Rare Beauty Hope Soft Pinch Liquid Blush Review & Swatches
Hope
Rare Beauty Hope Soft Pinch Liquid Blush ($20.00 for 0.25 oz.) is a medium pink with strong, warm undertones and a natural, dewy sheen. It had rich color payoff in a single “layer,” though it was sheerer and more buildable–if desired–by using exactly as the brand recommended, which was one or two “dots” of product per cheek.
It had a very fluid consistency that was lightweight, spreadable, and easy to work with over bare skin or on top of foundation as it did not lift up my base products. The blush applied evenly and had a “soft set,” so it retained its dewy finish but didn’t slide around or feel tacky. It lasted well for nine and a half hours before fading visibly.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Makeup by Mario Dusty Rose (P, $28.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Melt Cosmetics Pink Sand (P, $22.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Shell Out (LE, $8.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona Darya (P, $22.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Milani Coral Crush (P, $8.99) is more shimmery, warmer (85% similar).
- Fenty Beauty Petal Poppin' (P, $20.00) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (80% similar).
- Pat McGrath Electric Bloom (P, $38.00) is warmer (85% similar).
- ColourPop Luv Me Not (LE, $12.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
- ColourPop Hi Infatuation (PiP, $12.00) is warmer (85% similar).
- Salt New York Peach (P, $16.00) is more shimmery, warmer (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$23.00/0.25 oz. - $92.00 Per Ounce
The blush is supposed to have "long-lasting color pigments" that last "all-day" where "a little goes a long way." That being said, they also say it "blends and builds beautifully," though when one looks at the "how to" instructions, I could see that being achievable as they actually say to remove excess and then use one or two dots of product on each cheek. The line-up has includes four shades in a true, flat matte finish and four shades in a lightly, dewy finish.
Like a lot of the liquid products in the brand's range, they have a lot more slip and feel more serum-like, but a little did go a long way with respect to pigmentation. First and foremost, to control application, I would recommend dotting (lightly!) once or twice per cheek but I would work one cheek at a time, especially with the matte finish. I also felt using a sponge or brush worked well for diffusing and spreading about the blush better than fingertips when working over a base as fingertips seemed to leave slight imprints and seemed more prone to lifting up product.
When in doubt, use the least amount possible! I liked dabbing a bit on the back of my hand and using a fluffy, duo-fiber brush to apply to cheeks, which gave me a better diffusion with less chance of lifting up base product. This method worked best with the dewier finish blushes as there was enough playtime, but the matte blushes dried down faster and I had to use more product to keep it malleable on the back of my hand. The dewy finish shades have a light sheen but dry down enough that they don't slide around during wear. The matte shades fully dry down.
They wore between eight and nine hours on me before showing signs of fading. Though I haven't been able to find a clip I can reference specifically to it, I've had multiple readers state that the brand owner (Selena Gomez) has mentioned that the packaging was designed to be easier to open. I found that to be true of the flattened, knob-like tops found on the liquid blushes, as it took little pressure to twist open.
Browse all of our Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush swatches.
Ingredients
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Mica, Octyldodecanol, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Isododecane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Propylene Carbonate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Aluminum Hydroxide, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera (Sacred Lotus) Flower Extract, Nymphaea Odorata Root Extract. [+/- May Contain: Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Yellow 6 Lake (CI 15985), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Red 28 Lake (CI 45410)].
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Very nice, but I doubt that this shade would be impactful on my cheeks even in winter. Lovely option for lt.-med. or lighter skintones, though!
What a gorgoeus shade!