Finding makeup products that last long and keep up with my busy life without smearing, melting or fading has become a nightmare. As a student and an athlete that wears makeup, finding the right products that last long, are mask proof and waterproof are must haves. The products I’m putting up to the test are Rare Beauty’s ‘Perfect Strokes Matte Liquid Liner’ and their ‘Stay Vulnerable Melting Cream Blush. Musician and actress Selena Gomez recently dropped her makeup line, Rare Beauty. After testing a few products, I  found that some conquer my challenges with makeup, while others didn’t quite hit the mark.

At first glance the packaging is gorgeous and the boxes they come in are recyclable and easy to open. The brand has a pinkish gold aesthetic within the actual product that is appealing to the eye. The outside of the cardboard box is clean, elegant, and durable. Upon opening the eyeliner the plastic casing popped off, but that might have been my own fault.

All Rare Beauty products are vegan and cruelty free which is extremely important to me as a consumer, and are also recommended by dermatologists. Makeup tends to get a bad reputation regarding how it affects skin, so having a well-made product that is safe on the skin is reassuring and applaudable. While testing and swatching the products, I quickly fell in love with the cream blushes formula. It has a silky feel with an end matte finish and is extremely pigmented. The blush did not come with an applicator, so I used my finger to swatch and test it out. It blended in nicely with my skin and didn’t take off the foundation base that was underneath it. After finishing my makeup it looked great, but the real test was how long it would last. After a long day at school and home, touching my face and wearing a mask, the blush did slightly fade but was still visible from up close. 

The eyeliner had a much harder expectation to live up to. As a makeup artist who prefers to wear eyeliner everyday if possible, and is very particular about the shape of the pencil, the formula of the product and the overall long lasting wearability, I was prepared for the worst. I was pleasantly surprised by the feel of the liquid liner, but after application it was time to test its other qualities. When applying it at 6:30 in the morning, the product went on smooth and dried fast, like a good eyeliner should do. As the day went on I constantly touched my eyes and had to check the mirror. To my surprise it stayed on with little to no smear or chipping. The eyeliner and blush lasted all day and the final test was the hardest challenge: is it waterproof?

As a synchronized swimmer, finding products that will last and look good when in the water is very important. This eyeliner exceeded my expectations and did not let me down. Besides the slight fading from the goggles, the eyeliner stayed in place while the blush faded away. With state competitions coming up, finding this eyeliner was a life saver and works amazing. The blush is also great but could use some minor changes in the formula to reach the same level as the eyeliner.

If you need an eyeliner with a clean formula, an easy applicator, and long lasting wear for only 19 dollars, it is perfect. This liner is going to be my new go to recommendation when someone asks me for a good product. Though the 21 dollar blush was nice, my expectations were not completely met. I was still impressed by both of the products and plan on adding them into my new daily routine.