Recently, I had to stop people in the street and ask them what the one beauty product is they’d recommend to either a friend or a total stranger for a piece of video content I was working on. Turns out, it ended up helping me in more ways than one as I am now writing this very article. Because aside from a few household names and TikTok sensations—I’m talking Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter and Hourglass Phantom Glossy Balm—as well as a few products I’d never even heard of thrown in, there was an overwhelming amount of people with the same response. From the Soft Pinch Dewy Liquid Blush and Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer Stick to the Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation and the Tinted Pressed Finishing Powder, every other person was choosing something from Rare Beauty.
I’ve previously shared my dislike of celebrity-owned beauty brands, due to the fact that it often feels like there’s a real lack of sincerity as to why they were started, other than making some quick cash. However, there are clear exceptions to this— just look at the likes of Rhode, Fenty Beauty, Victoria Beckham Beauty and, of course, Rare Beauty, which continues to be a favourite amongst beauty editors, influencers, makeup artists and consumers.
Founded by Selena Gomez, Rare Beauty launched in the US back in 2020 and quickly established itself as one of the best celebrity beauty brands in the game. It prides itself on building a safe space for everyone to experiment and enjoy beauty, plus it’s also an extremely personal project for Gomez, who donates a percentage of annual profits to a mental health charity she founded. When Rare Beauty finally came to the UK in 2022, raising brand awareness wasn’t even a question and everyone was already desperate to get their hands on it, which was in no doubt thanks to Selena’s regular full-face-of-Rare tutorials posted to her social media. The brand continues to go from strength to strength, with staggering sales figures that saw Gomez reach billionaire status. But founder aside, its reputation is also down to the fact that the products are—in short—really, really good.
I was already an advocate for the brand, having long considered the Soft Pinch Blush and Optimist Illuminating Primer as staples in my makeup bag. For the purposes of this piece, I was sent a full face of products to try and it’s safe to say I’m even more of a fan girl now. Read on for a breakdown of everything I’m wearing in the below picture and why I think it’s worth spending your money on.
Mollie wearing a full face of Rare Beauty.
Shop the Best Rare Beauty Products, As Tested By Me:
1. Rare Beauty Always an Optimist Illuminating Primer
Even though I'm going to attempt to try, I can't really put into words how much of a gorgeously hydrated and glowy finish this primer gives to the skin. It glides on with absolute ease, feels like a dream to wear and will help your makeup to look like it's just been freshly applied hours later.
2. Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation
This foundation seriously delivers on giving the skin the perfect matte medium coverage without looking cakey. The buildable and blendable formula feels just as good at the end of the day as it does when I first apply it, thanks to it's super lightweight, non-drying texture. I'm definitely not alone – just a quick skim through the reviews and it seems to be a favourite amongst a lot of different skin types, which is no easy feat to achieve. It also pairs perfectly with the primer.
3. Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Brightening Concealer
The first thing that's worth noting about this concealer is the precise doe-foot applicator. It is truly unlike anything I have ever used or come across before with a sharply angled applicator, ideal for getting into the corners of the eye. The formula is creamy and easily blended, has a similar finish to the foundation, just with an extra radiance boost, and refuses to settle in fine lines and creases at any point throughout the day.
4. Rare Beauty Harmony Flexible Lifting Gel
In my opinion, brow gels are a hard one to get completely perfect, and so many times I've looked in the mirror to find formulas I'm testing flaking off. This nifty lightweight gel gives the brows shape and definition in a natural-looking way while holding the brows in place without making them look glued down, or leaving any white residue in the hairs.
5. Rare Beauty Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer Stick
This easy-to-use on-the-go bronzing stick is creamy, lightweight, and blends out like a dream. Whether I'm using it to contour or give more of an all over bronzed glow, it buffs into the skin with minimal effort required, regardless of whether you're using a brush, sponge, or your fingers. It's also super pigmented, and a little goes a long way, making it even more worthy of the investment.
6. Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush
In my opinion, this is Rare Beauty's most iconic product, with the brand selling one every nine seconds. I've found all I need is a couple of dots on each cheek as it is so highly pigmented, which I can easily blend in with a brush or my fingers. Even though it dries instantly and doesn't budge, you're still left with this gorgeous multidimensional pink-tinted glow. It's extremely rare for me to wear this blusher and not have someone ask me to share what it is, and it comes with me wherever I go.
7. Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Luminous Powder Blush
This blusher is every bit as good as it looks – I mean, just look at how inviting it is. Unlike the liquid blush, it has more of a shimmery finish in a super natural way and is the perfect option if you want to tint and highlight the cheekbones. Again, a little goes a long way meaning minimal effort for maximum reward.
8. Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara
A few coats of this mascara and lashes will appear slightly thicker and more fluttery in an understated way, making it a great option for everyday wear. I can also top it up once it's dried without it going clumpy.
9. Rare Beauty Kind Words Lip Liner
I'm someone who considers myself undone if I've done a face of makeup and not finished with a lip liner, so as you can imagine, I've tried a lot. I absolutely love how long-lasting the formulas are, while remaining creamy and non-drying. In the picture I've paired shade 'Wise' with the Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in shade 'Happy.' It makes for the perfect ombre lip.
10. Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Longwear Gel Eyeliner
Another product I consider to be a ride-or-die is a brown kohl eyeliner, but finding one with a great colour pay off which doesn't budge can be a bit of a mission. This has fast become one of my all-time favourites, and I can create a super precise corner wing in seconds. I'm wearing shade 'True Brown.'
