Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Foundation: I Wanted to Love It

Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation: Why I struggled with this makeup by Rare Beauty.

Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez inspires me by promoting self-acceptance and by helping people who need important mental health care (1% of sales from this cosmetics brand is designated to these efforts). It’s easy to root for Selena and her mission driven makeup venture. But, with any makeup brand, there are some winners and some losers. Liquid Touch foundation just so happens to fall in the second category for me.

I’m also dedicated to giving my unbiased opinions about how products perform in my wear tests, because I hope my experience helps you make informed choices about what items will work for you. I was excited to test drive Liquid Touch Foundation. After all, I loved other products in the line (Soft Pinch Liquid Blush wowed me). As always, although it doesn’t suit my needs, preferences, or skin type, your experience may be different (in fact, Sephora reviewers give it a 4.6 star rating). But since you’re here, I’ll share my honest thoughts. Ugh, I hate not to love this foundation!

Promises vs. Performance: Liquid Touch Foundation didn’t wear as I’d hoped.

Rare Beauty has positioned Liquid Touch foundation as an “innovative, serum-like formula” that provides weightless, buildable, skin-like coverage. So much so that you’ll forget you’re wearing it, Selena claims. They say that a little goes a long way to even out skin tone and smooth the look for pores. Liquid Touch claims to be long lasting, without drying out, changing color, caking, or clogging pores. The packaging makes it easy to apply with it’s doe-foot applicator, and you’re sure to find a match out of the 48 shades offered!

I started with a few dabs of Rare Beauty Always An Optimist Illuminating Primer ($26) on the high points of my face. Then, I applied the foundation in shades 120C and 140C. I tried the brand’s Liquid Touch Multi-Tasking Sponge ($7) and their Liquid Touch Foundation Brush ($28), which I preferred. The sponge soaked up too much product. Even with the help of the beautiful makeup brush (that has even become one of my favorites), the coverage remained light and was not as buildable as anticipated.

Now let’s chat about the wear of Liquid Touch.

Liquid Touch didn’t meet my expectations based on the performance claims. Instead of a smooth, lasting, and natural makeup look, I somehow appeared drier and oilier at the same time. The setting time was extensive. And the serum type liquid still rubbed off easily. Wearing it for hours, I noticed it never really settled into the skin. Rather, it sat on top of my face like a slippery mask and cracked around my lines and dry patches. These were not the outcomes I had imagined from this hyped beauty potion.

Quick Rating Rundown

This Product

(3.7)

:Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation

Price: $29.00

0.94 oz

Value

(4.6)

Application

(4)

Coverage

(3)

Texture

(3)

Longevity

(3)

Shade Range

(4.5)

Extra Benefits

(3)

Industry Standard

(4.6)

:Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation

Price: $48.00

1.0 oz

Value

(3.9)

Application

(4.8)

Coverage

(5)

Texture

(4)

Longevity

(4.8)

Shade Range

(5)

Extra Benefits

(3.5)

MILABU PICKS

(4.5+)

:12 Best Foundations You Need To Try

Price: $15 – $70

various sizes

Value

(4.5+)

Application

(4.5+)

Coverage

(4.5+)

Texture

(4.5+)

Longevity

(4.5+)

Shade Range

(4.5+)

Extra Benefits

(4.5+)

^{Our Rating Criteria}

How It Compares: Comparing Liquid Touch to a beauty industry go-to product in its price range.

I was really hoping to join the community of those raving about Liquid Touch Foundation, but it just did not work for me. The coverage was not on par with what Rare Beauty claims. I really just got a light to medium coverage that wasn’t able to be built up any higher. I feel like the formula never fully soaked into my skin, but rather just sat on top. It isn’t long wearing or matte. I had a decent amount of shine peeking through on my forehead even after blotting halfway through the day. It looked fine from far way, but up close you could really see the creasing, cracking, and somehow oily, yet dry at the same time finish. Hey, I still love Selena Gomez and her brand, even if Liquid Touch foundation doesn’t love me back!

When comparing Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation to a top rated product like Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation (rated ***** 4.6), I would reach for Double Wear every time. Although Double Wear is the pricier of the two, you get what you pay for here. It consistently delivers breathable, buildable coverage and a smooth, flawless finish for hours. No greasiness, slippage, or cracking. The shade range even exceeds that of Liquid Touch, with a whopping 55 hues to choose from. For my face, the benefits and reliability of Double Wear make it worth the extra investment.

Milabu Beauty Method: The best way to apply foundation by Rare Beauty, IMO.

I love the Liquid Touch Foundation Brush ($28). It improves the application of this or any liquid foundation. Here’s how I used it with Liquid Touch makeup.

1. Apply several dots of the foundation across your face.
2. Use your foundation brush in a patting motion to stipple the product into the skin, dragging it upward to blend and distribute the makeup evenly.
3. Dot more foundation in areas where you need more coverage.
4. Repeat dabbing your brush to blend.