I am a massive skeptic when it comes to celebrity beauty brands. But one of the few people executing “celebrity beauty brand” the right way is Selena Gomez. Rare Beauty launched in 2019 and, in the past four years, has accomplished a lot.
For starters, the company established the Rare Impact Fund, which intends to donate $100 million to organizations supporting accessibility to mental health services over the next 10 years. On the beauty end, Rare has dropped viral product after product. Soft Pinch Liquid Blush has over 50 *million* views on TikTok to date, and the brand's most recent drop, Tinted Pressed Finishing Powder, was the talk of the Marie Claire office for a good month.
I’ve been lucky enough to get my hands on every Rare Beauty launch (perks of being a beauty editor), and have accumulated my fair share of favorites. I've tried all the makeup items, body care drops, and tools (there are 39) over the years. There are few, though—11, to be exact—that have retained their real estate in my top drawer despite an overwhelming number of new launches across the beauty-scape.
These 11 products are my all-time favorites.
I continuously reach for the eyeshadow stick, keep a spare of the always-sold-out brow gel in every bag, and insist on singing the matte lip liner's praises to just about anyone who will listen. (If you’ve read this far, you clearly fall in the “anyone who will listen” category.)
But don't just take my word for it; watch these Selena-approved staples in action. To see the texture, finish, and color impact of my nine favorite Rare Beauty products, enjoy a virtual get-ready-with-me, ahead. Oh, and P.S., everything is under $30.
The Best Rare Beauty Products, According to an Editor Who Tested Them All
I stay out of the sun as much as I physically can (sun damage is not welcome), so I rely heavily on the best bronzers to give a little bronze glow in the summer. My MVP, cannot-live-without, holy grail to get the tanning job done is none other than this stick, particularly in shade Bright Side. The shade selection was designed to work with specific undertones, so the formula won’t oxidize too yellow or orange. Instead, it provides a soft, just-left-the-beach glow. I personally like to go a little heavier on bronzer underneath my foundation. That way, the tan shines through and looks a bit more natural.
Shades: Seven
Finish: Natural
Formula: Cream
Coverage: Light
What I Love: Creamy texture that's easy to blend; great for on the go application; shade range includes various undertones
What I Don't: Can feel a little drying
The brand’s most popular item, The Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, is viral for a reason. It really is as good as the TikTok-ers say it is—the pigment and staying power is impossible to compete with. Of course, there’s a learning curve; use a drop too much and you’ll resemble a clown. Through many trial and errors, I’ve concluded that placing the liquid blush under foundation or tinted moisture is the way to go. It's incredibly pigmented, so the underpainting technique ensures I never use too much. I use a light brush stroke under my eyes and up to my temples, plus an additional half-a-dot over my foundation.
Formula: Liquid
Finish: Radiant and Matte
Shades: 13
What I Love: Doesn't fade throughout the day; high pigment; great shade range; lasts forever
What I Don't: Definitely a learning curve with application
I find the underpainting method lets the blush blend so much easier.
While I have absolutely nothing bad to say about Rare Beauty's foundation, I do find that I naturally gravitate toward the brand on light makeup days. That in mind, the tinted moisturizer is better suited for my makeup needs. This particular formula is incredibly lightweight (I feel like I have absolutely nothing on) and the small nozzle allows me to drop the liquid directly onto my skin. It is pretty runny, though, so be prepared to blend. Because I underpaint, I like to blend it with a sponge or brush, but you can absolutely use your hands too.
Coverage: Light
Finish: Radiant
Shades: 24
Key Ingredients: SPF 20
What I Love: Has a barely there feel; includes sunscreen; buildable from light to medium coverage
What I Don't: It occasionally looks like it's separating on dry patches
This tinted moisturizer gives incredibly light coverage, so I wouldn't reach for it on days when I want a more high impact look.
My dark circles are villainous—there’s simply no other way to describe them. I’ve learned how to camouflage them with a curated concoction of color correctors and full-coverage concealers, but I came to accept a long time ago that I was doomed on no-makeup days. Cut to: My discovery or this particular product. For being so incredibly lightweight and only providing sheer to medium coverage, it does an other-worldly job of brightening without looking like cakey makeup. It’s truly the only product I need for a casual day spent at the beach or running errands. Plus, the metal applicator ensures the rim of the bottle never gets cakey and gross.
Finish: Radiant
Coverage: Light
Shades: Six
What I Love: Camoflages dark circles; doesn't crease under the concealer; layers well; also great for covering up pimples
What I Don't: I do wish it was a bit more medium coverage
I like to have many concealers for many different purposes. Some are better for the under-eye area; others brighten my complexion, and a handful cover up acne. This one? Well, it does it all, which is precisely why it landed on my list. It's considered medium coverage, but I find it light yet buildable. I like to use a dot under my eye, some on my nose, and a bit on my chin to make me look alive. It blends beautifully–even over powder—so I always keep it in my bag for mid-day touch-ups.
Coverage: Medium
Finish: Radiant
Shades: 48
What I Love: Vegan; multi-purpose; amazing shade range; nice doe-foot applicator
What I Don't: I wish it gave a hint more coverage—I'll still use a different concealer to cover blemishes
One would think that clear brow gel would be a pretty easy beauty product to do right. Well let me be the one to break the news: It’s not. Most end up flaking, losing their hold, or doing absolutely nothing at all right from the start. My disappointment with the majority of the clear brow gels out there is largely why I’m so impressed by Selena’s. The brush is shorter than most, giving the user greater control over the shape of the overall brow and positioning of each hair. It has a slightly waxy feel and genuinely stays adhered to the hair all day long. In all my months of using it, I’ve never seen a white flake or had a brow hair out of place.
Color: Clear
Hold: Flexible
Waterproof: Yes
What I Love: No flaking or white marks, flexible hold
What I Don't: Product does accumulate on the brush
The brow gel is my favorite of all time. I set my shape with the warmth of my fingertips.
I’m a glowy makeup girl through and through. I want to look as shiny as humanly possible without crossing over into greasy territory. In execution of this makeup mission, I have hit bottom on approximately five of these highlighters. The iridescent formula looks like a mere extension of my skin as opposed to heavy makeup. There are never any harsh lines—it diffuses seamlessly with just a few pats of my fingertips. One to two dots is sufficient, but if you like to *really* glow, take a page out of my playbook and do a generous swipe under your foundation—followed by a dot or two on top.
Formula: Liquid
Shades: Eight
Finish: Shimmer
Coverage: Light
What I Love: Gorgeous finish; flattering shades; easy to use and blend
What I Don't: I personally prefer a more high-impact highlighter; fades a bit quicker than I'd like
This is really truly the only lip liner I will ever use. I normally find sharpening lip liners a pain, so I skip 'em completely. But this twist up top and creamy and can be formula makes the application process incredibly easy. I overline my lips ever-so-slightly and then fill everything in with the pencil for a bolder look. The shade Lively is my personal favorite, but I rotate a few in and out of my routine. The formula is super hydrating and lasts a surprisingly long time. In fact, I applied mine this morning, just ate an apple, and it still looks perfect.
Shades: 10
Finish: Matte
What I Love: Comes with matching lipstick shades for a monochromatic look; vegan formula; long-lasting color payoff
What I Dont: I want more color options
I promise, you will not regret buying every shade of this lip liner.
This is one of the brand’s newer launches, so I’ve only had it in my possession for a few months—but it hasn’t left my side. Eyeshadow sticks are genuinely hit or miss for me. They all look great at the get-go and are easy to apply, but many lose my interest over time. Their cream formulas either end up creasing on my lid, which forces me to toss ‘em to the wayside. Not this one: It glides on like a dream, does not crease (like, ever), and is the perfect size to drag color along the lower lash line. The formulas are shimmery instead of sparkly, making them a great daytime option. I’m partial to shades Well-Being, Compassion, and Adventure, but you really can’t go wrong with any of them.
Formula: Cream
Finish: Shimmer
Shades: Six
What I Love: Easy to blend; very versatile; pointed tip that comes with a sharpener
What I Don't: I just want more shades
I'm typically partial to tubing mascaras since my eyes are incredibly watery and sensitive, so I was shocked by how much I liked this mascara. The formula is ophthalmologist-tested and doesn't irritate my eyes, while the water-resistant formula doesn't smudge or flake off throughout the day. It's the brush's shape that really sets it apart, though: It grabs every little lash, giving length and volume with just one swipe.
Key Ingredients: Castor oil to condition lashes
Shades: Black
Benefits: Lengthens, volumizing, defines
What I Love: Multi-benefit; doesn't run or smudge throughout the day; good for my sensitive eyes
What I Don't: The wand is a bit too chunky for lower lashes
Want my recommendation? Stock up on the eyeshadow sticks.
Selena herself introduced me to her body care range (it was a pinch-me moment, not going to lie). While I do like all the products housed in this dusty rose packaging, the body wash is easily my favorite. It leaves my skin feeling baby-soft and doubles as the perfect prep for shaving. Notes of lemon zest, sweet jasmine, and warm cashmere wood make my shower smell like a spa, and the hydrating formula restores a healthy glow to my skin.
Key Ingredients: Avocado oil, peach flower extract
Fragrance Family: Earthy woody
What I Love: Vegan; exfoliates and brightens; smells delicious
What I Don't: Sometimes I find it difficult to drain in the shower
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