In five short years, Rare Beauty has established itself as a brand capable of releasing beauty products that become instant classics, from its Silky Touch Highlighter to the Tinted Lip Oil. Yes, Rare was founded by Selena Gomez, but what really makes the line stand out is the innovative formulas, like the new Soft Pinch Matte Bouncy Blush.
Similar to Rare’s original Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, Bouncy Blush has jaw-dropping pigmentation with a matte finish. But the new version has a solid cream-to-powder formula, making it buildable, blurring on the skin, and easy to blend. The product is water-, sweat-, and humidity-resistant, making it a great contender for a beach day or vacation.
For our next installment of 5 People Try, Glamour editors test Rare Beauty’s Soft Pinch Matte Bouncy Blush to find out if it’s as iconic as the brand’s first foray into cheek color. Keep reading for a detailed review with our honest thoughts.
The Product: Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Matte Bouncy Blush
Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Matte Bouncy Blush
Sephora
Ariana Yaptangco, senior beauty editor
Shade: Truth
I was pleasantly surprised by this blush (although I’m not sure why, since Rare Beauty products are consistently great). Maybe it’s because of the texture: a soft putty that can be smushed and stamped like Play-Doh. I usually steer clear from gimmicky beauty products but this blush proved to be more than just cool tricks. Just like the Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, the pigment is out of this world and a little goes a long way. Best of all is the wear, which is super lightweight and blends out beautifully for a soft and diffused look. I wore Truth, a punchy purple color that reads more pink on my tan olive skin—but TBH, I’d be happy with any color from the impressive shade range.
Rating: 10/10
BUY NOWMonique Wilson, global executive assistant
Shade: Grateful
When I picked this color, I knew it would make a statement. And it definitely did. Often, I use a cream or powder blush, but this cream-to-powder formula allows my brush to pick up product well. With only a few taps, there’s strong color pigmentation and finish. I tend to go more subtle with blush, so I ended up blending it out with my fingers to make it look more seamless for an everyday look. The cream-to-powder formula lets the blush look natural with a matte finish, which is perfect for summer.
Rating: 7/10
BUY NOWHyning Gan, contributing designer
Shade: Truth
I was curious to try the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Blush after seeing early hype online. I tried the shade Truth—a color that instantly felt like something I’d naturally gravitate toward, and it suited my skin tone beautifully. I normally only reach for cream stick blushes, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this. The texture sits somewhere between a cream and a powder, very lightweight and blendable. I used it with the matching brush and totally get why they’re sold together—the application was seamless. I was honestly shocked at the pigmentation—one light tap goes a long way.
Rating: 8/10
BUY NOWSam Reed, senior entertainment and trending news editor
Shade: Alive
I’m a minimalist when it comes to makeup, and I prefer products I can apply with my fingers and touch up on the go if needed. The Rare Beauty Soft-Pinch Blush passed the finger-application test, but because the pigment is so concentrated I made a bit of a mess at first. Good news, though—it’s very blendable! I think a brush is probably the best applicator for this product, which itself is exactly as described: pigmented and feathery soft. Now, if only Rare made a stick version…
Rating: 6.5/10
BUY NOWLoneeja Talukdar, senior analyst
Shade: Alive
So I finally got my hands on the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Matte Bouncy Blush and wow—this stuff is pigmented. Like, dab-it-once-and-blend-immediately kind of pigment. I definitely learned the hard way the first time I used it—less is more to start. The shade Alive is a vibrant rosy pink that woke up my whole face. It gives a healthy flush—like you just came back from a walk or had a really good laugh. What I love most is the texture. It melts in and sets to a soft matte finish. It blends out nicely—no patchiness!—and lasts all day. I wore it through a long sweaty afternoon and it didn’t budge. If you’re into that natural but still bold cheek look, this one’s a winner. Just start small, and build from there.
Rating: 8/10
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