $29 and comes in 48 shades. The product is described as cruelty-free, vegan, paraben-free and safe for sensitive skin.  

According to the Rare Beauty website, the foundation is meant to feel weightless, breathable and melt into your own skin. The foundation is also meant to provide medium to full coverage, even your skin tone, conceal pores and last for as long as you need it to. Rather than using a pump like most foundations, this one uses a doe-foot applicator.  

The foundation lives up to its description on the website. Rare Beauty’s website said that the foundation is meant to be “serum-like,” and it really is! The website gives instructions on how to apply the foundation if you’re trying to achieve full, medium or light coverage and I followed the full coverage instructions. The formula is easy to apply with a makeup sponge and blended right into my skin. Once the foundation dries, it’s pretty lightweight and hardly detectable.  

 I wouldn’t recommend it if you have a lot of acne and want a thicker kind of foundation to cover it up, but if you’re the kind of person that prefers the no-makeup makeup look, then this foundation is perfect for you. 

Next, I tried the concealer. The liquid touch brightening concealer is $19 a bottle and comes in 48 shades as well to correspond with the foundation’s shade range. The Rare Beauty website describes the foundation as a “lightweight, hydrating concealer that gives you buildable coverage where you need it while brightening skin with a radiant finish.” Like the foundation, this concealer also features a doe-foot applicator.  

The concealer is easy to blend and works well with the foundation. I experienced some creasing in my under-eye area but it wasn’t dramatic. While the concealer covered my dark circles, it may not be as effective for someone who has deeper dark circles to cover.  

Lastly, the Always An Optimist 4-in-1 mist was my least favorite item. The mist is $24 and is described on the website as “an ultra-fine, all-in-one face mist packed with skin-loving ingredients to hydrate, prime, set, and refresh for an uplifting glow-boost that lasts” so it’s not necessarily a primer or a setting spray, but instead a mix of both and then some. The website says the spray contains niacinamide, sodium hyaluronate, panthenol and a “botanical blend of lotus, gardenia, and white water lily”.  

Despite all these ingredients, there’s nothing extraordinary about this spray; it’s not a must-buy from this brand. It’s just like any other spray that’s out there, so feel free to use whichever spray you’ve been using in your routine. If you’ve never used a spray before and are interested in incorporating it into your makeup routine, then the price for this one isn’t as expensive as most of its competitors, but you can still find something cheaper.  

Overall, the products are cost-effective and live up to the hype, with the added bonus of being an inclusive brand. One percent of the company’s annual sales will go towards the Rare Impact Fund in support of mental health services. The products in this review can be found at rarebeauty.com, sephora.com and in Sephora locations.  Rare Beauty Product Review