It feels like there’s not a day that goes by without a celebrity launching their own beauty brand. What once excited and intrigued me now has me mentally shouting, “why, God, why?”. It sounds dramatic, but when you realize that we live in a world with Robbie Williams launching a skincare line, you know somethings gone awry (no shade to Rob).
I’ve diagnosed myself with ‘celebrity beauty brand fatigue’, and I doubt I’m the only one. Amidst all the questionable namesake brands, was Rare Beauty.
I was never a massive Selena Gomez fan, to be honest. I felt my Disney channel days were behind me when Wizards of Waverly Place first landed on our screens and somehow – partly because I never listen to music beyond 2008 – didn't know much about her music, too.
So, when Rare Beauty launched in 2020, I mentally filed it in another pile of celebs launching beauty brands and lost the file. It took two years for it to come back on my radar and actually try my first product from the brand – their now famous, liquid blush.
As time went on, I found myself actively looking forward to trying out their hero products and their new launches (not that Selena would care, obviously). It didn’t seem that it was just me experiencing a Rare Beauty renaissance, the products were suddenly all over my social media feeds.
In fact, site traffic to Rare Beauty rose 70% in between November 2021 and November 2022. It clearly wasn’t just in my mind, the brand was really gaining momentum. When you consider just how many new brands are launching, that’s impressive.
With its growing popularity and attractive new launches, I decided to try out all the products I could get my hands on from Rare Beauty and make a definitive shopping list of the makeup bits that were worth splurging on (and the ones that aren’t).
If you’ve been wanting to try the brand for a while now, you can find my top picks below, plus the ones you can probably live without. Your bank account will thank me later…
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Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation
Let me start off by saying I am a foundation hoarder. I judge brands based on their foundations and have no regrets. So, I was most excited to try out this guy and it didn’t disappoint. I struggle to find foundations that are quite as pale as me. The undertones are either too yellow or too pink, and don’t get me started on oxidizing.
I went for shade 110N and it was spot on. The texture is so finely milled which makes it a dream to blend and provides some impressive coverage. I could build it up to full coverage, or sheer it out – we love versatility.
It left my skin feeling like velvet and looking extremely glowy considering the matte-ish finish. My one bugbear was it did settle into some dry patches, but overall, I think it will become my new go-to.
CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓watch nowRare Beauty Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation, P2,200, Sephora.ph
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Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush
What can I say? This stuff broke the internet for a reason. It packs a punch color-wise, so less is more with this blush.
It blends in just a few seconds and really adds life back into cheeks. I really can’t see myself ever getting through one bottle, it’s that pigmented.
Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, P1,550, Sephora.ph
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Rare Beauty Brow Harmony - Eyebrows Pencil & Gel
I am rubbish at doing my brows. Everyday, they end up looking completely different than they did the day before. Because of my lack of skills, I need quite a subtle product to prevent me from going OTT and make a quick-fix for any mistakes, which this wasn’t.
I’ve never had a brow pencil be so pigmented before, I was really not prepared. A little goes such a long way, and the tinted brow gel is almost wax-like, so it would be great for those wanting bold, fluffy brows, but I might personally give this a miss next time.
ADVERTISMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓
Rare Beauty Brow Harmony - Eyebrows Pencil & Gel
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Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara
This fluffy-looking brush isn’t my usual go-to; I prefer the thinner, longer wands. Despite being not my type on paper, this managed to grip even the teeniest of lashes and didn’t make a mess whilst doing so (partly why I dislike bigger brushes – it gets everywhere).
I would say this is built to volumize, rather than lengthen, so keep that in mind. Most importantly? It didn’t smudge on my undereye area, so it gets a gold star from me.
Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara, P1,450, Sephora.ph
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Rare Beauty Kind Words Lip Liner
Not only do these come in the best your-lips-but-better shade range, but they’re also a dream to apply. Think drawing with Crayola crayons but a whole lot better.
They didn’t drag on my lips and the width of the product itself allowed for ultimate precision. I often wear these alone without lipstick for a more subtle effect and they really do stay put.
Rare Beauty Kind Words Lip Liner
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Rare Beauty Positive Light Tinted Moisturiser
While I’d always recommend putting a standard SPF on first, this tinted moisturizer comes with SPF20 and it’s everything I wanted Glossier’s Skin Tint to be. It provides enough coverage to cover my redness, without looking too full-on or cakey.
ADVERTISMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓The shade range is impressive for a skin tint (with 24 shades to pick from) and provides your skin with the ultimate no-makeup-makeup look, without being too tacky or greasy. A staple in these cold winter months, if you ask me.
Rare Beauty Positive Light Tinted Moisturiser, P2,200, Sephora.ph
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Rare Beauty Kind Words Matte Lipstick
There is not a color in this bunch I wouldn’t wear. I liked the depth that even the paler shades seemed to have, almost like a burnt-nude.
As for the formula, these matte lipsticks applied as smooth as butter onto my lips and didn’t bleed or fade – even after many, many slices of pizza, which is an achievement in my eyes.
Despite being matte, they didn’t make my lips appear deflated or shrunken, but still provided the color payoff you’d expect from a matte formula.
Rare Beauty Kind Words Matte Lipstick, P1,350, Sephora.ph
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Rare Beauty Lip Soufflé Matte Lip Cream
This cream formula feels as light as whipped cream and avoid leaving lips feeling stiff or tight. It’s not the most hydrating formula (although I wouldn’t expect this coming from a matte formula anyway) but I was impressed with how little the texture sunk into fine lines.
They weren't the most long-wearing (I’d go to the Kind Words Matte Lipsticks for that), however, if you’re looking for a more subtle finish, these will be right up your street.
ADVERTISMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓Rare Beauty Lip Soufflé Matte Lip Cream, P1,350, Sephora.ph
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Rare Beauty Positive Light Under Eye Brightener
An under-eye brightener always seemed like an extra step I didn’t need, but this formula is truly brilliant. First off, it’s so hydrating.
Most eye-brightener products tend to be balmy or waxy, which only makes my skin even drier. This is deeply hydrating, while the metal applicator gives tired peepers a gentle cooling sensation to help wake them up.
My purple undereyes were disguised in a swipe and the formula didn’t seep into fine lines.
Rare Beauty Positive Light Under Eye Brightener, P1,650, Sephora.ph
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Rare Beauty Silky Touch Highlighter
Over the past year, I’ve definitely been converted to liquid highlighters, but this powder option revived my love of the stuff.
This perfectly blends soft glitter pigments with a metallic sheen, to really leave a legit glass-like effect to the skin. The shade “Enlighten” was the perfect pearl for my skin tone and really hit the light in the most perfect way. I’ll be buying the other shades for sure.
Rare Beauty Silky Touch Highlighter, P1,750, Sephora.ph
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This article originally appeared on Cosmopolitan.com/uk. Minor edits have been made by the Cosmo.ph editors.