Selena Gomez’s new Rare Beauty brand is one of the hottest makeup launches of 2020. The line includes foundation, concealer, blush, luminizer, lip products, and more. With 48 inclusive shades that feature warm, cool, neutral, and olive undertones, the Rare Beauty foundation and concealer caught my eye right away. I purchased the foundation in 170W and the concealer in 130N. After wearing both for several weeks, I have lots of thoughts, application suggestions, and swatches to share!
Cost + Packaging
The Rare Beauty foundation costs $29 USD for 1 oz/30 mL, while the concealer is $19 for 0.25 oz/7.5 mL of product. I think the price point is quite reasonable. Both products are cruelty-free, vegan, paraben-free, and safe for sensitive skin. They can be purchased at Sephora or on the Rare Beauty site.
Both the Rare Beauty foundation and concealer packaging feature a ball top opener, which helps those with arthritis open packing easier. (I LOVE how inclusive this brand is!) The packaging is sleek and simple, with the Rare Beauty brand name printed in gold on both products. It looks lovely on my vanity!
Texture + Application
Rare Beauty Foundation
With its serum texture, the Rare Beauty foundation packs a ton of pigment in a very thin formula. I appreciate the large doe foot applicator, which allows you to easily deposit the product on the face. To apply the product, I first put several swipes of the foundation over my face with the applicator. Then, I use a brush to blend. I prefer using a flat top kabuki brush, as I found that this gives the most natural and blended coverage. I also tried a beauty blender, but I needed to use much more product to get the same level of coverage as with a brush.
While Rare Beauty says the foundation is medium to full coverage, I think it’s closer to light to medium coverage. Regardless of how many layers I apply, I still need concealer to cover blemishes. Additionally, if you build up too many layers of the product, I found that it creases much more throughout the day. However, if you blend well and apply one or (maybe) two additional layers of product only where needed, this foundation is stunning!
After application, the foundation makes my skin looks healthy and luminous. It does not emphasize my pores, either. I think the Rare Beauty foundation would work for normal skin, but if you have dry skin, you may consider using a hydrating primer to prevent the foundation from clinging to any dry spots.
Rare Beauty Concealer
Rare Beauty designed their foundation and concealer to work together seamlessly. So, if you want to get the same exact color in both products, you can! However, I prefer to use a lighter concealer under my eyes, which is why I purchased the lighter 130N shade in the concealer. However, if I wanted a concealer that matched my foundation and would work for covering blemishes, I could have purchased 170W in the concealer, too.
The Rare Beauty concealer is very emollient and hydrating. Just like the foundation, thin layers work best. I prefer applying the concealer with a beauty blender, as the coverage seems more even and blended than applied with a brush. It is not a full coverage concealer, but it provides natural coverage and moisture under the eyes. Fair warning: You need to set this concealer immediately after applying, or it will crease.
Wear Time
I recorded a full-day wear test of both the foundation and concealer in this video. If you’d like to see the application and wear test in real time, please check it out!
I have oily skin, so both the foundation and concealer look radiant and luminous even when first applied. My skin feels moisturized throughout the day. However, the foundation in particular does get quite dewy as the day goes on. I have to blot away oil much more often than with other foundations. (My favorite way to blot is to use the Tati Beauty Blendiful, so I don’t have add any more product to the skin.)
If you are oily, I’d suggest powdering both products right after application. I’m currently using the KVD Lock-It setting powder, which prevents the products from creasing. If I don’t powder right away, or use enough powder on areas with fine lines, this foundation does crease quite a bit. Even though I do get more oily throughout the day with this foundation, the product wears evenly and doesn’t break apart around my t-zone. Additionally, despite the oiliness, I can get a full day’s wear out of the foundation—sometimes even 14 hours.
Probably my favorite thing about both the foundation and concealer is that you can touch up so easily! Even after powdering, you can add more coverage throughout the day, and the product blends in seamlessly. This has worked really well when I’ve worn makeup under a mask. While the products will rub off after several hours of mask wearing, I can just add more concealer and foundation where needed, and my makeup looks like I just applied it!
Rare Beauty Comparison Swatches
My favorite part about the foundation is the undertone. The shade 170W is a light warm olive undertone. It is one of the best matches I have ever found. If you are searching for a light olive shade, this foundation may be the one for you! I’ve swatched this shade below next to the other foundations that work for me.
Swatches from top to bottom: Rare Beauty Luminous Liquid Touch Weightless foundation in 170W, Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer in SX03, Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in 51 Vanille clair, Revlon PhotoReady Candid foundation in 120, and Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear foundation in 140.
As I mentioned above, I purchased a lighter concealer shade to brighten my undereye area. The shade 130N is pretty close to some of my other favorite concealers. I’ve swatched several similar shades below.
Swatches from top to bottom: Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Brightening concealer in 130N, Hourglass Vanish Airbrush concealer in Birch, Benefit Boi-ing Cakeless concealer in No. 1 Fair Neutral, Tarte Shape Tape in 12S Fair, Pat McGrath Sublime Perfection concealer in L3, Clinique Even Better All-Over concealer in WN01 Flax, Elf 16HR Camo concealer in Light Sand, Neutrogena Radiant Cream concealer in Ivory Light 1, and Revolution Conceal and Define in CO.7
Should You Buy the Rare Beauty Foundation and Concealer?
If you want natural, radiant coverage, and you don’t mind blotting away oil throughout the day, you may love this foundation. Additionally, if you have a hard time finding a foundation match, check out the shade range. It is one of the most inclusive on the market right now. If you have super oily or super dry skin or prefer full coverage foundation, this may not be the right product for you. Personally, I love the foundation and have been using it every single day since I purchased it!
The concealer is my current go-to when applying makeup. While it can crease quickly if not set right away, it gives the most luminous, natural coverage. It doesn’t emphasize my fine lines, and it makes my skin (and undereye area) look youthful and smooth. I highly recommend this one!
Have you tried the Rare Beauty foundation or concealer? What are your thoughts?
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