I Just Tried a Full Face of Rare Beauty—These Are the Products I'd Genuinely Buy
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 Tik Tok 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, other than making cash quick. 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 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.
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.
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 Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara
If subtle, understated lashes are your thing, this mascara is sure to be a hit. Don't expect any sort of majorly impressive lengthening or volumising results, though. A few coats make lashes appear slightly thicker and more fluttery, making it a great option for everyday wear.
7. Rare Beauty Lip Soufflé Matte Lip Cream
I feel like I can't give this product the credit it likely deserves. You see, I'm not a massive fan of matte lip products, because my lips are naturally very dry. However, in comparison to other lip creams that I have tried, this one was surprisingly lightweight and nourishing. It is neither comfortable nor uncomfortable, but the colour offering is beautiful.
8. Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Matte Liquid Liner
The main reason I don't find myself reaching for liquid eyeliner very often is that I simply do not possess the adequate skills to execute a great winged-liner look. This pen, however, blew me away. After just a couple of attempts, I had managed to create the perfect wing (on both eyes)! The nib is fine and precise, while the pigment pay-off is potentially the best I've come across in years.
Mollie Burdell is a freelance beauty editor, presenter and host. She trained as a makeup artist at the prestigious Delamar Academy, covering everything from prosthetics and theatre to TV and film, and then went on to graduate from university with a First Class Honours degree in journalism.After completing internships at Grazia, Look, Cosmopolitan and Stylist, she landed her first writer role at Superdrug's Dare magazine. Mollie then joined the Harrods content team as a beauty writer before being promoted to the deputy beauty editor. There, she developed the content strategy, tone of voice and creative identity for H Beauty—Harrods's standalone regional beauty stores. When she wasn't interviewing the likes of Gigi Hadid, Miranda Kerr and Regé-Jean Page, you'd find her on a live broadcast, hosting an event, shooting video content, reviewing the lastest beauty launch on social or crafting a magazine feature. She has also hosted and contributed to the LuxeGirl by SheerLuxe YouTube series.When Mollie isn't writing about beauty, you'll find her talking about it on a TikTok shop, dancing to pretty much anything with a beat, reading a crime thriller or performing a solo rendition of "One Day More" from Les Mis.
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