If Rare Beauty knows how to do two things, they are how to make a quality makeup product—and how to make the said product go viral. The brand itself has 3.4 million followers on TikTok and a cool six million on Instagram, so grabbing one of its products on launch day requires thorough planning and speedy fingers. (Read: A lot of beauty fans pay attention to each and every drop.)
Judging by the reactions to past Rare Beauty debuts—Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Blush, Brow Harmony Eyebrow Gel, and Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil are repeatedly sold out—the latest arrival from Selena Gomez's label, True to Myself Tinted Pressed Finishing Powder, can't be missed. The new blurring-smoothing-setting powder is officially available today, July 18, and like all those other fan-favorite products, the buzz around it is undeniable.
@selenagomez ♬ Walking On A Dream - kalia ྀི
Last week, the brand posted a teaser of the 14-shade range, with Gomez very casually integrating the product into a get-ready-with-me TikTok just after. It’s a “quiet drop” by the brand’s standards; normally, they’re teasing new products months in advance.
Still, just like its predecessors, the blurring-smoothing-setting powder grabbed shoppers' attention. Over the past few days, TikTok creators who were lucky enough to score some early samples have provided glimpses of the product’s powers to the masses. They’ve dropped intel that the True to Myself Tinted Pressed Finishing Powder initially debuted at the Dolce & Gabanna Alta Moda show in Italy two weeks back. They’ve thrown compliments left, right, and sideways, too. “It’s doing god’s work” and “literally gorgeous” sum up the online sentiment.
@lindceybeautyy ♬ original sound - Lindcey Nava
@kay_caputo ♬ original sound - Kayla Caputo
Marie Claire was also one of the lucky recipients—Rare Beauty sent the full Tinted Pressed Finishing Powder range to our office last week. Our team of expert testers was, candidly, a bit skeptical: Not one of us is a diehard fan pressed powder fan. Still, we reviewed the product according to finish, coverage, and longevity—and quite frankly, it seems everyone who gets their hands on the powder is glad they tried it. Our honest reviews are ahead, in their entirety.
What Sets Rare Beauty's Tinted Pressed Finishing Powder Apart?
When you look at the setting powder market (a quick Sephora search will do the trick), you’ll find that the offerings are most frequently problem-solution-oriented. One will mattify oil, another will brighten your under-eye, and something else can be employed to blur over pores. Rare, however, set out to do it all—and do it all at once. The product claims to “blur, smooth, and set,” while absorbing excess oil.
The powder can be used on bare skin for a subtle boost, on top of foundation for added coverage, or on top of concealer to set makeup and prevent creasing. It's perhaps one of the brand's most versatile launches to date.
It’s notably talc-free, as well. The safety of talc, a natural mineral, has long been contested among beauty professionals. Not only can talc irritate sensitive skin, but in certain concentrations and derivatives, it’s been shown to cause respiratory issues or lead to cancer. With that in mind, many makeup products still include a finely milled version of the ingredient in powder cosmetics. Avoiding talc is a personal choice (many experts claim it's safe in cosmetics), but Rare has chosen to err on the side of caution.
Editors' Honest Reviews
Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor
"I’ve always been a translucent powder girl. Tinted formulas, candidly, terrify me. Typically, they’re just a magnifying glass for imperfections and texture. But Selena hasn’t steered me wrong yet (I’m a Soft Pinch Blush devotee), so I owed it to her to give the compact a try.
"Before I get into my thoughts on the physical product, I want to give the packaging a little shout out. It’s incredibly easy to open and is accompanied by a cute little mirror that makes on-the-go application easy.
"As for the product itself? It’s impressive. It’s very lightweight and not cakey in the slightest. A very soft dusting smoothed out my under-eyes and mattified any oiliness on my complexion. My only note: The colors do skew a bit orange, so if you’re a pale girl like me, choose a shade lighter than you think you need."
Deena Campbell, Beauty Director
"When I hear 'pressed powder,' my mind conjures up images of my grandma in front of her vanity, getting ready for a drive in her 1975 Chevy. I’m being slightly dramatic, but in short, I’m not a pressed powder girl because I feel older whenever I wear them. I strive for a soft, dewy finish and most pressed powders are way too drying—and the formula settles into my fine lines. But this Rare Beauty newbie is the pressed powder for people who hate pressed powder. The coverage is on the lighter end, but it’s easy to build upon. I added concealer where needed, but the powder could’ve served as both. My final thought? It blurred redness and evened my skin tone, and that’s a major win."
Jonelle Afurong, Junior Designer
"I don't wear makeup very often, and I like to keep things natural when I do. I never really use powder: I'm more of a 'use setting spray and hope for the best' kind of girl, because powder tends to cake on me. This powder had the opposite effect. I really enjoy the silky texture of it and that it's not heavy on my skin. I never noticed how much shine and texture I get from not having a finishing powder. After using it, I had a blurred, but still natural, look. I'm definitely adding this to my routine from now on!"
Julia Marzovilla, Fashion E-Commerce Editor
"I have skin that's on the dry side, so the idea of wearing a powder has never appealed to me. However, this one from Rare is so microfine that it doesn't make my skin look patchy or flaky. I found that it it blurred my under-eye area as promised without settling into the creases that have developed as I head into my late 20s. On the rest of my face, it set my makeup and played well under layers of cream bronzer, blush, and highlighter."
Brooke Knappenberger, Associate E-Commerce Editor
"My skin is perpetually oily, plus my pores are on the large side, which is not exactly a winning combo when it comes to makeup application. So a product that promises to smooth, blur, reduce shine, and set had my ears perking up.
"To start, I set my under-eye concealer with a light layer of powder, then I topped off my entire face with a soft dusting to set the rest of my makeup. To really seal the deal, I lightly pressed some powder onto the t-zone and around the nose, which are the oiliest parts of my face. My final result was smoother under-eyes, less noticeable pores, and whole lot less shine. My one note is that I received a much better application and more coverage with a powder puff than a fluffy face brush, but nonetheless, I’m impressed.
Gabrielle Ulubay, Beauty Writer
"I usually find that pressed powder gives my skin a grainy finish and a thick, cakey feeling—especially in hot weather like this. Rare Beauty's Tinted Pressed Finishing Powder pleasantly surprised me because it's lightweight, mattifying, and blends seamlessly with my skin tone. However, I didn't find it as blurring as I would have liked it to be, and found that it brought out some of my uneven texture rather than masking it."
