Okay, so let’s be honest — Rare Beauty has always owned the conversation when it comes to viral blushes, soft glamour and products that practically break the internet. But when it came to the foundation? The girls were not exactly obsessed.
Now, that may finally be changing, because the brand’s new True to Myself Natural Matte Longwear Foundation is arriving with serious redemption energy — and honestly, it feels like the complexion comeback nobody saw coming. Launching on April 2, the new formula has already created buzz because Selena Gomez and Rare Beauty’s Chief Brand Officer Joyce Kim reportedly spent three full years developing it.
That alone says this was not just another beauty drop — this was personal. And yes, Selena even wore it on her wedding day to Benny Blanco in 2025, which instantly gives it that intimate Hollywood credibility every beauty lover notices. The brand is making bold promises: a 3-in-1 formula that primes, smooths and sets itself.
Basically, it is being marketed as the kind of foundation that wants to do the work of three products while still looking effortless — very celebrity-off-duty, very camera-ready, very “I woke up like this but expensive.”That matters because Rare Beauty’s first foundation, Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation, never fully won over makeup lovers. When it launched in 2020, many users loved the soft packaging but found the formula slightly drying, difficult to build evenly and prone to settling into fine lines. Even the doe-foot applicator, while cute, did not exactly feel practical for everyone.
This time, Rare Beauty is not calling this a reformulation. It is a completely new direction. In fact, Liquid Touch is already disappearing from Sephora shelves, making room for what the brand clearly hopes will become its strongest complexion product yet. And honestly? The packaging alone feels like a celebrity-level upgrade. Selena reportedly pushed for a press pump that releases the exact amount needed — no waste, no mess, no overpouring. The bottle also has a locking design similar to the brand’s fragrance packaging, which makes it easier for users with dexterity challenges. That detail is deeply aligned with Rare Beauty’s long-standing message of accessibility and inclusion, something Selena has consistently made central to the brand.
According to cosmetic chemist Ramón Pagán, the formula stands out because dimethicone appears as the leading ingredient — something usually found in blurring primers rather than traditional foundations. That means instead of starting with a watery base, this product begins with a smoothing silicone structure designed to soften texture, blur pores and help makeup sit evenly on the skin. In simple terms: it behaves as if your primer arrived already mixed into your foundation, which explains why the finish looks more polished from the first application. Another ingredient creating interest is isododecane, a lightweight volatile component that evaporates quickly after application. That fast evaporation gives the skin that fresh-set feeling, helping the foundation lock in place without becoming heavy. For oily skin, experts still recommend a touch of powder, but for dry or combination skin, this may be one of the reasons the formula feels more flexible than expected.
The silicone blend also helps explain why the product resists sinking into fine lines — a major complaint about many matte foundations. Instead of creating dryness, the formula appears designed to move lightly with facial expression while keeping coverage smooth. And then there is the skincare angle, because beauty in 2026 is never just makeup anymore. Sodium hyaluronate adds hydration, which helps prevent the matte finish from looking flat or tight. Ginger root and algae extract also support a fresher appearance, offering antioxidant and soothing benefits that help skin look fuller and calmer under makeup. What makes this launch feel especially important is that Rare Beauty is clearly trying to prove it can dominate more than blush.
The brand already owns a huge emotional connection with consumers, but complexion products are where beauty brands either become complete or get left behind. This foundation feels like Rare Beauty finally stepping into that next level — less experimental, more refined, and much more aware of what makeup users actually complained about the first time. And if the early reactions hold, Selena may have just delivered the product that beauty lovers wished the first foundation had been all along.
