When I heard that Selena Gomez was coming out with a tinted moisturizer (with an SPF 20), I was amped to try it out. Not only do I love and appreciate the spirit of her Rare Beauty brand, with its positive affirmations and a really-good liquid blush, I generally prefer tinted moisturizer — like a skin tint — to foundation. When I can get a teeny bit of coverage with a sunscreen in there, too? Even better.
The new Rare Beauty Positive Light Tinted Moisturizer is not available quite yet... but it will be, next week, on March 31st. Ahead of time, Gomez shared a few lab samples with our Refinery29 Beauty team, and we tried it out before the rest of the internet — so you can figure out if you want to place an order.
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According to Gomez, this is an "easy" makeup product. "I really wanted to create a product that provided just enough coverage for days when you want something easy to throw on, and still look put together," she explains to me in a recent email interview. To find out exactly how Gomez, and four R29 editors, feel about this $29 tinted moisturizer — what "flexible" shade we wear, and how we add it into our existing routines — scroll ahead for reviews.
Selena Gomez, Rare Beauty Founder, wears shade 26W (light medium)
"Before I apply any products to my face I always apply moisturizer, sunscreen, and then I use the Always An Optimist Illuminating Primer, if I want a little extra glow. Then I just throw the tinted moisturizer on with my fingers or a brush, and I’m done in two minutes. When I’m not shooting, I keep it super simple. I'll add the Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer Stick — I use Happy Sol — to the high points on my face, followed by a dot of Soft Pinch Liquid Blush on my cheeks, and finish with the Glossy Lip Balm."
Sara Tan, Beauty Director, wears shade 26W (light medium)
"I am a big fan of tinted moisturizers, but I think they are often difficult to make. The coverage can either too much or too little, and don't even get me started on the shade matching. No surprise, Rare Beauty and Selena nailed it! I love how buildable this tinted moisturizer is, but it still feels lightweight and comfortable on my skin. The shade 26W matched my skin tone perfectly and blended in seamlessly. This will definitely be my go-to for lazy days, running errands, or when I just want my skin to look like my skin, but better."
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Megan Decker, Beauty Editor, wears shade 28C (light medium)
"This is a sweet, little tinted sunscreen. I love that it comes in a dropper and the consistency is lovely; it's lighter than a cream or a matte sunscreen, but not as runny as a serum or an oil. I just rub it into my face with my fingertips. It's sheer, which is nice for me because it doesn't hide my freckles, but just evens out any redness and mutes T-Zone shine. It builds, too, so if I need more I can add a few more drops and get more coverage. The finish is satin-y, but with a moisturizer underneath, there's still a nice, natural glow to my skin. A little bit of brightening concealer under my eyes and a spoolie though my brows, I'm good."
Karina Hoshikawa, Beauty + Wellness Writer, wears shade 30N (medium)
"As someone who still has occasional hormonal acne flareups, I love tinted moisturizers for their lightweight feel and hydrating properties. With complexion makeup of any kind, I usually aim for somewhere in the middle when it comes to coverage, since I prefer a natural-looking finish. I have olive skin, but the shade here was perhaps slightly too golden for me, with the next shade being too pink — but I made it work! If I'm having a clear-skin day, then I’d definitely use this again; however, because the coverage is very sheer, I’d probably opt for a more full-coverage product if I wanted to conceal a breakout. The finish of this product was a satiny-matte, so I ended up mixing a tiny bit of my moisturizer into the Rare Beauty stuff to add a more natural, dewy finish. This is optional, but I loved the way it photographed and will definitely make this my go-to technique as we ease into the summer months."
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Amanda Mitchell, Senior Beauty Writer, wears shade 46C (medium deep)
"I really liked this. Sometimes I find tinted moisturizers gloopy and gross and heavy, but this was lightweight and easy. I even went rather heavy handed on application, just to see if it was going to build heavy over time, but nope! Yet again, Rare knocked it out of the park here. This is an instant must-add for those days when you don't want to do all the makeup, but still want to look fresh and fly."
Rare Beauty Positive Light Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 20 Sunscreen launches March 31st, 2022 for $29 at Sephora/Sephora.com, Kohl’s, and RareBeauty.com. It will launch internationally and at SpaceNK on April 25th, 2022.
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