Rare Beauty shook up the cosmetics industry with its viral liquid blush. But Selena Gomez’s six-year-old brand hasn’t nailed the complexion category—yet. That might change with the new True to Myself Natural Matte Longwear Foundation, launching April 2. Gomez and chief brand officer Joyce Kim worked on the formula for three years, and Gomez even wore it for her wedding to Benny Blanco in September 2025.
“I got to test it toward the end of Oscars season [2025], and then I started wearing it for everything after that,” Gomez says from her El Segundo, California, office. “It was really hard to keep it a secret because even on my wedding day, I was like, Oh, I want to tell people that I'm wearing it.”
This isn’t Gomez’s first foundation. She rolled out Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation when Rare Beauty first launched in 2020 to mixed reviews. Many, including myself, found it a bit drying and not easily buildable without settling into fine lines, with a cute but not super-effective doe-foot applicator. True to Myself Natural Matte isn’t a reformulation; it’s a totally new product, with Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation being phased out (it’s already gone from Sephora’s website).
Gomez is especially proud of the new component: a pump you press that dispenses just the right amount of product. “Every year, we have a dedicated new launch that's really custom-built around accessibility in terms of packaging,” she says. In some cases, it’s as simple as adding a mattifying spray over a bottle, so it’s not as slippery, giving users a better grip. In the case of the True to Myself Foundation, Gomez “hates caps,” Kim jokes. This meant the team designed the bottle with a similar lock feature as the brand’s eau de parfum.
“People who have dexterity challenges like myself,…I want my products to feel comfortable for people who have any sort of challenges that way,” Gomez adds. “I think it makes our brand a little bit of what we wanted it to be, which is that everyone feels included and seen.”
As for the new formula, the brand claims the 3-in-1 foundation primes, covers, and sets—self-priming and self-setting—making it a more efficient product. Kim still stands behind the brand’s first foundation for its “beautiful serum quality” and “professional blowout kind of look.” But they listened to their customers, she says, and created a product that's “easy to use [with] not as many steps.”
Gomez uses one pump all over her entire face and blends it in with the new Soft Touch Makeup Blending Sponge. Kim says it can easily be sheered out that way, or applied with a brush and built to a more medium-to-full coverage.
So, why a matte finish instead of a glowy, dewy one? For a few reasons, Kim says. Three years ago, she saw the makeup trends starting to lean toward a breathable, natural-looking matte and fuller coverage than the no-makeup makeup of recent years. “We're seeing so many matte, full-beat faces and we're excited for that,” she explains. “But a lot of our customers are also experiencing Rare for the first time, wearing makeup for the first time, and you can still use this and really sheer it out.” Matte formulas also have longer staying power than dewy ones, so they could lean into the “self-setting” claims.
Rare Beauty says that “advanced film formers act as a primer to extend wear and keep the finish fresh, while finely milled powders lock in coverage all day,” according to a press release. It also promises to be sweat-, humidity-, and smudge-proof without powder. Gomez can attest to that. “On my wedding day, I was sweating like a pig,” she says. “I was so excited, so nervous…My hair was having little curls come out from the sweat, but my makeup was flawless.”
Kim says it’s the brand’s True Comfort Complex (a blend of sodium hyaluronate, ginger root, and algae extract) that keeps skin hydrated and stops the formula from settling into fine lines. But she still likes a little skin prep, especially on dry skin like her own. “If it has a matte finish, inherently, it's better for a little bit more of a combo/oily skin,” she says. Those with normal or dry skin might want to add a moisturizer first (and sunscreen during the day, of course).
I asked cosmetic chemist and product developer Ramón Pagán to review the ingredient list and explain a little more about what makes the formula self-priming and setting. “Contrary to most foundations, this one has dimethicone as its first ingredient,” he says. “Dimethicone itself denotes a wide range of ingredients that can be used, but this is generally the main ingredient we see in blurring primers, since it helps to smooth the canvas and diffuse light to help blur.” In other words, the formula starts more like a smoothing primer than a traditional foundation, which is often water-based. “I think it could really get the job done in creating a smooth, even base on application,” he adds.
When it comes to the setting claims, Pagán points to isododecane, a hydrocarbon, which is “a volatile ingredient that evaporates off the skin quickly, creating a sense of ‘setting,’” he says. This could be fine for dry skin, but he recommends setting with powder if “you want true longwear or have oily skin.”
The silicones in the formula also keep the True to Myself Foundation from settling into fine lines and wrinkles, Pagán says. He describes silicones as a “useful, unique ingredient category” that help diffuse light and create a smooth canvas, while remaining “super lightweight and versatile.”
Longwear foundations rely on a mix of components, according to Pagán: a base that suspends pigment, volatile ingredients that help the formula set, and film-forming agents that deliver long wear as well as transfer-, sweat-, and water-resistant claims. Silicones play a major role in that balance, allowing formulas to be both sweat- and sebum-resistant while still looking and feeling flexible.
Of course, the foundation’s skin-care ingredients help with the feel and finish, too. “Sodium hyaluronate is an iconic humectant that helps to hydrate the skin; makeup always looks best on hydrated skin,” Pagán says. “Ginger root and algae extract, depending on what version and where they're sourced from, can have antioxidant, soothing, or skin-regenerating properties, helping to give your skin a more plump appearance.”
One important thing Rare Beauty made sure to improve with the True to Myself foundation is the undertone options throughout the shade range. “We listened to our community, and there were some undertones that we definitely had to work on,” Kim says. “So we really worked on having cool, warm, and neutral tones, and six different families.” Forty-eight shades fall into light, light-medium, medium, medium-deep, and deep categories.
Kim and her team brought in models to test all the shades and returned to the drawing board if the tone wasn’t right. They’re confident everyone will find their perfect shade and are launching an online tool to help. Kim still recommends getting matched in-store if possible and notes it’s often about personal preference. Gomez admits she wears a few shades depending on whether she’s “really pale with a red lip” or has “long hair and a tan.”
Unlike the global superstar, I do not tan, and my shade is always the same. In this new foundation, I like 9N the best, a light neutral hue. (The shades don’t directly correspond from the first foundation to the new one.) I’m 41 years old, with more dry skin as of late (thanks, perimenopause), freckles, and hyperpigmentation. I usually wear a tinted sunscreen or a sheer, dewy formula because I worry that foundation—especially matte ones—will settle into my fine lines and make me look older.
Taking Kim’s advice, I started with moisturizer but skipped primer to really test its staying power. (I used POV Beauty’s Whip It.) I then applied one pump of the surprisingly creamy foundation with my hands, blending it in with the new sponge. To really test whether it would be buildable without being cakey, I added another small pump to the areas of my face that could use more coverage. This is when I got nervous. Gomez’s tip about only one pump is very accurate; a little goes a long way here. But when I took the time to blend it all in, the result was pretty seamless. In my opinion, it is a big improvement from the brand’s first foundation.
I applied the rest of my makeup and skipped setting powder. I went to dinner and got so many compliments on my makeup. I was shocked. (Maybe I should wear foundation more often!) Realistically, I’m going to keep wearing skin tints for every day, but now I have a more full-coverage option that I actually like on my skin. And it still looked great at the end of a long night.
But what did our editors think? Scroll down for their reviews, including before and after images.
“I hear we’re having a matte resurgence, and I’m all here for it. I have oily skin, so the velvety finish of this foundation doesn't leave me that dry, and thorough skin prep ensures that my skin doesn't look or feel parched while wearing this. I fit snuggly between the shades 41 and 42, and, honestly, either shade feels like a 95% match for my complexion on any given day. I love how easily this formula blends out and how I’m still left with a subtle glow (because I lean oily). I did set with powder, but on a more low-key makeup day, I can see myself going without and it still lasting all day.”
"I prefer a full-coverage look so a matte formula like this is something I was eager to try and I'm happy to report that it held up so well throughout the day. It did not budge, and I was out walking around all day: in the subway, up and down stairs, all day around town for meetings. Any smudging that occurred was from me rubbing my face. My pores are also large and I personally thought it still looked good 10 hours later without reapplication.
A little goes such a long way. I used a nickel sized amount mixing two shades together (not sure of the shades as I only had lab samples) and it gave me medium-to-heavy coverage in just one pass. I was honestly shocked how little product I needed for a full face. For people who like the Charlotte Tilbury matte foundation, this is very similar in performance you just need a lot less product. It was somewhat blendable but not breathable. I had the feeling of wear a layer of makeup on my face, which I don't mind, but it's nowhere near that “second skin” feeling. "
“While I used to be a matte foundation fan, as I’ve gotten older, my skin has gotten progressively drier, and I’ve turned mostly to skin tints. But this foundation landed with me at the opportune time when a pesky eczema breakout around my lips needed more heavy-duty coverage (my best match was shade 24). This did the trick to hide it, but my skin did feel tight in that area after a full day of wear. This might not immediately make it into my daily makeup routine, but I’ll reach for it (and a bit of highlighter) every once in a while for sure.
“On a side note, and this might be nitpicky, but there’s absolutely no way to keep the off-white top of this bottle clean of foundation stains. After one use, it was already grimy, and even using a wet wipe wouldn’t remove the stains.”
“I have dry, dehydrated, and sensitive skin, so I typically gravitate toward dewy foundations …or no foundation at all. But recently I’ve been looking for options with fuller coverage and a matte-er finish to add to my lineup for events and special occasions where I know I’ll be photographed. The Rare Beauty True to Myself Natural Matte in shade 32 fit the bill.
“I knew that skin prep was extra important before testing and made sure to massage on a moisturizer and hydrating sunscreen, and to pay extra mind to the dry patches I have on my cheeks. I flipped the switch to the foundation's locking mechanism (very cool, by the way), and dispensed one pump onto my cheek. It was thick and highly pigmented (that one pump covered most of the side of my face).
“Blending with a dense brush took some patience, and after I was done buffing it out, I wasn’t sure if I liked how my skin looked. I turned around to ask my colleagues, and they exclaimed that I looked ‘amazing’ and that I was ‘red carpet-ready.’”
“As someone born in the 1970s, I have avoided matte foundations for many years now. But I’m a near-daily user of the Rare Beauty liquid blush and highlighter, so I was up for giving this new formula a try. (I’m shade 5.) I applied it with a damp Beautyblender to give me the best shot at an air-brushed, sheer-ish finish. To be conservative, I put only one pump in my palm—and used less than half of that. A little goes a looong way! Ultimately, I was happy with the coverage level—close to full and even, but not cakey—but the finish was too flat for me. (In my after photo, I didn’t apply any blush or highlighter, so this is just the foundation straight-up.) After a few hours of wear, I felt like I was looking a little…dusty? TLDR: Not a bad formula, but my skin wants/needs more dewiness.”
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“Unless I'm attending an event on a 90-degree day where a photographer will be present, I rarely reach for matte foundation. So I approached Rare Beauty's latest with a healthy degree of skepticism. The first time I tried it, I wasn't a fan; it seemed to seep into fine lines and pores I didn't even know existed. However, the second time around, I liked it much better, probably because I made a much more concerted effort to prepare my skin: I exfoliated the night prior and used a richer-than-normal moisturizer immediately before applying the foundation using a dense brush. I'm also impressed with the shade selection (I'm typically a 0 or 1 in 99% of other lines, but a 2 in this one) and the super-satisfying lock and unlock switch; it's like the makeup version of a fidget spinner.”
The Rare Beauty True to Myself Natural Matte Longwear Foundation launches on April 2nd and retails for $38/30ml and is available now at Sephora, Sephora.com, Kohl's, and RareBeauty.com.
Read more foundation reviews:
- The New Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation Offers More Customizable Coverage
- Is the New Armani Luminous Silk Foundation Even Better Than the Original?
- Patrick Ta’s First Liquid Foundation Will Give You That Movie-Star Glow
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