Let’s discuss the Rare Beauty, aka Selena Gomez Lip Souffle liquid lipsticks.
(Contains some affiliate links.)
Hello my fellow lipstick lovers! Pucker up because we have a new launch to discuss: the Selena Gomez Lip Souffle liquid lipstick. Sorry, Rare Beauty. That’s the official name – I just can’t seem to commit to using it just yet. Woops!
I know, I know. The last thing the world really needs at the moment is yet another celebrity backed makeup brand.
And when the line launched on Sephora.com, I did a great job of not adding anything to my cart. Then, rave reviews kept popping up on my feeds of these lippies and my interest was peaked. After all, I’m a self-declared lipstick lover and when talk of a lightweight liquid lipstick starts circulating the internet, I’m bound to cave.
Selena Gomez Lip Souffle Matte Cream Lipstick
What They Claim:
- Full-coverage color that’s also lightweight
- Velvety matte finish
- Blurring effect that makes the lips fuller, smoother and more plump
- Hydrating formula that softens and “stays put”
- Lips that feel comfortable all day long with no drying or caking
- A precise tip for easy application
- Priced at $20 each with 12 shades available (currently)
Selena’s marketing team really went all out when describing the Lip Souffles, didn’t they? They’re basically described as the best lipstick ever, ticking all the boxes anyone could ever want.
Truth is: we’ve all come across products that don’t live up to their big claims. Likewise, we’ve come across products that do! As my civic duty, I set out to test my Selena Gomez Lip Souffle over several days in hopes of getting to the truth for you. Are they as great as Rare Beauty claims? Are they as wonderful as the beauty gurus say? Let us see!
Satin Finish, Not Matte
Rare Beauty describes the Selena Gomez Lip Souffle formula as having a “velvety matte” finish. Their official name also declare them to be a “matte lip cream”, which is definitely a bit of an oxymoron. That considered, it didn’t surprise me to find that these aren’t 100% matte. The finish is quite nice though and one I’d describe as a satin. Not matte — not glossy, in between.
Lacking Coverage
A BIG surprise for me was the limited coverage. Not only did Rare Beauty claim the lip souffles to be full-coverage, that’s also what I’ve accustomed to from a liquid lipstick. While I wouldn’t describe these as sheer, the color and coverage is more muted than I expected. The whipped and lightweight formula makes for great comfort, but prevents the creamy full-coverage I was hoping for.
Blurring Effect and Fuller Lips?
When Rare Beauty wrote to expect a blurring effect that makes lips fuller, smoother and more plump — they really were reaching. REACHING! Along the same line as the lacking coverage I mentioned above, the lightweight formula doesn’t have the amount of thickness needed to smooth over and fill in the natural lines of your lips.
The Selena Gomez Lip Souffle definitely doesn’t have a blurring effect nor do they make my lips appear more full. Rather than concealing, the formula actually settles quite a bit into the natural lines of your lips.
Very Comfortable
On a major high note: the Selena Gomez Lip Souffle lipsticks are incredibly comfortable on the lips. Their whipped, lightweight consistency almost feels like applying air to the lips honestly. It’s a unique consistency I haven’t come across before and I quite like it!
Not Face-Mask Approved
Recently I shared a post with top mask-proof lipstick tips and my favorite formulas to wear under a mask. And, sadly, Rare Beauty’s Lip Souffle lipsticks haven’t earned themselves a spot on that list.
In all fairness to Selena Gomez, I imagine these were well into production before COVID hit. So whether or not they’re face-masked approved is a curveball they likely didn’t plan for. Nonetheless, face masks are part of the reality we find ourselves living in so it’s a relevant point to make. The product does transfer and get messy behind a mask.
Weartime: ~ 3 – 4 Hours
I was really hopeful the lip souffle would last longer, but no matter what I tried didn’t have success getting around 3 or 4 hours before the product had completely vanished.
The Serena Gomez Lip Souffle Matte Cream Lipsticks
The Pros
- Lightweight on the lips
- Whipped formula that’s quite unique
- Reasonably priced at $20 each
- Paraben Free
- Will work for sensitive skin
- Certified cruelty-free
- Vegan
The Cons
- Despite claims, is not full-coverage
- Has a light satin finish, instead of the velvety matte described
- Short wear time on the lips of around 3-4 hours
- Not transfer-proof or suitable for wearing beneath a face mask
- Settles into your lips lines instead of blurring over them
- Limited shade selection, for the time being anyway
Overall Grade: B-
While very light and comfortable on the lips, overall the Rare Beauty Lip Souffle lipstick formula isn’t my cup of tea. The lighter coverage and pigmentation were misses yes, but it is the lack of wear time that most disappointed me. Particularly now that we live in the era of face masks, I just don’t want to wear a lipstick that I know will get messy when I have to venture out in a mask.
I won’t be rushing to pick up more colors and don’t see myself reaching for this again. That said, the lightness of the formula is quite interesting and so it might be worth picking one of the lip souffles up to see for yourself what you think of it.
These might not have hit it out of the park for me, but I do appreciate that the Lip Souffles from Rare Beauty different and commend Selena Gomez for creating something we haven’t seen before. In such an oversaturated market, that is a definite victory and makes me interested in the future of Rare Beauty.
Shop the Lipstick
Rare Beauty Lip Souffle Matte Cream Lipstick ($20 each)
Shop at RareBeauty.com • Shop at Sephora.com
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Kelly
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