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If you’ve ever used Fenty Beauty, Florence by Mills or Rose Inc, you’ll understand the mystical hold these celebrity makeup lines have on us all too well and, according to TikTok, Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez is another one guaranteed to dominate our makeup routines.
Founded upon self-love, Rare Beauty aims to break down unrealistic beauty standards and champion individuality over perfection. The curated selection of beauty products has been developed to make you feel good in the skin you’re in, without masking what makes you unique. Amen to that.
Offering all the makeup must-haves from tinted moisturisers, bronzer sticks, soft radiance setting powder, 48 foundation shades (we love to see it) and liquid blush, the collection includes everything you could ever need to create effortless day-to-night looks.
The feel-good formulas aim to highlight your natural beauty whilst delivering ultra-wearable, buildable coverage, so whether you’re into barely-there makeup or full glam, Sel’s got you covered.
Not only are the products 100% vegan and cruelty-free, but 1% of all sales will go to the Rare Beauty Fund to connect underserved communities with access to mental health services, cementing Selena’s brand as one that’s committed to making a difference.
Two years after its debut in the US, it’s *finally* exclusively available to shop at Space NK, delighting beauty-loving Brits everywhere. Naturally, we had to see if Miss Gomez’s brand lives up to the TikTok hype. Here’s everything we’re using and loving from the Selena-approved collection. Bring on the pigment!
To shop the Rare Beauty range, head to Space NK stores or the website.
Charlotte’s Review
Consider me OBSESSED. I’ve been using Rare Beauty for a couple of months now and it honestly might be my new fave brand- so many of the products are now part of my daily routine! My number one pick has to be the Warm Wishes Effortless Contour Stick in the shade Happy Sol. I’ve never been one that’s super confident with contour as I’m usually as pale as anything but this shade is perfect for me, and despite how pigmented it is when first applied to the skin it blends so seamlessly thanks to the ultra-creamy formula. A real joy to use!
I’d been seeing so many cream blush products on my TikTok FYP and had been super eager to try some, and let’s just say I’m a total convert from powder products! I’ve been loving the shade Hope which again is really pigmented and a little goes a super long way but gives the prettiest finish. I’ve then been finishing my base off with a few dabs of the Positive Light Liquid Luminizer in the shade Transcend and I truly don’t think my skin has ever been so glowy in a way that actually looks quite natural. This combo of products are simply chef’s kiss!
Other notable mentions go to the two lip products I’ve been reaching for most- the Stay Vulnerable Glossy Lip Balm in Nearly Neutral for day-to-day wear and the Lip Soufflé Matte Lip Cream in the shade Inspire for the evenings- it’s a very Taylor Swift shade of red which obviously makes me love it even more.
Selena, you’re a genius.
Lareese’s Review
The stand-out product for me had to be the Matte Souffle Lip Cream. This took me by surprise because I’m not usually one to get excited by lipstick or lipgloss, it’s the last thing I’d gravitate towards in a collection like this as I’m such a sucker for a good base, but I LOVED this air-whipped formula. It glides on like silk for a just-bitten finish that dries like a lip stain. Unlike other matte products that often flake throughout the day, this felt hydrating and comfortable on the lips. I also didn’t realise how much of a simp I am for a chunky doe foot applicator. Using this product is an experience and my life (and my non-existent cupid’s bow) is all the richer for it.
TikTok was telling the truth about the liquid blush, it’s not just hearsay. You really only need a dot as a little bit goes a long way but once you get it right, the colour payoff is real. Go in with a light hand for a gorgeous healthy flush of colour but rest assured, if you do overdo it, you can easily blend it out with your foundation brush. For £19 it might seem steep for a blush but the colour pigment is seriously long-wearing – a tube will last you all the way to the next platty joobs. I’d love to try the pinker shade (Hope) as my pale skin can easily give ‘clownfish’ with a coral-like this (I used the shade Joy) but like I said, it’s actually super wearable and easy to blend out.
Moving onto base! The pore diffusing primer does exactly what it says on the bottle, mattifying and blurring the appearance of fine lines and pores. The gel formula goes on like a dream, evening out skin texture and creating a smooth canvas ready for your foundation. My only gripe with this product is that it’s not glowy enough for me. If I wanted to wear this alone without makeup, I’d like it to give a healthy dose of radiance to make my skin look dewy and hydrated sans makeup, but for anyone using solely as a primer for makeup, it’s a solid product that fights shine and ensures your base goes on seamlessly and lasts all day.
The cream bronzer stick is another highlight from the Rare Beauty collection. Creamy, easy to blend and non-greasy, it provides a natural sun-kissed glow that feels weightless on the skin. As someone with aggressively hooded eyes, I can also vouch for the smudge-proof Perfect Strokes Matte Liquid Eyeliner. The pen is great for anyone scared of eyeliner flicks as the continuous flow tip makes for easy application. If mascara clumps are your nemesis, you’ll love the mascara from this collection, too. I’m a little weirdo who prefers a new mascara after it’s dried out a bit so it’s not quite as wet on application but there’s no need to wait for the best part with this one as it’s ready to roll, conditioning your lashes, lengthening and volumizing but never weighing the lashes down with product. Right up my street! I’m always pretty dubious about celebrity makeup, there are so many to choose from these days, each with their own fair share of TikTok hype but I’m pleased to report Rare Beauty exceeded my expectations, particularly for those who prefer the ‘my skin but better’ approach to makeup. For fresh girl skin with a lit from within glow, look no further than Gomez.
Danielle’s Review
I’ve heard a lot about Rare Beauty, especially the contour stick and blush and I have to say they did not disappoint. The primer is lovely, but always trickier to know how much this is affecting my routine but it went on super smoothly under my base and didn’t upset my makeup for the rest of the day.
I popped on my usual base and went straight in with the Effortless Bronzer in shade Happy Sol which blended in SO easily with a beauty blender, the shade was great but what I loved most is the speed at which that step was done. Usually, I spend a lot more time with fiddly products and blending. Over top, I applied the Liquid Blush in shade Joy which is a beautiful orangey toned blush, and I was just as impressed! A little goes a long way so I’ve learnt to use it sparingly as I don’t identify as a hardcore blush gal, but the colour and texture it gives you is amazing, and once again it was so speedy.
I also gave the Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara a whirl and thought it was fantastic. Extremely buildable with an easy application. I usually use two mascaras to get both thickness and length, but for a light face of makeup for the office, this was perfect on its own, highly recommend it.
My favourite product has to be the Positive Light Liquid Luminizer which I popped on the pads/base of my thumbs and lightly pat into my cheekbones. This gave the most beautiful glow and once again was so easy to blend without suddenly disrupting everything underneath it. Powder highlight has started to give me a bit too much texture and this liquid luminizer is perfect for giving a great glow, especially in these summer months!
Maddie’s Review
I’ll be really honest, usually, a celebrity makeup range wouldn’t be something I get that excited about or immediately gravitate towards. Being by Selena Gomez (as lovely as she is!) I assumed this range would be targeting a much younger audience than someone in their mid-30s. That couldn’t be further from the truth and I was very pleasantly surprised by not only the look but more importantly the quality of these products. No wonder Space NK has just snapped it up!
Now let’s get to the products. First things first, the primer is divine. So smooth, it glides on a dream and has gone straight to the top of my must-have primers, a definite repurchase product. I have been a cream blush girl for a while now as I have really dry skin, especially in the summer, so these have been lovely to try out. The nudey pink shade ‘Hope’ is very up my street and a little really does go a very long way. I am not a big highlighter girl typically but the liquid luminizer in the shade ‘Mesmerize’ is such a gorgeous product for summer. Super natural it blends into the skin adding more of a glow than a tin man effect IYKWIM. I honestly loved all the products I tried but the last one I wanted to mention was the setting spray.
Ever since doing my own wedding makeup, I have become a little obsessed with the stuff as it genuinely does work. The Rare Beauty spray is a 4 in 1 product that you can use under and over makeup as it contains skincare ingredients such as niacinamide and sodium hyaluronate which leave your skin hydrated and smoother. So far it’s been great at keeping my makeup in place and leaves skin feeling refreshed and dewy.
To summarise, my initial assumptions about what these products would be like were totally wrong. This is a real deal makeup range that needs to be taken seriously.
Darcey’s Review
I don’t usually go for celebrity makeup brands, but I was definitely converted when Rihanna brought out Fenty Beauty so I was excited to give Rare Beauty a go after seeing SO many people raving about it on TikTok.
I tried out the products for my everyday makeup look as honestly, I don’t go out that often anymore and get properly dolled up, so it felt more natural to give it a go for a day in the office. The primer was bloody delightful, it applied so smoothly and wasn’t tacky at all which I hate in a lot of other primers I’ve tried. My pores disappeared instantly too which was rather magical to watch, I was really impressed! Next up I gave the contour stick in shade Happy Sol a go which I know all the other girls are raving about too, it blends so effortlessly and it worked well on me with paler skin too. I usually use a cream bronzer so I was used to the texture, but I was still shocked at how easily it blended, much easier than other cream bronzers I’ve tried.
Now to my favourite product, the cream blush!! I loved the shade Hope, but Joy was equally as nice too but more of a coral pink which I didn’t think matched my skin tone as well. The cream blush blended so well like the contour stick and you need the teeniest tiniest bit of product as it’s super pigmented. I love cream-based makeup for Summer especially as I find it gives a much nicer glow than powder and works better with sweat, so these products are perfect!
Olivia’s Review
My make-up base has never been better! Over the last couple of years, my skin has changed quite a lot and I have struggled to find a make-up base that works for me. Rare beauty might be the answer to all my prayers!
Let’s start with the primer, I have really enjoyed using this product! It flattens my complexion and gives me a great base for my foundation. I’ve also found that it has really helped with my concealer creasing around my eyes so win-win!
I’ve never been one to contour, not from lack of knowledge but lack of skill, but this bronzer stick was the tool I was missing. Its silky formula blends so smoothly onto my skin and it looks incredibly natural. This will definitely be a repeat purchase from me.
Moving on to the highlighter (wow), this product sits perfectly on top of foundation and doesn’t displace my make-up when I blend it in and gives me the perfect glow.
Both the lip and blush products are super pigmented and blend out really nicely (there’s a theme here). My only tiny piece of feedback would be that a lot of product comes out on the applicators so if you’re going for a more subtle look wipe off a little bit of the product before applying!
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