I Tested Rare Beauty's "Lip Soufflés" in 4 Shades, and Yes, They're Worth the Hype

My first instinct when a celebrity announces a sharp left turn into the cosmetics industry is a slight eyebrow raise. I'm all for people pursuing passion projects, but makeup artists, cosmetic scientists, and Rihanna have us pretty much covered on the product development front, right? How many celebrity beauty brands does the world need?

But from the moment tiny previews of Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty line started trickling in online, I was intrigued. Chic, minimalist packaging and a foundation range boasting 48 shades? Promising indeed. When the opportunity popped up to receive Rare Beauty items for review, I knew exactly which difficult-to-perfect category I wanted to take for a spin first: a creamy liquid lipstick Rare Beauty dubbed as "Lip Soufflé." Picking clumps of congealed formula from dried, creased lips is a personal pet peeve of mine, so I was eager to see if this matte lipstick could really pack a pigment punch while wearing comfortably on the lips.

Reader, I'm here to report that Rare Beauty's Lip Soufflés delivered. This particular product's texture is unique in the world of matte lipsticks — creamy and buildable, while still feeling surprisingly lightweight and breathable. After a few minutes of wear, the suede-like finish starts to feel barely there, almost like a powder and far more comfortable than the tacky, glue-like texture common in other liquid lip products.

Available in 12 shades, I was pleasantly surprised by how easy application of even the most high-impact Rare Beauty red color was on my lips. Dabbing on two to three dots of product and tapping outward with my ring finger achieved full coverage in fewer than 30 seconds. A lip liner might come in handy, but I didn't find it necessary for the four shades I tested: Inspire, Brave, Fearless, and Honesty. Check out photos of the shades I tried ahead, and feel free to put me on the record as a reformed celebrity beauty cynic. If every celebrity's foray into the beauty world is as intentional, user-friendly, and beautiful as Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty offerings, I'm all in.