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I grew up a Disney kid who loved watching “Wizards of Waverly Place”, which means Selena Gomez has been a constant in my life for as long as I can remember. So, when Gomez announced she was launching her very own beauty brand, I was immediately interested to see what she would create.
Named Rare Beauty, the range launched in the US in September 2020, and we were finally able to get our hands on it via Sephora Australia on August 5, 2021. I was lucky enough to try a number of products from the range, and I’m happy to report that the overall quality is super high. That along with the brand’s ethos make using it a positive experience.
Rare Beauty is committed to breaking down unrealistic standards of perfection. Gomez wanted to create products that were a celebration of self-love and acceptance rather than a tool for covering up or hiding. The line aims to help you feel comfortable with who you are.
Related: Mark It in Your Calendar: Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty Is Landing in Australia Soon
“These products aren’t about being someone else. It’s about being who you are, whether that’s rocking a full face of bold makeup or barely any makeup at all,” Gomez said in a statement at the time of Rare Beauty’s release in Australia. “Makeup is something to enjoy. It’s not something you need. I want every person to feel beautiful exactly as they are.”
To properly review the products, I decided to do a full face of Rare Beauty — everything on my face was from Rare Beauty, save for my brow products and my mascara. And while I do have some critics, overall, I’m a fan of the brand. Here are my top three takeaways from using Rare Beauty.
The Foundation Isn’t Suited to My Dry Skin
I started off by applying the Always An Optimist Illuminating Primer ($45) as my base. Before using the primer, I prepped my skin with a vitamin C serum and SPF. This product is beautiful — it has a gel texture that is super lightweight, and it absorbs into the skin perfectly, leaving it feeling smooth and hydrated.
The Illuminating Primer also includes ultra-fine pearls within the formula, so the product gives you a subtle glow and radiance. It looks lovely when layered underneath foundation.
Next, I went in with the Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation ($49). The foundation comes in 48 shades (love the extensive shade range!) and it applies much like the primer — it has a serum-like texture that feels weightless on the skin. The coverage is buildable, so you can layer it up for a more full coverage finish.
Unfortunately, I didn’t quite get along with this foundation. It was the product I like the least as I found it quite drying on my skin. I have dry skin as it is, so I always opt for super hydrating foundation formulas, and I personally didn’t find that this product met that brief. After a few hours of wear, the product was quite patchy as my skin started to absorb it around my cheeks and forehead.
Related: Selena Gomez Embraces Her Natural Beauty With New No-Makeup Selfies
I’m obsessed with facial mists and liberally applied the Always An Optimist 4-In-1 Mist ($48) over the top, as it’s designed to offer hydration and refresh the skin. Despite this, it didn’t improve my experience with the foundation. I did, on the other hand, enjoy the mist, which has a fresh scent and leaves skin looking with a subtle glow.
The Blush Provides a Lovely Natural Flush
I tested out two of the blush products from the Rare Beauty range, and I’m a big fan of both. The Stay Vulnerable Melting Blush ($39) in the shade Nearly Neutral combines weightless oils and spherical powders to provide a natural flush on the skin. The blush applies like a cream and melts into the skin to leave a satin finish. I loved this product, it applied like a dream and gave the most subtle, lovely pink tinge to my cheeks.
The Soft Pinch Liquid Blush ($39) — I used the shade Bliss — comes in a tube with a doe-foot applicator that you apply straight to the skin and blend. This liquid blush offers buildable colour, and while it can look bright in the tube, starts subtle and lends itself to layering for a bold flush of colour.
Available in matte or dewy finishes, I found the matte finish to be a little bit drying for my skin but the colour payoff was excellent. This is definitely worth it for those who love a low-fuss liquid blush option.
The Liquid Eyeshadow Is My New Favourite Product
I usually reach for powder eyeshadow in day-to-day life, so using a liquid-to-powder product was interesting and I have to say, I love the Stay Vulnerable Liquid Eyeshadow ($35) in the shade Nearly Neutral. It’s definitely my favourite product in the range. It applies with a doe-foot application and comes out as a weightless liquid, before drying to a powder finish that allows you to blend out.
The product is buildable, so you can go as subtle or heavy as you prefer, and after hours of wearing it, I didn’t notice any creasing. It’s also super long-lasting so it won’t smudge or fade during the day. I’ve worn this twice since my first wear and I love it.
Overall, the Rare Beauty range is lovely. The products feel super luxe in both packaging and formulation and I’m definitely going to be incorporating many of the products into my daily makeup routine. And, with prices ranging from $9 to $49, it’s an extremely affordable makeup range. To shop Rare Beauty for yourself, head to Sephora Australia.
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