The Best Rare Beauty Products, Tested and Reviewed by Editors

Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush $23 Buy Now at Sephora

Rare Beauty Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer Stick

Rare Beauty’s take on bronzer is the polar opposite of a powder — the Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer Stick has a buttery slip to it that disappears into a wash of warmth on your skin when you blend it with a brush or your fingertips. Its long-wear, water-resistant finish is an anomaly for cream bronzers; similar options slide around or fade throughout the day. Originally available in five shades, the brand expanded the range in March 2023 to include three new shades of the Rare Beauty bronzer stick that cater to deeper skin tones.

Editor testing and review notes: “Bronzers are one of the beauty products that require careful attention when you’re applying the product — too much, and you risk looking orange. Warm Wishes Bronzer Stick, on the other hand, comes in natural sun-kissed shades, and is so pleasantly sheer that you can dot it onto your skin and blend it in without looking in a mirror. The only critique I have has to do with packaging; the cap is prone to slipping off if it’s rustling around in a makeup bag.” — Sullivan

Price upon publish date of this article: $26

Rare Beauty Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer Stick $26 Buy Now at Sephora

Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Brightening Concealer

This little under-eye brightener packs a punch (hence why it’s amassed 90 million views on TikTok). It’s a great hydrating concealer for dry skin, with moisturizing ingredients like glycerin and sunflower seed oil, which is rich in omega 6 fatty acids. Apart from the easy blending formula, the Liquid Touch Brightening Concealer is a standout for its shade range — Rare Beauty offers a whopping 48 options to choose from. Because it’s a non-comedogenic formula, you can use it conceal discoloration or breakouts, too.

Editor testing and review notes: “I have dry skin and deal with dark circles, which is a tall order for concealer — most full-coverage options make my under-eye skin look splotchy. Rare Beauty’s Liquid Touch concealer is one of the few formulas I’ve tried that targets both of my eye concerns. Throughout a 10-hour testing window, the concealer didn’t fade or dry out my skin. It creased close to my lower lash line, but that was easy to correct with a makeup sponge, as the cream remained easy to blend even hours after application. If I’m low on sleep, I’ll layer this concealer over the Rare Beauty under eye brightener to fib a full night of Z’s.” — Sullivan

Price upon publish date of this article: $22

Rare Beauty Positive Liquid Touch Brightening Concealer $22 Buy Now at Sephora

Rare Beauty Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter

Launched in December 2022, the Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter is a powder alternative to the liquid highlighter that launched in Rare Beauty’s original collection. The finely-milled, talc-free powder has a finish unlike any powder highlighter we’ve seen, lending luminosity that makes skin look hydrated and radiant wherever you dust it on. This Rare Beauty highlighter is available in four shades (all of which can double as eyeshadow, by the way) including cool white, soft gold, warm rose, and bronze.

Editor testing and review notes: “I’m on the liquid highlighter train — I love the natural, dewy finish that creams deposit. But Rare Beauty’s Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter won me over as soon as I swirled it on my skin. It’s the first powder highlighter I’ve tried in ages that actually looks like skin; not shimmery powder. I use a loose brush to dust the cool white Enlighten shade on my cheeks and the ridge of my nose, but it also works beautifully as eyeshadow with a denser, smaller brush.” — Sullivan

Price upon publish date of this article: $25

Rare Beauty Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter $25 Buy Now at Sephora

Rare Beauty Always an Optimist 4-in-1 Prime & Set Mist

Rare Beauty excels at long-lasting makeup that doesn’t budge after application, so it’s no surprise that the brand’s setting spray is a knockout. The Always an Optimist Prime & Set Mist starkly contrasts setting sprays and setting powders that leave a noticeable texture or film on your skin. This biphase formula contains featherweight oils and face serum-level skin care ingredients that soothe and moisturize your skin while locking your makeup in place. It does more than just set your makeup, too, as the mist can be used as a makeup primer, foundation refresher, and a hydrating skin mist.

Editor testing and review notes: “Since testing this face mist, I’ve told all my friends to give it a try, explaining that it’s basically a hydrating mist that just so happens to make your makeup last longer. Not only does this set your makeup in place, but it also makes your glam look more radiant and fresh. The nozzle disperses the ultra-fine mist evenly across my skin without any lingering droplets, so I don’t have to run over it with a makeup sponge. Because the mist is so fine, the bottle lasts for ages — I’m only halfway through the tube I cracked into six months ago.” — Sullivan

Price upon publish date of this article: $27

Rare Beauty Always an Optimist 4-in-1 Prime & Set Mist $27 Buy Now at Sephora

Rare Beauty All of the Above Weightless Eyeshadow Sticks

Eyeshadow palettes are excellent for dramatic, dimensional eye looks, but sometimes one swipe of shadow is all you need. All of the Above Weightless Eyeshadow Sticks are a newcomer in Rare Beauty’s lineup, debuting just this past July. These sticks are creamy-as-can-be with just the right amount of color payoff; you can smudge them on your lash line in place of eyeliner (the built-in sharpener will keep your strokes on point), or blend the shade up towards your crease. Earthy shades in a subtle pearlescent finish earthy make these sticks great for daytime wear.

Editor testing and review notes: “Nothing’s more convenient than an eyeshadow stick, but many formulas dry out quickly and tend to crease on my lid. That’s not the case with Rare Beauty’s rendition. The pigments glide onto my skin without snagging, and have about 30 seconds of playtime to blend or buff the formula where I want it. During an eight-hour testing period in humid weather, the shadow didn’t transfer or crease on my lids.” — Sullivan

Price upon publish date of this article: $22

Rare Beauty All of the Above Weightless Eyeshadow Sticks $22 Buy Now at Sephora

Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil

Call it a jelly, call it a stain, or call it a balm — Rare Beauty’s Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil has a texture that’s hard to pin down. What’s easy to grasp is how long-lasting and nourishing this formula feels when you swipe it on. Similar to the liquid blush in the same Soft Pinch family, this lip product is richly pigmented and stays put after you apply it. On your lips, the Rare Beauty lip oil has a slight sheen versus a high-shine effect you get from lip glosses. But if you want a little more shine, simply wait for the initial shine to fade and layer on a gloss or lip balm.

Editor testing and review notes: “This lip oil has a confounding feel — the texture is like a wet balm at first swipe, then it dries down to mimic a classic hydrating lipstick or stain. I test a lot of lip oils, and I have yet to come across one that feels so cushiony and delivers such long-lasting, transfer-proof color. The range of subtle to super bright shades give you all the options, so swipe one on and eat, drink, and gab away — your lip color won’t budge.” — Sullivan

Price upon publish date of this article: $20

Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil $20 Buy Now at Sephora

Rare Beauty Pore Diffusing Primer

The wrong makeup primer can cause your skin stage a coup — many primers prioritize staying power over skin health. Rare Beauty’s Pore Diffusing Primer is a skin-first formula that’s full of calming ingredients like green tea extract and vitamin E, plus hyaluronic acid for hydration. Better yet, this primer leaves a slightly matte finish; ideal for tamping down excess oils that otherwise cause makeup to slide and separate throughout the day. Team it with Rare Beauty tinted moisturizer or Rare Beauty foundation for all-day coverage.

Editor testing and review notes: “I deal with redness year-round, so I typically wear a touch of foundation or tinted moisturizer with SPF to neutralize it, no matter the weather. But complexion products only do their job if they stay put, which is a roll of the dice when it’s hot or humid outdoors. Enter the Rare Beauty primer, a new staple in my routine for its ability to give a more uniform look to any makeup I apply on top. The velvety gel feels breathable and lightweight, so I can comfortably wear it all day without worrying about breakouts other primers often leave behind.” — Sullivan

Price upon publish date of this article: $28

Rare Beauty Pore Diffusing Primer $28 Buy Now at Sephora

Rare Beauty Brow Harmony Flexible Lifting Gel

Laminated brows are Gomez’s go-to, and the inspiration behind the latest Rare Beauty launch. If you have your sights set on a similar look, consider a trip to the salon optional — the Brow Harmony Flexible Lifting Gel was carefully designed to separate brow hairs and lift them to the high heavens. The clear gel is waterproof, and unlike many brow gels, it’s buildable and layers beautifully over brow pencils. One coat will set your brows with a soft hold, while two to three will freeze them in place so your arches can stand up to wind, rain, and sweat.

Editor testing and review notes: “Although this brow gel has a very small wand, you can tell that every detail was carefully thought out in the product’s design. The wand features two bristle lengths — the short side is ideal for wrangling coarse hairs while the longer bristles quickly create uniform arches. Best of all, the clear gel actually dries clear, leaving no white flecks in its wake.” — Commerce Writer and Producer Olivia Cigliano.

Price upon publish date of this article: $17

Rare Beauty Brow Harmony Flexible Lifting Gel $17 Buy Now at Sephora

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