Okay so full confession.

I've been avoiding Rare Beauty for way too long. Like, I know - Selena Gomez literally created one of the biggest celebrity beauty brands of the past few years, and I'm just now getting around to it?

But here's the thing. I was skeptical.

Another celebrity beauty line? We've seen so many flop. And the hype around Rare Beauty felt... intense. Too intense. You know that feeling when something's so popular you almost don't want to try it?

Yeah. That.

But then my best friend literally shoved her Rare Beauty blush in my face at brunch last month and I was like - okay fine, universe, I get it. Time to dive in.

So I did what any beauty-obsessed person would do. I bought basically the entire collection. My credit card is crying but my face? Glowing.

The Viral Liquid Blush That Started It All

Let's talk about the product that broke the internet - the Soft Pinch Liquid Blush.

This thing has like 50 million TikTok videos about it. Not exaggerating. Everyone and their mom has tried this blush.

First impression? The packaging is gorgeous. Minimalist, sleek, feels expensive even though it's $23. The doe-foot applicator is tiny, which seemed weird at first but actually makes total sense once you use it.

Because here's what nobody tells you - you need literally ONE dot.

One.

I made the mistake of applying it like a normal liquid blush on day one. Used way too much. Looked like I ran a marathon. Not cute.

But once I figured out the right amount? Game changer. The pigmentation is insane. I'm talking one tiny dot blended out gives you that perfect clean girl makeup flush that lasts ALL day.

I got the shade Happy (a peachy pink) and honestly? It works for literally everything. Natural makeup days, full glam, even just skincare days when I want a hint of color.

The formula is interesting too. It's super liquidy - almost watery - which freaked me out initially. But it blends like a dream. No patchiness, no weird streaking. Just a seamless, natural-looking flush.

Worth the hype? Absolutely yes.

Foundation That Doesn't Feel Like Foundation

Moving on to the Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation.

I have combination skin that's annoyingly picky about foundation. Too heavy and I break out. Too light and it doesn't cover anything. The struggle is real.

This foundation though? It's like the Goldilocks of base makeup. Just right.

The coverage is buildable - starts as light-medium but you can layer it to medium-full without it getting cakey. The finish is this beautiful natural skin-like texture. Not matte, not dewy, just... skin.

It wore for about 8 hours on me without touch-ups. Which is impressive considering I live in humidity central and my face usually melts by noon.

My only complaint? The shade range could be better. They have 48 shades which sounds great, but the undertones are kinda tricky to match online. Definitely recommend trying it in store first if you can.

The Concealer Situation

Liquid Touch Brightening Concealer - let's discuss.

This concealer is creamy. Like really creamy. Almost too creamy? But somehow it doesn't crease, which is witchcraft because my under eye concealer technique usually involves a lot of setting powder to prevent creasing.

With this? Barely needed any powder.

The coverage is decent - not full coverage by any means, but enough to brighten my dark circles and cover minor blemishes. It has this slightly luminous finish that makes you look awake even when you're running on 4 hours of sleep.

Pro tip I learned the hard way - use the tiniest amount. Seriously. Less is more with this concealer. Too much and it starts sliding around.

Brow Products That Actually Stay Put

The Brow Harmony Pencil & Gel is honestly one of my favorite discoveries from this whole haul.

One end has a super fine pencil for drawing individual hair-like strokes. The other end has a tinted gel to set everything in place. Genius design.

The pencil is firm enough to give you control but soft enough that it doesn't tug on your brow hairs. And the gel? Holds all day without getting crunchy or flaky.

I've tried so many brow products over the years (including some drugstore beauty products that honestly work just as well), but this one's definitely in my top 5.

Lip Products - The Good and The Meh

Okay so. The lip situation at Rare Beauty is a mixed bag for me.

The Lip Soufflé Matte Lip Cream? Obsessed. The formula is moussey (hence the soufflé name I guess) and applies so smoothly. It dries down to a comfortable matte that doesn't feel drying. The shade Fearless is my go-to everyday nude.

But the Soft Pinch Liquid Lipstick? Ehh.

Don't get me wrong - the color payoff is incredible. One swipe and you're done. But it's SO pigmented that it's hard to apply evenly, especially if you're doing it quickly. And it transfers. Like a lot.

Coffee cup? Covered in lipstick. Boyfriend's face? Covered in lipstick. My phone screen? You guessed it.

It's beautiful for photos but not super practical for everyday wear if you're someone who drinks coffee all day (me) or likes kissing people (also me).

The Mascara Surprise

Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara.

I wasn't expecting much tbh. Mascara is one of those products where I usually just grab whatever's on sale because they all kinda do the same thing, right?

Wrong.

This mascara is actually really good. The brush is this hourglass shape that grabs every single lash. Gives volume without clumping, length without looking spidery. And it doesn't flake throughout the day which is huge for me.

Is it better than my favorite drugstore mascaras under $10? Honestly... yeah. I hate to admit it but yeah.

Highlighter Heaven

The Positive Light Liquid Luminizer might be my favorite product in the entire collection.

It's this gorgeous liquid highlighter that gives you that lit-from-within glow without looking glittery or obvious. The shade Enlighten (champagne) is perfection.

I mix a drop into my foundation for all-over radiance, or apply it on top of makeup on my cheekbones, nose, cupid's bow - anywhere I want to catch the light.

The formula is super blendable and buildable. You can go subtle for daytime or really amp it up for night. And it layers beautifully with powder highlighters if you want that extra glow.

Setting Spray That Actually Sets

Always An Optimist Pore Diffusing Primer + Setting Spray.

This is one of those products that does double duty - you can use it as a primer before makeup or as a setting spray after. I mostly use it as a setting spray because I'm lazy and forget to prime most days.

It has this really fine mist that feels refreshing and doesn't make your makeup look wet or disturbed. And it actually helps everything last longer, which is the whole point of setting spray but you'd be surprised how many don't actually work.

The pore-blurring effect is subtle but noticeable. My pores don't disappear (I wish) but they definitely look smoother.

What About Skincare?

So Rare Beauty recently launched skincare and I grabbed a few things to try.

The Positive Light Under Eye Brightener is interesting. It's not quite skincare, not quite makeup - somewhere in between. Has vitamin C and caffeine to brighten dark circles over time, plus light-reflecting particles for instant brightening.

I've been using it for about 3 weeks now. Jury's still out on whether it's actually doing anything long-term, but I like how it makes my under eyes look immediately more awake.

The Brushes Situation

Rare Beauty brushes are... fine.

They're soft, they work well, they're pretty. But they're also kinda pricey for what they are. The Liquid Touch Complexion Brush is $28 and while it's nice, I have drugstore brushes that work just as well.

If you're a brush collector or really love the Rare Beauty aesthetic, go for it. But if you're on a budget, this is one area where you can probably skip and use brushes you already own.

Real Talk - What's Worth Your Money?

Okay so after trying basically everything, here's my honest ranking of what's actually worth buying:

Must-Haves:

Soft Pinch Liquid Blush - just get it, you won't regret it
Positive Light Liquid Luminizer - glow goals
Brow Harmony Pencil & Gel - does everything you need
Lip Soufflé Matte Lip Cream - comfortable and beautiful

Really Good But Not Essential:

Liquid Touch Foundation - great if you need new foundation
Brightening Concealer - solid choice but lots of good concealers exist
Perfect Strokes Mascara - better than expected
Setting Spray - works well but not revolutionary

Skip Unless You're Obsessed:

Liquid Lipstick - too high maintenance
Brushes - save your money
Some of the skincare - jury's still out

The Bigger Picture

Here's what I appreciate about Rare Beauty beyond just the products.

The brand's focus on mental health awareness is actually meaningful. They donate 1% of sales to the Rare Impact Fund which supports mental health services. And it's not just performative - they're genuinely trying to change the conversation around beauty and mental health.

The shade ranges are pretty inclusive (though there's always room for improvement). And the marketing doesn't make you feel like you need to be perfect. It's refreshing honestly.

Plus the products are formulated to work for different skill levels. Whether you're a makeup newbie or a pro, you can make these products work for you.

Final Thoughts

So was I wrong to avoid Rare Beauty for so long?

Yeah probably.

Is every product perfect? No. But the hits really hit. And I genuinely find myself reaching for these products over others in my collection, which says a lot considering how much makeup I own (don't ask, it's embarrassing).

The liquid blush alone justifies trying the brand. But honestly, most of the complexion products are solid additions to any makeup collection.

Would I recommend Rare Beauty to a friend? Absolutely. Would I tell them to buy the entire collection like I did? Maybe start with the blush and foundation and go from there.

My bank account wishes I'd done that.

But my face looks really good so... worth it?

Have you tried Rare Beauty? What are your must-haves? Because I'm always down to hear what other people love - maybe I missed something amazing in my haul.