Beauty Kuel Category Expert: Elise Marquam-Jahns
I think we’d all agree that just a few changes have happened to our skin over the past several decades. So products that may have worked well for us in our 20s and 30s may not work so well for us now.
It’s always interesting to test a new makeup line to see how it performs on our skin. Today I’ll be testing (and trying out in the video) seven different products from a recently launched makeup brand called Rare Beauty to see how it performs on mature skin.
Selena Gomez’s Line Rare Beauty:
This product line was created by twenty-eight year old actress and singer Selena Gomez. It’s carried by Sephora and includes fourteen different products. I’ve tried out seven of them. One product I didn’t try is a dual ended retractable eyebrow pencil which has a pencil on one end and brow gel on the other end (which costs twenty-two dollars).
I have to say that I love the idea of combining a retractable pencil and gel in one dual ended product. And, I was really delighted to see that the eyebrow pencil/gel combination comes in eight colors, including gray. Gray is not often included in many makeup lines so thanks to Selena for including this color option that’s an important one for many older women.
Beginning With The Foundation:
I applied the Rare Beauty foundation and concealer before recording the video since I wanted to have it on for a while before filming to see how it wore over a period of time and to see how it worked with other makeup. The foundation costs twenty-nine dollars and the packaging is unique and beautiful. The foundation is described as medium to full coverage, weightless and a product that melts into the skin. t comes in forty-eight shades so there’s a wonderful range of color options.
And just a note about the application of this foundation: it is absolutely necessary to shake the foundation quite vigorously before applying. Unfortunately, however, immediately after applying it, the foundation really accentuated texture and pores on my skin, so it was clear right from the start that it wasn’t working on my mature skin, so I did end up taking it off and applying a different foundation.
Be sure to check out Elise’s YouTube channel which specifically focuses on makeup tips, techniques, and product reviews for those of us 45+. Don’t forget to subscribe!
Concealed Concealer:
The concealer also comes in forty-eight shades, is nineteen dollars and is described as being lightweight, hydrating, and brightening with a radiant finish. Because of the issues I had with the foundation, I decided to pass on trying the concealer.
Moving On To Eyes:
“The color story in each of these palettes is beautiful”
There are two limited edition eye shadow palettes and each is twenty-five dollars. One is called Magnetic Spirit and the other is called Confident Energy. I have to confess I was a little hesitant to try these palettes because there are no matte shadows in either of these two palettes and I find using a matte color to anchor any eye look on my mature eyes to be very helpful.
The Magnetic Spirit palette has five metallics and one duochrome and the Confident Energy palette has five metallics and one satin shimmer. Since applying shimmers and metallics with a brush can sometimes mute the shine a bit, I decided to give the Confident Energy palette a try. The color story in each of these palettes is beautiful, and they applied fairly well, but at least for me, having at least one or two matte shades in a palette is pretty much “a must.” So if this is also true for you, you may not find it worthwhile to invest in either of these eye shadow palettes.
I’m Blushing:
Next I tried the blush– one of the two products I was most excited about trying—because it’s a liquid which I think works very well for those of us with mature skin. I was also looking forward to trying it because the blush is described as long lasting. And as we know, blush often disappears pretty quickly.
The product description indicates that the blushes are infused with long lasting color pigments for all-day wear and they can be layered on over liquid or powder without disturbing the makeup underneath. The blush comes in eight shades and costs twenty dollars. Four of the blushes have a matte finish and four are described as having a radiant finish. And a little goes a very long way! I decided to apply the shade “Happy” which is a lovely pink with a radiant finish.
Adding A Glow:
I next checked out the Liquid Luminizer which is the second product I was really looking forward to trying. It’s also a liquid and has a beautiful soft glow. This product comes in eight shades and I applied the shade Mesmerize which is a light pink. It’s described as being a silky liquid which creates a dewy, buildable glow and it costs twenty-two dollars. Once again, a little goes a very long way so this bottle would last a very long time. I applied it by dotting it on with my fingers and then using a brush to blend it in.
Lip Smack:
And finally, I definitely wanted to try the lipstick. To prevent lipstick from feathering, I always apply some concealer around my lips first. Next, I apply my L’Oreal Age Perfect Lip Liner. Then I applied the Rare Beauty Dewy Lip Balm in “Compliment” which is a deep plum shade. And to lighten and brighten the color a bit, I applied my own lighter lip gloss over it. The lip balm is described as hydrating with dewy, blend-able color and it comes in seven shades.
I also tried the Lip Souffle Matte Lip Crème in a berry shade called “Transform” earlier. The Matte Lip Crème comes in twelve shades and has a matte finish. It went on smoothly and felt really nice on the lips—not the least bit dry. It’s probably not as long lasting as other mattes due to the creamy texture, but it felt great, applied beautifully and, dried down to a nice matte finish.
OverAll Thoughts On The MakeUp Line:
“I really loved the blush”
So here are my thoughts on these products. First the foundation and concealer. As I mentioned earlier, immediately after applying the foundation before filming, it highlighted the texture of my skin. It also seemed to have a somewhat oily feel. So it may not be a foundation that would work well for most of us with mature skin. And because of my experience with the foundation, I decided to pass on the concealer.
However, I really loved the blush. Since it is very pigmented, it’s only necessary to apply one or two drops at the most and it blends in beautifully to create a lovely, soft look. The Liquid Luminizer is also gorgeous and applied and blended in beautifully as well. I appreciate the wider than normal color range in both of these products and would definitely recommend them for mature skin. Both of the lip products—the Dewy Lip Balm and the Crème Souffle Matte Lip Crème—felt wonderful on the lips and were really lovely. However, if you do have issues with lipstick feathering, it would be necessary to take some extra precautions to prevent the lip balm from feathering.
Proven Makeup Techniques:
I’m also excited to share with you a quick and easy (and free!) guide I’ve put together which I hope you’ll find helpful. It’s a guide to: “The Top Four Research-Proven Makeup Techniques That Help Women 50+ Look 5-20 Years Younger.” Click here to grab your guide:
About The Author:
Elise Marquam-Jahns is a professional, working makeup-artist who is passionate about helping women 45+ get their glow back. In addition to her work as a makeup artist for a major cosmetics line, she founded Boomer and Beyond Beauty. Be sure to check out Elise’s YouTube channel which specifically focuses on makeup tips, techniques, and product reviews for those of us 45+. Don’t forget to subscribe! Elise is also an author and speaker and hosts Normandale Community College’s monthly Learning Well Edge Talk Radio show where she interviews experts in the field of health and wellness.
